Frankfurt Christmas Markets ~ A Magical Trip on a Budget that Feels Like Anything But!

If you follow either CherrySue or Stone Travel on social media you’ll have seen that our annual Christmas Markets trip brought us to Frankfurt this year. In true Stone Travel style, I'm here to tell you exactly how much we paid, what we thought of it and how you can visit too! 

Getting there:

We opted for a Ryanair flight to Frankfurt Hahn as they had scheduled flights at the times we wanted; costing €44.86pp including all taxes and charges for the 1 hour 40 minute flight it also suited our budget. Just be aware Frankfurt Hahn is located 120km outside Frankfurt. Depending on the time of your flight you can either catch a train or a bus. 

As we arrived late on Friday night the only option for us was a Flibco bus. I had pre-purchased our tickets online costing €30pp return including insurance. Unfortunately a flight from Tangier arrived into the airport at the same time as our flight so we were delayed getting through passport control. We got to the bus stop with 10 minutes to spare to find they had resold our tickets and about 30 others that were on our flight so we had to wait over an hour for the next bus! Customer service was shocking and the rep was downright rude to anyone who questioned her. The journey time to Frankfurt am Main is 1 hour 45 minutes but on our return journey our driver did it in 1 hour 20 minutes.

Aer Lingus fly Dublin-Frankfurt main airport located just 10 minutes outside Frankfurt. While the flights were over €100pp extra at the time we were booking I think we might be flying Aer Lingus next time! 

Where to stay in Frankfurt:

It’s always a bit of a nightmare trying to find a decent central hotel when trying to stick to a budget so I usually trawl the hotel comparison sites first. That’s where I found Hotel Excelsior a 3* hotel located directly across the road from the train station in the financial district of Frankfurt am Main. The Flibco bus arrives and departs a mere 2 minute walk from the hotel.

Rooms are basic but spotless; we were given a room with a set of bunk beds and two very comfortable single beds. While the rooms and hotel itself are dated it really doesn’t take away from the comfort of your stay as they offer a host of free extras such as free Wi-Fi, free drinks and snacks available in reception all day, free buffet breakfast and a free mini bar in every room that’s restocked daily (I know!). 

Breakfast is served from 5am-11am in a large restaurant on the ground floor. They’ve a wide variety of food on offer as they take influence from breakfasts around the world. You’ve a choice of cereals, breads, crepes, eggs, cold meats, cheeses, smoked salmon, fresh fruit, yoghurts even soup, vegetable noodles or sweet & sour veg with boiled rice so you’re sure to find something you like to fill you up before hitting the markets. We paid €67.45pp for 2 nights B&B; I booked directly with the hotel through their website as they had the best price.

What are the Frankfurt Christmas Markets like?

Dating as far back as 1393 Frankfurt has the oldest Christmas Markets in Germany not only that, they also have the tallest Christmas tree. There are a few different markets dotted around the city: Römerberg, St Paul's Square, Mainkai (Main Quay), Hauptwache and Friedrich-Stoltze-Square.

The main market is Römerberg; this is where the massive Christmas tree is on display, if you can try to make it there on a Wednesday or Saturday at 6pm as they have live Christmas music from the balcony of St Nicolas’ Church. The sights, smells and sounds as you enter Römerberg after dark take your breath away. Rows and rows of wooden stalls beautifully lit with thousands of tiny white lights, a Christmas tree towering above the square, the sound of Christmas music being played by the oversized carousel, the smells of glühwein, cinnamon and gingerbread all with a backdrop of the iconic German traditional half timber buildings instantly gives you that warm fuzzy Christmassy feeling.

In other Cities we’ve been to the same stalls are usually repeated numerous times around the market. Frankfurt is the first market we’ve been to that we actually bought a lot of stuff as the market stalls sell a variety of beautiful and useful products at good prices. We always choose the last weekend in November to visit the Christmas Markets as this is usually the first weekend they open so they’re not that busy, Frankfurt however is the exception as it’s the most visited market in Europe, it’s always busy. 

There is so much delicious food to choose from as you peruse the markets, for lunch Sue decided on a bowl of chilli & I chose a bowl of beef goulash both came with fresh crusty bread for dipping and were priced at just €5 each. For dinner we needed a sit down as we were on our feet most of the day so we chose one of the many restaurants with outdoor seating around the old square. While they didn’t have heaters they did have blankets for our knees, 4 large beers and 2 pizzas cost us just over €33. 

Any Stone Travel tips?

