The best Mallorca hotels
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Somewhere along the line, Mallorca lost a little of its sparkle. Perhaps it was in the 1980s when Magaluf put a slur on its reputation, and it became Majorca, all phonetics and glottal stop. Then in the 1990s, everyone went next door to party with its naughty little sister, Ibiza.
But the smart set has never stopped going to Mallorca, unshuttering their villas every springtime. They come for its romantic coastline, dramatic mountainscapes, tiny bays of sapphire water, clear as gin, and terracotta-roofed villages, jumbled on hilltops. And Palma, with its boulevards of boutiques and its labyrinthine old town full of hidden tavernas and sophisticated bars.
This is the island that has inspired generations of artists, writers, poets, musicians, since Chopin shocked the locals by turning up with his mistress, George Sand. Then came DH Lawrence, Robert Graves, Joan Miró and Anaïs Nin, all drawn to sleepy Deià , which has become a haven for artists. Jagger partied here in the 1980s, when he wasn't in Mustique. Skip to 2023 and Richard Branson has opened his first hotel here.
How we choose the best hotels in Mallorca
Every hotel on this list has been selected independently by our editors and written by a Condé Nast Traveller journalist who knows the destination and has stayed at that property. When choosing hotels, our editors consider both luxury properties and boutique and lesser-known boltholes that offer an authentic and insider experience of a destination. We’re always looking for beautiful design, a great location and warm service – as well as serious sustainability credentials. We update this list regularly as new hotels open and existing ones evolve. Find out more about our editorial standards and how we review hotels.
For more options, see our pick of the best family-friendly Mallorca hotels.
Diego MartínezhotelFour Seasons Resort Mallorca at Formentor
Four Seasons Resort Mallorca at FormentorNot even the oldest locals in Mallorca can remember a hotel whose opening has been as anticipated as the Four Seasons Resort Mallorca at Formentor. To find a hotel on the island that had as much pre-opening hype, one has to go back to 1929 and the original Hotel Formentor. Throughout its long history, dating back to before its current incarnation, the hotel has been a home away from home for families: children were and are still very welcome. The atmosphere here has always been family-friendly. While other parts of Mallorca may aspire to a certain sophisticated elegance, the Hotel Formentor was a place to relax by the seashore, enjoy the scenery, and eat well. It may sound like a simple formula, but pulling it off is not always easy.
It’s easy to declare yourself a destination hotel when you sit amid 100 acres of nature, and all around you are towering cliffs, scenic roads with impossible curves, crystal-clear coves, and caves waiting to be explored. All 110 rooms overlook the sea and the lush pine trees that reach down to the white sand. The Madrid-based Estudio Lamela, responsible for the impressive renovation of the Four Seasons Madrid, was also entrusted with the Mallorca project. The Parisian interior design firm Gilles & Boisier has given the hotel a chic and timeless look. On the beach, famous for its crystal-clear waters, there is a reserved area with hammocks and waiter service. Xiringuito – one of seven dining concepts at the hotel – awaits there, serving drinks, tapas, and snacks. In addition, Shima serves magnificent Nikkei cuisine (in this case a mix of Japanese and Peruvian ingredients and preparations). The dishes we tried were all delicious. David Moralejo
Salva LopezhotelGrand Hotel Son Net, Puigpunyent
Grand Hotel Son Net, PuigpunyentFeatured in our Hot List of the best new hotels in the world 2024
Now and then, there arrives a new hotel that feels like it's been around forever. Son Net, a baroque 17th-century estate cradled by Mallorca’s Tramuntana Mountains, is such a hotel – a place of densely layered and singular antiquarian exuberance. A grand family estate that was first turned into a hotel by American real estate mogul David Stein in 1998, Son Net has been reborn under Javier López Granados, the art collector and creator of iconic Andalusian resort Finca Cortesin. López Granados handed the creative reins to Lorenzo Castillo – a Madrid-based art historian, antiques collector, and interior designer – who filled each of the 31 rooms and suites with heirlooms from across the world. Castillo also