Award-winning custom-made holidays and short breaks in Ireland | McKinlay Kidd

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Touring Ireland & Scotland: Dublin & Edinburgh-Georgian City Contrasts from £525pp for 4nts

Two cities with proud and colourful histories, both popular for short breaks, so why not combine them to explore the contrasts of their Georgian, ancient and modern history. To help you appreciate their more hidden secrets, we include walking tours of both cities in this holiday. This holiday features two nights in each city, with a convenient day time flight crossing the Irish Sea.

Dublin - What to see and do

Once home to literary greats such as James Joyce, George Bernard Shaw and Oscar Wilde, the city boasts an abundance of Georgian architecture, as well as cosy bars and lots of great restaurants. Enjoy them all by walking in the area around Merrion Square and St Stephens Green, wander into Trinity College, with the famous Book of Kells on display, head to the Guinness Storehouse to sample this most famous of drinks in its historic homeland, pay a visit to one or both of the city cathedrals, cross the Liffey on the Ha'penny bridge and visit the GPO, site of the famous 1916 Easter Rising, and take in the Dublin Writers Museum, or catch an Irish play at the Abbey Theatre. 

Your hotel

You will wonder if you have found the right place as you press the bell beside a large wooden door on a side lane. You arrive via the mews, modernised by a renowned local architect in 1958. A unique venue, this was Dublin’s party house of the Sixties. As you enter the main lounge, imagine the scene from years gone-by with famous visitors and Dubliners alike draped across the sunken leather sofas. The other side of the building is a beautiful Georgian terrace, and guests are given a key to come and go by this entrance too in future. Rooms are located in both buildings, but all are furnished stylishly in striking colours, with pride of place given to the most comfortable bed you are ever likely to sleep in. Breakfast here has won many plaudits and formal awards – there is an extensive choice and many individual touches, such as the delicious cranberry and walnut bread. This really is a little oasis in the heart of Dublin.

Edinburgh - What to see and do

Visitors from all over the world are drawn here by the wealth of historic sites, galleries, museums, shops, restaurants and bars – not to mention the spectacular sight of Princes Street and the castle rock. It is also still perfectly possible to avoid the crowds and find quiet cobbled streets, peaceful cafes and, above all, to simply soak up the ambience of this most scenic of cities. With our local knowledge we are ideally placed to give you plenty of suggestions, including the more unusual, off-the-beaten-track hidden gems that only a local would know.

Your Hotel

Your friendly hotel offers the warmth and serenity of a country house hotel and enjoys a secluded setting overlooking attractive private gardens on a cobbled Edwardian street. However this is no country retreat, for within a mere ten minutes’ walk you will find the west end of Princes Street, the castle and all that the capital has to offer. After a day’s sightseeing, it’s the perfect place to relax and unwind in one of the fire-lit lounges, or in the privacy of your comfortable bedroom, several of which feature such individual delights as a slipper roll-top bath, a jacuzzi, a four-poster bed or an oval bath designed for two! All rooms are handsomely appointed in classic style, using rich colours and exquisitely decadent soft fabrics such as linen, silk, suede and velvet. Downstairs, award-winning fine dining features contemporary French cuisine in a choice of settings – the elegant main restaurant or the informal conservatory.

Prices & Dates

This holiday can be arranged all year round except for the period 20 December to 2nd January.

The price is £495 per person for January, February, November & December, £535 per person for March, April & October, £555 for May, June, July & September and £585 for August,  for 4 nights on a bed & breakfast basis, including walking tours of both city centres with expert local guides and a flight from Dublin to Edinburgh.

We can also tailor-make this holiday to suit. Transfers to/from the airport can be arranged if required.

Travel to Ireland & Scotland

We would be delighted to book your travel to Ireland or Scotland for this holiday, with many options by air, rail and ferry available.

All our holidays include a map of Ireland with recommended routes from your specified starting point, suggestions on places to see and visit depending on your personal interests and our expertise to help you get the most from your holiday.

All itineraries and room types are presented subject to availability at specific hotels.

The McKinlay Kidd Guarantee

All our holiday prices include a service charge of £8 per person per night towards the costs we incur in researching, planning and designing your holiday.

We guarantee to refund this service charge if you believe that arranging your holiday through McKinlay Kidd has not met your expectations for value. All we ask is that you write to us within 7 days of your return and explain your reason for claiming the refund. This will ensure that we can improve the experience for all our future guests.