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New Look & Concept for Hotel Valldemossa
Welcome to the Hotel Valldemossa – The Natural Sanctuary For our first wedding anniversary after moving to Mallorca in 2004 – and several subsequent anniversaries – we spent a night away at the romantic Hotel Valldemossa. The hotel – originally two 19th-century stone houses – has gorgeous views of the surrounding mountains and countryside as well as La Cartuja, the Royal Charterhouse. The Polish composer Chopin famously spent a mid-19th century winter in the former monastery with his lover, the writer George Sand (real name Aurore Dupin, Baroness Dudevant).
After a few years of discovering more of Mallorca, we tried other hotels for nights away to celebrate anniversaries and birthdays. Today, with some 65 5-star hotels on the island, there’s plenty of choice – and variety – for the discerning hotel guest.
Hotel Valldemossa Reborn
I was interested to learn earlier this year that IT Mallorca Unique Spaces had added Hotel Valldemossa to its portfolio of luxury boutique hotels – three of which we have enjoyed staying in. The Valldemossa property has 12 rooms, is an adults-only (14+) hotel, and described as ‘The Natural Sanctuary’. I was curious to see the renovated Hotel Valldemossa and arranged a tour and lunch there last week (but didn’t stay overnight).
The hotel re-opened under its new guise on February 29th, 2024, and the day I visited there was only one room – a Junior Suite – unoccupied on the morning I was there. This suite has a private terrace and superb views. As in the rest of the hotel – and the other IT Mallorca properties – attractive art and stylish furniture and soft furnishings abound.
The Junior Suite 
Bath & shower room with a view 
The bath Health & Wellness
If you’re looking for a tranquil place to stay, with a wealth of facilities and services designed to improve your health and well-being, Hotel Valldemossa could be for you.
Cyclists will find a lockable storage facility which includes charging points for electric bikes.
Near the large, outdoor swimming pool, there’s a terrace for the hotel’s yoga and Pilates classes.
A covered outdoor gym enables you to enjoy the views as you work out.
The Sanctuary offers treatments based on the Piroche method (using Piroche products). These treatments are inspired by Traditional Chinese Medicine and the Western practice of lymphatic drainage. The hotel’s website has a list of treatments.
Guests can book the indoor pool and facilities for their exclusive use for a period of time.
Secure bike storage 
Outdoor pool 
Outdoor but covered gym 
Keep fit while on holiday 
The door to The Sanctuary 
A treatment room for two 
Plunge with a view 
Enjoy this exclusively 
Comfort and privacy The New Restaurant – De Tokio a Lima
Hotel Valldemossa has a new restaurant, which offers the same menu and prices as the De Tokio a Lima restaurant at IT Mallorca’s Can Alomar hotel in Palma. Like the Palma restaurant, the Valldemossa one is open to the public for lunch and dinner.
Read the review of our lunch that I wrote/broadcast for Mallorca Sunshine Radio here.
Read Reviews of Stays at Other IT Mallorca Hotels
Can Aulí in Pollença town here.
Can Cera in Palma here.
Good to Know
Hotel Valldemossa has its own car park for guests and restaurant clients.
The hotel is around a ten-minute stroll into Valldemossa – Mallorca’s best-known village.
Jan Edwards ©2024
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Bakery & Other Treats in Campos
One of Mallorca’s best-known traditional bakeries began life in the market town of Campos in the south of Mallorca.
Pastisseries Pomar was founded in 1902 in the market town and the original premises are still in Carrer de Plaça. Today the business is run by the fourth and fifth generations of the family that founded it and has three premises in Campos and one in Palma (in Carrer Manacor, almost adjacent to the junction with the Avenidas).
The traditional bakery and cafe is a popular stop in Campos particularly on market day mornings (Thursdays and Saturdays), with locals and visitors buying traditional Mallorcan pastries, cakes, and chocolates, and maybe stopping for a hot drink and a sweet or savoury treat.
Sourdough at Larotî
Larotî’s window 
The sign outside 
Organic flours 
Part of the display 
Rosemary and olive sourdough 
Owner Juan Ocampo Before the pandemic, when I had a radio show called ‘Table Talk’ on Mallorca Sunshine Radio, I interviewed Juan Ocampo, then chef at Tess de Mar restaurant in Campos.
