DUBLIN PRICES DROP

As if there was need for anymore proof to show that there is super value in Dublin, the latest Savills and City Occupancy Hotel Index shows that hotel room rates fell 6.3% in 2010.

The report results are based on daily statistics supplied during the year by over 100 hotels, primarily in the urban centres of Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway.

These hotels account for over 14,000 bedrooms, which is around 25% of hotel bedrooms in the Republic of Ireland.

Dublin’s revenue per available room was down 7% year on year which lagged behind the national average. Savills believes this is due to the “hugely competitive” hotel pricing in the capital. Tell us about it!!!

Limerick occupancy increased 2% – the first increase in five years. The city remains last on the list with 53% occupancy however, while Cork is in the lead with 69%.

Five-star hotels were hit the hardest with revenue per available room down 8% in 2010.

Check out www.grandcanalhotel.com for best rates in Dublin City.

CHRISTMAS PARTY - WIN TRIP TO NEW YORK

How does the chance to win a trip to New York, a casino, complimentary beer/wine, singing along to a multi platinum selling singer and dancing till 3am sound?

Christmas Party Nights can be hit and miss..and I know this from personal experience but let's face it...in these tough economic times we all need to let our hair down.

Another fact is that unlike previous years the boss probably won't be paying for it so it'll be down to individuals to book it. So with this in mind when we were organising our Christmas Party Night's we decided to try and make it is as much fun for as much value as possible.

Arrive and enjoy a complimentary bottle of beer or a glass of wine at our pre-party reception. Then head into the Epic Restaurant for a fabulous five course meal...Christmas style. But be careful not to eat too much because there is no time to go to the couch for the usual post dinner nap.

There will be plenty to keep you entertained including having the chance to win a trip to New York. Place your bets and spin the wheel without losing the shirt off your back at our casino. Become a paper millionaire or lose a fortune, either way you will have the time of your life. All entrants on the night have the chance to be entered in the draw to win a trip to New York.

Alternatively and simultaneously one of Ireland's biggest stars of the 90's will be plying his trade in the bar. Brendan Keeley, with seven top 10 chart hits including "I'll always be lonely", "Take the Chains Away" and "Heart and Soul", to his name takes up residency for December.

But it won't be over there because DJ Fast Eddie will be taking to the decks to bring the party to the dizzy hour of 3am. Sure if you don't fancy getting the taxi home stay. At €79 per room B&B it will probably cost as much as a taxi anyway.

So there you have it. You have to admit it is a good night. Check out www.yourchristmasparty.com where you can print your own poster to place around the office.

The Party nights will take place on Friday's on Saturday for the first three weeks in December and costs €64 and €59 respectively.
Give us a shout on 01-6461000 to book or get more information.

NEW DUBLIN MAP

Well it is about time, but it finally looks like Dublin is going to get a quintessential transportation map and would you believe it turns out it is a German who designed it.

Graphic Design student, Aris Venetikidis, arrived in Ireland eight years ago and noticed that it is difficult to navigate your way around Dublin City especially if you are not from the city.

So he set about putting together a complete map of all transport links on one map. He used the iconic London Underground map as the template and after initially finding it difficult to get backing has put together, what the Grand Canal Hotel thinks, is the best and most use full map produced.

Essentially, the map Venetikidis designed includes all bus services and stops, as well as existing and proposed Luas stops, existing Dart stations and the proposed Dart Underground link between Inchicore and Docklands, with intervening stations at Heuston, Christ Church, St Stephen’s Green, Pearse (Westland Row) and Spencer Dock.

Everything is colour-coded, and the 10 bus rapid transit lines proposed by Leahy are given names such as Beckett, Larkin, Stoker and Yeats.

These are shown on a large format map of the public transport network as a whole, then in detail on a separate map of the inner city area, so people can see exactly where they are going.

“Every stop is on it, because you can’t assume that every new user has a working knowledge of Dublin’s geography,” Venetikidis told the Irish Times. “So even Dubliners invited to a friend’s party, for example – all they would have to do is to identify the nearest stop on the map, which is not something they can do now, and then work out the route they need to take.”

As the London Underground map had shown, “a successful integrated public transport map is the key to motivating people to leave the car and make the switch to a sustainable transport mode. Couple that with a modern network of rapid transit and you have the solution to congested city centre streets and an absent infrastructure.”

Check out www.aris.ie for a look at the designs.

DUBLIN VIKING FESTIVAL

The summer...in the holiday sense of the word...is coming to a close, but before we start preparing ourselves for Christmas (yeah i said it), there is still plenty of things to do in Dublin City.

