The guest book at Derek and Jenny Nettyles' Waterside Lodge is filled with compliments, wows and we'll-be-backs. So when I come to write something, I stop.
What comments can I make which won't just look like an unimaginative re-cycling of what other visitors have said?
Then, the truth. This place, I write, shows why Northern Ireland is Europe's best-kept tourism secret.
Because, at the end of a little lane, Jenny and Derek have a little slice of paradise. And, believe me, I've had plenty of memorable experiences by which to judge. As a cynical journalist who's been around the block a few times, it takes a lot to make me go "wow!" But this place did.
On a cold and clear Christmas morning, crunching through the snow, I felt cocooned and a long, long way from the everyday worries of home.
A bare 30 steps from the front door of Waterside Lodge lies Lough Erne, surely one of the most beautiful and under-rated pieces of water in Europe.
It may be a mere two hours from Dublin or the same from Belfast, but the place makes you feel almost at the end of the world, almost in another time, when things were less frenzied.
We stumbled upon Waterside Lodge on the internet when we were planning the Seery Family Overseas Expedition.
Our last trip to Europe was more than 20 years ago as newlyweds. Now, with two very noticeable offspring, we planned to try the same voyage of exploration.
One of the key things we needed was self-catering accommodation in the Enniskillen area, as we were planning to have my 80-something aunts over for Christmas lunch. That immediately ruled out B&Bs.
Also, when you're travelling as a family it's more relaxing to be on your own than to be beholden to other people's food or eating times.
I wasn't that confident we would find something to suit our purpose because, 20 years ago, rudimentary B&Bs were the rule across the UK and Ireland and self-catering places were non-existent. Nowadays, though, you'll find plenty of self-catering places across Northern Ireland and there are plenty of good B&Bs too if that's your preference.
Waterside Lodge has four bedrooms, sleeping nine, and five bathrooms - my kind of a place. Even over Christmas (now regarded in many places as a peak season in the UK), the rate was reasonable.
For five nights, the total was just over £80 a night (R950). Even at South African rates, that's not bad - R250 a person a night for luxurious self-catering.
Built with European Union and government aid as part of a programme to encourage tourism and commerce in the areas on the border between North and South, Waterside Lodge was as good, in terms of equipment and furnishings, as anything we have experienced.
But it was the surroundings which captivated us. Lough Erne meanders down to the sea and offers a stunning array of islands, bays and creeks on and in which to lose yourself - either on the water in a boat, by car or on foot.
The area is becoming known as a watersports destination, with everything a river or lake enthusiast could want, including fishing, canoeing, sailing, cabin cruising and water-skiing.
Yet, the area - the whole of Fermanagh county and indeed the six counties of Northern Ireland - offers a variety of scenic, cultural and adventure options.
Most South Africans, when visiting Ireland, tend to go to the South and do the normal tourist things. The North has always been regarded as a bit dull and dangerous. I must admit that the odd ruction of recent times does remind one of the bad old days of The Troubles, but the North is really a vastly different place from what it was back in the 80s, when concrete pillboxes adorned the landscape, armoured police Land Rovers cruised the roads, and British Army patrols would emerge like ghosts from the glens.
Today there's a bustle about the place, more "mod cons" than there used to be in the tourism sector and a feeling that there's lots to be explored. Plus - generally - Northern Ireland's prices are lower than they are in both the South and in mainland UK.
We arrived at Waterside Lodge just as some of the heaviest snows to fall on the area in 20 years had started. Derek put down grit on the lane (which was tarmac but covered in snow and later, the more treacherous "black ice") so getting in and out was easy. Were that the conditions elsewhere were the same...
Off visiting on New Year's Eve, even in a rear-wheel-drive BMW (satnav taking us by the most direct route, which was along minor, and "untreated" roads) we slid off the road into a ditch.
Fortunately, it was Ireland - and everything you hear about the people and their friendliness is true. Andrew Gardiner and his father, Robin, tried to help us push the car out and, when it was clear we were going nowhere slowly, Robin borrowed a neighbour's tractor to pull us free. All in temperatures hovering around -4degC.
Everywhere we went - pubs, shops, even out walking - we found a smiling, friendly bunch of people. Most were surprised to see people from South Africa, as most of the "outsiders" visiting this area are from Ireland or Britain.
From Fermanagh, nothing is really more than a two-hour drive away - even Belfast is just 140km - which means there are a range of places, both in Northern Ireland and across the border, which are ideal for day trips.
Were the weather better, we would have explored the wild west coast more: we popped across the border to Donegal but were deterred by the sheets of ice on the streets and the pavements (people we spoke to in the North seemed rather proud that the road authorities in their part of the world seem to do more to keep roads and town ice-free than do their counterparts in the South).
However, at most other times of the year, travel and moving about are not a problem, no matter what side of the border you find yourself on. But remember: if you do want to go in winter, be prepared for disruptions.
Worried as we often were about the possibility of being "snowed in", we were still awed by the beauty of Enniskillen and Lough Erne in particular. White-shrouded and peaceful, it was a wonderful place to chill out, literally and figuratively.
Having seen some of the photos - and the comments in the Nettyles' guest book - I can vouch for the fact that the place would be absolutely stunning throughout the rest of the year.
So, if you're thinking about Ireland, let me share a little secret with you: Go North.
If you go
The place: Northern Ireland's weather can be changeable and you'll get rain most times of the year, but spring, summer and autumn can also produce beautiful days. In winter there are less tourists around, but if snow falls, travelling can be nerve-wracking.
Getting there: You can fly to London on any number of major airlines and from there catch a flight (again a wide variety on offer) to Belfast.
South African passport holders need a British visa.
Alternatively, you could fly to Dublin and drive from there (the border's just two hours away) - but you'll need a Schengen EU visa for Ireland and a British one for the UK.
Waterside Lodge (and the smaller, but equally appealing Neddie's Lodge): contact Jenny and Derek Nettyles - E-mail: erneway@aol.com
Websites:
www.discovernorthernireland.com www.fermanaghlakelands.com
