VIVA LA VIDA

Enjoy glorious vistas, exquisite artworks, and perfect poolside peace on the sunny island of Mallorca in Spain.

- Lucy Halfhead

“I found everything I wanted as a writer: sun, sea, mountains, spring water, shady trees, no politics...” wrote the British poet Robert Graves about Mallorca, the Balearic island he adopted as his home in 1929. Today’s visitors—mostly in-the-know Spaniards—visit it for its unspoiled countryside, with excellent hiking opportunities in the majestic Serra de Tramuntana mountains, bountiful vineyards for wine tasting, and beautiful beaches that are the ideal launch pad into the brilliant, blue Mediterranean Sea. And then, of course, there’s Palma, the capital founded in the Roman period, that blends its beguiling history with a progressive attitude to the arts.

One of the best examples of this is the Sant Francesc Hotel Singular. Open to guests since 2015, the refurbished 19th-century manor house in Palma’s old quarter takes its name from the square it inhabits. As soon as you walk into the beautiful lobby, with a palmtree-filled central courtyard and sleek furnishings (think Piero Lissoni sofas and Philippe Starck chairs), it becomes clear why the hotel has earned a reputation as the chicest spot in Palma. After checking in, head straight up to the hotel’s rooftop, where you can cool off with watermelon ice lollies and do a few laps of the pool as saintly statues gaze over you from the top of the neighboring basilica. All the 42 rooms are individually decorated; the Sant Francesc Suite’s floral-printed ceiling and French balcony above the square only added to the romance. At night, dine at the hotel’s Quadrat restaurant. The inventive menu offers burrata and spicy sobrasada, flavourful seafood paella, and, to finish, a warm Mahon cheesecake with red fruits ice cream.