Vistamar De Valldemosa by Gemma Pitcher

Tucked away in an orchard of century-old olive trees, Vistamar de Valldemosa is a small, discreet and elegant Mallorcan mansion. The building, fronted by a courtyard in which the old well of the estate still stands, still has its old country house character, with rooms and lounges decorated with antique furniture made by the last generation of craftsman on the island. The hotel also holds an extensive art collection, including works by some of the most famous Spanish painters of the last century.

The bottom floor of the building once held the farmer’s rooms, while the upper storeys were reserved for the wealthy landowner who came out to the estate to escape the summer heat among the cool pines. The distant Mediterranean can be glimpsed through the trees from the terrace next to the opulent swimming pool, and a path leads down to the harbour. The farmer’s section of the Vistamar is now a series handsomely decorated lounges, plus a glass-fronted restaurant opening out onto a patio surrounded by huge palm trees. Bedrooms are divided between the upper storeys of the old house and the converted stable block, all are superb.