Stunningly located on a 300-acre estate in one of the most beautiful and unspoilt areas of the west of Ireland and eleven kilometres northwest of Leenane on the road to Louisburgh (R335), is Delphi Mountain Resort, a sensitively designed hotel, restaurant, spa and adventure centre.
Following a lengthy closure, the resort re-opened under new management in 2008. It is now owned and managed by husband and wife team Rory and Aileen Concannon, who emphasise its remoteness (‘no TV and limited phone coverage’) and aim to make it a complete away from it all experience for guests.
The main building is an environmentally friendly blend of stone and wood, all recently refurbished, and the comfortably furnished bedrooms (especially those at the back) have beautiful views; the suites have a loft bedroom over a downstairs living room and all have either a window balcony or patio and locally made organic bathroom products. In addition to the adventure centre and spa facilities, hotel facilities include a full bar and restaurant on the first floor see below).
Conference/banqueting (60/80); free broadband wi/fi. Rooms 38 (7 suites, 10 junior suites, 4 executive, 5 family, 22 ground floor, 1 for disabled, all no smoking.). B&B €79-89 pps, ss €35. Hostel rooms also available for activity breaks. Children welcome (under 4s free in parents room, cot available free of charge, baby sitting arranged, kids club).
Spa (sauna, steam room, jacuzzi, massage, treatments); walking, archery, cycling, cookery classes. Equestrian, fishing (fly) & scuba diving all nearby.
Restaurant
The restaurant is open to non-residents all year except January when the resort is closed. The main dining room is on the first floor in plain view and within, it seems, touching distance of the Mweelrea mountain range.
As in the rest of the building there is extensive, tasteful use of wood and a fine stone fireplace. Expansive dormer windows fill the room with light.
Tables are dressed in white linen napery, stainless steel cutlery and simple glassware and, with similarly unexceptional background music, all the signs are that this may not be the place to look for an exciting culinary experience.
However, while the food may also be conservative, old favourites are competently cooked and service is pleasantly helpful, so it is certainly a pleasing place to be for an undemanding dinner in beautiful wild Connemara, on a summer evening.
Expect starters like leek and potato soup, mussels marinières, goats cheese and Parma ham and smoked salmon roulade; mains of sirloin steak, chicken breast and perhaps duck breast with mash and red cabbage, or trout with caramelised vegetables.
A little more care and generosity with sauces would be welcome but food is nicely presented and comes with predictable, but fresh and properly cooked, side dishes of broccoli, mangetout and sliced carrot.
And, in the Guide’s experience, you should end on a high, with very good desserts such as a chocolate combination (fondant, mousse and ice cream) and lemon tart demonstrating real finesse - and good coffee too.
A wine list of about 40 bottles lists several half bottles, champagne and sparkling wines, representing old and new world.
Restaurant open to non-residents: Seats 50 (outdoors 12, private room 30). Light L daily (phone ahead to check), 1-3pm; D daily 6.30-9.30pm (to 9pm Sun), reservations required. Set L €12, set D €39/49, also a la carte. House wine €23. Bar food served 1-9.30pm daily. Closed Jan. Amex, MasterCard, Visa, Laser.
