Your questions answered.
Where can we get a decent family room in Dublin? Q My sister is getting married in Dublin in May, and we need a
family room for two adults and two children under 10. We are
travelling on a budget. Can you suggest somewhere suitable? ... D
McKay, Edinburgh
Triple rooms are easier to find than a room that can take four. Jurys Inns are the front runners for family rooms. There are three in Dublin, with rates from €112 to €160 a night. See www.jurysinns.com or call 01-6075000. Days Hotel, on Rathmines Road, has suites that can accommodate a family; they also include a small kitchen area with a kettle and microwave for snacks. Rates from €129. See www.dayshotel rathmines.com or call 1890-329329. Ballsbridge Inn, formerly known as Jurys, has family rooms that will accommodate up to four at a knockdown rate of €105. See www.d4hotels.com or call 01-6684468.
Q My girlfriend is very keen to go on a Caribbean cruise. I would love to take her, but some years ago, before I met her, I served time for a money-laundering offence. As far can I can see most cruises go through the United States. Would I be allowed to join a ship in Fort Lauderale or Miami? ... Anonymous, Dublin
If you have a criminal conviction you will not be allowed to enter the US, even if it is to join a cruise ship. You will probably not even make it out of Ireland, as US immigration has to be cleared in Dublin or Shannon for direct flights to the United States. If you do make a booking, hoping that you may slip though unnoticed, you will also lose the cost of the trip. Travel agents and tour operators will not refund the cost, as the onus is on the traveller to comply with visa and immigration regulations. A cruise on the Mediterranean may be just as nice and less worry for you.
Q I would like to take my family of five children, aged nine to 16, plus husband to the Chatham and Providence area of New England this August. What we would ideally like is a two-week break in a villa near the sea (the kids would be interested in sailing or windsurfing) and golf courses, with our own pool. We wouldn't mind if the villa were in a complex, but we don't need kids' clubs. We will hire a car and will stop off in Boston on the way home for a day or two. Any advice would be most welcome. ... Claire Aiken, Belfast
Surrounded on three sides by water - the Atlantic Ocean, Nantucket Sound and Pleasant Bay - and with 100km of shoreline, Chatham is a haven for water activities. It is also well served by golf courses. Just two hours from Boston, it is a perfect place for a family holiday. There are a number of fine New England homes to rent in the area - although the closer they are to the beach the more they cost. Having great beaches close to hand means that few houses have pools. Ridgevale is rated one of the best for families. Prices for four-bedroom homes range from $2,800 to $8,000 a week; the average is about $4,000. Check out www.chatham vacationrentals.com for a good selection of homes, or call 00-1-508-9459877. With a family, steer clear of homes with antiques or antique furniture. If you are only staying in Boston for a day or two, take the Freedom Trail tour, which gives a great insight into American history. See www.bostonusa.com.
Q Relations who are coming to visit during the summer are very keen to stay in an Irish castle. Can you suggest some suitable places? They are retired and will be spending a few weeks in Ireland. ... U Tapley, Dublin
There are a surprising number of castles around Ireland, and, besides the well-known ones, such as Ashford and Dromoland, many others take visitors. Some operate as full hotels, others as guest houses, and in some cases you can rent a complete castle for your visitors. The following may be of interest: Kinnitty Castle, in Co Offaly (www.kinnitty castle.com), Kilkea Castle Hotel, near Castledermot in Co Kildare (www.kilkea castle.ie), Belle Isle Castle, in Co Fermanagh (www.belleisle castle.com) and Castle Leslie, in Co Monaghan (www.castle leslie.com). If you would like to rent a castle, have a look at www.irishluxury.com for a great selection.
Q In the recent Aer Lingus sale I booked tickets for my family to fly to London. We are two adults and three children, aged 17, 14 and 11. It is many years since my husband and I visited London, and we wondered if you could suggest where to stay and have any suggestions for what to do. The 11-year-old would love to see a show, and the teenagers want to shop and see the sights. ... M Croker, Templeogue
London is still one of the great cities of the world, so it's always worth a visit. The children will recognise so many of the landmarks.
Fortunately, the city has a good selection of reasonable hotels. The well-known chains all have London properties, and rates are good. Premier Inn at the old County Hall, on the South Bank, is a good location for sightseeing. Rates are from £120 a night (www.premierinn. com). It is right next door to the London Eye (www.londoneye. com), which is an experience not to be missed; you can book in advance. Also nearby are the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and Trafalgar Square.
The Holiday Inn Express on Old Street sounds like good value at £76 a night; it's two stops away on the Underground from the Central line (www.holidayinnexpress.com).
Covent Garden is a fun place to visit, if for the buskers alone. Teenagers will love shopping in Camden Town, which has a great selection of markets (the recent fire affected only one of them, Canal Market).
Tutankhamun & the Golden Age of the Pharoahs, an exhibition at the O2 arena (formerly the Millennium Dome), has been extended until August 30th, but do book in advance. You'll find details of West End shows, as well as how to book tickets, on www.visitlondon. com.
If you're heading for the Science Museum, on Old Brompton Road, you might be tempted to stop at Harrods, in Knightsbridge.
Transport in London can be expensive, so buy travelcards to make your journeys cheaper.
E-mail your questions to jscales@irish-times.ie