If you’re feeling the cold and/or just want a sit down I’d highly recommend a visit to Galeria Kaufhof, it’s a huge department store right beside Hauptwache market. I bought my most prized possessions of the whole trip there, two huge nutcrackers for a bargain price of just €12.99 each(!). 

Not only is it great for a spot of shopping the rooftop bar & restaurant on the 7th floor is the perfect place to sit and recharge your batteries while enjoying a spectacular view of Frankfurt’s skyline. The glühwein is actually cheaper than in the market at €2.50 a mug, or you can opt for Prosecco at €2 a glass. They’ve heaters and a DJ on the decks. Pizzas start at €7, while warm ham & cheese pretzels are a mere €2. What’s not to love?! 

Have you been to Frankfurt Christmas Markets? What did we miss that we need to do next time?

Were you following along on Snapchat? Anything you loved or anything you'd like to see more of? We're taking notes before we fly out to Highclere Castle this month for the Downton Abbey Christmas Fair (Eep!)

The Ultimate list of LEGOLAND Tips!

Welcome back to our solo parent road trip across the UK, where I took four of my five children for some summer fun. Last week I told you about an unbelievable deal I got with Stena Line, if you haven’t seen it catch up HERE. We were staying at the Holiday Inn Express in Slough and had a hire car so we were only a 10 minute drive from Legoland Windsor. If you’re coming here just for Legoland tips you’ve hit the jackpot!

5 Simple Steps to Bag a Travel Bargain

Go on admit it, how many times over the last fortnight has your finger hovered over the 'Book Now' button for a holiday?! At this time of the year everyone and their mother is trying to sell you a holiday and to be fair some of them are fantastic bargains, others, not so much. There’s an art to hunting down that bargain holiday; the holiday that you want that is, not just going anywhere because it’s cheap but to be honest that’s perfectly fine too, I’ve done it and had great experiences. But if there is a particular destination you’re after read on as I’ve a few tips that might help you save yourself some cash that would be better spent enjoying your holiday than on an overpriced flight, ridiculous flight times or a so so hotel stay. My top 5 tips for bagging a travel bargain:

1. Book it Yourself

That’s my motto and it hasn’t let me down yet. By booking it yourself you are effectively cutting out the middle man who would otherwise be taking a cut of your holiday price. Sometimes however it can work out slightly cheaper to go on a package holiday as they might put on a bus from the airport to hotel or they can get a cheaper rate as they are booking hotel rooms in bulk, I’ve found this mainly applies to sunshine holidays. So my advice would be that before you book anything get a quote with a travel agency and then price it yourself. 9 times out of 10 you can find it cheaper yourself.

2. Sign up to Airlines Newsletters

Seems straight forward really but with the current price war between Ryanair and Aer Lingus now is the time that you want to have your finger on the pulse. It’ll give you a better chance of bagging that flight in a flash sale before they’re gone. I know you tend to see it all over social media when there is a sale but even an hour can make all the difference so it’s wise and be the first in the know.

3. Fly Midweek

If you’re off for a week or two try to fly midweek not only will the airport and flight be less crowded especially if you’re travelling with children but you’ll also save yourself some serious money. Last December we went to Disneyland Paris and flew out on a Tuesday morning and home late on a Friday night. I halved the price of the flights by opting to go Tuesday rather than Saturday morning. I couldn’t believe how easy it was to check in and navigate our way through the airport and security in December with 5 little ones under 9, no rushing, no queuing, no panic.

4. Open Skyscanner Searches

You’ve more than likely heard of Skyscanner before now but did you know that you can select “anywhere” as a destination? It might inspire you to go to somewhere you hadn’t even thought of. If you already have your destination in mind but just don’t know when is the cheapest time to go you can select “whole month” or “cheapest month”, clever eh!

That’s not all, you can sign up with your flight requirements and they’ll send you free daily price alerts. This option will pop up as you are searching for flights. Test out Skyscanner searches HERE.

5. Mix it up

Don’t be afraid to book separate flights with two different airlines for your outward and return journeys. I used to think, it was a bit weird to book different airlines. Would I be drawing attention to myself? Did I look like I was up to something untoward? The simple answer is no, not at all, many savvy travellers do this as not only are you saving a packet you’ll also have a greater range of flight times to choose from. 

A couple of years ago I called my sister Susan on a Wednesday to ask could she get the following Friday off work, luckily she could. I booked us return flights to London for under €10 each including taxes and charges. We even flew into and out of different airports. Granted we left with the lark on Friday morning and returned on a lunchtime flight Sunday but we still had enough time in London to let our hair down. Not bad for less than half the price it costs me for a return train to Dublin. 

