The survey examined prices charged by nine of the most popular tourist attractions in each city as well as the cost of an open-top bus ride. A family of four would pay only £180 (€226) if they wanted to take part in all 10 activities in Dublin, compared with £549.30 (€690) in London.

The attractions surveyed by the Sunday Telegraph include: Dublin Castle, Dublin Writers Museum, Dublin Zoo, James Joyce Museum, Malahide Castle and the Fry Model Railway, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Trinity College Library and the Book of Kells, the Shaw Birthplace, Tara’s Palace and Childhood Museum as well as an open-top bus tour.

Frank Magee, Chief Executive of Dublin Tourism said “I am thrilled to see that Dublin has come out on top as ‘best value for money’ in this survey. Dublin has a vast array of attractions all of which offer a truly authentic Dublin experience to the visitor at very affordable prices. We believe that the Dublin Pass, the official sightseeing card for Dublin (www.dublinpass.ie), gives visitors the best value for money with free admission to many of Dublin’s top attractions as well as special offers and discounts on tours.”

Mr. Magee also highlighted Dublin’s many free attractions and events; “The National Museums of Ireland are a shining example of great-quality attractions which are free to visit. These, along with the many free events and initiatives such as Dublin’s eco-cabs, prove that you don’t have to spend a fortune to enjoy Dublin”.

See www.visitdublin.com for further information on what to see and do in Dublin this summer.


For further details/images, please contact:

Jenny Finegan, jfinegan@dublintourism.ie. Tel +353 1 6057720/ +353 86 0474367

or

Áine Kavanagh, akavanagh@dublintourism.ie Tel +353 1 605 7779/ +353 86 2050788

An Taoiseach Brian Cowen TD joined forces with Tourism Ireland in New York today for an Ireland promotion attended by leading members of the US tourism industry. The promotion provided an opportunity to highlight the wide range of attractive and competitive tourism packages currently available across the length and breadth of the island. In an effort to counter the challenges posed by low US consumer confidence and a weak dollar, Tourism Ireland introduced a new approach to its marketing campaign this year with the tagline “Ireland – can you afford not to go?”

The US is a crucially important source of visitors and tourism revenue to the island of Ireland. American visitors stay longer and spend more per head than most other nationalities. They spend approximately 60% more than the average visitor, accounting for almost one in every five euro spent here. The US tourist sector is also of vital importance to many sectors of the industry including serviced accommodation, car rental and regional tourism enterprises.

The island of Ireland enjoyed record visitor numbers from the US last year, reaching almost one million visitors, despite the unfolding credit crisis in the US in the second half of 2007. Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures for the first four months of this year, show a marginal increase on visitor numbers over the same period last year; however visitor spend is down in the first quarter (-13.6%), clearly showing that although the Americans may be travelling, they are understandably feeling the pinch of the strong euro and spending less.

Speaking at the event, An Taoiseach Brian Cowen said that feedback from the US tourism industry was positive going forward and that there is strong interest in Ireland as a holiday destination. “The US market is of critical importance to our tourism industry and has proven so time and time again; indeed, 2007 was a record year. Undoubtedly, right now the weak dollar is making it extremely difficult for the tourism industry in Ireland and across Europe. I applaud the industry’s response to the challenge and I believe they will ultimately reap the rewards. Given the ongoing global economic uncertainty and pressure on consumer confidence, 2008 is proving to be one of the most challenging years ever for Irish tourism and indeed for tourism across the globe. However, the Irish tourism industry is one of the most dynamic sectors and has proven to be resilient and creative in challenging times in the past. I believe that the strategic approach taken with tourism in recent years, by both the public and private sectors, has given the industry the capacity to withstand such cyclical external challenges and to sustain its performance in coming years,” concluded Taoiseach Brian Cowen.


Speaking in New York, Paul O’Toole, Tourism Ireland’s Chief Executive, said: “We have sustained our core investment in the US market this year and supplemented it with an additional €3 million provided by Government to promote the west of Ireland, with the “Discover Ireland’s Wonderful West” campaign. We are working hard to ensure that Ireland is front of mind when US consumers are choosing their holiday destination. Previous experience has shown that maintaining our investment in tough times has paid off. Ireland is one of only two major European destinations to have recovered fully from the downturn in travel which followed the 9/11 attacks.

