"A gem of a boutique hotel, created from two 17th-century farmhouses, romantic, refined and a favourite honeymooners."
La Residencia in the picturesque village of Deia is the most famous luxury hotel in Mallorca and has been a retreat for the rich and famous for the last twenty years. Back in the Fifties and Sixties, Robert Graves, Laura Riding and Norman Jenkins Yanikun were among the artists, poets, musicians and writers who flocked to Deia to find inspiration in its stunning setting in the Tramuntana mountains. These days it’s the likes of Annie Lennox, Jade Jagger, Kate Moss, Brian Ferry, Harrison Ford and Sting who fly here for pampering and privacy at La Residencia.
But it’s rare that you’ll actually see a famous face at La Residencia, as the hotel is so huge. At first sight it looks more like a village-within-a-village than a luxury hotel as it sprawls across four buildings set in 30 acres of olive groves.
The rooms
There are only 67 rooms and suites spread out over the original manor houses which date back to the 16th and 18th centuries and the two new wings which have been built in a sympathetic style. Top celebrities and the super-rich tend to hole up in Suite 66 where Princess Diana would stay, which has its own, private 7-metre pool and terrace overlooking the village, the valley and the sea. The brand new Tramontana Suites (opened in 2007) are also popular as they’re all-day sun-traps with heated plunge pools, guaranteed privacy and proximity to the new state-of-the-art gym. If all the suites have been snapped up by honeymooners and Hollywood starlets, ask for one of the charming Superior Doubles in the oldest mansion, particularly numbers 11, 12, 12b and 14 with their four-poster beds and vaulted ceilings.
The facilities
Staying at La Residencia isn’t all about bagging the best room – the fabulous food and facilities are among the best in Mallorca. Award-winning, fine-dining restaurant El Olivo and the more casual Son Fony cater to ladies who normally lunch in the poshest restaurants in London. The spa has seven treatment rooms, a sauna and a hamam, and yoga, Tai Chi and Aqua-aerobics instructors are on call. There are three pools – the 31-metre pool, a second that’s child-friendly and a third, indoor heated one for the winter months. And for the more active, La Residencia also has tennis courts and a resident tennis coach, free mountain bikes and hiking trails.
Star rating:
Address: Finca Son Canals, Deià, Mallorca 07179, Spain
View rooms
Address: Finca Son Canals, Deià, Mallorca 07179, Spain
Booking info
Arrival:
Thu 21 Aug 2008
Departure: Fri 22 Aug 2008
No. adults: 2
Departure: Fri 22 Aug 2008
No. adults: 2
Check Availability
Come for
- An extravagant honeymoon.
- Keeping in shape
- The in-house art collection with canvases by local Mallorcan artists
- The 3-bedroomed villa which has access to all the hotel's facilities
Not suitable for
- Visitors on a budget
- Children under 10 who are only accepted in the summer months, in October and for Christmas and New Year
Awards
Conde Nast Readers Travel Awards 07; Best Leisure Hotel in Europe 07
Children
The best months for children are July-October and Christmas as the hotel has activities and a childrens menu available all day. Extra beds and baby-sitting services are available on request all year round though.
Eating in
Diners tend to dress for dinner at Michelin-starred El Olivo as it's widely regarded as one of the best, and smartest restaurants on the island. Son Fony is the casual, poolside eaterie serving fresh, seasonal fare.
