IT'S A FREE WORLD:THERE'S FIERCE competition between hotels and resorts offering post-Christmas spa breaks, and some are throwing in free treatments and goodies to attract business.
In rural Staffordshire, Moddershall Oaks has a “one night three’s a crowd” deal on last minute.com. The break includes welcome drinks on arrival, use of the spa facilities, full board and overnight in a five-star suite, breakfast and a 25-minute treatment (a back massage, dry float wrap or a shampoo and finish). It costs £350 (€412) and a third person goes free.
Lots of Irish hotels are offering breaks that include treatments with overnight stays, including the Absolute hotel and spa in Galway where rooms cost €99pps, including dinner. The Carlton Millrace hotel in Bunclody, Co Wexford and the Carlton Hotel in Kinsale, Co Kerry also have a treatment and a dinner with rooms that cost €99pps. See justgo.ie.
Free champagne is part of the deal at Lir Spa and Wellness Centre in Monaghan when you book two nights for €99pps and you also get breakfast and a dinner. They also run “Fab Fun Fridays” every Friday in January where BB is €45pps with a bottle of champagne included. See spas.ie.
Catch:it's just one free spa treatment per room with most hotels.
Take note:for more spa breaks with extras thrown in see spa-ireland.com, pamperme.ie and irelandsbesthotels.com.
* IF YOU are planning a family holiday in the UK, check out kidsgofree.com and visitlondon.com for attractions that are free for young children. Quite a few attractions on kidsgofree.com are free for children under three and include Banham Zoo in Norwich and Sea Life Adventure in Southend-on-Sea. Kids under three also get free admission to Legoland at Windsor – see last minute.ie.
Visitlondon.com lists free activities and attractions for kids of all ages and family-friendly restaurants where kids eat free. It also lists playgrounds for children with special needs.
Catch:some attractions try to make a virtue of letting kids under one in free.
Take note:the V&A Museum of Childhood in London is free for all the family and has a fabulous toy collection including games, puppets, dolls' houses and antique toys.
* AS CHRISTMAS draws closer why not step out of the hustle and bustle to a museum near you. It’s story time tomorrow at Collins Barracks in Dublin 7 where Niall de Búrca will be reading The Christmas Turkey and other festive tales. The event starts at 3pm and is free for children of all ages.
The National Museum of Ireland on Kildare St, D2 is inviting families with children aged over seven to attend a Winter Trail on December 28th and 29th and discover how medieval lords, Viking children and Stone Age farmers passed the time and celebrated feasts in winters past.
Catch:they are on a first-come, first-served basis.
Take note:see museum.ie.
* Found a freebie on holiday? Email emorgan@irishtimes.com
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