This weekend for instance the Dublin Viking Festival kicks off. Now in its third year the festival is run over two days with numerous events taking place in the city centre.

The fun takes place on Dublin's Wood Quay and Temple Bar from Friday the 21st August until Sunday 22nd August 2010. The Vikings were the first settlers at Dublin and old reminants of their settlement have been found at Wood Quay in Dublin City Centre on the site of Dublin City Council's civic offices.

Dublin Viking Festival Information:

Viking Village
The village folk are dedicated to the accurate and entertaining portrayal of Viking and Medieval times and lifestyles. With a village of tents, locals at work and trained soldiers in combat, you will feel embraced by this time period’s culture. Lectures on weaponry will get you up to speed and you can even try out your hand at Archery. The village area will be equipped with picnic tables, food stands and Viking hat stalls.

Dublinia
A meeting point for the tours of Dublinia and the Viking House will be located in the Amphitheatre/Wood Quay throughout the weekend. Once you attend the festival throughout the weekend you can avail of 2 for the price of 1 tickets to Dublinia.

Wax Museum
Throughout the festival, the Dublin Wax Museum will be performing scenes from various plays that are relevant to Viking Dublin. There will be 3 shows a day. After the show, why not head to the Viking themed room in the wax museum. It features a wax figure of the Viking King of Dublin and a replica of the Viking Dublin city.
Once you attend the Viking Festival you can avail of Special Discounts for the wax museum if you attend the museum after 5pm. Discount rates are; Children go free with a paying adult (Adult price €10) or a family ticket discount of €25 (normally €30).

Viking Splash
The unique and highly appraised land & water tour of Dublin are offering special discounts throughout the festival weekend. They will also be offering free family passes as prizes throughout the weekend!

Walking Tours
Walking Tours of Viking Dublin will take place on the Saturday and Sunday of the festival. The tour will include historically significant places and areas where everyday life and major events occurred; narrow laneways and hidden streets, Dublin Castle, Christ Church, archaeological discovery sites and much more.

Viking music
To complete the Middle Ages atmosphere, traditional Scandinavian and medieval style music will be played at different intervals throughout the festival by local and professional musicians.

Children’s’ Entertainment
For the kids, there are art zones open from 1-4pm each day of the festival. They will participate in making masks and memorabilia and designing and making their own helmet plaques. There will also be the favourites; face painting and balloon modelling.

Outdoor Viking Movie
There will be outdoor screenings of the 1958 ‘The Vikings’ starring Kirk Douglas and Tony Curtis. A picnic blanket and snacks are recommended to enjoy this screening.

Food and Drink
Available at the festival will be different types of local made and foreign food; including hog roast, breads and Danish pastries. Also, drink stalls with apple cider and mead.

Arts and crafts stalls
The arts and crafts stalls will have genuine Viking tools and memorabilia for sale. Take home with you medieval artefacts and souvenirs and keep the Viking spirit alive.

Shopping
Apart from souvenir stalls, there will also be a selection of stalls selling middle age and medieval inspired jewellery and clothing.

Enjoy yourself.

RYANAIR STYLE HOTELS?

A Malaysian hotel chain are hoping to bring Ryanair type bedroom prices to Britain this year...and maybe Dublin to follow?

The room would cost you as little as €25 but but you'll also be charged for using the hotel's hair-drier (£2), its towels (£1 each) and storing your luggage (£2)? Your ride upstairs in a lift is free, as is the air conditioning, but your budget will need to stretch a further pound to secure your belongings in a safe. Want to get your room cleaned? That's £7.50 a day.

This year, Tune Hotels hopes to take on bloated room rates in London and do for the British hotel market what easyJet and Ryanair have done for aviation. It will offer standard rates of £35 a night for a bed, power shower and central location – with chargeable extras.

The nine Tune Hotels in Malaysia and Indonesia offer deals as rock-bottom as £2 a night. The chain's first British hotel is set to open on London's Westminster Bridge Road on 30 August, with further outposts planned across the country, depending on the popularity of the Waterloo operation.

"It's all about choice," says the company's chief executive, Mark Lankester. "We say consumers should assemble the experience as they see fit. We aim to provide whatever suits the customer in terms of timing, price and the comfort people require. If you want to stay in a five-star hotel, there are plenty of them already in London. But if you are really concerned about price then we are going to be relevant."

Have no fear though people. The Grand Canal Hotel will be sticking to great value rates with no extra charges for what you'd expect in a hotel room. That said I'm sure some of the budget hotels not too far from us are sweating at the thoughts of it.