designed bold fabrics for the vast suites’ curtains and upholstery that nod to styles from chinoiserie to Spanish colonial and Italian Renaissance. The final result feels like the home of a magpie collector – one with an eye for both ominous oils and comical ceramic ducks. As the sister property to Finca Cortesin, the hotel also hits a level of service that few Mallorcan hotels can match. Dextrous waistcoated staff attend to every whim, in every artfully curated space: from the fabric-walled Chimney Room serving up house gin cocktails to the locavore restaurant in a double-height former olive press; from the aquamarine pool set in cypress-scented gardens to the soon-to-open 10,763-square-foot spa with Morrish touches. Add to this a backdrop of sacred mountains, and the entire setting feels like a grand tour of the imagination. Toby Skinner
Address: Castillo Son Net, 07194 Puigpunyent
Price: doubles from about £550
Anna MalmberghotelHotel Corazón, between Deià and Sóller
Hotel Corazón, between Deià and SóllerFeatured in our Hot List of the best new hotels in the world 2024
Mallorca’s west coast has long been a magnet for writers, artists and musicians seeking spiritual connection – an intangible alchemy that has been channelled into Hotel Corazón. A wild and spoiling spot between Deià and Sóller, it’s the creation of photographer Kate Bellm and her partner, the artist and cactus gardener Edgar Lopez, who set out to open a hotel that feels more like the private home of an arty friend, a place where anything seems possible. Their creative pals are regular guests, and the 1970s-inspired, free-flowing sculptural interior design blurs the boundaries between indoors and out. Palm fronds peek through the windows of the 15 linen-draped bedrooms, each unique, with shaggy carpets and egg-shaped dome showers in hazy shades of pink, sage and ochre. At the heart of the property is the abundant land, which is cultivated using traditional regenerative farming techniques. Vegetables, fruits, flowers and herbs are harvested to conjure up seasonal dishes, served on the restaurant terrace backed by mountain views. Palm-leaf parasols cast languid shade onto day beds by the pool, and healing medicinal teas and elixirs are sourced from the garden. Sound baths, yoga and reiki are on offer, as well as insider advice on where to find hidden waterfalls and caves. Hotel Corazón immerses guests in the island’s artistic scene – an invitation to dare to dream. Doubles from about £230. Katie Metcalfe
Address: Carretera de Deià, km. 56, 7, 07100 Sóller, Spain
Price: doubles from about £317
hotelIkos Porto Petro, Portopetro
Ikos Porto Petro, PortopetroBest for: families and all-inclusive
Located in a tranquil corner close to the 765-acre Mondrago National Park and between two idyllic, quiet sandy beaches that feel like secrets, Ikos Porto Petro is named after the little fishing village it sits next to. Say ‘Ikos’ to aspirational young families, and the parents tend to get giddy. This is a place where you can take children to a restaurant backed by a Michelin-star-studded chef and feel quite comfortable, whether your baby has thrown 10 plastic spoons on the floor followed by a lovingly prepared bowl of creamed poached fish or not. Clever acoustics mean offspring-free diners can still clearly hear the talented and not in any way ‘holiday-camp’ live musicians as well as their own grown-up conversations. The crèche or kids’ club is then on hand to take over in the morning, and parents can join in on ordering some crisp cool Cava by one of the four pools (there’s another for kids). All rooms have great views here (some staff suggest it is the best Ikos of the bunch for that reason alone), and they all have either large balconies, gardens or private pools and terraces. Becky Lucas
Address: Carrer d'es Far, 16, 07691 Portopetro, Illes Balears, Spain
Price: doubles from about £800
hotelSon Bunyola, Tramuntana mountains
Son Bunyola, Tramuntana mountainsBest for: coastal views
This has been one of Richard Branson’s passion projects for decades, and it’s finally been completed: a lovingly reimagined 16th-century finca set amid 1,300 acres of olive groves and vineyards with teetering views down to the sea and the Tramuntana mountains rising behind. This is Mallorca at its wildest and most original – a UNESCO World Heritage Site no less – and Son Bunyola places you right smack bang in the heart of the landscape. Open in June 2023, it’s hit the ground running, creating – like all the best hotels – a believable world of its own.
