DELPHI LODGE ** (Very Highly Recommended)
 A vast country house dwarfed by the mountains that surround it, Delphi Lodge was built in the early 19th century as a sportsman’s hideaway, and it was purchased and restored for the same purpose by the current owners in the 1980s. It forms part of an exquisite landscape of crystal lakes and trickling rivers, hardwood forests, and mountain slopes. The rooms are spacious and a bit masculine, furnished with an informally elegant touch, all with peaceful lake and mountain views. Guests are divided evenly between those here for the fishing and those here for the relaxation. Dinners (€60 per person) here are excellent, with an emphasis on the catch of the day, and eaten together at the elegant, long dining table. The library and lounge are warmed by wood-burning fireplaces, there’s an honor bar where you make your own cocktails in the evening, and the staff is warm and friendly. They can supply you with everything you need to fish — permits, licenses, and equipment rental. Note: Rooms do not have locks, but the staff keeps a close eye on who comes in and out of the building. www.frommers.com
 FROMMERS GUIDE

The reason why this country house and estate is world renowned is not just because of what it is, but also because of what it is not. Yes, it is renowned for being a beautiful house in one of the most beautiful places in Ireland – if not in the world – and, yes, it is beloved of fishermen hoping for a salmon, and it is beloved of food lovers who relish the cooking, and wine buffs can simply lose themselves in the incredible selection of wines on the list. But these alone don’t explain Delphi’s renown. No, equally important to its substantial assets are the fact that Delphi in no way tries to be a hotel, or to ape hotel style service. It has stubbornly and determinedly set its face against the modern blandness that people think of as luxury. So instead it is quaint, a place that is comfortable with itself, which means you will be comfortable with it too. In Delphi they know what they can do best, and the best is what they do. It seems a simple thing but it demands calm confidence.
 John McKenna, BRIDGESTONE GUIDE 

“Glorious setting……Decorated in an opulent but relaxing style, Delphi Lodge is notably sociable, featuring excellent, imaginative dinners taken around one huge table….”
 THE ROUGH GUIDE TO IRELAND

“This starkly beautiful swathe of mountainous moorland is ideal get-away-from-it-all territory”

 LONELY PLANET GUIDE

“Is there a more awe-inspiring location for a house than that enjoyed by Delphi Lodge? We don’t think so, and everything else here is just as fine. Delphi brings it all together. Good company, great cooking and a spectacular location – hell, spectacular isn’t in it; Delphi’s location is awesomely gorgeous”.
 BRIDGESTONE 2007

“Delphi Lodge feels more like a congenial houseparty than a hotel” 
LONELY PLANET GUIDE

“Foodhunter – Finest Food Magazine“. 

“ZEIT Travel & Online“. 

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC – April 2010

: “Engaging 1830s Georgian lakeside fishing lodge isolated by Connacht mountains. The lure: wild salmon in river and two lakes. The catch? Rain, 100 inches per year. Deep wine list accompanies fresh catch at communal oak dining table. Peat fires from sustainable turf beds warm lounges. Fly fishing, beachcombing, pub crawls in nearby Westport. Simple rooms—no TV or room service—tailored to hooks-and-books crowd. 13 rooms, from $288”. 

Download PDF of Merian – Ireland (4,7 MB)

TATLER – September 2008: ALL YOURS! 
THE BEST PLACES TO RENT … 
In a breathtakingly beautiful setting, Delphi Lodge is tucked into the crook of the deep blue Connemara mountains….This is the hotspot in Ireland for glorious, isolated fishing. Eat freshly caught salmon and wade through the wines in his mighty cellar. Sleeps 26 to 28.  ELLE (UK) – September 2007 FULL IRISH
“Stay in a big homey room at Delphi Lodge, nestling in a stunning wilderness. The kitchen bakes delicious local brown bread round the clock…”. 

CONDE-NAST TRAVELLER – Sept 2007: IRISH MIST 
”Connemara is a virtual island and often thought of as Ireland’s soul. Delphi Lodge, on a lake and backed by mountains, is a good place to sense the drama”. 

EA LIFE – Aug 2007: LANDING THE PERFECT BREAK 
”You feel ant-like, dwarfed in vista after vista of Hollywood special-effects, widescreen scenery…Sometimes you just have to stop to let your jaw drop. Stunning is a much over-used word, but this part of the world is. “Our destination, Delphi Lodge, was the former fishing playground of the Marquis of Sligo, but fortunately today you don’t have to be titled to enjoy this. Despite its grandiose size, the capacious Georgian lodge looks as small as a lego brick among its majestic surroundings… “A well-oiled operation. It’s more private country house than hotel…Log fires burn in the grate even in the summer…The food is spectacular, from full Irish breakfasts to salmon, to lamb and back. There is no menu but they’re willing to cope with pernickety eaters…The wine list is extensive and not over-priced. As for other drinks, you just help yourself and keep tab in an honesty book… “The craic is great with many a fishing story, then it’s off to your bedroom. Ours had a huge bathroom with clawfoot bath, walk-in shower and views down to the lake…A perfect weekend”. 

THE INDEPENDENT (UK) – September 2007: Five Best Irish Country House Hotels
“Delphi Lodge – In the 1830s the Marquis of Sligo built a sporting retreat in a beautiful location at the foot of Connacht’s highest mountains. The resulting Delphi Lodge is now a 12-bedroom retreat where guests enjoy a houseparty atmosphere with gourmet meals served every evening around an old oak dining table. Delphi is also one of the finest game fisheries in Ireland and many visitors arrive with their rods. But fishing is not mandatory; others come for the walking or simply the quiet.” 

SUNDAY BUSINESS POST (Ireland) – August 2007: CONNEMARA’S CLASSY CUISINE
“The ultimate food experience has to be at Delphi Lodge in Co Mayo. Guests are encouraged to think of the Lodge more as a country houseparty than a hotel. It features a cosy library with a roaring fire, fishing on the lake or river, and one big dining table where all guests sit down to eat together.”