I am not exactly known for my skills of organisation, so my husband’s expectations for his big birthday weekend were low to say the least. He considers himself lucky if I remember to get him a card.
Little did he know we were heading to the Valldemossa Hotel, a newly renovated manor house nestled in the Sierra de Tramuntana, a UNESCO World Heritage site on the edge of Valldemossa village in Mallorca. As we arrived, with ice-cold sparkling cava in hand and relaxing on the sun-baked red stone patio overlooking the mountains, we couldn’t believe how easy it had been to get here. Just a 90 minute flight from Gatwick and a 30 minute transfer from Palma makes this the perfect distance for long weekend escapism.
The property sympathetically blends contemporary Spanish art and modern designer furniture, with natural stone and earthy toned walls. This blend of high design with breathtaking nature is a signature of the IT Mallorca hotel group, which has several properties on the island. Our room was full of charming details; snuggly cashmere blankets to enjoy morning coffee on the terrace, a signature hotel fragrance of fig and lemon to create sensorial memories and the fluffiest giant bath towels.
As if the impromptu trip wasn't surprising enough (hubbie didn’t even think I had a valid passport!) he certainly didn’t expect to spend his birthday experiencing the ultimate in Mallorcan wellness. Over the weekend we enjoyed relaxing in the hotel’s private sanctuary pool that you can book to have all to yourself, hiking in the hills of Valldemossa (not for the faint hearted), and most memorably, the hotel’s signature massage treatment. Their innovative modern-meets-traditional method combines lymphatic drainage using glass cupping with ancient Chinese and Korean manual massage techniques. I particularly enjoyed the feel of my back crunching as my masseuse walked over me holding a ladder suspended from the ceiling. The hotel also hosts yoga in the garden on Saturdays and there is cycling storage for those with the inclination to power up some steep mountain climbs.
The hotel’s pine tree shaded outdoor pool was bracing in May despite the mid twenties weather, but the pillow soft sunbeds around it enticed us to lounging, knowing that more cava was always on hand via the poolside phone that dialled straight to reception.
A short walk from the hotel took us into Valldemossa village, a pretty hillside spot with the perfect amount of cafes and boutiques to explore over a long-weekend. For dinner one night we tried Es Taller, a modern tapas restaurant housed in an old mechanic’s workshop. Food here was super fresh, flavorful and packed with vegetables grown in their own gardens; we loved the Thai crispy duck curry and sobrasada croquettes with fig jam.
Food at the hotel was equally fantastic; breakfast included overnight oats served in tiny kilner jars, local cheeses and hams, fresh fruit compote and fried Mallorcan eggs with deep orange yolks, served with thinly sliced ham on crunchy toast.
Dining at the hotel’s restaurant De Tokio A Lima is a must. Watching the sunset against a stunning hillside backdrop surrounded by sweet scented fig, almond and olive trees transports you a million miles from home. Chefs German Bernardi and Ricardo Rossi have devised a modern menu inspired by Japan and South America, using the freshest Mediterranean ingredients. Think yellowfish sashimi with quinoa popcorn and pineapple, sirloin tataki and pork & guacamole tacos, followed by unmissable Soller lemon meringue pie, which is the house speciality.
All in all, staying at the Valldemossa hotel offers the perfect 3 day retreat to nature and my husband was suitably impressed… although he’s still waiting for his birthday card.
