Tours, Travel and Vacation

Sleepzone Hostels were thrilled with the recent news that all three of the hostels in the group were included in the Top Ten in Ireland, at the Hostelworld Hoscars event at the Hilton, Dublin. Hostels from all over the world gathered at the annual two day conference, the highlight of which is the Hoscars award ceremony, where the highest ranking of the 20,000 hostels on Hostelworld.com are announced. Each hostel in the group featured in the Top Ten in Ireland, with the most recent addition to the group, Sleepzone – The Burren taking the title of Fifth in Ireland, Sleepzone Connemara ranking Eighth in Ireland and Sleepzone Galway City being named Tenth in Ireland. As a group Sleepzone Hostels were ranked 7th Worldwide.

The awards are based on ratings by guests, who rate each hostel in five categories – character, security, location, staff, fun and cleanliness – 800,000 voted on the awards this year. Sleepzone Galway City has received a number of Hoscars since the property opened in 2001 – including Best in Ireland (2006) and 7th Best Worldwide (2004).

Sleepzone Hostels comment that recognition of this kind is particularly important in today’s changing economic times, saying “these awards recognise that hostels offer an affordable alternative for both the domestic and international markets, at a time when everyone’s travel budgets are threatened. The three Sleepzone hostels are attractive properties with modern facilities (you are just as likely to get a private en suite room as a dorm) where you will find a dedicated and genuinely enthusiastic staff”.

Search for the hotel

So you’ve almost completed a search for your hotel where you want to stay. You have compared the price and location of each hotel, and have narrowed it down to two or three hotels. Now, how do you decide which one to choose?

Choosing your hotel

Each person has their own needs, desires and expectations from a hotel. You will want to choose the hotel that offers the most value. By comparing the facilities available at each hotel you can make an informed decision as to which hotel offers the most value relevant to your needs.

Choose the facilities that are right for your needs

A simple way to do this is to compare the facilities of each hotel side by side. Here you need to compare hotels by the facilities that you value most. Does the hotel have a swimming pool? Will there be a restaurant in the hotel? Is there parking facilities for my car? Are there conference facilities for my business meeting? Is there a safe children’s play area for my kids?

Book your hotel

Once you have chosen the hotel you can then make the hotel reservation online. This process will ensure you can rest easy knowing that the hotel provides the facilities you need to really enjoy your stay.

Has summer slipped away without your annual family camping trip? No worries! Fall can be a wonderful time to take your family away for a weekend camping trip. You will enjoy smaller crowds, thanks to the fact that kids are back in school and many families simply don’t think of camping during the school, leaving your own family free to enjoy the National Parks and National Forests that are jam-packed during the summer season.

Why should you camp in the fall?

In addition to the less-crowded camping venues, You will actually experience some of the most temperate weather in the fall. Mornings are pleasantly cool, afternoons can be comfortably warm, and the nights are cool enough to wear cozy sweatshirts and snuggle by the campfire. The cool night air makes for great sleeping conditions when your cuddled up under a blanket. You will also enjoy the beautiful autumn color palette and active wildlife.

Should we bring the kids?

Of course! You can certainly squeeze in one last weekend camping trip before you need to put the camping gear up for the winter. While childless campers can enjoy almost empty campgrounds during the week, families can still take advantage of a weekend trip. Your children’s school may even offer a three-day weekend in October around conference time, so check the calendar and see what you can work out.

Preparing for a fall camping trip.

Remember that many camp grounds reduce their entrance fees after Labor Day, so you should be able to save a little money during a fall camping trip.

Don’t forget to pack heavier clothes for your fall trip. The entire family will need jeans, sweatshirts and long-sleeved shirts.

Because the weather patterns can be a bit volatile in the fall, you need to go prepared for a bit of everything. If you are camping in a hurricane zone, be sure you know the evacuation routes. Campers in moonsoon country need to be prepared with necessary rain gear and high country campers many need to take precautions for an early snow storm.

While most camp grounds don’t require fall reservations, they can still fill up quickly on the weekends. It’s better to call ahead and make a reservation — just in case.

So gather the family, pick a weekend, and start planning your fall camping trip. You just might find that fall camping is the best camping!

It’s time to plan the next family vacation – and everyone wants to go skiing. Don’t fret, skiing isn’t as expensive as you might thinkit is, and there are several resorts that cater to families, offering a variety of packages tailored to save you money. The problem will be choosing the right destination for you.

Most ski resorts have websites. Start the planning process by accessing these websites to determine where you and your family might want to go for your family ski vacation. There are many different things to look for when choosing a resort. The absolute most important thing to look for is a ski school if someone in your family will need instruction. While most resorts do have ski schools, some don’t.  Don’t make the mistake of choosing a destination where one or more of your family members won’t have fun, simply because they don’t know how to ski.

Next, take a look at the slopes, lifts, and trails. You want to make sure that the resort has something to offer everyone in your family. If the resort only caters to beginners, an expert skier will become quickly bored. If you have a snowboarder in your group, and there is no snowboarding park or terrain, that snowboarder will not be happy. There are resorts that serve all winter sports – so make sure that your families interests are covered.

Lodging is the next thing to look at. You want to be comfortable, so where you will sleep at night matters a great deal. In most cases, there is a hotel right at the base of the slopes – but this isn’t necessarily the best or most affordable place to stay. Find out what your lodging options are for the area, and choose the one that is right for your family and your budget. If you will be staying farther away from the slopes, make sure that there is transportation to and from the slopes each day!

Your family will have many more interests that you will need to search for before deciding on a particular destination and resort. Some of those interests may be dog sledding, sleigh rides, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, or horseback riding. Resorts do offer these activities, but some don’t – so be sure to ask about the winter activities, as well as the planned events during the time that you will be at the resort. This will help you plan a ski vacation that your family will enjoy and remember for the rest of their lives.