“The strong euro effectively means that the price of a holiday in Ireland is approximately 16% more expensive than it was this time last year. The industry has responded to this challenge with a fantastic range of value-for-money offers right across the board, from B&Bs, self-drive packages, coach tours and golfing holidays, to top of the range offers for 5 star properties. It is all to play for in the US to year end, and we will fight for every possible business opportunity available,” said O’Toole.


-ENDS-

Further information:
Sinéad Grace, Tourism Ireland, tel: 01 476 3493/ 087 685 9027
Mary McCarthy, Weber Shandwick, tel: 01 676 0168/ 086 256 8429



Note to Editors:

A sample of some of the good value packages currently on offer:
• CELTIC TOURS
Celtic Delight Tour - a seven-day escorted tour featuring Dublin, Waterford, Cork, Killarney, the Ring of Kerry and Dingle; from $1,162 per person sharing (land only).

• CIE TOURS INTERNATIONAL
Irish Legends Tour - a ten-day all inclusive coach tour staying in a mix of hotels and B&Bs; from $1,620 per person sharing (land only).

• SCEPTRE TOURS
Ritz-Carlton Emerald Bed & Breakfast Package – a seven-day vacation, combining the traditional Irish hospitality of a B&B stay with the luxury of the Ritz-Carlton, with car hire included; from $1,069 per person sharing (air-inclusive).

• IRELANDHOTELS.COM
Great deals on hotels –hundreds of hotel and guesthouse breaks throughout Ireland, from $105 per room per night.

• THE CAUSEWAY COAST & GLENS
3-day self-drive tour – experience one of the world’s most scenic drives including two nights’ hotel accommodation and car; from $330 per person sharing.


• MANOR HOUSE HOTELS
Affordable Castle Stays and 4-star hotels - a selection of castles or hotels from $139 per person sharing per night.

• DESTINATION IRELAND GOLF TOURS
Heavenly Links – 4 rounds championship golf at Tralee, Lahinch and Ballybunion; 4 nights de luxe accommodation and self- or chauffeur-drive car from $1,975 per person (land only).

World renowned crystal factory, Waterford Crystal, will be launching its first fragrance in mid-July to the US market. Named after Waterford’s most popular selling crystal line, Lismore perfume is truly unique and creates a different scent for every woman that wears it. To compliment its feminine fragrance, the perfume comes in an exquisite crystal bottle that turns into a bud vase when the perfume is gone (ultimate recycling!). Initial scents include Water Lily, Freesia, Ylang Ylang, Rose and Mandarin followed by a cascade of soft feminine florals including Carnation, Peony, and Night Blooming Jasmine and then drying down to Orchid Vanilla, Precious Woods, Musk and Violet.

A 50 ml/1.7oz bottle will retail for $65.

A 100 ml/3.4 oz bottle will retail for $90.

Available exclusively at Bloomingdales beginning July 11th.

A new boutique hotel with truly glamorous interiors has opened in Adara, County Donegal. Living up to its name, O’Fabulous has five individually decorated guest rooms. The Swanswick Room has a Super king size Cloud™ bed offering the cosiest spot to read in bed while enjoying the real working fireplace. Lush magenta cut velvet curtains hang at the windows and a cozy armchair, also in cut velvet, is a good spot to curl up and enjoy the views. (Rates €175/ 1 night, €299/ 2nights). In the Kennedy Room, pale blue walls are accented with cut velvet curtains in a regal dark blue and an impressive tufted headboard. Above the bed, “To sleep perchance to dream” has been stencilled onto the wall. (Rates €145/1 night, €250/2 nights). In the Kirwan room the bathroom has a huge walk in shower and a deep bathtub for soaking. Above the wooden headboard another quote “O bed! O bed! Delicious bed! That heave on earth to the weary head” has been stencilled. Plus the mirror in the bathroom has been etched with “fairest of them all”. (same rates as above). With a double bed, the Gallagher room is the simplest of all the rooms but nonetheless has been decorated in lovely pale blues and yellows. A large graphic leaf wall paper has been applied to the ceilings. (Rates €110/1night, €199/2nights). At the top of the house in an attic space, the McClintock room has two single beds. It has been decorated in an overall colour theme of brown and pink and has been given a cozy tent-like feel with bold striped wallpaper applied to the ceiling. (Rates €145/1night, € 250/2nights).

