JOAN SCALESanswers your travel questions
Where can we take our 16-year-old for an exciting holiday?
Q We are an active family of Dad, Mum and 16-year-old daughter who have done the sun holiday by the pool and are looking for something different this summer. Our daughter is doing French at school, so France might be an option, but we are open to anything.
PD, Dublin
A holiday from Explore! may fit the bill. Its Spanish Pyrenees activity break includes the likes of kayaking, rafting, abseiling, canyoning and mountain trekking, with evenings free to relax and enjoy eating out. The price, from €823, includes accommodation in the family-run Hotel Pessets, in Sort, and all your activities and outings, but not flights. This holiday lasts only eight days, so you could add time in France or Spain to finish off. See www. explore.co.uk or call Maxwell’s Travel on 01-6795700.
Surfing and water sports could be great for your daughter to try, particularly as classes will give her a chance to meet other teenagers. In France, the towns of St Jean de Luz and Hossegor have good waves and good vibes. The cities of Biarritz, in France, and San Sebastián, in Spain, have great beaches, good surfing and cracking nightlife. See www.alternative-aquitaine.com and www.sansebastian spain.info. Ryanair flies to Biarritz from Dublin. San Sebastián is accessible from Biarritz and Bilbao. Aer Lingus flies to Bilbao.
Q We would like to take our daughter on a Spanish beach holiday after her Junior Cert. We would like all the convenience of a resort for her sake, but we need somewhere peaceful and picturesque with good restaurants. Does such a place exist (without breaking the bank)?
NRD, Cork
The Irish-owned Sunset Beach Club, in Benelmádena, on the Costa del Sol, is right on the beach, and your daughter is likely to meet other teenagers there. It has lots of activities, plus entertainment every night. Benelmádena, which is 30 minutes from Malaga Airport, has a good selection of restaurants and plenty of nightlife. Rooms cost about €100 a night in June. Book on www.sunsetbeachclub.ie or, for from €625 per person per week, though Budget Travel.
For a more Spanish feel I like Cadiz province, in Andalusia, which is quite unspoilt and picturesque. It has fantastic beaches, beautiful mountain villages and good food. The town of Tarifa, two hours from the airport, is lively, with a great beach, and is steeped in history, though you may prefer to stay outside town for somewhere more peaceful. Your daughter could take wind- or kitesurfing classes. See www.tarifa.net. Apartments cost about €500 per week.
Q I am off to London with my mother for three nights next month. I’m finding it difficult to choose a hotel. I’m looking for a twin room in a nice hotel, close to the tube, within walking distance of some good shops, in a safe street and in a good neighbourhood. I can pay up to 70 per person per night.
MM, Dublin
There are so many hotels to choose from in London that selecting one can be very daunting. My first suggestion is the four-star Cumberland, at Marble Arch, which is ideal for shopping in Oxford Street and the West End. In Kensington, just off the high street, is the Copthorne Tara – another big hotel, and another good spot for shopping. The best rates I have found are on Hotels.com, with the Cumberland costing about €162 per night and the Tara about €95.
Or you could try Uptown Reservations, which has a selection of 80 or so private homes that take guests. The houses are in Mayfair, Chelsea, Kensington and other nice areas. They are usually period properties and have charming hosts. They charge £105 (about €120) a night for a double with breakfast. See www.uptown reservations.com or call 00-44-20-79372001.
Go Contact
E-mail questions, with your name and address, to jscales@irishtimes.com