Don’t forget the ferry! Sometimes it’s cheaper to go by ferry as a foot passenger, so it’s worth checking out if it’s an option for your chosen destination. As an aside, with the ferry there doesn't even have to be another destination, it can be a trip in itself; see how we got on on a one day jaunt HERE. Travelling without the little ones? There's nothing quite as footloose and fancy free as an impromptu booze cruise to catch up with friends (once the weather forecast is in your favour).  

Tell us, what's your best tip for bagging a travel bargain? 

Have you booked a trip for 2016 yet? 

Disney at Christmas ~ Watch the Magic Happen Live!

You might remember we told you about The Art of Saying Yes when it comes to travel when Corrina shared THIS incredible Disney bargain a couple of weeks ago. Well the elves on the shelves of the Stone household have spent the past fortnight building up to the big reveal ~ those cheesy grins above are the exact moment our mini travel reporters discovered they'd be flying out to Disney Land Paris!

We've shown you how to make your Disney dreams come true without breaking the bank in THIS POST, staying true to Corrina's Prada Travel on a Primark Purse tag line, but should you want to see the magical Parisian goings on as they happen from the comfort of your own couch then simply take a peek at her Snapchat over at @StoneTravel where she'll be updating daily.

Not gonna lie. I'm GREEN with the jealousy!

Have you been to Disney at this time of the year before? Any hints or tips you'd like to share? 

Don't be a Voucher Slouch ~ Give the Gift of Travel this Christmas!

Let's admit it, some people are a nightmare to buy for at Christmas as they have everything they need and try as you might they won't give you an inkling . Well I haven’t met a person yet that didn’t like a break away from the stresses and strains of everyday life to recharge the batteries. 

When that last minute panic sets in as you realise you still haven’t found the perfect gift, I’ve got you covered as I’ve scoured the internet to come up with 5 top hotel deals that are not only a bargain but also hassle free as you can print them from the comfort of your own home no trudging around shops in the rain required! My best finds in no particular order of deadliness are:

5. Flynn Hotels

There are four hotels in the Flynn Hotel Group, Old Ground Hotel in Ennis, Newpark Hotel in Kilkenny, The Park Hotel in Dungarvan and The Imperial Hotel in Cork. We have stayed in the Imperial and loved it especially the escape spa, that and the fact that the English market is only around the corner. One of my favourite bar’s in Cork, Arthur Mayne’s is just across the road, it’s a great spot for Sunday Brunch. 

Flynn Hotels are running an amazing “our gift to you” promotion at the moment, if you buy €250 of gift vouchers they’ll also give you a complimentary break of a two night stay at any Flynn hotel to be taken in January, February or March 2016. How good is that?! You also get a great self gift. Buy vouchers online with Flynn Hotels at www.flynnhotels.com offer available until 31st December 2015.

4. Cabra Castle, Co Cavan

In case you didn’t see our post last week about the stunning Cabra Castle catch up here. If you did see it I’m sure you’d love to stay there, this is a wonderful gift but I have to say I’d be going along with whomever I bought it for. luxurybreaks.ie has a fantastic deal at the moment, one night B&B for two people including €25 dining credit for just €99, valid for stays until Friday 8th April. Unfortunately they don’t have any Saturday availability but believe me, it’s worth taking a day or two off work for. BOOK HERE

3. Arklow Bay Hotel & Leisure Centre, Wicklow

How about a two night break in Ireland’s Garden County for just €119? Dealrush have a great deal but you have to hurry as it’s only bookable for the next 3 days. The highlights of this offer are two nights for two people B&B you’ll also get a glass of prosecco each on arrival and late check out. 

If that’s not enough they’ll also throw in €9 dining credit too, so a three course meal will only cost €20 per person. You’ll also have full access to the leisure centre and spa where you can avail of €10 off any €50 treatment. Children under 12 can stay for a small supplement of €10 per child B&B. Grab this bargain here!

2. Ferrycarrig Hotel, Wexford

I found a great bargain with Living Social for Ferrycarrig Hotel in Wexford, a mere €69 for one night B&B for two people in a room overlooking the River Slaney. Also included in the offer is a complimentary bottle of wine if you dine in Reeds Restaurant and a box of chocolates in your room. You can also avail of complimentary parking, Wi-Fi and full use of the leisure centre. There is a two night option for €109. Book before 17th December here! 