While breakfast is for guests only, on Friday and Saturday nights the doors open for The O’Fabulous Supper Club. “We serve the type of food we would adore to find in Ireland together with a first class wine list and immaculate attention to detail from Vera Wang fine bone china to the Tiffany & Co. candles to fine Irish linen and sparkling Irish crystal”. Starters include Colcannon soup, potted local crab in lemon butter with hot toasted soda farls or warm Clonakilty black pudding salad with Bramley apple relish.

Mains courses include pan fried Gaelic steak, champ and red wine and shallot jus, baked fillet of sea bass with red onion and leek crust or Navarin of Donegal lamp with roast rack, Colcannon cakes, buttered baby vegetables and mint jus. Dessert offerings include brown bread ice cream, an Irish cheeseboard with Wicklow blue, Guinness porter cheddar, Durrus and Mine-Gabhar or warm pear and almond cake.

O’Fabulous in located on Front Street, Adara, County Donegal. Ph: 353 (0) 749537791 or www.ofabulous.com.
Hyperlink: http://www.ofabulous.com

This award-winning Museum is home to the National Folklife collection which represents traditional life in Ireland throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Fascinating artefacts deal with domestic life, agriculture, fishing and hunting, clothing and textiles, furniture and fittings, trades and crafts, transport, sports and leisure and religion. Set in the spectacular grounds of Turlough Park, Castlebar, Co. Mayo the Museum treats visitors to a taste of how our ancestors lived their daily lives, in both difficult and joyful times. Admission to the Museum is free. Guided tours available.

The Museum runs programmes for adults, families and schools to raise awareness of the Museum collection and the associated traditional crafts, customs and traditions. The programmes consist of talks, demonstrations and performances as well as hands-on art and craft workshops. Admission to events is free but booking is required as places are limited.

Located eight km east of Castlebar (on the N5), the Museum’s facilities include free parking, shop and café, audio-visual room and activity and resource rooms. All Museum buildings are wheelchair accessible.

Open year round, Tuesday to Saturday, 10am – 5pm; Sunday, 2pm – 5pm. Closed Mondays (incl. Bank Holidays).
Museum Shop and Café extended opening each Sunday from 12pm.


Contact details:
Museum Reception: +353 (94) 90 31755; fax: +353 (94) 90 31628; e-mail: tpark@museum.ie
Marketing Dept: +353 (94) 90 31773; fax: +353 (94) 90 31583; e-mail: bbyron@museum.ie
Bookings Office, Education and Outreach Department: +353 (94) 90 31751; fax: +353 (94) 90 31498; e-mail: educationtph@museum.ie

The National Museum of Ireland - Country Life will be participating in the Milwaukee Irish Fest and associated Summer School for the first time this year. Running from 11-17 August, the event is the world's largest Irish Festival with an attendance of 130,000 people.

The Museum's Senior Curator, Dr Séamas Mac Philib, will lead a course on Irish country life at the summer school. Among the specific topics to be treated will be:

• An outline of traditional Irish festivals,

• Traditional farming and fishing,

• Traditional boats and those that survive,

• Traditional beliefs like the 'Fairy Faith',

• How the country and country life was marketed in early travel posters.


The National Museum of Ireland will also have information available about its branches in Dublin and Mayo and a display on its activities. The National Museum of Ireland - Country Life, in Turlough Park, Castlebar, County Mayo is the prime national folklife venue in Ireland and is of great interest due to its situation as the most westerly national museum in Europe with a high level of visitor numbers.

For further information on the Milwaukee Irish Fest and Summer School visit www.irishfest.com
For further information on the National Museum Ireland please visit www.museum.ie

Ends.

Issued by:
Bernie Byron, Marketing Executive, National Museum of Ireland – Country Life
Turlough Park, Castlebar, Co. Mayo
Tel: +353 (94) 90 31755; Mobile: +353 (87) 7987 439; Fax: +353 (94) 90 31628;
Email: bbyron@museum.ie


Notes to the Editor:
1. Images of the National Museum Ireland – Country Life available on request. Please contact B. Byron (details above).
2. About the National Museum of Ireland – Country Life.

