You’ve probably seen this resort all over Instagram. Read on for our full review…
Tucked away in what feels like the middle of nowhere, approaching the Donegal border without quite crossing it, you’ll find the Finn Lough Forest Hideaway – arguably one of the most talked about resorts in Ireland at the moment.
If you follow any Instagram-based influencers who have travelled through or around Ireland in the last few years, then chances are you’ll have seen them spend the night in the now-famous Bubble Domes at Finn Lough.
But as we’ve come to expect, the fantasy created by social media and the reality of what they’re representing rarely, if ever, seem to align. Without staying in one of the famed Bubble Domes and harnessing those likes on Insta, is a stay in a (comparatively) normal villa in Finn Lough worth your time and money?
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The short answer is a resounding yes.
Arriving at Finn Lough, there is an immediate sense of calming isolation, knowing that you are about to enter a place that feels very purposefully separated from the outside world.
That sense continues when you learn how self-reliant the enter resort is, with its own expansive restaurant, lakefront bar, main bar (with an attached, impressively-sized cinema room), as well as an entire wellness centre for the guests to book into.
The wellness centre itself – a series of huts connected via a short stroll through the forest – is called the Elements Spa, and is designed specifically to unfurl your body and mind in a very specific manner, and is probably the very best way to begin your stay.
Kicking off with a floatation pool, before the path guides you towards a sauna with an INCREDIBLE view of the lake (as well as an adjacent walkway should you want to take a plunge into the lake itself), and then on to an aromatherapy room, an outdoor hot tub, and finishing up in a sort of comedown room with teas, nibbles and plenty of spots to doze off for a while.
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As for the accommodation itself, while we didn’t stay in the Bubble Domes themselves, we did stay in the fantastically laid-out villas, with multiple bedrooms (our own could’ve comfortably slept up to six), as well as large kitchen, comfy sitting room and two large bathrooms. Every room is also decked out with supplies from The Handmade Soap Company, from shampoo to room fragrances, while villas also have a lakeside decking for you to take in the impressive views while you continue to unwind.
The on-site restaurant and bars both contain lush line-ups of food and drink. The lakeside bar is another bubble dome-esque design, guaranteed to keep you warm regardless of the weather outside. The main is filled with different seating arrangements, flexible for whether you want to get to know your new fellow resort residents or want some one-on-one time with the person you’ve arrived with. The restaurant is spaciously laid out with a full, varied menu, and all of the establishments in the resort are filled with staff who are eager to assist.
Additionally, breakfast is delivered to your door each morning in a big wicker basket filled with treats such as bacon sambos, danishes, granola, compote and even some Prosecco and orange juice to kick your day off with a mimosa.
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Located about 35 minutes by car from Enniskillen, you will need to bring everything with you that you might need (there was no on-site or nearby spot to stock up on sundries), but that only adds to the purposeful isolation of the location. It feels like the entire reason to go to Finn Lough is to stay at Finn Lough. To do as little as possible, and the little you do do – eat, drink, spa treatments – is as relaxing as possible.
If you do want to be that bit more active, both kayaks and bicycles are available to use on-site, and you’re just a car journey away from famed Fermanagh landmarks like the Stairway To Heaven or the Marble Arch Caves.
And the future is looking brighter for the resort, as they were deep into construction of another dome-shaped landmark, and we’re told it will feature an indoor swimming pool and further spa treatments.
As if we needed a reason to return…
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