Inside the finca is the original olive press, the chapel’s altarpiece takes pride of place in the main restaurant, and the 13th-century defensive tower, rising above the tiled courtyard, now protects two suites. The swimming pool, lined with turquoise tiles and shimmering in the sunlight, is deserving of a Slim Aarons photograph or two. There are just 26 rooms here, many with original wooden rafters, and mostly set around the courtyard with views over the pool or mountains; my room, 28, had its own sitting room with brass pendants and sofas. Extremadura-born chef Samuel Galdón presents a vegetable-forward menu at the main restaurant, a second is set to open in the original olive press serving Mallorcan spins on tapas on the menu. Rick Jordan
Address: Finca Son Bunyola, Ctra C 710 83km, Banyalbufar, Spain, 0719
Price: Doubles from about £937 per night
hotelHotel Valldemossa, near Palma
Hotel Valldemossa, near PalmaBest Mallorca hotel for: peace and quiet
A creative haven for writers and artists alike, you’ll find yourself the protagonist of this particular novel. Mornings and lazy afternoons are spent sunning on your own private veranda overlooking almond, olive, and orange trees etched into the rolling valley. Just a 20-minute drive from the city of Palma, the dramatic shift in scene from bustling shopping harbour to mountain range will make you think you’ve traversed more than mere miles. With infamous cycle routes, medical and beauty therapies and its small-town location, Hotel Valldemossa will likely become a hub for like-minded individuals looking to enjoy the best things in life: nature, self-care and great food.
Comprised of 12 unique cobblestone villas attached to the body of the manor house, there are four deluxe room types, each lovingly renovated with earthy furnishings, terracotta tones and home comforts. Breakfast is enjoyed on the sun-soaked veranda overlooking misty, dew-soaked fields while birds twitter and sheep bleat. By night, the space transforms into the bar and restaurant, De Tokio A Lima, a twin to the firstborn at Can Alomar. A seasonal proposal by Chefs German de Bernardi, the cuisine is a fusion of Japanese, Peruvian and Mediterranean flavours using products from local farmers. At the spa, wellness guru Amore practices therapies such as drainage and manual massage and uses essential oils alongside machinery such as electric cupping therapy, radiofrequency, and hydro foot baths. Not for the faint of heart, the detox programmes and lymphatic drainage can be intense, but the results are instantaneous yet lasting. Megan Wilkes
Address: Carretera Vieja de Valldemossa, s/n, 07170 Valldemossa, Balearic Islands, Spain
Price: doubles from about £768 per night
Ana LuihotelCan Ferrereta, Santanyi
Can Ferrereta, SantanyiFeatured on our 2022 Hot List of the best new hotels in the world
Andrés Soldevila Ferrer, a scion of the Catalan family who owns the grande-dame Majestic Hotel on Barcelona’s Passeig de Gràcia, has been a fan of Mallorca since childhood holidays with his grandparents. He first disembarked here in 2015 with the Sant Francesc in Palma, where the astute combination of Barcelona style and palatial Mallorcan architecture still stands out among a slew of charming old-town hotels. Looking for a country property to complement his Palma palace, he homed in on the island’s deep south and found a 17th-century mansion in a state of chronic disrepair. Its vaulted roofs and haylofts have been transformed from crumbling relics to original features that underscore a rule-breaking combination of rustic minimalism and high-end townhouse, where rugged textures coexist with Santa and Cole lamps and Carl Hansen armchairs. There’s an impressive collection of contemporary Spanish art and plenty of local input from potters, carpenters and farmers alongside fine Catalan linens (Lo de Manuela) and Italian ceramics (Bucci). Can Ferrereta calls for little exertion beyond a browse around the superb haul of work by artists such as Dominica Sánchez and Jordi Alcaraz, a salt-and-seaweed treatment at the Sa Calma spa, or a supper of modern Mediterranean cooking at Alvar Albaladejo’s Ocre restaurant, fast shaping up as the best in the south-east. You might need to venture outside only for a stroll around Santanyí’s pretty plaza, a tapa or two at Can Gelat, or a visit to the mesmerising, all-white wonderland of the salt flats at Es Trenc.