“ The project of founding a Gallery of Modern Art for Ireland is no longer an idea, it is now an accomplished fact.”
Sir Hugh Lane, Dublin, December 1907

Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane is pleased to announce that President Mary McAleese will officially open Hugh Lane 100 Years at 6.30pm on 26th June 2008.

2008 marks the centenary of the opening of the Municipal Gallery by Hugh Lane and his supporters. The centrepiece of the Gallery’s centenary year is Hugh Lane 100 Years, which features the collection of 39 Continental Pictures

This will be the first time these paintings including world famous Impressionist paintings will be exhibited alongside the original collection in Dublin since the site controversy in 1913 when they were removed to the National Gallery, London.

“When Hugh Lane bought the Impressionist masterpieces so loved today, he was one of the few collectors of modern French painting in either Britain or Ireland. However, this quick-witted tenacity in a way heightens the sense of loss when you come to realise how the paintings were to slip from Dublin’s grasp with Lane’s tragic, premature death on board the Lusitania in 1915”. says Jessica O’Donnell, Acting Head of Collections.

Following a huge controversy surrounding a signed but un-witnessed codicil to Lane’s will, an agreement was finally reached in 1959 whereby the 39 Hugh Lane Bequest Paintings are shared between the National Gallery London and Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane.

Hugh Lane’s vision in founding the gallery was one of the most important cultural events in these islands at the turn of the 20th century and ever since it has played a huge role in Modern Irish cultural history.

With the return of the 39 Continental Pictures the original foresight and vision of our benefactor can be truly appreciated and it is hoped that in the future they will be reunited permanently with the original collection.

In addition to the 39 paintings from the Hugh Lane Bequest, the exhibition will present work by key artists including William Orpen, Nathaniel Hone, George Russell, Antonio Mancini, John Singer Sargent and JBC Corot and will feature a significant selection drawn from the 300 paintings, sculpture and works on paper originally shown when the gallery first opened.

The contemporary response to the exhibition, Other Men’s Flowers will also be launched simultaneously, this features the work of Frank Auerbach, Francis Bacon, Michael Farrell, Brian Fay, Ben Geoghegan, Patrick Graham, Patrick Hall, Leon Kossoff, Martin Kippenberger, William Walcot and Jeff Wall.

A fully illustrated book will published to coincide with the Hugh Lane Centenary exhibition with contributions by Barbara Dawson, Roy Foster, Robert O'Byrne, Jessica O’Donnell, Sean O’Reilly, John Redmill, Christopher Riopelle and Ray Ryan.

This exhibition has been kindly supported by Investec ,The Irish Times and The Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism

For more information please contact: Dairne O’Sullivan, Marketing Manager Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane, Parnell Square, Dublin 1
dairne.osullivan@dublincity.ie Ph: 01 222 5568

Jericho, New York, May 21st 2008 Aer Lingus Announces a Summer Business Class fare for both Leisure and Business travelers.

Aer Lingus announced today a Summer Business Class fare that is lower then most airlines full fare economy levels on the Atlantic and is available with no length of stay restrictions.

The Summer Sale Premier Class Offer offers discounts from the unrestricted fare of $2900 one-way to as low as $799 one-way plus government taxes and September 11 Security fee of $2.50 from New York to Dublin and Shannon, Ireland based on the advance purchase of the reservation. New fares are also available from Aer Lingus from other US gateways of Boston, Chicago, Washington D.C./Dulles Airport, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Special Summer Business Class Offer:

Gateway (s) 45 Day Advance One-Way Fare 14 Day Advance One-Way Fare
New York $799 $1599
Boston $799 $1599
Washington $899 $1699
Chicago $999 $1799
Los Angeles $1299 $1999
San Francisco $1299 $1999
45- Day Levels are for booking made prior to June 1. Booking made after June 1 will increase by $100.

Terms and Conditions:
1) Roundtrip purchase required.
2) No minimum or maximum stay required.
3) Travel period July 1 with all travel complete by September 15, 2008
4) Ticketing must be made within 7 days of reservation and no later then the advance purchase date of the fare.
5) Change fee of $300 applies for changes made outside of 7 days from departure. Changes within 7 days are not permitted.
6) Airfare is non-refundable
7) Frequent flyer points and lounge access not included. Passengers may purchase a daily lounge pass for an additional $30.

