Irish staycation 2020/2021 Pros and Cons, will you be tempted?

We stayed overnight in the Riu Gresham in Dublin and found it excellent as regards safety for everyone throughout the hotel. People were told on entering the hotel that masks were expected to be worn while walking throughout the hotel. You also had to wear masks while walking throughout the breakfast room and gloves were provided for handling items. I will be happy going back to this hotel and hope other hotels around the country are as good. Very positive experience.
 
PatrickSmithUS said:
Going to visit family at the far end of the country next week but other than that will batten down the hatches and do local day trips.

Myself and herself my get away for a night but it will be withing an hour of home.
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Same as us to be honest. It's just not worth the hassle and the kids get a kick out of a picnic from the car boot.. Holidays 70's style in 2020 :)
 
Went to a local hotel for a meal at the weekend. Had to wait outside until collected and shown directly to my table. No problem. Staff wore masks. Fine start. They handed us menus in leather covers which she handled without gloves and handed them to us without gloves. We ordered a bottle of wine for our meal. We were told we couldn't have alcohol until our food arrived. Told we could drink glasses of water. Slightly confusing interpretation of the rules. The food arrived and she proceeded to pour our wine. She walked off with our bottle and we said you can just leave it. She said she wasn't allowed and she would top up our glasses when required. Never came near us and when we queried with another staff member, was told that the wine was gone. When we were finished our main courses, we were asked if we wanted desert. I answered no but my wife was having one. I was told that as my main course was €18, I had to buy one as there was a minimum spend of €20 per heard. I said I wasn't informed of that and got a shrug of shoulders. When I asked why alcohol wasn't included, I was told that they were the regulations. I said €9 spend was the regulation and I got another shrug of the shoulders. Got a reminder with 15 minutes to go just as the desserts got delivered. Even though the restaurant was empty apart from one other table at the this stage, two staff members stood over us waiting for us to leave. I complained to the manager on the way out. I just got a lecture on covid, regulations and the new reality. Apparently we should count ourselves as lucky that we could spend our money there.

I know this is only one hotel. I have heard others who had lovely meals out but I have to say, I wouldn't be rushing to spend money again for a while.
 
Sunny said:
Went to a local hotel for a meal at the weekend. Had to wait outside until collected and shown directly to my table. No problem. Staff wore masks. Fine start. They handed us menus in leather covers which she handled without gloves and handed them to us without gloves. We ordered a bottle of wine for our meal. We were told we couldn't have alcohol until our food arrived. Told we could drink glasses of water. Slightly confusing interpretation of the rules. The food arrived and she proceeded to pour our wine. She walked off with our bottle and we said you can just leave it. She said she wasn't allowed and she would top up our glasses when required. Never came near us and when we queried with another staff member, was told that the wine was gone. When we were finished our main courses, we were asked if we wanted desert. I answered no but my wife was having one. I was told that as my main course was €18, I had to buy one as there was a minimum spend of €20 per heard. I said I wasn't informed of that and got a shrug of shoulders. When I asked why alcohol wasn't included, I was told that they were the regulations. I said €9 spend was the regulation and I got another shrug of the shoulders. Got a reminder with 15 minutes to go just as the desserts got delivered. Even though the restaurant was empty apart from one other table at the this stage, two staff members stood over us waiting for us to leave. I complained to the manager on the way out. I just got a lecture on covid, regulations and the new reality. Apparently we should count ourselves as lucky that we could spend our money there.

I know this is only one hotel. I have heard others who had lovely meals out but I have to say, I wouldn't be rushing to spend money again for a while.
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Where was this? That’s appalling.
 
@Sunny that's nuts. We stayed in a hotel at the weekend and had dinner there one night. I don't drink but my husband was given his drink straight away. We ate and he had 2 more drinks. After 90 minutes I thought we'd have to leave but while the waitress cleared the last of our dishes she asked him if he'd like another drink. There was no rush on us leaving at all. The restaurant wasn't full. Perhaps it was different as we were staying there but your experience was downright rude. Had you ordered the bottle of wine? How could they claim it was gone if it was your bottle? I hope you didn't pay for it.
 
Gordon Gekko said:
Should businesses that have had no revenue for the last few months simply ignore the law of supply and demand?

There are a finite number of nice hotels and lots of people with money who are compelled to stay in Ireland this year.

Why wouldn’t prices be anything other than higher than normal?
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Friend of mine was down at Bunratty at weekend, he said place was deserted.
 
