Let's treat ourselves to a night in a posh hotel in Wicklow on Saturday week and go to a dance on the way home. So we look up the hotel, it is gorgeous, posh and expensive. We decide to have a think about it. Then he says "Actually if we are going to spend that kind of money I'd rather go away for a few days". So then it's a couple of hours on the Internet last night researching a few days in Lisbon but he still wouldn't commit to booking. This morning I went out for a while, his golf was cancelled and when I came back he was looking up weeks in the sun
The upshot is that we went to a travel agency this afternoon and next Thursday we are going to Malta for a week - AND for less than the cost of three nights in Lisbon! We said all along that while we were staying with Miss Osc we would try and go away a couple of times to give them some time to themselves but I think what we had meant was a few days in Cork with my brother (although we might do that too).
Honestly I've had several 'special offers' from various origins that cost more for a weekend in the UK than we're paying for a whole week in Spain (with flights!), and it's definitely more to rent a cottage here for a week.
Di you're right - Mick and I had our first time at that gorgeous hotel in Corfu for less than the cottage in Devon cost us last summer! That was all-in as well whereas in Devon we had to find food and entertainment
Well done you osc, and you're right it really is cheaper to go abroad than stay here. Add to that you've a much better chance of good weather and it's a no brainer really. We had a week in Malta some years ago and really enjoyed it