Bookings can be made through all CRS systems or by calling Aer Lingus at 516-622-4010.

Attachment: Media_Release_Premier_at_May_2108.doc

Coveted five-star status has been won by The Kingsley Hotel of Victoria Cross in the heart of Ireland’s second-largest city of Cork. The top-of-the-line accreditation comes after the completion of a major renovation that involved a capital investment of $45 million and that has made the privately-owned property one of the most sumptuous and sought-after hotels in the country.

The hotel is special also because of its spa. Borrowing from a 5000-year-old system of Indian medicine called Ayurveda, Yauvana Spa is the only fully-customized Ayurvedic health centre in the Republic of Ireland with a fully qualified doctor and team of technicians from Kerala in south India, the home of Ayurveda. The spa, with a wide range of steam baths, tropical rain showers and a heat-light therapy room, was designed by the Syntax Group, winners of the prestigious European Hotel Design Award for innovative spa designs.

After its major renovation program, the Kinglsey now boasts 130 Deluxe rooms and suites, 18 two-bedroomed residences, state-of-the-art Conference centre, a large penthouse that comes complete with a baby grand piano and even a private outdoor hot tub.

The hotel also offers four options for different dining experiences: there’s a newly-refurbished bar, a comfortable lounge with sweeping views of Cork’s majestic River Lee, the exclusive Otter’s Restaurant and a private dining suite to accommodate 160 guests.

For long-staying guests the hotel provides the opportunity to have a home away from home with luxurious one-bedroom and two-bedroom residences with their own courtyard and secure remote-accessed car ports.

There is also a Presidential Penthouse Suite: which offers sumptuous accommodations over two floors with two bedrooms, a fully-serviced kitchen, security office, living room with baby grand piano, library, bar, and open fire. The master bedroom boasts an open fire, plasma television, walk-in closets and a private entrance to the Yauvana Spa and Pool. There are breathtaking views of Cork's wonderful architecture and the sound of the weir from the suite’s balcony which also has its own outdoor Hot Tub, Plasma Television and Outdoor Heaters.

The Kingsley Hotel’s Yauvana Ayurvedic Spa & Health Club emphasizes Ayurvedic massage for rejuvenation, re-energising as well as the treatment of sports and other injuries. The doctor and team of masseurs are Indian and the massage oils are also imported from India. The Health Club features a Kinesis Studio, a heated swimming pool, a fully-equipped gymnasium, sauna, steam room and external hydro pool & hot tub where you can sit outdoors in cascading showers of hot water even on a cold day.

Filling out the magnificent facilities is a Conference and Events Centre which offers the latest technology with remote Crestron pads controlling the conference technology within the room. Capacity to sit 180 along with break rooms, a fully-equipped business centre for off-site meetings, dedicated boardrooms and training suites.

Those travelling to Ireland in search of an unforgettable holiday will not be disappointed with a trip to Belfast. Not only is the Northern Irish capital emerging as one of the ‘must see’ destinations in Europe because of it beautiful setting, historic industrial heritage, literary and artistic credentials and cosmopolitan edge, it is also set to become the new destination of choice for those seeking a little Irish luxury.

With the rise of high-quality four and five star accommodation in the city, the investment in the retail sector and the success and popularity of some of the city’s best loved restaurants, Belfast’s desirability to those at the upper end of the tourism spectrum is increasing all the time and those in charge of marketing the city are keen to promote its attractions.

A campaign designed to make the city appeal to the most discerning visitors is being launched by the Belfast Visitor & Convention Bureau and Belfast City Council, supported by the International Fund for Ireland and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board.

Outlining options available to those who want to experience the best of Belfast, Susie McCullough, Director of Marketing at the Belfast Visitor & Convention Bureau says;

“We have an exciting range of luxury hotels and tourism products in Belfast, with outstanding five star properties offering wonderful and indulgent treats. The new packages that we have put together will ensure a unique and luxurious experience, not only for the super-rich but also for those who just want to indulge themselves,” says Susie.