Juan no longer works in the restaurant but owns the excellent sourdough bakery Larotî in Campos, just a short walk from his former restaurant kitchen. A small table just inside means you can also have a coffee here – if the table in this popular bakery is free.
Sourdough is Larotî’s speciality and Juan’s moreish bread is available in different flavours. We had rosemary and olive and couldn’t stop eating it once we were home; it was so delicious. Juan uses organic flours to make his breads, rolls, and other baked goods, including croissants, tartlets, cocas, mini banana breads, and biscuits.
On our last visit, during the Saturday market, a queue had formed at the door of Larotî – such is the good reputation of Juan and his team. I recommend going early in the morning while there’s still plenty of bread and baked goods on offer.
Larotî also sells a small range of gourmet products, including delicious bean-to-bar Maüa chocolate (made in Palma).
Here’s an idea: if you’re planning a day at one of the beaches a short drive away, call in at Larotî and buy the ingredients for a delicious, impromptu picnic by the sea. You’ll find the bakery in Carrer Convent, where it’s open from 8am until 2pm, Tuesday to Saturday.
Where to Visit Near Campos
Es Trenc is the beautiful virgin beach that’s a short drive from Campos. Coastal places also worth visiting in this area are Colònia de Sant Jordi and sa Ràpita.
If you like cheese, check out Formatges Burguera on the outskirts of Campos, which has a shop on site selling their own cow’s milk cheeses.
Where to Eat in Campos
Tess de Mar is one of two restaurants within Sa Creu Nova Petit Palais Art & Spa in Campos. Read my review of this restaurant for Mallorca Sunshine Radio here.
Jan Edwards©2024
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Toes-in-the-Sand Lunch at Ponderosa Beach
Our favourite place to eat lunch with our toes buried in the sand is open for the 2024 season. Ponderosa Beach is today a very different business from that started by the current owners’ grandparents back in the ’50s to offer refreshments to people spending time on Playa de Muro’s gorgeous beach. We first discovered the contemporary Ponderosa Beach – an establishment serving surprisingly good and interesting food and drinks – back in 2014 and have been every summer since then.
Some sadness was behind our first visit. One of my uncles had just died. He had dementia and had been in a home for a while. The news of his passing was not entirely unexpected but felt like a wake-up call: Life is too short to spend it all working. In the middle of writing some articles for a magazine, I took the afternoon off (no deadlines were missed) and we made our first visit to this place that friends had recommended. It was also a chance to raise a glass of something chilled to my late uncle.
How to Get There
A family-friendly establishment, Ponderosa Beach is located between the cluster of summer houses known as Ses Casetes des Capellans and the Mediterranean – which often resembles the Caribbean here on Playa de Muro. The entrance to Ses Casetes des Capellans is signposted off the roundabout by the Eroski supermarket,
In previous years, beachgoers and Ponderosa Beach visitors could park in the rough parking area between the houses and the beach, but from mid-June to mid-September parking is now restricted to those who are staying in the casetes. Beware: fines are issued for inappropriate parking (cameras are in operation). Free parking options now are the huge library car park or along the service road parallel to the main road (opposite Eroski supermarket) – only a short walk away.
After a period when the coastal authorities banned Ponderosa Beach and other neighbouring establishments from putting tables onto the sand itself, things went back to normal in 2023. Once again, you can sit at a table with your toes buried in the sand.
The Team
Chef Rafael Serrano The third generation of the founders is in charge. Carlos, Marga, and Balta are hands-on at Ponderosa Beach – with an extra warm welcome for regular clients (of which there are many). The service team has changed over the years we’ve been going, but staff members have always been professional, with a friendliness that makes diners feel relaxed, and several members of the team have been there for a few years.
Chef Rafael Serrano heads up the kitchen, which produces a constant stream of paellas and other dishes throughout the busy service period.
Cocktails (10€), mocktails (8€), vermouths, wines, beers, and spirits, are also available and Ponderosa Beach is a popular spot for an early-evening drink once the kitchen has closed at 17:00h. Perfect after a long day enjoying the soft sands and crystalline waters.
The Food
Squid rings with orange and almond alioli 
John Dory 
Pollo Picón 
Ribs! 
