We visited Mallorca for the first time just this month, and we stayed at the Hotel Can Simoneta our…read moreentire time. It is in the north eastern area of the island, in the Canyamel area. It's a great quiet and relaxing boutique hotel, with great outdoor grounds along the top of the cliffs and with a bunch of separate sections each with guest rooms. We stayed in the main house where the entrance, breakfast buffet and outdoor restaurant/lounges are attached to, and that worked out pretty well. Everything is close by so wherever you say it would be a good choice. The outdoor grounds have amazing views of the ocean and the nearby towns to the north, and the sunrise really comes out perfect to catch if you get up before breakfast to check it out. Breakfast is a buffet but also with a menu of items you can select to be made fresh for you (erica was a fan of the scrambled eggs with truffles, i got the same but with vegetables instead). There are two different infinity pools, a couple of outdoor hot tubs, a lot of nice grass areas to hang out on the lounge chairs, and also some sections down on the rocks you can hang out in if you want to be closer to the ocean. Lots of good attributes to this hotel and no complaints from us, I think if we went back to Mallorca and wanted to stay in the north side again, we'd be happy to return. :-)

After we had decided on Menorca, we wanted to stay where the best beaches are. It came down to…read moreCala'n Porter and Cala Galdana. Sa Barrera was very highly rated on Trip Advisor, so we decided to give it a shot. It's a wonderful boutique hotel in the sleepy village of Cala'n Porter, an easy 20 minute drive from the airport. The overall vibe was super mellow and peaceful. Perfect for couples (like us) looking to decompress from the big city. The room was a bit small, but very clean with a small balcony for two. I don't believe that there was an elevator. We seriously may have had the best room, in the top left in the photos on their website. Excellent view of the sea, but not the actual beach. The breakfast buffet was very, very nice. We sat out by the pool. Definitely loved the tortilla espanola. They will also make espresso-based coffee drinks to order, Americano in my case. Trip to the beach was either a long walk around the "front" entrance or about 150+ steps down from the hotel. We stayed for two nights. My only nitpick is the parking. There are only about six spaces on the side street where the main entrance is. If you get a spot, keep it. Street parking wasn't too bad even in peak season. Best restaurant close by was Lorengo.

I visited and did a tour with tasting. I had a lovely afternoon! The tour was very brief, but you…read moregot a good feel for the care and tradition that goes into the winemaking here. It was a small group, so I was able to get all of my questions answered. The tasting was great too. It was a warm and relaxed vibe. There were very generous pours and the wine was solid. Mostly mixed. The vermut was definitely my favorite. To get there, I took the bus and then walked - I would not recommend that (30-40 mins in direct sunlight), however, would definitely recommend visiting if you have a car!

Miguel and his team were great! it is true that a "security" concept is not really in place…read morealthough Miguel and his team can be at your side in flash (they are very fast on their boards). One should not do this if one is not a confident swimmer. Learning to stand up paddle was fast and simple. Keep your balance and paddle, paddle, paddle. The coves and the whole coast were beautiful. I had a great time and wish it had been all day and not a short, four hour tour. I'd do it again and again and again. Thank you Miguel and team!

This resort is undoubtedly a 5 star experience. The food at all of the restaurants is absolutely…read moreamazing. The poolside service is incredible. The rooms are gigantic and extremely luxurious. I went here for a few days with some friends on a trip to Spain and had an amazing adventure. The grounds are beautiful with so much to see that you truly do not need to leave the property. We came here after a weekend of partying in Ibiza for some much needed R&R. The dining experiences are absolutely 5 stars. The thai food that we ate was incredible and their Spanish style tapas restaurant is amazing. The rooms have gigantic bathrooms and balconies for days. I'm giving it four stars, but only because of it's location. If you want to see more of Palma and get a cultural experience, I would not stay here as it is quite far away from the center of Mallorca. If you want some relaxation and more of a resort feel, I recommend staying here.

Great destination hotel. Very impressive facilities. Modern rooms with top amenities and great…read moreservice overall. The hotel is 1/2 mile away from the beach, has a spa on-site and a small pool. The internet is free. It is a good hotel but at times the room service is lacking and not crazy about the bathroom which is a combined tub and shower which can be a bit messy. The view from the balconies is fantastic. Great place for a non-beach vacation with high-end expectations

After taking a guided tour, we were ready to explore the island on our own. This rental spot was a…read morefew steps up the hill from our hotel in Arsenal de Carnel. They didn't have many car choices which was a surprise as this was a mini peak period given before June. The choices were small and smaller. We decided to go with the Peugeot 207. With a color the same as the water, maybe the highest mile and oldest car I've ever rented. That said, it got the job done. Good that driving a manual transmission is like riding a bike cause that's what we got. Didn't think these manual tranee cars were still available to rent. (But this is Europe after all) We were able to drop the car off at the airport using a creative process (if you rent with them you'll know what I mean) which saved us an airport transfer cost. This isn't a big name rental company but more local flavor. Jenny took good care of us and gave us a reasonable rate as well some great sites suggestions. If you're staying in the area and decide to get a car mid trip, check them out.

Very nice adult-only hotel, located a little away from the bustling promenade. Super friendly…read morestaff, some good foods (especially the salads that were really fresh, creative and just yum!) and clean and modern rooms. Maybe not the right place for a longer vacation but defo worth value and a stay for a week or so. Thumbs up!

What a beautiful hotel!…read more After the hustle a bustle of Barcelona, my family was more than ready to make our way to the island getaway portion of our trip. Artiem Audax was beautiful. It is located right, like literally right on Cala Galdana. The rooms were just the right size, even with three of us staying there. The bathrooms were very spacious and well stocked upon our arrival. Now Menorca (Minorca) is a very nature/outdoors oriented island and Audax was a prime location. As soon as you exit the hotel you can make your way to the beach (Cala Galdana) and it's about a two minute walk before you can get you feet in the beautiful blue waters. Then you can also head straight out the main entrance and meet a trail head that will take you around the outer portions of the island. It has some great views and photo ops! I believe it is part of the Cami de Cavalls. Audax is also situated very close to many restaurants and also a great little place that I rented a scooter at for a great day-venture!! This hotel featured a wonderful spa. Which my family was more than willing to partake on our last day there. Having never been to a spa before I was a little out of my element. But I would gladly go again! Over all I would have to say that if you are going to Spain, plan an island getaway, and stay at Artiem Audax. You won't be disappointed!!