“For example, as part of a ‘live like lords and ladies’ package, visitors can stay at a five star hotel, visit a castle and have tea with a duke before taking falconry lessons or off- road driving, or play golf at Citigolf, a simulated state-of-the art facility featuring 57 of the world’s most famous golf courses or sailing on the beautiful Belfast Lough. Another possibility is a treasure hunt with a James Bond theme or a special “mother and daughter” package with champagne cocktails at Malmaison, afternoon tea at the Merchant Hotel, a luxury spa treatment at the Culloden, relaxing in the elegant Malone Lodge Hotel, and shopping in luxury boutiques in the evening through special opening arrangements Or for those staying in the award winning Clandeboye Lodge Hotel why not take a helicopter ride to Royal Belfast and play golf on one of Ireland’s oldest golf courses.

For those looking for city centre chic then hotels such as the Radisson SAS and Ten Square provide boutique havens in the heart of Belfast. Or for those heading to the world-famous Giant’s Causeway, the recently-refurbished Galgorm Hotel and the elegant Dunadry Hotel provides an enticing detour.





The city is ideal as a gateway for those who wish to explore the rest of Northern Ireland as it takes less than two hours to drive from Belfast to world-renowned natural attractions such as the Giant’s Causeway, Marble-Arch Caves, Glens of Antrim and Mourne Mountains. Stunning National Trust properties abound, such as the ostentatious Castleward, a striking property which was built with one classical and one gothic facade in keeping with the differing tastes of its master and mistress, or what about a visit to Ardress House, a 17th-century farmhouse which boasts elegant 18th-century decoration, or Castle Coole in County Fermanagh which is one of the finest neo-classical houses in Ireland where you can marvel at the sumptuously furnished state rooms, all very accessible from Belfast.

“As part of our Belfast luxury packages, we can offer personal shopping and styling days with image consultants Fashion Pharmacy and for those who want their break organised for them, Ovation MCI provide bespoke packages and tailored holidays. We also have some of the best restaurants, sporting and entertainment events and cultural attractions on the Island of Ireland, so the city is really appealing to those seeking a luxurious stay.

“With 6.8 million visitors coming into Belfast last year and the Lonely Planet Blue Guide calling Belfast a ‘must see’ destination, now is the time to visit. We feel that these packages will appeal to lots of visitors who want to spoil themselves in a city that to some extent is still relatively undiscovered,” she concluded.

For further information on Luxury Belfast visit www.luxurybelfast.com or www.gotobelfast.com

This project has been part-funded by the International Fund for Ireland through financial assistance administered by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board.

[Ends]

MEDIA ENQUIRIES: For further information, please contact Sheelagh Wright of Duffy Rafferty Communications on 02890 730880.

Hyperlink: http://www.luxurybelfast.com

Attachment: Luxury Belfast USA1.doc

The Kingsley Hotel, Victoria Cross, Cork city, has been awarded five-star accreditation. This accolade comes after a recent 30-million euro investment making the Kingsley one of the most sumptuous and sought-after hotels in the country.
With 130 Deluxe rooms and suites, 18 two-bedroomed residences, state-of-the-art Conference centre, a 300 square metre penthouse that comes complete with a baby grand piano and even a private outdoor hot tub, the Kingsley also stands out from the crowd because of its spa. Borrowing from a 5000 year old system of Indian medicine called Ayurveda, Yauvana Spa is the only fully-customised Ayurvedic health centre in the Republic of Ireland with a fully qualified doctor and team of technicians from Kerala in south India, the home of Ayurveda. The spa with a wide range of Steam Baths, Tropical Rain Showers and a Heat Light Therapy room was designed by the Syntax Group who won the prestigious European Hotel Design Award for their innovative spa designs.
Four options for dining exist – there’s a newly refurbished bar, a comfortable lounge with sweeping views of the River Lee, the exclusive Otter’s restaurant and a private dining suite to accommodate 160 guests.
A privately-owned concern the Kingsley in its former avatar as a 50-bedroomed business hotel already won a number of awards such as the Jameson Business Hotel of the Year 2004 and the RAC Blue Ribbon winner 2004-2005. Its new five-star status will undoubtedly position it for several more in the years to come.
more follows……
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Residences:
Luxurious 1 and 2 Bedroom Residences with their own courtyard and secure remote accessed car ports, these Residences offer the long-staying guest a home from home with all the services of a five star Hotel.
Presidential Penthouse Suite:
This sumptuous suite is newly-built over two floors with two bedrooms, a fully serviced kitchen, security office, living room with baby grand piano, library, bar, and open fire. The master bedroom boasts an open fire, plasma television, walk-in closets and a private entrance to the Yauvana Spa and Pool. There are breathtaking views of Cork's wonderful architecture and the sound of the weir from the suite’s balcony which also has its own outdoor Hot Tub, Plasma Television and Outdoor Heaters.
Yauvana Ayurvedic Spa & Health Club
The spa with its emphasis on Ayurvedic massage for rejuvenation, re-energising as well as the treatment of sports and other injuries is unusual in that, unlike most other spas worldwide, it is not product-led. The doctor and team of masseurs are Indian and the massage oils imported from India. The Health Club features a Kinesis Studio, an 18 metre Heated Pool, a fully-equipped Gymnasium, Sauna, Steam Room and External Hydro Pool & Hot Tub where you can sit outdoors in cascading showers of hot water even on a cold day.
Conference and Events Centre
The Conference and Events Centre offers the highest spec in technology with remote Crestron pads controlling the conference technology within the room. Capacity to sit 180 along with break rooms, a fully-equipped business centre for off-site meetings, dedicated boardrooms and training suites. ENDS







