Melvin Country House

Melvin Country House is a small guesthouse in the Fermanagh lakelands, on the Lattone Road a few minutes from Garrison and Lough Melvin, and it runs on the kind of hospitality that is hard to systematise. Dog owners describe being met at the door, dog included, by a host who then spends the rest of the stay checking that both of them have what they need. There is a resident house dog too, which most guests mention fondly and which is worth knowing about if yours is reactive to other dogs.

Practically, it works well for a dog. Breakfast is brought to the room and put together from a list you choose from on arrival, so you are not obliged to leave a dog alone while you eat downstairs. There is a large shared lounge, room service, and tea and biscuits waiting when you get in. The setting is quiet and the lough country is the reason most people come. Belleek and the Donegal coast are both an easy drive, and the walking around Lough Melvin is flat and unhurried.

The caveats are worth stating plainly. Housekeeping is not consistent. There has been a report of a dirty bathroom, worn and mismatched linen, a musty smell in the room and towels shedding white dog hairs, from a party travelling without a pet. At a guesthouse with a resident dog that is a specific thing to check on arrival rather than a general grumble, and it matters more if anyone with you is allergic. That same stay was felt to be poor value for what was paid. Most guests report the opposite on cleanliness, but it is a real account and worth going in aware of. The wifi is also weak.

For dog owners who want a quiet, hosted, low-key base for the Fermanagh lakes, and who are happy in a small guesthouse where the welcome is warm rather than polished, it earns a 4.6/5 paw rating.