Address: Can Ferrereta, Carrer de Can Ferrereta, 12 07650, Santanyí, Mallorca, Spain
Price: Doubles from about £564
MATTIA AQUILAhotelLa Residencia, A Belmond Hotel, Deia
La Residencia, A Belmond Hotel, DeiaBest hotel in Mallorca for: a sophisticated stay
Here is a hotel every bit as beautiful as it first looks. One that it would be utterly remiss of you not to visit at some point in your life. The dramatic route around thrilling hairpin bends, past sheer drops and narrow gorges, is worth enduring to get to turbo-chic Deià on Mallorca’s west coast. The English poet Robert Graves first drew everyone’s attention to the village when he moved here in 1929. Then, in 1987 Richard Branson bought La Residencia and transformed it into one of the most romantic hotels in the Mediterranean.
The vastness of the property, now owned by Belmond, is stealth-like, a warren of centuries-old buildings hidden among the foothills of the Serra de Tramuntana. Despite the 71 bedrooms, 6 suites, an art gallery, two artists’ studios, four restaurants, two outdoor pools, tennis courts, a kids’ club, and mountain trails, there is a pervading sense of space and wonderful privacy. All rooms have terraces looking out to the green-shuttered, ochre town and glittering sea, some have their own plunge pool – ideal in this sun-trap of a valley. Inside, they are big and cool with splashes of citrus shades, marshmallow-soft beds, and safes concealed behind works of art (the hotel has more than 800, of which 33 are original Mirós).
The brilliant bistro sends out tapas of jamón ibérico and chorizo cooked in cider, or there’s candlelit El Olivo, where the tasting menu is a hearty and lengthy love letter to Mallorcan gastronomy: freshly caught prawns baked on a bed of salt for just three minutes; suckling pig with a sage-and-sobrasada sauce; Sóller-orange ice cream. Each day there’s a soul-brightening boat trip along the coast, where you can play David Attenborough spotting Eleonora’s falcons and snorkel among schools of silvery fish. But the most popular pastime here is taking in that dreamy view.
Address: Carrer son Canals, 07179 Deià, Illes Balears, Spain
Price: Doubles from about £2,097
hotelPalma Riad, Palma
Palma Riad, PalmaBest Mallorca hotel for: a couple's getaway
Palma’s especially well stocked when it comes to boutique boltholes, but not many have a vibe quite as sultry or exotic as this. In a restored 18th-century townhouse off the evocative Carrer De Sant Jaume near the heart of town, there’s a real purity of vision to this adults-only hotel, where Barcelona-based designer Pablo Peyra gave each of the 11 suites its own singular design. Ours was an Orientalist fantasy of chandeliers, lacquered chests and a TV hidden behind a smoked mirror, with a hammam-style bath built into a dark-tiled bathroom of chandeliers and exposed fireplaces. The prevailing sense of low-lit, velveteen opulence continues through the hotel to the ground floor bar/restaurant for classic cocktails, sauteed razor clams, Entrecote Paris and a lovely burrata salad with flambeed figs and grilled peach. It lingers even in the airy riad-style atrium, with its epic fireplace and throne-like wicker chairs, where a water feature serenely tinkles on the little pool. Toby Skinner
Address: Carrer de Sant Jaume, 5, 07012 Palma
Price: doubles from about £471
Tomeu Canyellas MoragueshotelZEL Hotel, Palma Nova
ZEL Hotel, Palma NovaBest Mallorca hotel for: party vibes
Simply put, this address from Meliá Hotels International and co-founder Rafael Nadal, is a lot of fun. It has a breezy, unpretentious attitude, all whitewashed woods, comfy sofas and seagrass finishes, befitting its choice location right on Palma Nova’s pristine beachfront. The heart of the hotel is a sweeping open-plan space where each zone spills lazily into the next, from the lobby through to the impressive triple-height dining area and out onto an expansive patio with panoramic sea views. Indeed, R&R is the order of the day, with two pools, a gym, sauna, steam room, jacuzzi and aromatherapy spa to hop between – a massage here nearly sent me to sleep – plus plenty of loungers and Bali beds to loll on for the foreseeable. In the evenings, however, prepare to gear up: there are regular live music performances throughout the week and, on the weekend, bass-heavy dance beats bounce through the space after 7pm. This is Mallorca’s party hotspot, after all. If that’s not your vibe, it’s quieter outside at restaurant Beso Beach, where the food and cocktails proved a highlight of our stay. The strawberry mojito was a hit, as was a whole sea bass prepared tableside and a generous heaping of rich, salty paella. Charley Ward