Hyperlink: http://www.kingsleyhotel.com

Attachment: Nov07refbb.doc

COUNTY CORK, IRELAND – On August 6, Capella Hotels and Resorts unveiled Capella Castlemartyr, located in the heritage village of Castlemartyr and within the Castlemartyr Resort. The first Capella to open in Ireland, Capella Castlemartyr is a classic, country manor house, reminiscent of a gentler time, yet with every convenience and amenity one could wish for today.
Capella Castlemartyr is a 17th Century manor house set on 220 acres that include the ruins of an 800 -year-old castle. Rich in Irish culture and charm, the hotel is part of an historic estate that was once owned by the Knights Templar and the first Earl of Cork. Each of the 109 spacious guest rooms and suites – inclusive of Standard Rooms, Deluxe Rooms, Capella Rooms, Royal Suites, Grand Suites and the Presidential Suite – range from 500 to 3,000 square feet. Gracious, comfortable interiors are the rule, and an expansive two-bedroom Presidential Suite with a sitting room, dining room, sauna and private elevator access, is a favorite spot in-residence.
Amenities and offerings at Capella Castlemartyr are unique and unparalleled. Two Irish Setters, Earl and Countess, have taken up residence near the entrance to greet guests upon arrival; conveniently, leashes, coats and Wellingtons are at hand near the entrance to encourage leisurely walks with the dogs through the estate’s grounds and gardens. Knight’s Bar is the hotel’s social focal point with its blazing fire, grand piano and fully restored Rococo ceiling, and Bell Tower, the hotel’s fine dining room, serves cuisine prepared with the finest local, farm fresh ingredients. Auriga, Capella’s signature spa, is a 24,400 square foot wellness, spa and fitness center comprised of 10 treatments rooms, vitality pools, an ozone treated swimming pool, steam room, saunas, a spa suite, a yoga and Pilates studio and a Spa Café. An 18-hole links-style golf course promises to be a highlight among guests who golf. The challenging and visually pleasing course, created by renowned golf course designer Ron Kirby, is poised to be another one of the region’s memorable courses when its first nine holes open this month. A golf clubhouse and the remaining nine holes are on track to debut next spring.
Capella Castlemartyr tailors the guest experience to individual needs, courtesy of Capella’s signature team of Private Assistants. These hand-picked professionals are on hand to ensure that each guest enjoys a truly personalized and custom stay and has entrée to the many delights of Irish culture. Capella Castlemartyr Private Assistants will usher guests to the local beekeeper to procure honey for tea, or take them boating with a local fisherman to secure that evening’s dinner. Anything invigorating, educational, relaxing or entertaining can be arranged at a moment’s notice.
The resort’s lush, expansive grounds are home to a plethora of delightful and unexpected discoveries, including a swan lake and nearby, an ancient chapel, Mitchell’s Woods and the tomb of the fourth Earl of Shannon. Irish culture is integrated into the resort experience, whether in the form of readings by well-known local authors or Irish dance performances in the garden. Picnic lunches can be arranged along the estate’s meandering paths. Outdoor lounges with log fire pits are ideal spaces in which to linger and enjoy the beauty of the surroundings.
“We’re proud to introduce the first Capella in Ireland,” said Peter Bowling, General Manager, Capella Castlemartyr. “With our highly trained and warm-hearted staff, exquisitely restored manor house and exceptional surroundings, we look forward to a long future ahead of welcoming guests, in the same way we would host family and close friends, at Capella Castlemartyr.”
For nightly room rates and for more information, please call (353) 21 464 4050 or visit www.capellacastlemartyr.com.
Capella Hotels and Resorts serves today’s top-tier travelers and residential property owners and is setting a new standard in the hospitality industry. Capella promises the unique benefits of the finest boutique hotels, including superb architecture and interior design, privacy, individualized service and attention to detail – combined with the amenities and activities of the world’s great luxury hotels and resorts. Capella, led by founder Horst Schulze, is a brand focused on customer choice, and offers choices that no other hotel company in the world can match. Capella is opening world-class properties in gateway cities and high-profile resort destinations around the world, including: Capella Telluride (Telluride, Colorado); Capella Singapore (Sentosa Island, Singapore); Breidenbacher Hof, a Capella Hotel (Düsseldorf, Germany); Capella Bahia Maroma (Riviera Maya, Mexico); Capella Pedregal (Cabo San Lucas, Mexico); Capella Castlemartyr (Cork, Ireland); Capella Dunboy Castle (Castletownbere, Ireland); and Schloss Velden, a Capella Hotel (Velden, Austria). Learn more at www.capellahotels.com

