Can Furiós by Jenny Pidgeon

Can Furiós is an intimate and very friendly ‘petit hotel’ in the tiny hamlet of Binibona. Located in the foothills of the Sierra de Tramuntana, the six-or-so houses that make up the village look out over the rolling green plains of central Mallorca, the looming hills behind forming an impressive backdrop. It is incredibly quiet here - the only noises you will hear all day as you lie by the lapping water of the swimming pool are the wind and the chirruping birds in the trees, replaced in the evening by the gently chaotic chiming of sheep bells. The only downfall of the lovely setting is that the mountains shade the hotel’s gardens early on in the evening.

On first impressions, Can Furiós might appear to be rather chintzy, fussy and generally trying just a bit too hard. However, once you have been here for a short while, you realise that English / Spanish owners Adrian and Suzy really are trying that hard to make your stay here as comfortable and relaxing as possible. They have succeeded in creating a charming and special atmosphere - but don’t come here if your idea of ‘getting away from it all’ is to retreat into your own private world for a week. Guests here are invited to join each other for pre-dinner drinks in the bar, and congenial mood slips through to the dining room where the conversation flows between the tables. Suzy and / or Adrian personally oversee the evening, encouraging the discussion with anecdotes about the history of the hotel and their experiences on the island.

The four bedrooms and three suites are all spacious, comfortable and thoughtfully decorated. The floral fabrics and canopied beds are very English and somewhat over-indulgent in some of the rooms, but this excess is countered by plain white walls and high ceilings - particularly in the large garden suites which are located in a tall barn-like building with a traditional reed roof. It is worth splashing out of one of these suites if you can, as each has a private terrace perfect for catching the morning sun (ask for the third one along for the best views of the valley below). The beds are traditional Mallorquin style (some with mechanised matresses for adjustable sleeping positions) and the bathrooms large, with Crabtree & Evelyn products (Although Spanish, Suzy has lived in England for the last 35 years and misses some aspects of it terribly!).

In the main building you will find the restaurant Sa Tafoneta with its ubiquitous olive press - soon to be opened up to the public, once Adrian has found a new chef to take over the generous and good home-cooking. Perhaps the best thing about Can Furiós is the terraced garden with lemon and orange trees, herbs, vegetables and colourful flowers all providing a fragrant place to hide away with a book for an afternoon. The swimming pool is not enormous, but then neither is the hotel and there is plenty of seating around. This is not the place to come with children - there’s really not that much to do other than lazing by the pool or walking in the gentle countryside around Binibona. On the other hand, if that sounds your idea of a perfect holiday, Can Furiós is a great place for it.