If you’re looking to escape real life for a few days, head up to the Lough Erne 5-star resort in Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh. Just a little over two hours drive from Dublin, it’s on a 600 acre peninsula with spectacular views of the Fermanagh Lakelands and The Faldo Course.
It oozes 5-star from the minute you arrive, as you are greeted by the most friendly and helpful staff, in fact, I didn’t meet one person working there who was anything but lovely.
We were lucky enough to stay in the The Richard Cassells suite – a beautiful room with a four-poster bed, balcony with a view of the lake, jacuzzi bath, separate sitting room and even a dressing room! In 2013 Lough Erne hosted a number of world leaders for the G8 summit, so we spent a lot of our time in the room speculating as to which world leader may have slept in the same bed!
Of course, you can’t go to Lough Erne without trying out the Thai Spa. A team of expertly trained Thai and European Therapists, use award winning spa products to deliver the luxurious spa treatment menu. I went for the Aroma Indulgence treatment, which is a 60-minute full body aromatherapy massage using a blend of individually chosen oils (I went for the de-stressor).
After the massage I was shown to the relaxation area and given a cup of green tea and some fresh fruit. The room was warm and quiet and had several beds arranged at each window looking out on the lake. I stayed there for awhile after my treatment, sipping my green tea and reading the complimentary magazines.
Dinner that night was in the Catalina restaurant, Northern Ireland’s first 3 AA Rosette hotel restaurant. Executive Chef Noel McMeel and his culinary team create seasonal menus using the very best seasonal and locally sourced ingredients.
To start we went for the local Irish whiskey cured salmon and Telfords Fermanagh honey glazed pork belly. For our main we had the pan fired Fermanagh chicken breast and the fish special. And to finish off we went for the chocolate delice and rice pudding with poached seasonal plums. The food is bursting with flavours and we left nothing on our plates.
The next morning we were back in the Catalina restaurant for breakfast. The breakfast buffet had quite a selection of yoghurts, fruit, freshly made smoothies, breads and hot food. We ordered from the breakfast menu and had the full breakfast. After breakfast we went for a walk around the The Faldo Championship Course, which gives you great views across Lough Erne. Apart from one small shower the weather stayed clear and sunny for our walk.
If you’re looking for a five-star escape for a night, I would highly recommend the Lough Erne resort in Enniskillen. It’s the perfect setting to celebrate a special occasion like an anniversary and birthday!
Elaine Power
