OUR LATEST ISSUE
SITE SEARCH
Balearic Bliss
By: Jason Pollock
Mallorca
Mallorca
You can keep Ibiza. For me the most sophisticated and the most beautiful island in the Spanish Balearics is Mallorca, it's innate charms weaving a lit
"A haven of tranquillity where the only sound is the noise of nature"
If you need the fix of city life Palma, the islands capital, buzzes twenty-four seven with bars, clubs and great international restaurants. And if you know where to look Palma boasts some truly innovative designer shops. Many of these stylish retail gems are hidden down ancient alleyways away from the overpriced stores and cafes catering for the constant invasion of the tour ships which ebb and flow with tug boat frequency. This is no sleepy Spanish backwater. Anything goes in this cosmopolitan city.
But it’s not the bustle of the city or even the immaculate beaches that gives Mallorca my vote. It’s the surprisingly verdant and spectacular hinterland that, away from package-tour-land, offers stressed out travellers a chance to experience an infusion of deep calm far from the madding crowd.
One of Mallorcas many little secret hideaways, just a short drive from the city, is the medieval village of Puigpunyent. Nestling in the Tramuntana Mountains this is a haven of tranquillity where the only sound is the noise of nature. Set high on the south facing ridge and lording it majestically over the village is a beautiful 17th century Finca recently lovingly restored by the visionary Stein Hotel group and reborn as the five star Gran Hotel Son Net.
Every nook and cranny of this multi acre property from the manicured rose gardens to the outdoor mountain view jacuzzis is truly stunning. A home from home atmosphere effortlessly created by the hotel staff combined with creative design detail has somehow elevated Son Net’s status from posh hotel back to its hey day as a luxury private country house.
Each of the 31 rooms has been given an individual decor combining traditional with contemporary design but with absolute comfort as the hallmark. It’s the sort of place where you want to pack everything in the room from the Louis 1V bureau to home brand toiletries and luxury towels in your luggage when you check out - or at least find out which designer or antique shop they came from!
There’s an impressive range of rooms from affordable Classic to luxurious ‘don’t give a toss about the budget’ suites. Some even have their own Jacuzzis and private swimming pools. The main halls and stairway, incidentally, boast original art works from Marc Chagall, Andy Warhol and even David Hockney.
The first think you’ll want to do after a flight from the UK and a short cab ride from the airport to Son Net is hit the pool. It’s rather grand and large enough at 30 meters to do your full set of work out laps (if you really must). For a bit of privacy grab a private cabana then ask barman Louis to mix you a vodka martini, chill out, and feel city stress float away as you watch the sun slip slowly down over the tree covered mountains across the valley.
As the garden light show illuminates the dusk its time for dinner and a choice between Son Net’s two restaurants. Oleum is an award-winning restaurant created inside a restored old olive press barn (the press is still there by the way) The food is classical Mallorcan and beautifully prepared. Haute Cuisine at its very best. You don’t have to dress for dinner but the formality of the restaurant kind of makes you feel you should. More affordable, more relaxed and offering more for your money however is the Gasipo restaurant near the pool area. Son Nets gastronomic tour de force, by the way, has to be their relaxed Sunday lunch promotion at Oleum. You could feed the whole island on their starters alone – we stopped counting at over thirty dishes! But if it’s a bit of comfort food you crave ditch the guilt and sneak off down to the village where The Rose café will sort you out with a massive plate of good homespun Spanish nosh!
Talking of guilt Son Net does have a reasonably well-equipped gym if you simply have to keep up your fitness regime on holiday however for spa fans like me you’re in for a treat. Zen Zone offers over 40 creative treatments! Many of them would sound equally at home on the menu of a fancy restaurant. How about a Mysterious Turkey or a Chocolate Fondue Wrap? Just a tad worried I was going to come out reeking of The Bombay Brasseries special I risked the Placid Paradise described as a massage based on rice, almond, sesame and cardamom infused with spice pandas. Actually it turned out to be sixty minutes of sheer heaven! Oh, and my partner said his facial was ‘the best ever’ and he’s the sort who would rather spend money pampering his face than pay the mortgage - so he does know what he’s talking about.
With Classic rooms from 385 euros in peak season and suites ranging from around 550 – 870 euros Gran Hotel Son Net is not a cheap option holiday. But I bet you anything you anything you like you’ll be wooed by its intoxicating magic and you’ll be saving the Euros for a return visit as soon as you hit the wet tarmac of the runway back home.
