Villas & Self-Catering Archives

December 16, 2019

Five questions you should ask yourself before you travel in 2020

Technology may well indeed be shrinking the world around us and connecting us in myriad ways through innovations such as Skype, WhatsApp and Instagram but it’s also surprisingly large when you start to consider where you want to travel to next and there are many things to consider; not least of which is cost. Leaving cost aside though for one moment, let’s consider all the other factors that determine where we travel to? (more…)

September 16, 2015

The thrill that is History!

I'm Irish and very proud to be so. I think that for such a small country, we've made a disproportionate impact on the global stage. Both our history and our mythology are extremely rich — as is our almost unique culture — some of which we share with our Celtic cousins. There are times though when I travel, that I'm reminded of how all such things are relative and that by comparison with some other

August 30, 2015

All travel doesn’t have to be International!

I came into the travel business back in 1975 so I suppose that that makes me a 40-year veteran of the industry at this stage. Over the course of those 40 intervening years I have been blessed with the opportunity to travel all over the world and experience some of the most beautiful places on earth. But do you know what, I wouldn't trade any of them for the little piece of heaven that I

May 10, 2015

Where should I go on my next holiday?

There are all sorts of reasons why people choose the destinations that they do. For some it’s simply price, for other’s weather is their primary concern. Some choose destinations based on their proximity whilst other travellers choose places based on their ‘safeness’. It is therefore interesting to note the results of the latest biannual report from the World Economic Forum which rates countries around the world based on a wide ranging set of metrics that

May 4, 2015

Absence makes the heart grow fonder!

Ever notice how you look forward to travelling abroad but as you get nearer to your eventual return date home, you begin to look forward to that too? I certainly do but then again, I happen to live in what I believe to be the prettiest village in Ireland — Dunmore East, Co. Waterford! Don’t get me wrong; I love travelling and still get a thrill out of the feeling of expectation leading up to

April 17, 2015

Why familiarity sometimes breeds contempt!

If you look up any dictionary meaning of cliché, it reads something along the lines of '... a phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought ...' I think that that is a rather harsh interpretation myself. Clichés become clichés simply because they're true and represent the most succinct and accurate way of describing a particular concept. The above title is a particular case in point. I recently had a

February 27, 2015

How travel decisions can sometimes be based on incomplete information

Trip Advisor is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year. The global review site started out life above a Pizza shop called Kosta's in Needham, Massachusetts in February, 2000. It is a great site without question and I must admit that I have started contributing to it in recent times as I realised, belatedly, that I had a lot to contribute given the amount of travelling I do (and have done). What prompted me to write

July 29, 2014

Blue Mountain Resort, Ontario

When people arrive at Toronto International (Pearson) airport, most head straight for the city and, depending on the time of day, how heavy the traffic is and perhaps most importantly — your mode of transport — it can take anywhere between 60 to 90 minutes to get yourself downtown. So consider for a moment then if you will, that if you opt to travel in the opposite direction and head due north, you can find

June 6, 2012

When is the best time to visit Spain or Portugal?

How about now! June is an ideal time of year to visit either country as you get to enjoy the best of all possible worlds. You don't have to endure the high temperatures of July or August; The beaches, bars or restaurants aren't as crowded as school is still not out in a number of countries — most notably our neighbours across the Irish Sea — and perhaps best of all, there are still great bargains to

Summer has arrived!

I'm not talking literally of course — just figuratively — and wearing my travel agent hat! Easter has always traditionally represented the start of the summer season as this is when tour operator summer charter programmes begin and winter charter series end. It is also then an appropriate time to remind people of the kinds of things that they need to think of/prepare for, before setting out on their overseas travels. What follows is a

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