Sea bass ceviche The menu offers starters, salads, paellas, dishes ‘from the land’ and ‘from the sea’, kids’ dishes, sides, and desserts – it’s worth saving space for a sweet end to your lunch. Each dish on the menu is marked to show potential allergens. Daily suggestions are offered in addition.
Favourite starters include the zingy sea bass ceviche, croquetas, and Mediterranean squid with an orange-almond alioli dip – which can be gluten-free on request.
Steaming paellas and fideuás are constantly leaving chef Rafael Serrano’s kitchen, and if you crave a well-made paella, it’s a place to satisfy that craving. Freshly cooked to order, prices range from 19€ to 30€ for the indulgent Barroco, made with queen scallops, red prawns, crawfish, prawn tails, cuttlefish, and mussels. The 20-hr ‘Duroc’ pork ribs are a sticky-fingered delight if you prefer meat. Fresh fish is always good too. For our visit 2024 visit, I chose grilled, free-range chicken thigh glazed with chilli and tamarind sauce with roasted red peppers and coriander alioli; The Boss had John Dory.
Good to Know
You need to book ahead for a table at Ponderosa Beach and once you’re at that table, it’s yours for two hours. Be sure to turn up on time – only 15 minutes’ grace is given before that lusted-after table becomes someone else’s.
There are currently a couple of children’s dishes (15€ each) on the menu.
More dishes will be added to the menu in May, when the season really gets going.
Open daily: Kitchen 12:30h–17:00h; Restaurant 12:30h–19:00h. Closed in winter.
Jan Edwards©2024
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La Residencia Opens for 2024
A corner of La Residencia in Deià, Mallorca La Residencia, A Belmond Hotel – which features several times in my novel Daughter of Deià – re-opens today for the 2024 season.
The iconic village hotel celebrates its 40th anniversary this year and has plenty of interesting activities and developments lined up.
Art
This has long been a hotel for lovers of art and, for the third consecutive year, Belmond continues its collaboration with the international art gallery Galleria Continua. As part of the art series MITICO, the French conceptual artist Daniel Buren’s work ‘Descanso Colorado para La Residencia, trabajo in situ, 2024′ will be exhibited at La Residencia from late April.
Following the success of the first edition of ‘Artists in Residencia’ last year, La Residencia and Galleria Continua have launched the second edition. A prestigious committee will select three artists to take part in this programme and create a work of art to be exhibited in the hotel. The winners of three scholarships will be announced on March 31st. The residency programme will include accommodation and a studio on the premises for two months. Now, where’s my easel and paintbrush?
Gastronomy
Last year La Residencia launched its new Tramuntana Grill, which became a guest favourite during the season (I loved the food cooked in the Josper oven). The second phase of the development has enhanced the area around the pool, which is now surrounded by local, white stone terracing and colourful new parasols.
In 2023, the hotel’s fine-dining restaurant El Olivo introduced its new chef, Pablo Armando Aranda, who has previously worked with the renowned Marc Fosh (whose Michelin-starred restaurant is in Palma). For this season, the traditional menu is replaced by a tasting menu of 12 dishes (the Mayurqa Menu) or the reduced version of six plates in the Deià Menu, taking diners on a journey through history to rediscover Mallorcan and Mediterranean flavours. El Olivo also offers vegan menus.
Sustainability
La Residencia is continuing its collaboration with Viti Vinci, the Palma-based atelier that develops aromatic formulas from essential oils of wild plants. That delicious fragrance in the air in the hotel? It was designed exclusively by Viti Vinci and is known as ‘The Essence of La Residencia’. Last year, Viti Vinci created a line of natural bath amenities for the hotel. This year the hotel is offering a tailor-made activity for guests to create their own perfume in the Palma workshop of fragrance maestro, Victor Alarcón,
Honey is another project: in collaboration with the local honey producer Mel Vici, five beehives have been installed in the hotel’s olive grove. The honey is expected to be produced between June and November.
And finally, La Residencia has achieved EarthCheck Silver certification, in recognition of its efforts in implementing sustainable initiatives and strategies. EarthCheck is the leading certification group for sustainable tourism destinations and organisations.
On Your Bike
To celebrate the hotel’s 40th anniversary, a special cycling route will be implemented leading through the Tramuntana mountains and featuring 40 stops at iconic locations on the island. After the effort of a day’s cycling, returning to the comfort and luxury of La Residencia will be bliss.