Address: Carrer Duc Estremera, 16, 07181 Calvià, Illes Balears
Price: From £410 per night
hotelThe Lodge, Sa Pobla
The Lodge, Sa PoblaBest Mallorca hotel for: a countryside escape
Towards Pollença, The Lodge is a second property on the island from the Unico group behind the popular Finca Serena. This one, a series of angular Mallorcan stone buildings surrounded by lavender fields and olive groves on a 388-acre plot, has 24 terracotta-toned suites with floor-to-ceiling windows, as well as an infinity pool and fire-cooking restaurant. Spend days hiking in the Serra de Tramuntana, swimming in pools (there are three to choose from) with a mountain backdrop or lazing on the white sands of Alcúdia Bay, before retiring to feast at the all-day restaurant. Helmed by chef David Martinez, think dishes of locally sourced meat and homegrown veg all slow-roasted over a crackling wood fire. Toby Skinner
Address: Salida 37 Autopista MA13 a Alcudia Vía de servicio a Pollensa Km 1, Sa Pobla 07420, Spain
Price: Doubles from about £570
Art SanchezhotelCan Bordoy Grand House and Garden, Palma
Can Bordoy Grand House and Garden, PalmaBest Mallorca hotel for: enjoying Palma’s most characterful neighbourhood
Like many special hotels, this one is tricky to find. There are no sign posts. No terrace on the street flowing with hotel guests and a stream of waiters with spritzes. Only the discreet stone archway that leads off the square to what was once a private family home – then a school run by nuns – indicates you have arrived. Can Bordoy today has been entirely renovated by much-in-demand husband-and-wife architects Jaime Oliver and Paloma Hernaiz of OHLAB. Their aim was to respect the building’s rich heritage but to bring it up to date with contemporary notes. There’s a shady courtyard and a long, stone bar with a low-key reception area; a living room with beautiful creeping vines across the ceiling connects to a dining room and a library with views out to the back. The designers have excelled in filling this space with natural light and drama with a mix of both vintage and new furniture. Their vast, custom-made walnut beds and in-room cocktail bars with integrated stereos are real highlights. The basement spa and rooftop sundeck with 360-views and a glass-bottom plunge pool are delightful, as is the Botànic restaurant run by chef Andrés Benitez, focusing on locally sourced organic ingredients. Among the crush of boutique offerings in medieval Palma, Can Bordoy captures the true heart of the place in a way worthy of the moment.
Address: Can Bordoy Grand House and Garden, Carrer del Forn de la Glòria, 14, 07012 Palma, Spain
Price: Doubles from about £495
hotelSant Francesc Hotel Singular, Palma
Sant Francesc Hotel Singular, PalmaBest Mallorca hotel for: personal touches
In peaceful Sant Francesc Square, adjacent to the 13th-century church of the same name, this hotel has certain anonymity while being in the heart of the historic quarter of Palma’s old town. From a platinum-pedigree family of hoteliers, owner Andrés Soldevila Ferrer embarked on the refurbishment of this 19th-century palace and turned it into a savvy showstopper with an independent spirit. Thoughtful extras in the rooms include a handy waterproof bag for wet swimwear and the gift of a black handbook with the owner’s favourite island haunts. In the process of its transformation, table number 42 (where Michelle Obama once dined) has become a must-have in the Quadrat Restaurant & Garden. Formerly the stables, the kitchen serves fresh, seasonal Mediterranean stuff – the signature dish of scarlet shrimp socarrat rice created with the island’s famed Soller red prawns is moreish and creamy thanks to preparation in a traditional paella pan. At breakfast, try traditional ensaïmada, snail-shaped pastries made by renowned bakery C’an Joan de S’aigo. Anna Nicholas
Address: Sant Francesc Hotel Singular, Plaza Sant Francesc, 5, 07001 Palma, Mallorca, Baleares, Spain
Price: Doubles from about £396
Facebook.com/EsplendidoHoteldeSollerhotelEsplendido, Port de Sóller
Esplendido, Port de SóllerBest Mallorca hotel for: a laidback waterfront stay
A seriously useful Spanish address to have up your sleeve, this green-shuttered, balustraded 1950s hotel is tucked away on the north-west coast in Port de Sóller, a horseshoe-shaped scoop out of the Tramuntana mountains. It's a million miles from the egg-and-chips package tours of Magaluf. Here you have a rather charming seaside town, a pedestrianised waterfront, a curving stretch of sand backed by tavernas and beach restaurants, and the Esplendido right in the very middle.