* * *

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Melissa Pogue/Kathleen Cullinane
Middleton & Gendron, Inc.
(212) 284-9937/(212) 980-9194
mpogue@mg-pr.com/kcullinane@mg-pr.com


Hyperlink: http://www.capellacastlemartyr.com

October 22, Coleraine - Northern Ireland has featured strongly as a popular destination for travel writers from the US so far this year. This week, Tourism Ireland, in association with the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, hosted a visit by the prestigious Society of American Travel Writers who spent time visiting the walled city of Derry, the Giant’s Causeway, the Mournes and Belfast.

According to Tourism Ireland, already this year over 70 articles and broadcasts in the US have featured Northern Ireland as a tourism destination. These have included travel features in the New York Times, LA Times, Boston Sunday Globe, Chicago Tribune, Condé Nast Traveler, Washington Times, Robb Report, Travel Leisure Golf Magazine, Discovery Travel and Golf Resorts International TV.

Joe Byrne, Head of North America with Tourism Ireland, said: “We are delighted at the level of positive travel coverage Northern Ireland has received in the US so far this year. We are particularly pleased to have a group from the Society of American Travel Writers – the pre-eminent professional organisation of travel communicators in the US, visiting Northern Ireland following their annual conference in Manchester.

This visit proved to be the most popular post-conference familiarisation trip of all the European destinations offered – a true indicator of the level of interest in Northern Ireland now amongst the travel media fraternity and it certainly augurs well for 2008 and beyond.”

NITB Chief executive Alan Clarke added: “NITB was delighted to host the Society of American Travel Writers in Northern Ireland. The group was fascinated by our rich industrial heritage, famous World Heritage Site, fully preserved 17th century walled city of Derry and much more.

North America is a hugely important market – over one million visitors visit the island of Ireland every year, and together with Tourism Ireland, we must encourage a lot more of them to Northern Ireland.”

In 2008, the Mid-West Travel Writers’ Association will feature Northern Ireland as part of their pre- and post-conference trips and in 2009, the Travel Classics Writers’ Conference will take place in Northern Ireland.


ENDS

Further information:
Clair Balmer/Elaine Moore, Tourism Ireland
Tel: 028 7035 9260/ 07766 527719

Or
Sonya Cassidy, Weber Shandwick
Tel: 028 9076 1007/



Caption (l-r):
Pictured visiting the Walls of Derry are:
Ruth Moran, Tourism Ireland; Joan Scobey, Copley News Syndicate/ Travel Arts Syndicate; Mike Hiller, Dallas Morning Sun; and Karen Houlahan, Derry Visitor & Convention Bureau.