Muckross Park Hotel will put you in the Christmas spirit and two other breaks to book 

Christmas Day hotel stays have grown in popularity but for those of us who prefer to be closer to home on the big day, a night away as the atmosphere builds is the perfect alternative

Glenlo Abbey, Galway. Pic: Reg Gordon

I played Christmas songs for the entire car journey to Killarney, trying to get myself into the mood. It’s a lot of pressure to put on one hotel but I was depending on this weekend to inject some festive spirit into my veins. 

And from the moment I walked into the cosy reception area, festooned with fairy lights and seven-foot trees decked out in silver and red bows, I had a feeling that Muckross Park Hotel might be just what I needed.