Swedish couple Mikael and Johanna Landström (who also own the Hotel Portixol in Palma) have transformed it from rather fusty-dusty traditional lodgings into a gleaming-fresh temple of Scandinavian chic. The bright and airy bedrooms, retro-cool with mid-century armchairs and fern-frond-printed wallpaper, have views either out to the water or to the terraced gardens behind, planted with olive trees, red geranium and bougainvillaea. And because there's no traffic, you really can go to sleep to the sound of waves lapping the shore.
Your mini-bar comes stocked with complimentary drinks; the wardrobes contain help-yourself flip-flops and beach bags; bathrooms are loaded with thick, white towels and delicious Korres bottles in the showers. If your brood is made up of under-10s, they'll love the electric juicer at the breakfast bar, with bowls of grapefruits, oranges, limes and lemons ready to be squeezed.
Address: Passeig Es Traves, 5, 07108 Port de Sóller, Illes Balears, Spain
Price: Doubles from about £345
Ana LuihotelEs Raco D'Arta, near Artà
Es Raco D'Arta, near ArtàBest Mallorca hotel for: a peaceful escape
Architect/designer Antoni Esteva and his long-time associate and builder Jaume Danús are behind some of Mallorca’s most fascinating hotel projects, but this is their best yet. The traditional possessió, or estate, sprawls across acres of glorious countryside in the island’s pristine north-east corner, with elements of monastic refuge, farm stay and nature reserve. The main building, a mansion whose foundations date from the 13th century, has a fortress-like air. Rustic minimalism is Esteva’s stock in trade. This strikes first in the whitewashed interior, the predominant use of natural fibres and the total absence of clutter. Locally crafted objects are artfully positioned (a hat on a hook, a basket in a corner) but the soundtrack is silence.
All-round wellness is the point of a stay here. The spa focuses on meditation and water therapies, plus there’s yoga. The wooden slab that serves as a reception desk has no computer and the mobile-phone signal is deliberately reduced. Esteva knows that paying lip service to green values simply won’t do any more, so the property uses solar and geothermal energy and has an ecological water-treatment system. Fruit, vegetables, honey and olive oil come from the organic garden, wine is from its vineyard. Natural infusions and kombucha are offered instead of commercial fizzy drinks. If all this sounds too austere to be truly comfortable, know that the effect of a few days here is one of deep, transformative relaxation. Es Racó is somewhere from which you’ll emerge a changed person. By Paul Richardson
Address: Camí des Racó. Ctra. de Cala Mitjana Km1.5, Balearic Islands, Spain
Price: Doubles from about £400
hotelHotel Glòria de Sant Jaume, Palma
Hotel Glòria de Sant Jaume, PalmaBest Mallorca hotel for: romance
The first delight is its location on Carrer Sant Jaume – a cobbled alley of nectarine- and mead-coloured mansions where footsteps resound as in a rural village; it’s a serene shortcut between thronging Avenida de Jaume III and La Rambla. The second is the sensitively restored 16th-century palace belonging to the Palou de Comasema dynasty who later donated part of the building to a religious order of nuns. Among the sandstone arches, original black-and-white floors and sloping-beam ceilings are charming historical quirks: the marble sink in the stables-turned-basement spa, the framed 19th-century newspapers found beneath floral wallpaper, the occasional soft rumble of the sisters’ piano. Add to this intimate old-school service and it’s clear that this small hotel is not the work of a novice: the owner Jordi Cabau is a seasoned Spanish hotelier. And this feels like a family affair. His wife Heidi Wolf handpicked the red velvet sofas, high princess-and-the-pea beds, antique Spanish brass lights, and collections of wall mirrors and carriage clocks lending an unforced Art Deco feel to rooms. No two are the same. The Love Suite on the first floor has a mezzanine with a Victorian bath; another on the second, with cream and oxblood-red tiled floors, has a circular window. Meanwhile, the restaurant, El Patio de Glòria, is all romantic heroine with bookshelves and chairs in pony grey and raspberry pink. Here polyglot maître d’ Michele dances between languages and tables, introducing Argentinian chef Javier Gardonio’s witty dishes such as ‘Patatas Bravas The Way Jordi Likes Them’. A home in Palma for those of an elegant persuasion.