1. Rome, Italy 

Groupon have an awesome offer of two nights B&B in Rome with flights included for just €99 per person sharing. There is also a 4 night option available for €149pp. I have previously written about one of our many trips to Rome without blowing the budget here if you’d like to see how we got on. This deal must be booked before December 6th 2015 HERE. But again, you could grab a bargain on any of the low fare airlines for an EU city. If you're in need of any inspo, you can always click the Travel link above!

So don't be one of those loved ones to proffer a One for All voucher on Christmas morning, you know, I know & your loved one knows there was little or no effort involved; isn't the entire point of giving a gift to show your love and appreciation for that person?... And if you're going on the trip with them, sure mores the better! 

Let us know, have you bought Travel for a loved one for Christmas before? Would you be tempted now?

Just Say YES - The Art of Bagging a Good Travel Deal When You See One!

As most of you know we have 5 small children, it's been a dream of mine to bring them to Disneyland Paris before Christmas for a long time but it always seems to be so expensive. We have been to Disney a few years ago & seen the Christmas lights but we went after Christmas. READ ALL ABOUT IT HERE as I’ve a few hints & tips to help save you a few Euro ~ this is to date one of our most popular Travel posts. As much as we adored our stay, I think it’d be that little bit more magical in the run up to Christmas; that's why when I wrangled this deal I knew we had to just say YES!

I priced it directly with Disney on the Irish website & it was €1,116.28 for hotel & park tickets 3 nights / 4 days. I jumped over to the French site (just change the website address from .ie to .fr) to see what deals they had & I got a price of €597, nearly HALF the price. Once on the French site, if you are on a laptop or PC right mouse click, then click “Translate to English”. 

The reason I got it for this price as the deal currently on the French site is under 12’s go free and an extra night free. They usually have different deals on different countries websites; it’s just a matter of checking them all out before you book. You can't book online with the French site you must call the French reservations line 00331 60306053 and request the French deal. If you use the Irish number you get through to the USA, where they can only book deals from the Irish, UK & US sites.

We will be staying in Davy Crockett's Ranch so we have to have a car because it's not located on the Disney campus but 10 minutes down the Motorway with no shuttle bus. I was looking around for the best deals on 7 seater cars & got a quote with Thrifty car rental for €290 for 4 days. When I was on the phone booking Disney they offered to search for a competitive deal for me, low and behold they got me a car with Hertz for €276.

I booked Ryanair flights from Dublin to Beauvais for €405 but with 2 bags, taxes & charges it brought it up to €465. We don't need to rent car seats or buggies as you can check in two items of baby equipment free with all children not just babies with Ryanair. We usually drive to the airport then take out the children’s car seats, wrap them in a blanket to protect them & put in a thick black bag. I tape them shut with wide sellotape and attach a luggage tag that I write on half an a4 page. Just remember to throw the bags & tape into your bag to bring with you so you can do the same for the return journey.

So all in all 7 if us for 3 nights / 4 days in Disney with park tickets, hire car, flights, bags, taxes, charges it cost me €1,338.

How could I NOT say YES to that?!

I didn't opt into any meal plan as there’s a huge supermarket between Davy Crockett's and Disney so we'll pick up breakfast & lunch there. Oh and free parking in Disney is also included. Now I just have to come up with a way of telling them closer to the time; I might let their Elf on the Shelf, Jingles McSprinkles tell them!

This year there are lots of events in Disneyland Paris that’ll be sure to get you in the festive mood such as Disney Christmas Parade, Disney Dreams of Christmas with Frozen characters, Mickey’s Magical Christmas Lights, Frozen sing along show & a Royal Welcome, Christmas Wishes with the Disney princes & princesses and a Very Merry Meet & Greet with Santa & Disney Characters. We’ll try our best to do them all in December. I’ll be tweeting from @stonetravel4, uploading to my Facebook page Stone Travel & even snapchatting what we get up to @stonetravel.

Have you ever just said YES to a great travel deal?

Care to share your story, hints or tips?

City West Hotel - Is it Really Worth Staying Over for an Event?

I was very lucky a couple of weeks ago & won a prize of an overnight stay at Citywest Hotel & tickets to Disney on Ice for our family. As my husband had to work I decided to brave it & bring the children myself. I always wondered what it was like to stay on site for events like this & if it was worth it. The resounding answer I decided on is... eh... NO.

We arrived for check in at about 3.30pm to be told that we had to park in the event centre car park. I advised them that I was staying at the hotel & I had young children so I wanted to park nearer the hotel in the hotel car park. Apparently nothing could be done as they closed all other car parks & I had to park there then try to negotiate my way through a huge car park of moving cars with a pram, our luggage & little hands to hold.  

