We recently checked out the Lough Erne Resort in County Fermanagh and were impressed. From luxurious rooms to outdoor activities, here are five reasons we think you should visit too.
The Lough Erne Resort is a luxurious 5-star resort located just outside Enniskillen. Nestled on a 600-acre peninsula with spectacular views of the Fermanagh Lakelands, Lough Erne Resort is the perfect destination to escape from all the stresses of the modern working life.
We were recently invited to check out this incredible resort, and we were very impressed. From the start of our trip to the end, the views of the area and the grandeur of the hotel blew us away.
Here are our top five reasons why you should visit this incredible hotel!
5. Luxurious rooms
The Lough Erne Resort has an incredible selection of rooms. Indeed, it boasts 120 luxury guestrooms consisting of two Traditional Suites, four Lakeview Suites, 25 Loughside Lodges, 25 Lakeview Rooms, and 28 Traditional Rooms.
We were assigned to a traditional room, which was spacious with a bed spanning over half the length of the room. The bathroom was luxurious, with a Victorian-style bathtub and a walk-in shower. Our room looked out over the lough, blissfully reflecting the night’s stars upon our window.
If you are here and decide to upgrade to the top rooms, you can enjoy breathtaking views that showcase the natural beauty of the Fermanagh Lakelands and The Faldo Course.
All rooms come with everything you would expect from a top-class hotel: bathrobes, slippers, tea/ coffee-making facilities, and fast Wi-Fi access.
4. A world-class golf resort
Lough Erne Resort was voted one of the top golf resorts in Ireland, and rightly so, as it provides the ultimate 36-hole golf experience.
The resort is home to two championship golf courses, including The Faldo Course, which was designed by English professional golfer Sir Nick Faldo. This course is a top 100 course (UK & Ireland) with superb all-year-round playing conditions.
The second course it boasts is The Castle Hume, which is a championship parkland course with stunning views, manicured fairways, and well-contoured greens.
The resort also has the Faldo Academy, a state-of-the-art practice and tuition facility with video analysis and golf clinics available.
3. An incredible Thai spa
If you are in the mood for relaxation, then you should consider visiting the Lough Erne Resort’s Thai Spa.
The Spa offerstraditional Thai therapies by expertly trained Thai and European therapists. The facility has 10 treatment rooms, including three signature rooms and a Sabai Sabai Relaxation Room.
The Spa also has a fitness room, a 14-meter infinity pool, and a thermal suite featuring a sauna, steam room, whirlpool, and exotic rain shower.
While we were here, we enjoyed a full body massage and the pool facilities. The Spa was immediately intoxicating from the moment we stepped inside. The powerful composite of scents and oils instantly blanketed us in numbing relaxation.
There were two of us on our visit, so we decided that one of us would try a deep relaxation massage and the other a sports massage. We were informed that the sports massage would focus more on deep physio-style techniques, whereas the deep relaxation massage was pretty self-explanatory.
From our experiences, we would recommend the sports massage only if you are an athlete or recovering from a sporting event, as this massage focuses on much more intense therapy and can be quite stressful in certain moments. If you’ve just run a half-marathon the week before (which we did), then this will help the recovery process!
We were very impressed. Our only disappointment was that the jacuzzi was closed for cleaning. Apart from this, it was terrific.
2. A first-rate food menu
If you are a foodie, then this hotel won’t disappoint! It was clear to see that the hotel prided itself on its fine dining restaurant, ‘The Catalina’. The restaurant has been lauded by local critics, receiving ‘Best Restaurant in Fermanagh by Restaurants Association of Ireland’ and notching itself on the ‘Good Food Ireland’ list.
Headed by executive chef Noel McMeel, the menu screamed pride about its local produce. During our time here, we tried a lot of the menu, and we’d highly recommend the following.
For starters, why not check out ‘The Indigenous’. It is what chef Noel described as “Northern Ireland on a dish”. The dish includes eel from Lough Neagh, Comber potato puree, and Armagh Bramley apples. This dish is a celebratory selection of Northern Irish food, and it does not disappoint.
For starters, we also tried the quail breast with sour celery and red cabbage gel. Once again, the gamey flavour of the beautifully cooked quail married the fresh and tangy flavours of the vegetables.
For mains, we decided to go with the recommendations of the gentleman at the counter who recommended the duck and pork dishes, so these are exactly what we ordered for mains.
Firstly, the duck was incredible and did not disappoint. The breast was beautifully cooked, with a stunning shade of pink coating the inner exterior. The meat was succulent, moist, and delicious.
It was accompanied by a beautiful mandarin jelly and thyme jus; the intensely rich jus matched the gamey flavour of the meat perfectly, while the zesty lift of the orange jelly helped balance the dish. A truly simplistic yet stunning plate of food. Less was definitely more for this one!
The second main we tried was pork. Before our appetisers, we were greeted by the head chef, Noel, who pleasantly took us through the menu and was adamant that the pork dish was the star of the show. It was actually his signature dish, as it was listed on the menu as “Chef Noel McMeel’s Signature Dish Pork”.
The dish was truly a celebration of all things pork, from the famed local butcher Pat O’Doherty’s fillet to confit belly to hock terrine and roast.
We must admit, it didn’t wow us as much as the duck, but the variety of pork, with its varying textures and expertly executed cooking, made for a beautiful dish all the same. The confit belly was the highlight of the show; the meat tore away from the fork decadently, with each strain of pork bursting with flavour. The fillet felt a little underseasoned but was cooked to perfection, as was the entirety of all the dishes of the evening.
Lastly, the desserts were also excellent. We ordered the Rhubarb Soufflé and Chocolate Delice. The Souffle was light and heavenly and kept its natural puff and shape; no easy feat, even for the most experienced baker. Unfortunately, in comparison with the standards of the starters and mains, these fell a little short of the mark. However, they were still very enjoyable.
Overall, the food was excellent, the staff informative and friendly, and the personality of the chef and his love for homegrown produce well reflected on the menu.
1. A wide variety of outdoor activities in the area
While you are here, you might want to explore the extensive amount of activities the area has to offer.
For outdoorsy people, you may want to explore our favourite thing to do in Fermanagh, which is the Cuilcagh Legnabrocky Trail (a.k.a. the Stairway to Heaven) or the Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark Tour.
There are also exciting water sports activities, including water skiing, banana boats, rubber rings, inflatables, kayaking, canoeing, sailing, rib rides, wakeboarding, and kneeboarding.
This area is also great for mountain biking and horse riding. There is a wide range of horse-riding options, including group lessons, short/long treks, private lessons, and beach riding.
We were told that all activities can be arranged with the help of hotel staff, so be sure to get in touch with them before your visit.
Summary
The Lough Erne Resort proved that it is rightfully billed as one of the most luxurious stays in Ireland.
More info
Getting there
- 5 miles from Enniskillen, Ireland’s only island town
- Wild Atlantic Way (40-minute drive)
- Belfast International Airport and Belfast City Airport (1 hour 30-minute drive)
- City of Derry Airport (1 hour 20-minute drive)
- Dublin International Airport (2-hour drive)
- Ireland West Knock Airport (1 hour 50-minute drive)
Contact details
Website: https://www.lougherneresort.com/
Address: 193 Lough Shore Rd, Ross Inner, Enniskillen BT93 7ED
Phone: 028 6632 3230