Congratulations on the 40th, La Residencia! Have a great season.
Jan Edwards ©2024
Cycling photo courtesy of bedrck on Pixabay.
‘Daughter of Deià’ novel, art hotel Mallorca, Artist Daniel Burden, Artists in Residencia, Belmond hotels, Deia, El Olivo Restaurnat, Galleria Continua, Hotel with EarthCheck certification, Mallorca 5-star hotel, Mel Vici, MITICO, Pablo Armando Aranda, Restaurant with vegan menus, Tramuntana Grill, Viti Vinci -
Morgan Freeman Ate Italian at Sandro Restaurante, Palma
Looking for authentic Italian food in Mallorca’s capital, Palma? Then do as the King of Spain and Hollywood ‘royalty’, Morgan Freeman, have done and head for Sandro Restaurante.
Sandro Restaurante is named after Sandro Putignano, previously the maître d’ at the former Puerto Portals restaurant Tristán, which had two Michelin stars back in the day. Sandro left Tristán after twelve years to open his eponymous restaurant in May 2014. Offering authentic Italian cucina, this natural-light-filled, high-ceilinged restaurant is welcoming and usually busy.
Four of us went for lunch and were seated at a round table by the window. You don’t come here for the views of the city’s busy traffic though: it’s all about good Italian food and conviviality.
Sandro’s à la carte menu features the classics of the Italian kitchen. We began with promising, warm focaccia and tasty olives in a home-made dressing and a glass of prosecco.
Our friendly English-speaking server told us of three additional dishes available that day. We chose to share one of these – mozzarella ‘knots’ on a bed of rocket and a tomato concassé – and, from the menu of antipasti, the classic melanzane alla parmigiana, (my favourite aubergine dish). I was intrigued by the notion of the cheese dish, imagining an Italian nonna somewhere in her kitchen, painstakingly using her arthritic fingers to tie mozzarella into knots. Slippery, or what?
The menu has other sections of pasta, classics and risottos, pizzas, fish, meat, and desserts.
Two of us had different ravioli dishes, one had linguine alla Puttanesca (14,50€), and I had a generous portion of spaghetti ai frutti di mare (19,50€).
One to Try?
Strangely, not one of us chose the dish that Morgan Freeman made famous when he ate here while filming in Mallorca in January 2023. The movie star said that the home-made tagliatelle alla Bolognese was ‘the best of my life’ and returned to Sandro to eat it again within days. You’ll find it on the menu alongside a small illustration of the movie star’s face and, despite Mr Freeman’s glowing endorsement, this dish costs only 17,50€.
Only one of us had room for dessert: a thick slice of pineapple marinated in Amaretto and citrus, caramelized, and served with vanilla ice cream (6€).
Wines by the glass were reasonably priced.
Good to Know
Gluten-free spaghetti and penne are available on request.
Open for lunch and dinner, but closed on Tuesdays.
Sandro Restaurante is very close to the hotel HM Palma Blanc. It’s on the corner of Carrer d’Eivissa and Carrer de Ramon y Cajal.
The nearest underground car park is in Passeig de Mallorca (also known as Paseo de Mallorca).
Jan Edwards ©2024
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Palma’s Best-Known Seafood Restaurant: Ca n’Eduardo
Although Mallorca has a coastline of around 550 kilometres, there are not as many restaurants dedicated mainly to seafood as you’d think. Seafood is, of course, found on many eatery menus but if you’re looking for a renowned restaurant where the culinary focus is on fish and shellfish, I’d recommend Ca n’Eduardo in Palma.
This restaurant is one of the oldest in Palma, having been in business for 80 years; it’s recognised in Palma’s Emblematic Establishments Catalogue. Since 2008, Ca n’Eduardo has been owned by Johnny Moloney – a Dubliner who bought the place with two business partners. Johnny’s chef experience included working in his native Ireland and the States, and he was head chef at his Palma restaurant until 2018. Today he manages the restaurant, which has a team of Spanish chefs.
The Place
Ca n’Eduardo couldn’t be much closer to the sea: it’s right above Palma’s fish auction hall. Its upper-floor location means the views are superb: from the smart dining room – with its contemporary artworks – you can admire the cathedral La Seu, and the fishing boats in the harbour below. Further into the dining room, you can see the chefs at work in the open kitchen.
