After 34 years in business, Mary and Liam McKenna of The Manor House Country Hotel are handing over the reins to two of their children, James and Rosemary.

In their time as directors of the hotel, Mary and Liam oversaw a huge number of developments to the property including two major extensions totalling 70 additional bedrooms, and Fermangh’s first luxury leisure centre and spa.

The hotel has won countless awards throughout their time in charge, including the prestigious AA Hospitality Award for Northern Ireland Hotel of the Year.

Liam and Mary, in their retirement, express their gratitude to the loyal patrons and dedicated staff who have made the hotel such a success over the years.

Having worked at the hotel for over 16 years, James understands the care and attention that goes into a family run business.

“We are incredibly grateful for the solid foundation our parents have built over the years,” he said.

“They have set an exceptional standard for us to follow and we are excited to build upon their success.

“Our focus will be on preserving the unique charm and character of the hotel while continuing to grow and develop our offering. Our parents never allowed the business to sit still for very long, and we intend to continue that legacy.”

The pair have already started to make some changes at the hotel, including a new terrace overlooking the lough, a revamp of the Cellar Bar including a brand new menu and Sky TV, and new music acts booked for Friday and Saturday nights throughout the summer.

Rosemary added: “We are lucky to have the backing of an incredible team at the hotel, who are renowned for going above and beyond to give guests that warm Fermanagh welcome. But we’re under no illusions about the task ahead, and we appreciate that times are hard for everyone. It becomes all the more important to give customers a fantastic experience when they choose The Manor House for a break away, a wedding or simply a bite to eat.”

Having recently returned from London where she worked as Director and as Head of Digital Content at the Royal National Theatre, Rosemary is keen to put her creativity to use curating new guest experiences.

A recent collaboration with The Enniskillen Taste Experience was hugely successful, with guests travelling from across Northern Ireland for a specially designed gourmet stay at the hotel, and transport to and from the Taste Experience tour.

“There is so much to see and do in our beautiful county, and in the coming months we’ll be launching a host of new experiences and packages that give customers that extra reason to come to Fermanagh” said Rosemary.

The Manor House Country Hotel looks forward to welcoming guests and locals both old and new, as James and Rosemary continue the hotel’s legacy of timeless elegance, modern luxury and warm hospitality.