Nestled on the shores of scenic Lough Erne, Killyhevlin Lakeside Hotel & Lodges has long been a cornerstone of hospitality in the region. This year marks a remarkable milestone as the family-run hotel celebrates 50 years in business, a testament to its enduring charm, committment to excellence, and warm, personal touch that keeps guests returning time and again.
At the heart of its continued success is General Manager David Morrison, who graciously took time out of his busy schedule to sit down with us and reflect on the hotel’s journey, its values, and what the future holds.
From the moment we arrived, we were greeted with the same genuine warmth the Killyhevlin is known for, thanks to its wonderful reception team.
Our conversation unfolded in the hotel’s beautiful library, where we were treated to a coffee, with sweeping views of the lake providing a truly stunning backdrop. It was the perfect setting, calm, inviting, and quietly impressive, for an insightful and engaging chat. Here's what David had to say when we caught up with him...
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First things first David, obviously congratulations, 50 years in business is absolutely amazing, how does it feel to reach such a milestone?
David:
It’s a fantastic achievement, and with 50 years of family ownership it is a significant milestone, especially nowadays, having dealt with and dealing with the many challenges of running a business.
If you had to describe the journey of the hotel in a few words what would it be? Also, have you been involved from an early age?
David:
Strange you should say that, when I made a speech on Saturday night I mentioned, that the Watsons bought the hotel in 1976 and I have had associations from an employment point of view on and off from 1980. David jokes “I know that’s hard to believe as I look so young.” But in a full time capacity doing my job now, I started in 96, so I’m here 30 years in June.
To describe the journey of the hotel I’d say Onwards and upwards, those are my words and always have been.
What was the hotel like when the Watson family first took it on back in 1976?
David:
Well it would initially have been a lot smaller, when I first had associations with Killyhevlin there were 23 bedrooms, no extension, no leisure and 13 self catering chalets. It would have been very homely, and extremely busy. That’s how I recall it when I was first here. I suppose in those days there were a lot less hotels about, now there’s a lot more competition.
So when you came on board was the customer base mainly local or did you find they were coming from all over the Island of Ireland?
David:
The one big change I would have seen from starting until now is, there would have been a stronger corporate base, because you would have had a lot more businesses and factories in the area. A lot of those places are closed down now and gone, so it has probably taken a swing to less corporate and more leisure business over the years.
The hotel itself has grown so much over the years, what do you see as being the biggest changes?
David:
Well there’s a lot more ground to cover, we have many more services and facilities than what would have been there initially, and there has been a massive advancement in technology. When I started you were doing most of your business on a fax machine, and potentially dare I say a telex machine (at this point we are lost as to what David is talking about) I don’t think emails were even in existence when I started. Bookings were all made by phone call and you’d confirm it with a fax. Then of course with the introduction of the digital world and social media that has all been a major change.
Prior to that in terms of marketing your business, how did you go about that?
David:
We'd have been putting ads in the local paper, all very much print advertising. That would have been a Monday morning job, putting an ad in the Belfast Telegraph, one in The Impartial and one in The Herald. That is a massive change over the years where we are very much on a digital platform.
You’ve mentioned the advancement of facilities and offerings you have now, with the Woodland Lodges. Lakeside Lodges and Lakeland Studio Apartments. Tell us about when they came about.
David:
The Lakeside Lodges were established in 2017, then there was an idea which materialised where we developed the Woodland Lodges - those were in 2021, with their own private hot tub and those have been very very successful. We were sitting with a bungalow which was unoccupied and we thought about many different things for it over the years that never went ahead, then the idea came to develop it into the Lakeland Studios which we did, and those have been extremely popular.
Going from a 3 Star to a 4 Star award winning accommodation is no small feat, what drove that ambition?
David:
I would say it was a drive and a passion generally to improve our offerings, and a lot of that was driven by customer expectations. The customers we dealt with in 1976 I think are mostly gone, you deal with a very different customer and expectation base than you would have done then. Of course the other driving factor is we want to be the leading hotel in the area.
Being a family run hotel for 3 generations is a huge deal, what does that mean to you personally David?
David:
At the end of the day it’s a follow through and it’s a great achievement that there is the family succession to carry on, because not every business has that, and I suppose from my point of view, feeling part of the family after being here so long - that’s a personal motivator.
A hotel is only as good as it’s people, what role have your staff played in reaching this milestone?
David:
We are very lucky that we have a very well established key team within the building, a number of long servers, like Declan McGovern who has been here for 48 years. Staff play a vital part in the whole operation, they are a core part of the success of the business, I couldn’t do it without them, none of us could, they are critical to the whole operation. They are our biggest asset.