Johnny Moloney 
In fine weather, the rear terrace has views including the mountains, the circular Castell Bellver, the monument on top of Na Burguesa, and the Es Baluard rampart. If you’re curious about the five, huge, black cubes suspended from the terrace of Es Baluard, it’s the sculpture ‘Bou’ (which means ‘bull’) by Santiago Calatrava.
The Food
Chocolate coulant 
Apple tart One of the four specialities at Ca n’Eduardo is sea bass baked in a salt crust (29€ each for a minimum of two people). This is a surprisingly simple dish to make at home but removing it from its baked salt ‘carapace’ and filleting it to serve can be a messy (and slow) job if you’re not a pro. If you’ve never tried this dish, it’s delicious and surprisingly not salty.
Another speciality is grilled lobster with fried egg and chips (33€) – a treat of a dish you’ll find in a few restaurants in Mallorca.
There are eight varieties of paella and other rice dishes on Ca n’Eduardo’s menu, although all are for a minimum of two people, from 20€ a person.
We Ate
To begin our lunch, we shared crispy shrimps (a portion of six) with a honey and mustard sauce, fried calamari, and crystal bread. Our main course dishes were sea bass and supreme of hake – both of which came with half a baked potato and a side salad.
Two desserts are noteworthy here: dark chocolate coulant and apple tart with vanilla ice cream – each of these two takes 20 minutes to cook, allowing you more time to enjoy the view.
Good to Know
Ca n’Eduardo is open from 13:00h until 22:00h so if you’re having a shopping or sightseeing day in Palma, you don’t have to stress about eating lunch before the restaurant closes.
Outside Palma, just a couple of places where I’ve also eaten delicious fish: Ses Coves (Campanet) and at Sa Punta (Sa Coma) – the restaurant owned by tennis supremo Rafa Nadal’s uncle.
Jan Edwards ©2024
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El Camino is a Must-Visit for Tapas in Palma
If you’ve eaten in London at the Spanish restaurants Fino and Barrafina, I think you’ll enjoy El Camino in Palma. The owner of this smart tapas restaurant in Mallorca’s capital is Eddie Hart, one of the brothers behind those successful London restaurants.
Eddie spent many childhood and teenage summer holidays at his family’s second home here on the island. Who can blame him for moving from London to the slower-paced life of beautiful Mallorca? It seemed a brave move for an Englishman to open a tapas restaurant in Palma but Eddie’s stylish eatery has become one of the must-go places in a city that’s not short of good restaurants. We’ve eaten here countless times and I really don’t know why I haven’t blogged about it before (although El Camino has been my Restaurant of the Week on Mallorca Sunshine Radio).
El Camino is a few steps away from the Passeig des Born, where you’ll find stores like Zara, Massimo Dutti, and Louis Vuitton. Take the pedestrianised lane Carrer de Can Brando to find El Camino. Depending on the time of day, people may be waiting outside for vacant seats at the marble-topped oak counter. It’s worth the wait.
The Place
Almost ready for service 
El Camino has a couple of conventional tables 
A mirrored wall at El Camino El Camino’s visual appeal is obvious. The attractive, elegant décor is the work of interior designer Elsa Olivera of Elsa O Studio. The warm lighting and use of mirrors make clever use of the narrow space. I like the thoughtful touch of adding hooks under the counter so you can hang a bag or your jacket while you’re seated.
This is mainly a sit-at-the-counter tapas restaurant, where you’re on a comfortable high chair with a ‘ringside’ seat of the culinary action. El Camino is gastronomic theatre: the players are those cooking, plating, and serving behind the counter, while we are the audience watching what looks like a choreographed performance of the friendly El Camino team members as they go about their work, and enjoying the delicious results. An encore is often necessary as the menu has so many tempting choices!
The Food & Wine
The menu is printed on paper placemats on the countertop and a separate list shows the day’s specials. The Mediterranean cuisine is made from carefully sourced produce. This is a place to share dishes – the more the merrier (go hungry). On our last visit, we ate pimientos de Padrón, salt cod fritters (yum!), ceviche, queen scallops – probably my favourite dish there – and succulent, meaty lamb chops from Burgos.