Address: Hotel Glòria de Sant Jaume, Carrer Sant Jaume 18, 07012 Palma de Mallorca
Price: Doubles from about £487
hotelEl Llorenc Parc De La Mar, Palma
El Llorenc Parc De La Mar, PalmaBest Mallorca hotel for: rooftop views
With a sky-skimming infinity pool, the longest in Palma, that brings the Balearic sea right up to the feet of the Balinese sunbeds, El Llorenç’s rooftop is glorious. Beneath the feathered aquamarine parasols is furniture in a zingy watercolour spectrum of blues, greens and indigos. Around the corner from Palma’s historic hammams in Parc de la Mar, this hotel refracts the medieval heritage of its La Calatrava location through an ultra-contemporary lens. Swedish designer Magnus Ehrland used 27 different geometric tiles in the space, all versions of the Arabic star.
During construction, architect Pedro Rabassa found an 11th-century Moorish oven in the foundations. Ehrland has designed without dogma, freely adding botanical splashes: local Santanyi stone pillars and Versailles-style parquet floors are playfully mixed with quirky, palm-print carpets, peacock chairs and feather headdresses. Sense of place is established with photographs of Palma, an exotic green-tile basement pool and hammam, and Tannur restaurant, which serves up hearty Mallorcan food. Meanwhile, DINS is a fine-dining experience by island chef Santi Taura, who deconstructs historic local dishes. Service is informal and standard rooms are snug. But on the rooftop, spire-height with La Seu Cathedral, it's all cocktails, sea and sky.
Address: Plaça de Llorenç Villalonga, 4, 07001 Palma, Illes Balears, Spain
Price: Doubles from about £315
hotelFinca Serena, Montuïri
Finca Serena, MontuïriBest Mallorca hotel for: getting back to nature
A 25-minute drive north-east of Palma, Finca Serena seems like it has always belonged here in the unkempt farmlands of Montuïri, an area dotted with ghostly windmills and abandoned stone buildings near the monasteries of Algaida. Set in a 13th-century finca on a 40-hectare estate, it was opened in April 2019 by Unico Hotels (the group behind island refuge Finca Gayeta) and has the apt air of a religious order’s bucolic retreat. The silence is only interrupted by the morning chants of robins, the hotel’s motif and one of the few flits of colour in a restricted palette of black, white and hessian. Less minimalist and more Shaker-like simple, the 25 rooms free minds of worldly distractions with natural linens, polished concrete wet rooms, milk-white-painted beams and wooden farm furniture sourced from French flea markets. The only adornments are olive branches from the estate, which encompasses orchards, 12 hectares of newly planted vines, hiking paths, an outdoor pool, yoga shalas and a spa stocked with Natura Bissé products. Wellbeing is worshipped here. Farm baskets and wooden boards hang in the breakfast room, where an ancient fireplace has been turned into a loveseat; the spread of chia-seed puddings, Mallorcan coca bread and pan con tomate is eaten on the cobbled terrace over a congregation of olives trees. Meanwhile, the courses at Jacaranda restaurant have been pared down to three farm-fed seasonal choices by chef Baltazar Rigo, with dishes such as fennel soup, broccoli risotto and carob cake with apricot ice cream. The hotel shops sell baskets and linen kaftans to drift around in, as white and light as the butterflies. A real back-to-the-land retreat.