Went to a local hotel for a meal at the weekend. Had to wait outside until collected and shown directly to my table. No problem. Staff wore masks. Fine start. They handed us menus in leather covers which she handled without gloves and handed them to us without gloves. We ordered a bottle of wine for our meal. We were told we couldn't have alcohol until our food arrived. Told we could drink glasses of water. Slightly confusing interpretation of the rules. The food arrived and she proceeded to pour our wine. She walked off with our bottle and we said you can just leave it. She said she wasn't allowed and she would top up our glasses when required. Never came near us and when we queried with another staff member, was told that the wine was gone. When we were finished our main courses, we were asked if we wanted desert. I answered no but my wife was having one. I was told that as my main course was €18, I had to buy one as there was a minimum spend of €20 per heard. I said I wasn't informed of that and got a shrug of shoulders. When I asked why alcohol wasn't included, I was told that they were the regulations. I said €9 spend was the regulation and I got another shrug of the shoulders. Got a reminder with 15 minutes to go just as the desserts got delivered. Even though the restaurant was empty apart from one other table at the this stage, two staff members stood over us waiting for us to leave. I complained to the manager on the way out. I just got a lecture on covid, regulations and the new reality. Apparently we should count ourselves as lucky that we could spend our money there.

I know this is only one hotel. I have heard others who had lovely meals out but I have to say, I wouldn't be rushing to spend money again for a while.

Did you pay for the wine, without complaint? I'd be naming and shaming this place for shoddy service.

 
I've had both experiences, booked a table 8-10pm in a pub, we were still there at 2am. Went to a restaurant at 5.30pm and felt under severe time pressure and left at exactly 7.15pm. Seems to vary hugely per establishment.
On a side note, Irish Times had travel article about Lisbon where author said hotel rooms were 50% reduced in price to attract people. Usually Irish hotels have the opposite idea so I can only assume Irish hotels are double the normal price these days?
 
Mapara said:
Hi with this Covid 19 putting a trip overseas almost impossible this summer I've been looking around at some hotel breaks and it seems that a lot of the hotels have increased there prices for overnight stays and with all the new guidelines I'm finding it hard to see the attraction,I think I might hold out for an Autumn break overseas,What are you guys planing.
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I always go for an autumn break to get to the sunshine when it is grotty here
 
Heading to Donegal soon and lets hope the weather picks up had to cancel trip to UK but did not lose money

Wondering what the pubs and restaurants are going to be like but wont be going for any "sessions"

Looking forward to seeing more of my own country after travelling the world
 
Monbretia said:
Don't forget 'it is what it is' :)
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Hi, would you happen to have a copy of Ulster bank T and Cs from 2006? I have lost mine. We have an offset mortgage since 2006. Originally capital and interest payments were taken off the balance. From two years ago no capital repayments have been taken by the bank. Thanks donal
 
We have a humble abode in South of France. Usually go there around March to make sure things are okay after the winter, but not this year. Ryanair eventually started flights a week or two ago and we decided to take the risk and booked for a 9.30 a.m. flight last Monday - almost essential travel for us by this stage.
The airport experience was truly eerie. Dublin Airport almost deserted. I need a beer or two to make those things fly but was told I must buy a breakfast for €9 and have it in front of me. Didn't want a breakfast but toyed with idea of having a plate of €9 worth of rashers in front of me. In the end I bought a wee bottle of Vodka in the shop which helpfully supplies small plastic drinking glasses.
Boarding the flight was no problem. No drink on flight. Usual melee disembarking with everyone squashed up against each other.
Marseille airport totally deserted. Told that only passengers and staff allowed in. This was not looking promising.
But since then everything is perfect. Some people wearing masks and you have to go round the supermarkets one way but otherwise the restaurants are buzzing. Beaches a little less crowded but that is a good thing.
From what I read on this thread staycations are not for me.
 
Donald said:
Hi, would you happen to have a copy of Ulster bank T and Cs from 2006? I have lost mine. We have an offset mortgage since 2006. Originally capital and interest payments were taken off the balance. From two years ago no capital repayments have been taken by the bank. Thanks donal
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I can't remember what date mine is and I'm not at home to check but it's a big booklet anyway so would need to find a specific section.

What you say is not a feature of the mortgage and I don't know why or how it would happen, when you say there have been no capital payments has your balance been increasing all this time? Have they charged you just the interest?
 
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