La Residencia, A Belmond Hotel, Mallorca
Perched in the hills beside the pretty village of Deià, between the Tramuntana mountains and the Mediterranean Sea, La Residencia is a work of art – remote, serene and stunningly beautiful.
The village of Deià is one of the most picturesque places in an island already famous for its beauty. Set beneath the jagged peaks of the Tramuntana mountains, surrounded by landscapes of olive, almond and citrus groves, Deià has been a magnet for writers and artists for countless generations. They would stay, if they could, at La Residencia, drawn as much to the village as to the hotel’s facilities. Today, around 750 works from local painters are on show in the hotel.
Rooms are light and airy with whitewashed walls, tiled floors and beamed ceilings, and are individually decorated with traditional Mallorcan furniture. Many have views over Deià and the mountains, and some of the higher-end suites feature private pools and terraces with dazzling 360-degree views.
Steps and stone paths cut through 35 acres of lush, mature gardens hiding two outdoor pools hemmed in by mountain views (one just for adults). To these you can add two hillside tennis courts, a full-service spa with pool and gym, an art gallery, sculpture park, poet’s walkway and even a trail for donkeys.
El Olivo, which is housed in a 500-year-old olive press, is one of the finest restaurants on the island, while the mountain-facing terrace of Café Miro is the place to go for tapas and fresh fish. The renowned Ca’s Patro March restaurant is just ten minutes away by car at Cala Deià, beside a pretty pebbled beach.