Easter family breaks at home and away
Clomantagh Castle, Freshford, Co Kilkenny.
If you’re after an Easter break with a difference, look no further than this mix of 16th century tower and early 19th century farmhouse.
It sleeps 10 people over five bedrooms, so there’s no shortage of space, and as it’s located a few miles from Freshford, less than 15 miles from Kilkenny city, and a 20 minute drive from Cashel there’s plenty to occupy a group of family and friends on the door step.
cottages4you.ie
Peace and quiet (there’s no television and no Wi-Fi), history, architecture, and a medieval turret stone staircase that leads up to the master bedroom.
Egg Rating: Eggceptional! ++++
The Dylan Hotel, Eastmoreland Place, 01-6603000. dylan.ie
The Dylan is one of Dublin’s coolest boutique hotels, and has a justified reputation for delivering an atmosphere that is sophisticated, smart and – dare we trot out such a cliché – sexy.
The cocktail bar is the epitome of the word ‘chic’, with its terrace regarded as one of the best appointed in the city. The hotel’s Tavern Restaurant, meanwhile, is a rarity: a bona fide destination restaurant.
There are two Easter Break deals at this hotel. The Easter Package (from €199, inclusive of breakfast) includes a box of choccies on arrival plus two chocolate martinis.
The Indulgent Easter Package (from €249, inclusive of breakfast) includes an afternoon with chocolatier, Cocoa Atelier, to design a chocolate-themed Easter Afternoon Tea for two.
Egg Rating: Eggcellent! ++++
The K Club, Straffan, 01-6017200. kclub.ie
Built in 1832, and originally modelled on a French Chateau, the K Club is located about 30 minutes from Dublin, and has all the leisure/golf amenities you would associate with such a landmark property.
Golf, in particular, is a special experience here, but there’s also great fly-fishing to be done, horse riding and clay pigeon shooting.
There are several two-night Easter deals here, the price of which depends on what room you choose: Superior (from €280) and Deluxe (from €360) to interconnecting rooms (from €510) and suites (from €475).
The deals include one four-course evening meal in The River Room Restaurant (children under six years of age eat for free). Easter events include saying hello to the hotel’s resident chicks, and taking part in the Easter Sunday egg hunt around the expansive grounds.
Egg Rating: Eggstraordinary! ++++
The Newpark Hotel, Castlecomer Road, 056-7760500. www.flynnhotels.com
The four-star Newpark Hotel was recently voted by Trip Advisor (Viewer’s Choice) as Ireland’s top hotel for families.
Easter activities here look like the best of the bunch; the three-night deal (€169 per adult) includes B&B (full Irish) with an evening meal on one night for adults in Gulliver’s Restaurant or Scott’s Bar and Brasserie.
Two children included (aged 4-12 years) for High Tea on one night (with a buffet-style dinner served in the Crazy Cats kids club).
Up to two children (aged 4-12 years) share free with adults in room, with an additional charge of €25 per night for a third child. On Easter Sunday, there’s an Easter Egg Hunt.
Other activities include an on-site wildlife farm (on selected days), free kids admission to the Reptile Zoo (in Gowran, 20 minutes away by car), nature walks, and an on-site Go-Kart track.
Egg Rating: Eggciting! ++++
Castle Leslie, Glaslough, 047-88100, www.castleleslie.com
Castle Leslie is far removed from the ordinary hotel experience. It started off as a fledgling almost 20 years ago, but has over the years built up a sturdy reputation as somewhere very different and very good to rest your head.
This one is probably not for kids, as there doesn’t seem to be provision for the usual child-oriented Easter activities. Of course, Easter is for adults, too, and so why not take your own break here?
Three night’s Easter Equestrian Break in The Castle or the on-site Lodge (from €435) includes Irish breakfast each morning and dinner in the 2 AA Rosette award winning Snaffles Restaurant on two evenings of your choice.
The package includes a one-hour hack around the beautiful rural estate each day. NB: Equestrian rides have to be booked at the time of reservation.
Egg Rating: Eggsentric! ++++
The Old Village Hall, Llanbrynmair, Powys. www.machinationswales.co.uk
Usually, we’d recommend a visit to Machinations, which is the UK’s only permanent exhibition of what the organisers term ‘contemporary automata’ (intriguing mechanical models powered by electricity, clockwork or hand), but all of that grinds to a halt around Easter because Llanbrynmair is also home to a unique Rabbit Village.
In what has to be the world’s most spoiled and cosseted bunch of bunnies, expect to witness a warren of rabbit-scale houses and barns built in the traditional local style of stone and slate.
There is even a rabbit-scale castle and railway station (where, no doubt, there are trains that you can, er, hop on and hop off).
As for cute baby bunnies – well, there are loads of them! (Best option for accommodation is the charming Wynnstay Arms Hotel, Llanbrynmair; rooms from £45, www.wynnstayarmshotel.co.uk )
Egg Rating: Eggzhilarating! ++++
The Marylebone Hotel, 47 Welbeck Street, London, 0044-207-4866600. doylecollection.com
A London hotel, an Irish connection, a boutique sensibility?
The Marylebone Hotel has class in abundance, and as it’s located in the centre of Marylebone village, it gently boasts suave urbanity in a local neighbourhood setting. Perfect for family outings, then.
It’s a hop, skip and a jump to London these days, andthe Easter Family Stay Package here, (£229, in a Deluxe Room, inclusive of English Breakfast for two adults, one child), is available from March 28-April 12.
For an extra £35, there is an option to have a kid’s sizable teepee in the room – set up with an inflatable mattress and lamp for bedtime stories.
Other treats include a surprise gift on arrival for every child, milk & cookies on turndown, a specialist children’s concierge service, and a selection of board games.
Egg Rating: Eggsplosive! ++++
The Dunstane Hotel, 4 West Coates, Haymarket, Edinburgh, 0044-131-337-6169. www.dunstane-hotel-edinburgh.co.uk
What’s not to admire about this quite special boutique hotel? Excellent design features (via co-owner, Shirley Mowat) co-exist with a good location in one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.
This hotel’s Easter offer is, unlike an egg, hard to beat. At £149 per person, you get two nights’ accommodation in a seriously well appointed room, full Scottish breakfast, a three-course Easter lunch on Easter Sunday, and a complimentary luxury chocolate Easter egg on arrival.
Also – children under 12 stay free (two kids max per room). Offer valid, April 3-6.
Egg Rating: Eggsemplary!
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