Hospes Hotel Maricel, Calvia, Spain

When Hospes hotels converted a fifties sandstone mansion overlooking the Mediterranean into the Hospes Maricel, it re-defined the Mallorca luxury hotel. But never content to rest on its laurels and gloat over its string of awards, the Hospes Maricel has spent 2008 building an extension which has doubled its number of rooms to meet demand and has added an impressive new range of amenities.

The facilities

Part of the appeal of this luxury hotel is its excellent location. The restaurants, museums and monuments of Palma de Mallorca are only a10-minute drive from the Hospes Maricel. The golf course of Bendinat is only 500m away and the crystal blue waters of the Mediterranean lap against the rocky bay and the small beach just below its huge, sunny terrace.

Vaulted arches adorned with statues and gargoyles once witnessed some of Mallorca’s wildest parties, as the building housed the island’s best nightclub for many years. But debauchery has been replaced by a sense of tranquillity and splendid isolation thanks to the luxury hotel’s elegant, white , minimalist interiors.

A small desk in the vast lobby of the luxury hotel makes check-in a discreet affair. The huge sea-facing space is dotted with sleek designer furniture in muted tones and a couple of red Arne Jacobsen swan chairs add a splash of colour. A library of glossy, coffee-table tomes, dream books and a computer offering free internet access occupies one end, a glamorous cocktail bar the other.

But the hub of this luxury hotel is the huge, heated infinity pool where guests are waited on by staff from the pool bar. Four spa treatment rooms housed in natural caves overlooking the sea have always been hugely popular. Come October 2008 the brand new spa in the new building will offer first-class pampering with a fitness room, Pilates room, relaxation rooms, sauna, hamam, Jacuzzi and both indoor and outdoor pools.

Senzone restaurant is something of a legend as its buffet, tasting and a la carte menus of gourmet modern Mediterranean dishes are highly acclaimed and its decadent breakfast has won the luxury hotel awards.

The rooms

The main building of the Hospes Maricel houses 29 rooms of which the Attic rooms are the best if you prize a spectacular view of the sea above all else. Interiors are sleek and white, beds are heavenly and bathrooms are glass cubes furnished with rain showers and amenity kits more generous than in most luxury hotels.

The 24 rooms in the new extension across the road are accessed via an underground stone arcade. They are worth the short extra walk as they have terraces with small pools heated by eco-friendly solar panels which look out to sea. All rooms will be furnished with projectors instead of TVs to reduce screen radiation and ‘atmosphere dials’ to control the levels of oxygen.