After The Boss and I had eaten all that food, dessert didn’t seem possible. But we did manage to share the small dish of hazelnut and chocolate spheres as an accompaniment to coffee, which was perfect to end lunch at El Camino.
Wines are Spanish and some special ones from Mallorca. There’s one for all tastes and budgets here, including Vega Sicilia at the top end of the price range. Only the top-end wines are not available by the glass. I enjoyed the freshness of the Friki Verdejo and Mallorcan winery Oliver Moragues’s delicious red, El Galgo.
Good to Know
El Camino is open daily (except Sundays and Mondays), 13:00h-16:00h & 18:00h-22:45h
Are you on Instagram? So are El Camino and eatdrinksleepmallorca.
You can now book for El Camino up to three months in advance here.
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Jan Edwards ©2024
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Review of Mallorca’s Shine Spa by Sheraton
The outdoor pool at the Sheraton Mallorca Arabella Golf Hotel The Sheraton Mallorca Arabella Golf Hotel is set on the verdant, hillside area of Mallorca known as Son Vida. It overlooks the island’s capital and the Bay of Palma beyond and has been described as the Beverley Hills of Mallorca because of its allure for the wealthy.
Here’s where you’ll find architect-designed villas with sumptuous gardens, all enjoying breathtaking views and privacy. The owners of these properties have fairly easy access to a highway all the way to Palma Airport, which has a thriving private jet base.
Hotel Overview
Son Vida is also home to golf courses and two luxury, 5-star* places to stay: Castillo Hotel Son Vida and the Sheraton Mallorca Arabella Golf Hotel. The latter is a true resort hotel, with 93 rooms and suites, lush gardens, a large outdoor swimming pool, a family pool, two new tennis courts, the new Arabella Kids & Tweens Club, Fitness Pavilion with Technogym equipment, and the Shine Spa.
Son Vida Golf – a mere club swing away from the Sheraton’s restaurant terrace – was the first golf club to open in Mallorca. Close by are the 18-hole Son Quint and Son Muntaner courses, making the Sheraton Mallorca Arabella Golf Hotel a golfer’s paradise.
Golf is not my bag but you can sign me up for a spa anytime. And the Sheraton Mallorca is home to the well-managed Shine Spa by Sheraton, where I spent the day last Wednesday.
The Wet Facilities at Shine Spa
This spacious, modern, and natural light-filled spa has a large, heated indoor pool, whirlpool, steam room, sauna, showers (including overhead ice tub), and plenty of loungers and chairs in the pool area. Spa users have the use of a locker, in which a bathrobe, slippers, and a towel are provided. There’s no shortage of fresh towels around the pool area should you need more.
Just a few of the places to relax n the spa 
Attractive tiling in the showers area 
Ice, ice, baby 
The heated indoor pool with garden views 
Whirlpool A water dispenser with reusable glasses will help you keep hydrated but if you want other drinks, these can be arranged by the spa reception team. Incidentally, I found the whole spa team to be helpful and friendly.
Treatments at the Shine Spa
Olimpia and her magical hands ready to treat me 
One of the other treatment rooms 
One of the innovative products from Germaine de Capuccini 
A wide choice of Germaine de Capuccini products on display 
Help yourself to teas 
I liked this touch in reception Shine Spa has four individual and one couple’s treatment rooms. In addition, a spacious Thai massage room has opened where the hotel’s golf shop used to be.
The treatment list includes eight facials, 11 massages (including reflexology and reiki), and six body treatments. Also on offer are packages, mani- and pedi treatments, waxing, and make-up.
The treatments at Shine Spa are based on products by Germaine de Capuccini – a company established in 1964 and known for its innovation in skincare technology. A range of these products is available for sale in the spa.
I had a facial from the Mallorcan therapist, Olimpia, whose hands felt as though they were working magic on my skin. It truly was the most relaxing facial I’ve had, enhanced by lying on a heated treatment bed. Bliss.
I floated back to my lounger for some more relaxation by the pool, then showered and changed to have some late afternoon tapas and a glass of wine in the hotel’s restaurant, La Bodega del Green. It wasn’t warm enough to sit outside on the large terrace that day but it looks an appealing place to eat when the weather allows.
