Magical Mallorca rewrites the memory book
Relaxation at a new hotel in Andratx plus a shopping fix in Palma
Louisa Walters is Features Editor at the Jewish News and specialises in food and travel writing
My first trip to Mallorca did not go well. My luggage didn’t show up for three days, the hotel we had picked at random was entirely geared to a German clientele – from the signage to the food – and my then-two-ear-old contracted gastroenteritis on day four and so we spent the rest of the trip stuck in the room.
The two-year-old did the Magaluf rite-of-passage with his mates 16 years later, returning home with a pierced ear which made me laugh and his father frown. Since then Mallorca has become home to Love Island, which has not endeared it to me. And yet… it seems to be hugely popular among my contemporaries so I did start to wonder what I was missing.
It’s taken my husband and me 27 years but we finally plucked up the courage to go back. Not quite brave enough yet to do a full week, we opted for a long weekend at a new hotel in Andratx, and then 36 hours in Palma.
Zafiro Palace Andratx is the latest addition to a family-owned portfolio collection of hotels on the island. Its location in Camp de Mar, an area of outstanding natural beauty, with spectacular views of the ocean and the Sierra de Tramuntana mountains, instantly chased away my previous Mallorca memories. The hotel complex is a series of low-lying blocks set into the rockface so as to have minimum impact on the natural environment. The design is contemporary with clean lines and this is very much a luxurious resort with a feeling of exclusivity. I was surprised to learn there are more than 300 rooms as its doesn’t feel that large.
After an easy half-hour journey from the airport we were welcomed into a light-filled lobby with lots of pastel pink accents and offered a glass of cava. What makes the hotel so appealing is the All-Inclusive Redefined programme, which means that (almost) everything is included. That includes three meals a day at five fabulous restaurants, airport transfers, cocktails and drinks all day long and a VIP concierge service for booking anything you want to do outside of the property (although why you’d want to leave I’m not quite sure). There are several pools, a gym with a sports programme and a small spa where I enjoyed a heavenly facial (not included). Golfers can play at the Andratx Gold Club at discounted rates.
Our spacious room with huge bed and good quality furniture had its own lovely terrace with a plunge pool and we could happily have stayed there all day. More than half the rooms have private pools and all have a balcony or terrace. It’s always the little things that mark a hotel out and this one has lots of hangers in the large walk-in wardrobe, double sinks and really good lighting.
The hotel is well set up for families with young children but there is also an adults-only pool if you want to steer clear. This has double semi-floating deckbeds which proved to be the perfect place to enjoy a passion fruit mojito (included!) which can be brought to your bed or picked up at the cute drinks truck.
Breakfast at Market restaurant is a fantastic buffet that’s plentiful without being overwhelming and a tapas-style menu is available at lunchtime. The other lunch option is at La Veranda, which has an Italian menu so we enjoyed vitello tonnato and a superb lasagne with pulled beef. We tried all three dinner options. El Olivo serves classic Mediterranean dishes and we tucked into red tuna with beetroot and feta and my favourite Spanish starter, Aji Blanco (chilled almond soup), poured at the table, and rack of lamb.
At Caliu Grill, an American-style steakhouse, we shared an expertly cooked and sliced Tomahawk steak. Our favourite restaurant was Tastes and Sushi which offers an exotic and authentic Asian experience. The standout dish here was sea bass carpaccio. All the restaurants have huge outdoor terraces and it’s a real treat to sit there to eat with views of the mountains as the sun goes down. It’s the kind of place where you want to get dressed up in the evening and it was nice to see that people do. Staff are charming and clearly love working at the hotel.
Andratx is home to what is widely claimed be the most beautiful harbour in Europe. It’s also where lots of celebrities and wealthy people have homes, so there is a good choice of restaurants, including the well-known Rocamar. We took a taxi down to the harbour one morning, meandering the pretty streets with their lovely shops and stopping for a coffee at the water’s edge at Cappuccino.
Zafiro Palace Andratx is close enough to Palma to visit from there but we checked in to pretty boutique Hotel Basilica for the night to get a real feel for the city. This gave us lots of time to shop (espadrilles are the number one commodity), buy our body weight in coated nuts at Sabor a Espana, and walk through the pretty park S’hort del Rei with its cobbled walkways and fountains. We ventured to Puerto Portals to marvel at the yachts and order the famous apple tarte tatin at Flanigan restaurant at lunchtime. Dinner was at the Oslo Court-esque Il Paradiso with stunning views across the bay of Palma. A terrace table is a must!
I have made new Mallorca memories and they are magnificent. Hasta la vista.
Nightly rates at Zafiro Palace Andratx start at €513 per room on an All-Inclusive Redefined® basis. Some services are exclusive to direct bookings only zafirohotels.com
Nightly rates at Hotel Basilica start at £148. hotel basilica.com
Bespoke Kosher Travel can ensure you have access to good quality kosher meals throughout your trip. bespokekoshertravel.com
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