Our list of the best holiday destinations for Christmas sun and skiing
LANZAROTE is the ideal Christmas holiday destination for those who are looking for guaranteed sunshine and a laid-back atmosphere.
There are a few great deals still on offer for those looking to holiday on a budget. Falcon Holidays have a seven-night holiday departing from Cork on the 19th of December in the Rosamar Apartments, outside Playa Blanca for €290.
This self-catering complex is in a peaceful setting, and the accommodation is simple but well appointed.
If you want to blow the budget without travelling this far, then Sunway are offering a seven-day break to the 5 star Princess Yaiza Resort and Spa, in Playa Blanca, departing on the 19th of December.
This super-lavish resort is constructed in colonial Canarian design, lending it an almost Moorish atmosphere. With a privileged beachfront location, there is direct access to Playa Dorada and there are spectacular sea views to Isla de Lobos and Fuerteventura.
The complex boasts a Thalasso spa, which contains fifty booths for hydrotherapy-based treatments. A week-long stay at the Princess Yaiza, departing from Cork on the 19th of December will cost €1329 per person sharing with Sunway.
While most Christmas ski holidays have sold out by now, there are still availabilities in resorts like La Plagne and La Clusaz, both in France.
On the self-catering side, www.directski.com are offering a weeklong holiday in Club Belambra Residence Cassiopée, leaving Dublin on the 19th of December.
This 3-star resort has a chalet-style interior and the apartments are modern and clean. The resort is located minutes from the ski lifts, making it an ideal spot for serious skiers looking for a no fuss holiday. This break costs €583 per person based on four people sharing and does not include ski rental.
If all-inclusive is more your style, Crystal Ski have a 7 day holiday departing Dublin on 19th, staying in Apen Rock Hotel in La Clusaz.
The hotel is located in the middle of the resort village, with easy access to ski lifts and après ski activities, and boasts cosy rooms with a chalet-style interior. The package costs €1,677 per person, with lift pass, transfers and meals included
Fancy wearing the crown of Best Parent Ever for the rest of your life?
Falcon Holidays have a few spaces left for Santa’s Secret Grotto Day trip on 18th December. Flying to Lapland from Cork Airport, you and your family will head to Rovaniemi’s Santa Park, where you will meet the real Santa and his elves as they put the final touches on their Christmas deliveries.
The children will enrol in elf school, decorate cookies in Mrs. Claus’ kitchen and take a train ride to Elf Headquarters. After checking out the Ice Gallery, children will meet Santa in person, before taking a husky sleigh ride and feed Santa’s actual reindeer.
After an action-packed day, which will include a luncheon feast in Santa’s grotto, you’ll fly back to Cork to get ready for what is sure to be the best Christmas ever. The Secret Grotto Day Trip costs €579 per person from Falcon Holidays.
As holidaymakers become more and more demanding, those heading on cruises this Christmas are in for some serious treats.
Given the number of young families availing of cruise holidays during the festive season, lots of companies are offering child-centric entertainment offerings, as well as festive treats like Santa and special children’s feasts.
The MSC Mediterranean Cruise takes in Spain, France, Italy, Malta and Spain, but it is the hidden treasures on board that make it an ultimate family holiday destination. It’s home to an on-board water park, a 120-metre water slide and a host of specially trained staff on hand to entertain your children.
You can spend 7 days all-inclusively on the MSC for €600 per person with Sunway, departing on 18th of December. Ideally suited to a couple on their first cruise adventure together, Trailfinders have an 8 night cruise on the Arabian Riveria which leaves Dublin on 20th of December.
This package includes direct flights from Dublin to Abu Dhabi and onward coach journeys to Dubai with Ethihad Airways, one night at the 3+ star Bentro Barsha in Dubai and a seven night cruise on board Royal Caribbean’s Splendour of the Seas from Dubai, taking in Khasab, Muscat, Oman and Abu Dhabi.
The package includes a free upgrade to an Oceanview stateroom and includes all meals.
If you are planning a once in a lifetime holiday this Christmas, then we’ve found two of the most gorgeous all-inclusive trips on offer.
Romance is the watchword at Breezes resort in the Bahamas.
Located beachside in the hugely popular resort of Nassau, Breezes is an adult-only hotel, preferring to concentrate on grown up luxury. Enjoy afternoon cocktails at the swim up bar before heading to one of the hotel’s four on site restaurants for a romantic meal.
This is a resort where every whim is catered to, from an in house spa to attendants waiting to hand you a refreshing drink and towel after your afternoon swim.
This super-luxe holiday departs Cork on the 20th of December for 14 nights from www.travelrepublic.ie Families deserve luxury too, we feel, and the Reef Coco Beach in Cancun, Mexico is ready to receive them with open arms.
This family-friendly hotel enjoys a stunning setting in Playa del Carmen and is just a few minutes’ walk away from Fifth Avenue, the resort’s main drag.
There’s an on-site kids club, meaning that parents can have some time to relax, and all of the restaurants offer child-friendly options. Expect a homely atmosphere in super luxurious surroundings.
If you have money to burn, and are looking for a luxurious family holiday in paradise, then this is the one for you. Two weeks at the Reef Coco Beach will cost €3844 per person and departs Cork on 20th of December with www.sunsearchholidays.ie
It may be right next to a desert, but Dubai ticks pretty much anyone’s Christmas boxes. For the superiorly active, there is skiing on real snow at the Mall of the Emirates, desert safaris taking in the souks, and if you head it to the nearby Omani waters, scuba diving on ancient shipwrecks and coral reefs.
This year, brunches are all the rage in the city, with most hotels hosting super fancy Christmas brunches – this is the place to see and be seen, but if you fancy something different, treat yourself to Afternoon Tea at the Atlantis.
Kids will adore the underwater zoo at the Dubai Mall and this year the ski resort has a penguin invasion, where children can head into the penguin enclosure with their trainer and teach them a trick or two. And have a hot chocolate afterwards, of course. If you want to experience the most over-the top Christmas there is, then Dubai is for you.
As expected, there is a huge range of price points when it comes to hotels in the city. At the budget end of the scale is the Ibis Al Barsha. Located in the heart of the city, between the marina and Downtown Dubai, this hotel is extremely well appointed.
Clean and spacious, it is luxurious by European standards, but without many of the super-charged bells and whistles that so many hotels in Dubai boast. Www.lowcostholidays.ie fly out of Dublin on the 19th of December to stay at the Ibis Al Barsha for seven nights for €1084 per person.
On the other side of the scale, the Jumeirah Zabeel Saray showcases all the bling we have come to expect from this glittering city. Inspired by the Ottoman era, expect hand painted frescoes, Turkish-inspired artwork and spectacular murals.
The hotel is home to one of the largest spas in the Middle East and offers its own stretch of private beach. As well as its own shopping mall, there are ten restaurants and a theatre-style nightclub.
Club Travel fly out of Dublin on the 19th of December to stay at the Jumeirah Zabeel Satay for seven nights for €2,572pp on a room only basis.