Address: Finca Serena, Montuïri, Mallorca
Price: Doubles from about £500
Stella RotgerhotelCal Reiet Holistic Retreat, SantanyI
Cal Reiet Holistic Retreat, SantanyIBest Mallorca hotel for: wellness
When thinking of a healthy hideout, what often springs to mind are punitive classes, measly meals and regimented schedules. Great news, then, that there is nothing of the sort at Petra and Henning Bensland’s agriturismo in the south-east corner of Mallorca, near the stellar beaches of family-friendly Es Trenc with its long stretches of powdery sand and shallow seas, and the sheltered cove at Cala Llombards.
The place is something of a first for the island: a holistic hybrid, part deeply pretty hotel, part spa escape and part standalone wellness hotspot with brilliant yoga, excellent therapists and impressive treatments (craniosacral work, osteopathy, singing bowls, reiki and Ayurvedic abhyanga, as well as massages and facials). Big hitters such as fitness-focused Equilibrium run retreats throughout the year as part of a schedule that includes transformational vinyasa and yin-yoga weeks, meditation sessions, and even business-strategy gatherings. But wellness doesn’t have to be on the agenda if you don’t want it to be. Cal Reiet’s ethos is all about feeling good. And if that means lazing by the huge pool, flanked by shady sentinel palms and flowering bougainvillaea, that’s fine too.
The three-storey house itself is a calming haven; originally built as a family home in 1881, it still retains a cosy bohemian atmosphere. The sitting room, stuffed with curios, banana-leaf plants, a grand piano and squishy sofas on which resident cats stretch into convincing yoga positions, opens up to the gardens: orchards of olives, figs and almond trees, lush-green secret corners to steal away to for moments of mindfulness, and a terrace that is lit up with candles and flaming torches at night. The 15 bedrooms are neutral and completely relaxing; no TVs to distract you, just the buzz of cicadas and whoosh of wind through tall trees.
Address: Cal Reiet, 80, 07650 Santanyi, Spain
Price: Doubles from about £510 for three nights
Oliver PilcherhotelCastell Son Claret hotel, Es Capdellà
Castell Son Claret hotel, Es CapdellàBest Mallorca hotel for: classic luxury
The estate, which with 132 hectares of farmland, woods and gardens is one of the island's largest private country properties, belongs to German billionaire Klaus-Michael Kühne. The 15th-century castle was Kühne's corporate hideaway until a further wave of restoration transformed it into a small hotel (it has just 43 rooms) of jaw-dropping beauty.
Castell Son Claret's extremely classy interior, by Munich-based designer Danilo Silvestrin, combines marble and sandstone with wood, leather and glass. There's a classic, grown-up feel to its luxury. The Sa Clastra restaurant, headed by Mallorcan chef Jordi Canto, whips up culinary classics with a gastronomic twist. There are even plans to produce the hotel's own scent, echoing the natural aromas of the surrounding countryside. What is most striking about the place is the way its voluptuous interior never entirely obliterates the deeply rural character of the vast estate.
Address: Carretera Es Capdellá-Galilea, km 1.7, 07196 Es Capdellá, Calvía, Illes Balears, Spain
Price: Doubles from about £560
hotelCan Simoneta, Canyamel
Can Simoneta, CanyamelBest Mallorca hotel for: a beachside location
Set on a cliff top in the north-east of the island above the bay of Canyamel, Can Simoneta feels fantastically tucked away. The adults-only Mallorca hotel was designed by local architect Toni Esteva, who spread the 28 bedrooms across two mid-19th century stone houses and updated the interiors in calming creams and taupes. There are simple but stylish doubles and the two-room Gran Suite Neptuno, set in a walled garden with a private pool, but the best place to stay is the Beach House, with its sea views. A winding staircase leads to the water, hot tubs are dotted around the manicured lawns, and crocheted cotton hammocks swing from umbrella pines. The spa offers facials using slick Spanish brand Natura Bissé, and a smart restaurant serves locally sourced suckling lamb or Iberian pork. It's quite the grown-up hideaway.
Inside tip Take the hotel's speedboat and discover hidden beaches where you'll be dropped off for a Champagne-and-seafood lunch.
Address: Finca Torre Canyamel, Carretera Arta-Canyamel, km 8, 07580 Canyamel, Balearic Islands, Spain
Price: Doubles from about £415