The site of where Killyhevlin is located, as we sit looking out across Lough Erne, how important is that setting to the overall guest experience.
David:
It’s massive and our visitors, are from all over Northern Ireland and further afield, where many people typically spend their week looking at buildings. If you’re city based what else are you seeing, you are not seeing what you’re seeing out that window (for the record, the sun was shining across Lough Erne) you’re not seeing the lake, the green, the countryside, the beauty, it’s a massive USP for us. Being able to sit outside and overlook the lake is fantastic, there aren’t many places you can do that and easy parking!
And for the wider area David, what do you think makes a stay here in Fermanagh so special?
David:
Well I think really when you look at Fermanagh you’re looking at beautiful countryside, I think the people are so friendly in this part of the world, we have that as an added plus, and of course you have the old saying “Fermanagh Time” where you sort of feel that everything goes into a slower pace, so there’s a lot to be offered - a very relaing experience.
It’s been an exciting time for Fermanagh with the inclusion in the Irelands Hidden Heartlands, how do you think this will benefit Killyhevlin?
David:
It can only be a positive, there can be no drawbacks to it, it’s only a plus and a positive. The additional exposure through the brand is so positive for the county, all of the attractions and accommodation providers, and all of the tourism trade really. It’s a win win.
For a visitor coming for the first time, what do you think is the one experience they shouldn’t miss?
David:
You know the answer to that without even asking, there’s a very obvious answer to that Gemma, Killyhevlin!
Obviously we arrived here today and can see a lot of work going on, can you tell us a bit about what’s going on and what’s coming up in the future?
David:
At the minute, we just started yesterday on the refurbishment of the main foyer and reception area, that will be completed within 10 days. Then the next project we have coming up is the development of the Garden Room, where we have the terrace in front of Lisgoole suite. That’s going to be brought into the building as a garden room, which will be predominantly glass, giving a lovely area to sit and enjoy the lake view while attending a wedding or event.
Talking about developments let’s talk about the Lakeside Lodges, the Woodland Lodges and the Lakeside Studios, what inspired the move to refurbish and create those additional offerings David?
David:
I believe in business nowadays you need to put your money back into your facilities - constantly look at ways to improve and move with the times. Expectations are constantly getting higher and higher, you look around the country and you look at the standard of peoples homes nowadays, compare that to photos you’d see of 50 years ago, so when people come away for a break they are looking for something better, so you have constantly got to keep your facilities up to date.
We’re looking at a certain size of site, and we only have so much scope to develop within, the Woodland Lodges just seemed like an automatic progression to what we had done with the Lakeside Lodges, and then of course there was a house sitting in the middle of it doing nothing so it made sense to make use of the space, and provide a different offering again with the Lakeland Studios.
Looking back over 50 Years David what are you most proud of?
David:
My biggest personal achievement while being here was being the sole contact and management of the G8 Summit. Because of the nature of the event and because of the confidentiality and the high security I was the one and only person who had the direct contact with the organisers. We were the media centre for the G8 and had a number of high profile people staying.
With regards to the hotel, where is your favourite place in it?
David:
Where we’re sitting here, the library by the fire, this is where we spent all of our time during Covid - this was our communication base.
And lastly David, what is your go to dish and drink when you’re off duty at Killyhevlin?
David:
The breast of duck would be my favourite food item, and I’d have a Hennessey and ginger ale as a drink.
We extend our sincere thanks to David for taking the time to share his insights and reflections with us. As Killyhevlin Lakeside Hotel & Lodges marks this remarkable 50-year milestone, it stands as a true cornerstone of the Fermanagh Lakelands, a place synonymous with warm hospitality, enduring quality, and a reputation built over generations. Congratulations to David and the entire team on this outstanding achievement; a legacy not only worth celebrating, but one that continues to shape the region’s story for years to come.
Located on the beautiful banks of Lough Erne, adjacent to the Killyhevlin Lakeside Hotel, our collection of 14 larch wood log panelled Lakeside Lodges are a unique self-catering style experience for visitors to The Fermanagh Lakelands.
12 luxury Self-Catering Lakeland Studios, located within the landscaped Hotel grounds, on the shores of picturesque Lough Erne. The Lakeland Studios have been designed to create a modern and luxurious feel with a sense of space, warmth and comfort to enable couples to enjoy the stunning lakeside location.
The four star Killyhevlin Lakeside Hotel is idyllically set on the shores of scenic Lough Erne, bordered by private grounds and gardens, yet only one kilometre from the historic Island town of Enniskillen.