Check in was crazy but the line moved fairly quickly & the receptionist was lovely. As there were so many families staying you had to book the swimming pool, which was already booked out by the time we arrived. The lobby was utter bedlam but the concierge seemed to have a handle on it.

We had stayed at Citywest Hotel before & had a great time but this time we got a room on the 5^th floor, it was a nightmare. As soon as I opened the door to our room it was like stepping into Mordor with an instant sheen of sweat on my face. I made sure the radiator was off & opened the window to allow the room to cool while we were out.

Half an hour later when I tried to exit the car park, all exits were blocked so they had to remove the barriers to allow me to leave. Corkagh Park is just 10 minutes drive from the hotel so I decided to bring the children over there to run off some of their excitement. It’s a 300 acre park with lots to do for young & old alike, including a free pet farm & playground. You can even go fishing if you fancy it.    

Later that evening after another fiasco in the car park, we got back to our hotel room & it was as hot as ever so I jumped the children into a lukewarm bath to cool them down. I fed the baby who was now down to his vest & nappy but still roasting. I gave up & called reception for a fan to be told there are no fans in the hotel. She advised that I should just put on my air con, then she said 'Oh wait you don’t have air con in that room, just open the window.' The window was tiny, but I couldn't have it open as the noise of the air con going to the other rooms was deafening with the window open & just about bearable with the window closed. She then called back to offer a change of rooms but at that stage it was after 9pm & the children were in bed trying to sleep.

Breakfast wasn’t as crazy as I would have thought but then again we went down at 7:45. The staff here were fabulous offering me help with the children, they really couldn't do enough. Breakfast itself was lovely with fresh fruit, breads & cereals on offer to complement the full Irish also available. When we got back to reception to check out it was crazy with tons of people milling about so I opted for express check out & got out of there.

We headed straight through the blue sea of little girls in Frozen dresses for the event centre to see Disney on Ice.  Prices were astronomical with a cup of frozen drink setting you back up to €12, it was also €12 for a bag of candy floss. A plastic sword was €16 while a light up twirly Olaf was a staggering €21. 

Of course me being the savvy mammy of 5, I had a bag packed with party bags I had made up before we left home which included glow sticks from Dealz. The staff in the event centre were brilliant & when they saw I was on my own with the children they moved us to a block on our own to give me more room to feed the baby during the show! The children really loved the show & it was totally different to the last Disney on Ice, even my 6 month old was mesmerised by the lights & songs. 

While I would stay in Citywest Hotel again, I certainly wouldn't stay during any event, I can imagine it might be easier if you're part of a couple but with little ones in tow, it’s just not worth it.

Have you stayed with Citywest, while there was an event on? How did you fare?

Bringing Your Bottle Fed Baby on Holidays - You Know You Wanna!

As you well know by now I’m a huge advocate for bringing baby(ies) away on holiday with you. All of my 5 little ones have had their first City Break before they were 12 weeks old. Time & time again I’m asked by new Mums what to do when bringing a bottle fed baby on holiday. How can they sterilise bottles while staying in a hotel? There are a few options to choose from & bringing your huge counter top/microwaveable steriliser is definitely not one of them!

First things first, no matter what way you choose to sterilise you will need washing up liquid & a bottle brush so you can wash the bottles in your bathroom sink. You can bring these with you, as I do, for convenience or buy them locally at your destination.

Disposable cold water sterilising bags are available at Mothercare, Boots & a host of other online stores. They come in a box of 7 bags, individually wrapped and containing a sterilising tablet so there is no need to buy those separately. 

Each bag holds 4 9oz bottles and sterilising is complete in 30 minutes for the Oasis brand & 15 minutes for the Innosence brand. They are advertised as being a 7 day supply but if your baby is on 6 bottles a day you will need to buy a second box. 

Bags are disposable and can only be used once. These would be ideal if you are adventurous enough to bring baby camping as you don’t need any electricity. They retail at approx €13 for a box of 7 bags.

Every hotel, motel or B&B has a microwave so I always use this method, even while travelling Route 66. Microwave steriliser bags come in boxes of usually 3 – 5 depending on the brand you buy. 