I left Shine Spa by Sheraton glowing and renewed. And those are just how a spa day should make you feel.
Offers for Local Residents
Residents of the Balearics can enjoy a choice of special deals at this hotel. Click here.
You can become a member of the Shine Spa & Gym: Four durations of subscriptions are available, starting at 115€ per person per month. In the changing room, I got chatting to an American who lives near the hotel and told me she uses the spa almost daily with her subscription.
Good to Know
Shine Spa is open from 08:00h to 20:00h; treatments are available from 10:00h. Children are not allowed in after 18:00h.
La Bodega del Green is open from 12:00h to 22:00h. As well as the different lunch and dinner menus (the latter offered from 18:00h), there are tapas and a separate gluten-free menu.
Free parking is available in one of the bays just outside the hotel gates.
See the website here.
Mallorca now has 65 hotels with 5 stars, with more to open in 2024.
Jan Edwards ©2024
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What’s New at Finca Can Beneït – 2024
Sustainability rules at Finca Can Beneït 
We stayed in room 4 – with this view on one side 
Sunrise from the terrace of our room For the third year running, we spent our wedding anniversary (coinciding with Valentine’s Day) at Mallorca’s hideaway, rural 5-star hotel, Finca Can Beneït. This was our fourth visit in total to this beautiful property in the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Serra de Tramuntana, and each time we’ve found enhancements to the guest experience.
The Arrival
The first enhancement we noticed this year was the installation of a gate at the entrance to the finca. Press the button and the gate slides open and by the time you’ve parked your car, a member of the hotel staff has arrived to carry your luggage and escort you to the hotel reception desk. This makes the welcome feel even warmer – especially for first-time visitors.
The Mirabona Restaurant Terrace
Our stay began with a glass of cava on the terrace (February has been very mild in Mallorca this year). The dining area of the terrace has a new covering for shade, discreet (but effective) heaters for the cooler months, and attractive wooden overhead fans for the summer. We also spotted some new tableware at breakfast time.
The Toiletries
This year the toiletries in guest rooms have been upgraded to Barcelona’s Natura Bissé brand – it’s a delicious treat to use these luxurious products.
The Panorama Suite
Desk & TV in the sitting room 
The spacious Panorama Suite bathroom with Spirit of the Nomad towels and robes 
Bathroom with Natura Bissé toiletries 
Panorama Suite bedroom with Spirit of the Nomad bedlinen 
New glazed doors add light to the bedroom as well as giving access to the large terrace 
View over the newly planted roof garden out as far as the Bay of Alcúdia The most impressive enhancement at Finca Can Beneït is the appropriately named Panorama Suite. On the upper floor, this totally renovated suite looks over the swimming pool and has dreamy views of the mountains against which the hamlet of Binibona is nestled.
The bedroom has new glazed doors onto the huge terrace, with two outdoor armchairs and two loungers. I could probably spend a week there just admiring the view and watching the plants grow on the newly planted roof garden in front of the suite.
The suite measures 80sqm, with a lounge area, large bathroom (with bath and shower), and separate bedroom. A Velux roof window was installed during the renovation, providing natural light over the desk in the lounge area. What a space to write in! A telescope is thoughtfully provided for spectacular views of the unpolluted night skies here.
We didn’t stay in the Panorama Suite but owner Toni Duran gave us a tour of the upgraded suite. My verdict? It’s gorgeous. Finca Can Beneït’s Panorama Suite would be a dreamy place to stay on a honeymoon.
Complimentary Activities
The following complimentary guest activities continue at Finca Can Beneït:
Wine tasting on a Wednesday evening with English sommelier, Amy Dunn. Amy is an engaging speaker and has an infectious enthusiasm for wines – as well as impressive knowledge. For interesting information about wines, you can follow Amy’s Instagram account tastingwithamy.
Finca Can Beneït has two e-bikes and four touring bikes for guest use. There are some pretty country lanes around for cycling.
Complimentary yoga classes take place three times a week.
Jan Edwards ©2024
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Lunch in the Campanet Countryside: Ses Coves
Ses Coves seen from the car park Several times last summer I tried to book a table for dinner at Ses Coves in the Campanet countryside. I’d read and heard a lot about the place so it was no surprise that it was always full when I tried to make a reservation. The answer? Eat out of season – which we did recently, booking our lunch only the day before we wanted to go.
