The jewel in the region's hospitality crown, Lough Erne Resort attracted worldwide attention in 2013, when it was the venue for the G8 summit. A golf resort of international standards, it has the additional advantage of a stunning setting in County Fermanagh's rolling lakelands.
The property, located between two lakes on its own bridge-linked island, offers sweeping panoramic views of the water and the undulating greens of the golf course from every room. There are now two championship golf courses, the premier course designed by Nick Faldo, and in addition to the hotel’s 120 bedrooms and suites, there are 25 luxury lodges.
Rooms are generous and very comfortable – replete with every mod con including free WiFi, minibar, tea and coffee station, free-standing bath and rain shower; for added luxury an impressive Thai spa offers eight treatment rooms, a tranquil relaxation room, thermal suite and a beautiful mosaic 14m swimming pool (open to children from 8-10am and 3-5pm).
Under the eye of a watchful general manager, the hotel is notably well run: service is attentive, warm and courteous, and everything is extremely well kept with logs fires blazing, brasses gleaming and cutlery polished to a high shine.
The Loughside Bar & Grill and Blaney Bar serve tasty bar food, afternoon tea and refreshments, while the Catalina restaurant (see below) offers fine dining in the evening and Sunday lunch; surprisingly, breakfast is not cooked to order but hot dishes are set up in chafing dishes.
The Catalina Restaurant
Named after the famous WW2 flying boats that were based in Fermanagh, the restaurant - like every other room in the hotel - enjoys lovely views, and a tone of elegant, understated luxury pervades.
The emphasis of the cooking is firmly on local ingredients in season and the highlight of a visit here is a Taste of Lough Erne Experience. One of the signature dishes, “indigenous”, showcases the three Northern Ireland PGI status foods - Lough Neagh eel, Armagh Bramley apples and Comber Early Potatoes.
The concept of the Resort’s wine list is interesting too, as it was created in association with Jane Boyce, Ireland's first (and Northern Ireland's only) female Master of Wine.
Breakfast is also served in the Catalina Restaurant and it is an experience to savour. An impressive array of in-house breads and pastries is on offer alongside the traditional Ulster fry made with local Cavanagh Free Range Eggs, Pat Doherty’s bacon and other local produce, while other irresistible dishes include Smoked Haddock and Eggs Benedict.
Lough Erne Resort's sustainability programme is impressive, with the hotel going zero waste in 2020. The kitchen refuses any food deliveries where plastic wrapping is used and other measures include using water from a social enterprise company, Clearer Water, in the rooms.
