Advice on travelling: Travel professionals reveal 4 dream locations on Mallorca – and 3 spots that you should avoid
Spend your time on the island in the right place! For this I give you four real recommendations – and take away three illusions. Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but for me there are places that are hard to argue with.
Everyone’s dream of paradise is different, there’s no question about that, but there are a few things that make first-class properties unique addresses – and therefore the ultimate experiences. As well as phenomena that make a place disappear from the list of personal recommendations, even under the best possible conditions.
Decide for yourself which of the hotels presented below suits your ideas of travel “1. Class” best corresponds – and find out which destinations you can neglect in your route planning with a clear conscience. Believe me: you gain in quality. And don’t miss anything!
About the expert
Carsten K. Rath is a lecturer and management consultant on the topics of service and leadership excellence. He used to manage luxury hotels like the Adlon in Berlin. With his expertise as a former grand hotelier, he now travels to hotels all over the world and reports on his experiences on his platform, among other places www.travelgrand.ch. Rath finances the trips he reports on in this column himself and independently describes his personal impressions.
Tip 1: Jewel in architecture, art and design – Can Cera Mallorcan Luxury House
A quiet revelation – and a real recommendation is the Can Cera in Palma. A hidden gem in the very best location in the heart of the old town, close to the Cathedral and the Church of Sant Francesc. The 17th-century manor house, which has been converted into a 5-star hotel, impresses with its unique atmosphere, excellent service and unmistakable originality.
It is the appealing arc of tension between the combination of tradition and modernity, sublime stillness and refreshing stimulation that gives this Adults Only its special character. An imposing antique marble staircase takes you up to the spacious interior, where new treasures are revealed to your eyes with practically every step you take. Whether in the rooms or in the lounges, the invitation to feel good speaks from every detail and stories are hidden everywhere that are worth tracking down.
If you get involved like me, you will not only meet great hosts but also get to know outstanding works by well-known local artists and international design icons such as Adriana Meunié, Fernando Fabré, Matteo Ugolini, Marcel Breuer or Davide Groppi.
But although this is an elementary part of the concept, it is not obvious. It fits naturally into the whole. Effortless, uncomplicated and free of any dictation, just like everything here. Feeling at home is no empty phrase in this house, it simply happens by itself. While lounging and daydreaming in the lounge or while working in the library-like study room. With a sundowner on the roof terrace, at the marble bar in Salon Rojo or in the small but fine spa.
Can Cera Travel Tip: Take the time to take a guided tour of the house for a deeper insight into the architecture, art, and design. Even connoisseurs are guaranteed to learn a lot of new things – and sharpen their view of the local artists.
Tip 2: The art of small, big gestures – Hotel Es Princep
Located at the beginning of the old city wall “Baluar Es Príncep”, this modern luxury hotel offers just 68 rooms and suites. The sea is right in front of the door. It’s quiet here, and yet it’s only a stone’s throw away from the center of the vibrant old town. The Es Príncep combines the advantages of a holiday hotel with the amenities of a city hotel. There is no better location in Palma
The rooms are luxuriously elegant and exude a flair of Mediterranean lightness. Natural, regional materials such as stone, wood and leather ensure the regional reference. Everywhere I see, smell and feel the noble Mediterranean breeze.
The best argument for Es Príncep, however, is the service: warm, attentive staff and great attention to detail ensure an exceptional guest experience. In the small comforts you can feel the professional warm attitude of the director Ilka Karl. Daily changing evening gifts on the pillow, for example, maintain the hospitality – from the finest chocolate to exclusive cosmetics.
My advice: If you’re considering a quick detour to Puerto Portals Nautical and Leisure Center, don’t! Spend your evening in the oversized Jacuzzi on the hotel’s 800 square meter roof terrace and enjoy the 360 degree view over the sea. Perhaps significantly fewer international celebrities meet here, but the drinks are worlds better and the gastronomy is too.
Tip 3: Silence Residence with its own Garden of Eden – Hotel Palacio Luces
Surrounded by woods, the Palacio de Luces is set in a paradisiacal garden of 13,000 square meters in the charming fishing village of Lastres, between sea and mountains. In the restored palace from the 16th century I find a perfect place for a quiet retreat, relaxed, very personal – and with a magnificent view of the Sierra del Sueve, the Picos de Europe and the Cantabrian Sea.
The owners of yore engaged in lively trade with the Indians, the traces of this culture have remained in the house to this day and also in the kitchen moved in. Chef Ignacio Garcia shares his Asturian and American-influenced fusion cuisine with fresh fish and seafood as one of my favorite protagonists.
Doing nothing on one of the wonderful terraces, swimming in the heated saltwater pool, a game of billiards in the saloon or a round of minigolf – this Adults Only hotel has everything I need to really relax and feel good.
My advice: The nearby beaches of La Isla, Lastres and La Griega are among the most beautiful on the island and are definitely preferable to the supposed Caribbean flair of Es Trenc. On nice days, dense swarms of people cavort there – and armies of aggressive mosquitoes that spoil any summery, relaxed pleasure.
Tip 4: Sustainable between ancient olive trees – finca hotel Albellons Parc Natura
The four-star finca Albellons Parc exudes incomparable Mediterranean romance thanks to its hidden location and modern, rural scenery. Heavy wooden beams, natural stone stairs and Mallorcan tiles give the interior a quaint and rustic look. At the same time, the rooms offer every technical comfort that I could wish for as a guest: fast internet, a flat screen and, above all, flawless air conditioning. With 35 degrees heat in summer, this is particularly important. By the way, suite number 10 is by far the most beautiful accommodation in the house.
The terraces are shielded from prying eyes. I enjoy my time out on comfortable Balinese beds in the shade. Apart from the chirping of the crickets, the bleating of the sheep and the soft sound of the goat bells, I really hear nothing here and recharge my batteries in this wonderful natural setting.
Last but not least: Sustainability is a living reality in the Finca Albellons. The drinking water comes from the own water well. Host Juan pumps it out himself, then it is cleaned and then served to the guest as a still drink or with a flavor addition.
My tip: For a long time, the German enclave of Andratx was inextricably linked to the attributes of authenticity and originality. However, where there is too much movement and construction continues, something is inevitably lost. Today there are other places that can be described as typical, authentic top locations – and one of them is definitely this one.
PS: Incidentally, I always spend my personal holidays at the Castell son Claret
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