Anyone for skiing by moonlight?

Travel Bag: treats for movie and theatre buffs at Irish castle hotels


Slope session

The Carlton Hotel St Moritz in Switzerland has officially reopened for the winter season and the renowned resort is set to offer a selection of  experiences for guests from now until spring. Try skiing by the light of a full moon, experience their gourmet festival in January, visit in time for the Snow Polo World Cup or simply stay and let the team organise your very own bespoke outdoor adventure from ice skating to champagne picnics in the snow. See carlton-stmoritz.ch for more details.

Castle tales 

On January 28th, Ballynahinch Castle hosts a night of theatre, with a performance of Humanity Dick: A Tale of Beasts and Bullets starring actor and writer Seán Leonard. The show is based on the international father of animal rights, celebrity duellist and rolling financial disaster, Colonel Richard Martin who lived for much of his life at the castle in Connemara. Tickets start from €60 which includes dinner in the Fisherman's Pub after the performance. See ballynahinch-castle.com for more.

Screen time 

Ashford Castle's latest package is a treat for movie buffs. Each month, the hotel's luxury 32-seat cinema will showcase a selection of themed cinema classics kicking off with The Ashford Hall of Fame, in January. Stay overnight in a Corrib room with breakfast from €385 per night based on two people sharing and enjoy dinner in the Dungeon restaurant, and a cinema experience complete with unlimited popcorn and sweet treats. See ashfordcastle.com for more details.

Taking gold 

The annual World Travel Award winners have been announced with Cork's Spike Island taking second place in a list of the world's leading tourist attractions. Other winners included Hayfield Manor as Ireland's leading boutique hotel, the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin as Ireland's leading business hotel, and the presidential suite at Castlemartyr Resort, Co Cork, as Ireland's best hotel suite. For a full list of this year's winners see worldtravelawards.com.