Planning a St Paddy's getaway?

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by: MarkeD
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Word Count: 436
Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2010 Time: 6:32 AM
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With St Patrick's Day on the way on 17 March, the party animals among us may well be planning to enjoy a Guinness or two over the weekend - and where better to enjoy the merriment than the home of St Patrick himself? Now, we know what you're thinking, and we don't have a pot of gold either. So, like the committed bunch we are, we've compared the cost of hotels* to show how much you can save by heading north of the Irish border for your festive frolics.

Travelodge £46 (Belfast) and £122 (Dublin)
Jury's Inn £59 (Belfast) and £113 (Dublin)
Premier Inn £50 (Belfast) and £60 (Dublin)
Holiday Inn £80 (Belfast) and £94 (Dublin)

*Prices correct as of 22 February 2010

It's also worth pointing out that, while the euro has seen a tough time of late, the exchange rate still sees Brits receiving far less than they would have done as recently as 2007. The current exchange rate stands at around 1.14 euro to the pound, compared to almost than 1.5 euro in March 2007*.

Keep Covered

Wherever you choose to go, it's important to remember to keep yourself covered by travel insurance. The majority of people may only go for a weekend jaunt across the water, but for the cost of a few pints you could save yourself a far bigger hassle in the event anything should go wrong.

For trips to the Republic or to Northern Ireland, two days' insurance currently costs less than £7 with our best buys** - well worth it to know you can enjoy your trip without worrying about the cost should something go missing.

Have Fun, but Be Careful

However, a note of caution: we all like to have a good time, but one too many pints of the black stuff could well put your claim at risk, as Steve Williams, Confused.com's head of travel insurance, explains.

"People taking part in the party are reminded that any claim made by an individual under the influence of alcohol will be challenged regarding the level of care taken to avoid the claim being made," he said.

"It is fair for insurance providers to assume that accidents which took place when an individual had been drinking could have been avoided - and will therefore decline the claim."

*March 2007 average: 1 GBP = 1.49 euro

* *UK Travel Insurance for two days in Belfast (for one couple) - £6.26 provided via Columbus

European Travel Insurance for two days in Dublin (for one couple) - £6.98 provided via Staysure

About the Author

Planning a St Paddy's getaway? was produced by confused.com, the travel insurance comparison website.