Ses Coves – as the name suggests – is adjacent to the Caves of Campanet at the foot of the Puig Sant Miquel, overlooking a picturesque valley with extensive views. The location is fantastic but the main reason for the popularity of Ses Coves restaurant is its reputation for carefully sourced, high-quality meat and fish. And it’s all expertly cooked over the embers of an almond-wood fire in an open kitchen at the rear of the restaurant by chef Josep Joan Segura (his friends call him ‘Jota’ – the Spanish word for the letter ‘J’) who owns both businesses with his wife Paloma. Sustainability is a guiding principle for the couple, who source the wood and some of the produce they use from their land.
Ses Coves had me at this! 
A gorgeous ginger puss, probably eyeing up someone’s fish! 
View of the dining room 
Another view of the dining room Quite a few stone steps take you from the car park up to the restaurant and the cave entrance. My delight at finally arriving here was enhanced by the sight of the finca’s two beautiful cats.
Before you reach the restaurant entrance, there’s a small terrace where visitors to the caves can enjoy a refreshment from the inevitable shop. On the other side of the restaurant is the large terrace with gorgeous views, where dinner is served during the warmer months.
The same views are available from the dining room, which seats around 30 people. The tables have linen cloths and napkins, and rustic-looking ceramics made by the über-talented Mallorcan chef and artist, Santi Taura (who, like several chefs from the island, likes to eat here). Motown tunes played in the background at a level that didn’t hinder conversation.
Ses Coves’s website does not show the menu – although there are tempting photos – so I should warn you that the high quality of the produce used here comes at a commensurate price. You can’t easily see what you’ll spend on a meat or fish dish because the prices are shown on the menu by weight (by 100g for fish and by the kilo for meat). The drinks, starters, and desserts are not expensive for the quality of the place, but main course prices may surprise you.
Let me say that the quality of the meat and fish and the expert grilling over the embers of an almond wood fire result in a memorable foodie experience. Keen carnivores will appreciate the dry-aged Galician beef chops from Cárnicas LyO, a company that supplies meat to some of Spain’s top restaurants. You’ll probably pay upwards of 98€ per kilo, depending on your choice of meat.
What We Ate at Ses Coves
Our starter – a generous bowl to share 
The meaty fish known as ‘virrey’ 
Yellow grouper from Mallorca 
Oooh, these were tasty 
Almond coulant with a molten centre 
‘J’ in his kitchen We started our lunch with good, warm bread – from a bakery in nearby Búger – with delicious smoked butter (EVOO was also an option).
From the eight shareable starters (three of which featured Mallorcan red prawns), we shared a tasty dish of mixed mushrooms, charcoal-grilled aubergine, grilled pork belly, and Joselito jowl (24,10€).
We weren’t quite hungry enough for a large beef chop, but prefer fish anyway. The Boss ordered yellow grouper from Mallorca (9€ per 100g). I had ‘virrey’ – a deep-water fish from Galicia (16€ per 100g). Both were cooked to perfection and enjoyed with a shared, heaping plate of French fries (9,50€).
We ended with almond ice cream and, for me, a delicious almond coulant with a perfect oozing centre that I’d love to recreate at home.
The wine list has a good choice of Mallorcan, national, and international wines at a broad range of prices, with some by the glass. We paid 5€ for a generous glass of Sincronia from Mesquida Mora, and 4,70€ for the young wine, Eloi, from Toni Gelabert.
Verdict
A memorable and delicious lunch in a beautiful location, at a cost that exceeded our usual eating-out budget. For us, this means our next visit will be for a special occasion. And will be booked well in advance.
Good to Know
Ses Coves has a Solete in the Guía Repsol.
Opening hours are currently Wednesday to Saturday from 1pm to 3.30pm. In summer, Ses Coves opens for dinner only from Tuesday to Saturday from 7.30pm.
The fascinating caves were discovered by accident in 1945, and are worth a visit. The old steps within can be slippery so appropriate footwear is recommended.
If you book online, the Ses Coves reservation form will request your card details, as protection against a possible ‘no show’. This requirement is becoming more common in Mallorca but money is not taken at the time of booking.
Jan Edwards @2024
Eat Drink Sleep Mallorca 