Booking Info
On this page, you will find information on how to book, fees, payment and contact details as well as confirmed bookings.
Fota Scout Centre is divided into three zones consisting of two campsites and the cottage for Groups using the Centre.
The Avenue campsite can accommodate up to 30 people, the Cottage site can accommodate up to 60 people, the Cottage sleeps 14.
Depending on the size of the groups and requirements of the groups staying it's possible for up to three groups to use Fota at any one time.
Please see the facilities section on The Centre page to determine whether you require the cottage and/or the campsites.
How to Book
Step 1: Check the calendar to see if there is availability at the Centre.
Booking requests for the following calendar year can be submitted through the online booking form from September of the current year i.e. requests for 2019 can be submitted from 1st September 2018 and so on.
If there is already a booking marked in for the dates you are interested in please email us to check as there may still be availability depending on your requirements. If we are at capacity for given dates a note will be in the calendar stating this.
NB: Help us make your stay at Fota as smooth and efficient as possible by submitting a booking request at least 28 days prior to your planned arrival date, the deposit MUST be paid within 7 days after the booking request. This is to allow us sufficient notice to timetable our volunteer duty staff to check you in and out of the Centre. Booking requests with less than 28 days notice will only be accepted at the discretion of the Centre based on the availability of duty staff.
Step 2: Submit the booking request form online.
A booking request can be made by filling in the online form, an email will be automatically sent to you as an acknowledgement of your request. NB: If you do not receive this email within 24 hours of submitting the form then please email us with your details as this indicates the form did not submit correctly and we are not aware of your booking request.
You must tick the declaration box on the online form to indicate you will abide by the Centre's terms and conditions.
Step 3: Pay the deposit.
You have the option to pay by IBAN (interbank transfer, our preferred method), or by cheque (drawn on Irish banks only). If paying by IBAN then the IBAN details will be forwarded on to you, mark the transfer with the booking reference so we can link up the transfer to the right booking request.
Once the non-refundable deposit is received your booking is complete and it will be marked into the calendar. Deposits must be received within 7 calendar days from date of booking request. We will be in contact closer to your arrival date to arrange the final payment based on your numbers etc. The final payment can either be by cash, cheque or interbank transfer and must be made before departing the Centre.
NB: Bookings will not be marked into the calendar until the deposit is received, the slot remains open for 7 calendar days after submission of booking request. After 7 calendar days if no deposit is received the booking request lapses and the slot is allocated out to the next group requesting it.
In the event of having to cancel your event due to unforeseen circumstances, your deposit can be transferred to another date up to 12 months from your original date.
Step 4: Booking Request + Deposit Received within 7 calendar days = Booking Made
Start planning your camp.
NB: Booking request and no deposit received within 7 calendar days = No Booking Made!
Notes:
Peak season is defined as May, June, July and August inclusive.
For weekends during peak season, the cottage or use of the cottage must be booked for the full weekend (i.e. a minimum of two nights).
If you cancel without giving at least 2 weeks notice before your event's start date or fail to show then we will charge you 50% of the final fee based on the numbers supplied at the time of booking or the minimum nightly charge, whichever is greater.
In accordance with Scouting Ireland policy, the use of "Bouncy Castles" or other similar inflatable activity equipment and trampoline type equipment is NOT permitted to be on-site at any point during your stay.
We appreciate your co-operation in this.
Fees
Groups coming to Fota from outside the Eurozone can find exchange rates here.
Training / Assessment Courses
For groups wishing to use Fota's facilities to run training or assessment courses please contact us first to discuss requirements and prices.
Activity Store
Unlimited access to all of the activity equipment below during your stay at Fota is provided for free. In addition, the store also contains games material (footballs, hurleys, frisbees, giant checkers) and various items to build your own custom-designed assault course (ropes ladders, nets, tyres etc) and team-building games. See the Programme Ideas page for more information.
Payment Methods
Electronic
If paying by IBAN (our preferred method for deposit payments) then the IBAN details will be forwarded on to you, please mark the transfer with the booking reference so we can link up the transfer to the right booking request.
Cheque
Payment by cheques drawn in Euros on Irish banks are accepted and can be posted to the address given in the booking confirmation email. Cheques to be made payable to 'Fota Scout Centre (Scouting Ireland)'.
Please remember that until we receive your deposit your booking is not made.
Contact Details for Bookings & Enquiries
If you wish to make a booking enquiry please email us, we aim to respond within 24 hours during Monday - Friday, it may take longer over weekends and holiday periods. As all staff at the Centre are volunteers it may not always be possible to answer queries immediately due to work and other commitments. If you have confirmed dates for your stay at Fota then please use the online booking form on the webpage to start the process and we will be in contact to confirm details.
Web
Confirmed Bookings
The calendar is not updated in real-time and so may not reflect true availability. Please read the Booking Information page and if in doubt contact us to confirm date availability before making a booking. If there is already a booking marked in for the dates you are interested in email us to check as there may still be availability depending on your requirements. If we are completely booked out for a given period there will be a note in the calendar for those dates stating this. If your browser is set to block cookies or is running an ad-blocker then the calendar below may not display correctly.