Review of La Residencia, by Jenny Pidgeon

La Residencia must be the most famous hotel in the Balearic Islands, and with good reason. Forgetting that Richard Branson used to own it (before Orient-Express took over a year and a half ago), the natural beauty of Deià and the level of comfort and service provided by the hotel, easily merit its notoriety. Deià nestles in a curve of the mountainous Sierra de Tramuntana, which provide a stunning backdrop to the village looking out to the blue Mediterranean, half an hour's walk down the cliffs.

La Residencia is made up of three main buildings - two that you see from the road, dating from the 16th and 17th-centuries, and one farther up the hill from the 18th-century. The buildings are made of the same honey-coloured stone as the village, but La Residencia sets itself apart with its striking white shutters, in contrast to the traditional green you will see elsewhere.

The whole hotel is on different levels and terraces, linked together by a network of cobbled and paved pathways conducive to curious wanderings (the only negative of this being the difficulties experienced by elderly or wheelchair-bound guests, with only two guest rooms on the ground floor and many of the hotel's facilities up steep steps). It is knit together by an atmosphere of tranquillity and quiet, the numerous staff padding around smile at you and one is lulled into a relaxed state on arrival.

The majority of guests who come to La Residencia for a week barely leave the premises - there are two clear blue pools to laze beside, a beauty salon offering a wide range of treatments and pampering therapies, a spa with indoor pool, sauna, steam room and gym with one of the best views from a running-machine you could possibly wish for. You can hire a personal trainer to organise your exercise regime during your stay and there are also two floodlit tennis courts with instructors on hand.

The staff are friendly and helpful, and you need not even leave La Residencia for meals with the number of options available - a light lunch on the terrace by the swimming pool, informal dinner in Son Fony restaurant or a romantic meal at the more elegant El Olivo restaurant. El Olivo is in the atmospheric old olive-press, complete with gothic dripping candles and a terrace for al-fresco dining with views. The food is very good, with fresh fish featuring highly on an interesting menu which left you wanting everything on offer.

Breakfast is also a highlight, with an extensive buffet available either down on the terrace by the road or up at Son Fonys by the pool - it's a toss up between catching the early morning sun and escaping the noise. This is useful justification for a longer stay, as the only solution is to stay for a week so you can sample all the options.

The rooms are large and airy, with white walls and traditional Mallorcan furniture. As with the public rooms and corridors, there is colourful and interesting modern art everywhere - by local artists showcased in regular exhibitions held at the hotel. The white sheets are smooth and cool, the white cotton-sheathed furniture comfortable and well-positioned for enjoying the views out of the large windows.

Choose a room looking out over Deià and the mountains rather than back up the hill - even if this means sacrificing the option of a 'private' terrace (which are, in fact, overlooked from many angles due to the multi-level nature of the accommodations). Junior suites have separate sitting areas, but superior doubles have the same space simply joined onto the bedroom. The suites are luxuriously spacious, particularly the four with private pools, the large sitting areas boasting plasma TV screens for those who are bothered about these things, and the bathrooms palatial and ornate.