Finca Son Gener, Sant Llorenç, Spain

Agroturismo may not be a phrase that springs to mind when planning a luxury break to Mallorca, but Finca Son Gener is a boutique hotel with every amenity and indulgence you could ever wish for.

Local architect Toni Esteva (who also owns the Convent de la Missio in Palma) bought the 18th-century farmhouse near the ancient town of Arta a decade ago and gave it his trademark, minimalist makeover whilst still retaining the farm’s original Mallorcan charm. Limestone floors and conceptual artwork mix effortlessly with austere,18th-century portraits and antiques in the spacious salons downstairs.

Potted Mediterranean plants perch on the original olive press and beside this contemporary take on a conservatory stands an ancient grand piano and a desk full of brochures of local attractions. And there are many. The beaches of Calla Major, Costa de los Pins and Sacoma are a short drive away as are three of Mallorca’s best golf courses.

The facilities

Many guests find there are few reasons to leave the grounds of Son Gener. The staff are always around but never conspicuous as the home-from-home atmosphere is one of the charms of this boutique hotel. The architect’s green-fingered wife Catin fills the old farmhouse with wild flowers and tends to the extensive, kitchen garden, the olive groves and the almond trees which provide organic produce for the daily menus.

Fresh salads and sandwiches are made to order for lunch and at dinnertime there’s a small choice of simple dishes. The sleek spa has treatment rooms, a yoga space, an indoor pool and an outdoor one, but as all suites have their own private terraces (none of which are overlooked) it’s rarely packed poolside.

The rooms

Five new suites open in the summer of 2008 bringing the total number to a mere fifteen. As all are the same size (and price), there’s never any disappointment when you check in. If we had to pick a room, we’d plum for number one as it gets more sunshine in the morning.