THE first thing you notice at Lough Erne Resort is the stillness of a morning – broken only by melodic birdsong. There are few hotels, no matter how insistent their claims, that do peace and tranquillity quite like this one.
After throwing open the bedroom window of our luxury loughside lodge at the five-star hotel just outside Enniskillen, the only sound was of birds euphorically greeting the new day. No outside machinery clanking up, no cacophony from the hotel kitchen and definitely no aqueous eruptions from guests next door having an early morning shower.
Staying in a self-contained lodge on site does have certain advantages and silence is one of them – as well as a little bit of luxury, as was evident in our home for the night, Crannog Lodge, number 3.
We were on a one-night escape, the daughters and me, to try out a new package being offered by Lough Erne Resort’s inventive management team.
Billed a 'Ladies of Luxury One Night Escape', it is indeed all about escaping the routine and partaking in some pampering, bonding and generally some girly fun – which proved good timing in our case, with daughter number two having just acquired a fiancé and shiny engagement ring.
The latest package on a varied list of spa, golf and dining getaway offers at the hotel, this one is aimed solely at girls – and women still 'girls' at heart – whether to celebrate an engagement, birthday, hen party, new job or whatever calls for clinking a glass or two of bubbly.
An overnight stay in a luxury guest room, pitcher of cocktails (newly launched Sipster Sister), selection of popcorn and cookies, several ‘chick flick’ DVDs for your evening's entertainment and an Elemis face mask pamper pack (per person) lie waiting, as do access to the infinity pool, Jacuzzi and sauna at the Thai spa and breakfast in the Catalina restaurant the following morning.
The infinity pool is quite small in relation to the size of everything else at Lough Erne Resort – the expansive walks (Collop Walk being the most popular), champion golf courses and also the huge space inside our lodge with its floor-to-ceiling windows and two bedrooms separated by an actual flight of stairs – this initially convinced the daughters there must be strangers booked into a separate apartment in the 'turret' on the top floor.
Despite the slow pace of life here, an afternoon flies by and we whiled away a few enjoyable hours swimming and relaxing in the sauna and steam room, before finishing off with a Thai massage treatment (not included in the price) which left me almost nodding off in the Deep Sleep relaxation area afterwards.
But, time to sleep later. First, there were cocktails to drink and fun to be had and, before that, dinner.
We were booked for a three-course meal at the excellent Loughside Bar and Grill, located a short walk away from our lodge and the main hotel building and where the menu specialises in steak and fish dishes, but also lists an impressive range of ‘signature dishes’ devised by executive head chef, Noel McMeel.
The food experience is another treat at Lough Erne Resort where McMeel sets out to champion local, fresh produce and show it off to advantage in an inspiring range of creative fare at the resort’s three restaurants – the Catalina, Blaney Bar and Loughside Bar and Grill.
Breakfast next morning was a treat too and, as well as the usual, self-serve buffet fayre, you can choose everything from duck egg omelette to haddock, salmon and kedgeree from a fresh, to-order menu.
We took our time, sampling this and that, chatting about the various merits of face masks from the night before, the highlights of The Greatest Showman, getting lost on the way to the restaurant (impossible, but true) and imaginary strangers on the top floor of Crannog Lodge Number 3.
Egyptian cotton towels, luxury Irish bed linen and fluffy monogrammed bathrobe and slippers all have their place, but it is time spent together and laughs from mishaps and meanderings that linger long after the taste of a 'Sipster Sister' has gone.
:: Ladies of Luxury one night starts from £75 per person sharing (based on a midweek stay). Details: lougherneresort.com