You can of course buy much larger boxes on Amazon, these work out cheaper. A box of 3 Munchkin microwave steriliser bags retail at €6.99 in boots while a box of 5 Dr. Browns bags comes in at €10.99 on all4baby.ie 

Each bag can be used 20 times & each bag fits 2, 9 oz bottles, sterilisation is complete in 3 minutes. Some hotels will provide you with a microwave in your room but there is a rental cost, in the USA it was anything up to $40 per night a tad expensive for something you only need for 10 minutes. So I used to wash & bag the bottles then bring my 3 bags to reception, usually there is a microwave in the reception area. When there wasn’t one available I simply asked the receptionist to put them in the hotels microwave.

I was given the Numum Portable Steriliser to trial and, I have to say, at first I thought ‘God, it'd take you ages to sterilise a batch of bottles one at a time’ but that’s not what the creators had in mind. 

It is designed to sterilise one bottle while you are out & about, on the go, or on holiday, when it’s just not possible to get to a power outlet. The Numum uses the latest UV-C sterilisation technology to sterilise a bottle in just 120 seconds. 

It felt really strange to take a dry cold bottle from the steriliser as I’m used to them being too hot to handle & full of steam! Numum is compatible with all standard feeding bottles, unfortunately though not Dr. Browns bottles. 

To fully charge the built in lithium-ion battery takes 3 hours. You are then free as a bird to go out or travel with your baby armed with just a bottle, formula & your Numum. The only drawback that I could find is that you can’t sterilise the lid of a bottle as you are supposed to sterilise the bottle as & when you need it so there actually should be no need to use a lid. 

With this method you’d need to buy Evian water as its safe to use straight from the bottle for babies & your powder formula or you could buy the ready made cartons of formula. This is the most expensive steriliser retailing at €130. This is an introductory offer available at the moment.

Another way is to buy premade bottles & pre sterilised teat from any leading supermarket, personally I have used SMA for all of my little ones, so I know this brand is available in this format. It can work out quite expensive doing it this way if you are going away for more than a weekend.

Tommee Tippee steri-bottles are disposable pre steralised bottles. You will need to buy cartons of formula to use with these. I find these fantastic for the travel part of your holiday, especially on long haul flights as you don’t have a change bag full of dirty bottles when you arrive at your destination. Boots currently have a 5 pack of these for €6.29.

So there you have it, easy peasy ways to steralise your babie's bops while on the move. What are you waiting for? 

Go, book that holiday & have a fantastic time!

Where to Stay in Dublin ~ Our Love for the Clyde Court Hotel!

Having stayed in many a hotel over island of Ireland & taken lots of photos during each stay, I thought giving you a quick no nonsense lowdown on them might be of some help. 

We’ve all been there, wanting a hotel near to a particular area, good price with nice rooms, comfy beds, not forgetting a decent breakfast. But the nightmare starts when you get caught up in the flamboyance of the PR spiel, the polar opposite Trip Advisor reviews, the pop up deals that seem too good to be true - when all you really want to know is have they a pool or is it paid parking? Or how far really is that 10 minute leisurely stroll to the City centre? 

Sometimes you'll find all this info directly on the hotels site but it’s trying to find which hotel sites to look at that’ll make you go cross eyed! I'm hoping to uncross your eyes.. one eye at a time. 

First up I’ll tell you about one of our overnights in the Clyde Court Hotel (formerly the Berkeley Court Hotel), I genuinely like this Dublin hotel, that’s why we’ve stayed 3 times in the last 18 months alone. Room rates start at €109 per room per night. 

In December we had a festive visit to Dublin with the children & chose to stay at the Clyde Court as, even though they don’t have a pool, they boast a great location. It’s just a short walk to the dart station or a 15 minute walk to Grafton Street.

It doesn't look much from outside but it's beautiful inside, earning a luxury 4* status. We stayed in the very spacious room number 326 which is to the side of the hotel and has a spectacular view of the Aviva stadium.

The room consisted of a walk in wardrobe complete with fluffy robes, king size bed, two single beds, a large seating area with a sofa bed & two over sized armchairs.

On site parking can be quite expensive at €10.50 per day, my best advice is to try to get one of the few on street parking spots which are generally free after 7pm.

We stayed on a night that there was a match being played at the nearby Aviva stadium and we didn’t hear any noise in our room from the thousands of fans passing by, nor from the hundreds of fans stopping in for a celebratory drink in the lobby. That's no mean feat!

Breakfast consists of an array of fresh fruit, breads, preserves & of course a full Irish breakfast. The staff really are wonderful especially in the restaurant. One lady was so lovely to our children, she even brought them chocolate muffins, it really made their day and mine. That attention to detail and personal service is just one of the many reasons we return again & again.

Do you have a favourite hotel you return to time & again?