Beyond our white clothed fine dining table we gaze over a local medieval city complete with an ancient castle and mature olive groves. Relaxed with rural luxury, Cases de Son Barbassa has been converted from an old traditional house into a boutique hideaway near the Eastern point of the island of Mallorca, and is only accessible by car. Simple but welcoming, our quaint room became harder to leave the longer we stayed. Complete with indulgent touches that sweetened our stay, our en suite bathroom hosted a jet stream bath tub and the swimming pool a number of glamorous pool cabanas.
Within peaceful and rustic surroundings of the De Llevant natural park, Cases de Son Barbassa is worlds away from the overcrowded concrete resorts that can too often be found in Mallorca. The blue of the sea can be seen just beyond the green hills and is only 15 minutes away by car. We did find one or two beaches on the odd afternoon of exploration although agreed the privacy and comfort of the hotel’s pool, up in the hills, was the choice to be desired. Aside from the pool and within the garden, one afternoon, we played boules under the olive trees. Before retiring to our room in the evening would enjoy the last hours of sunshine in the hot tub which offers a similar one to that of the restaurant; a true sense of location.
Cases de Son Barbassa’s fine dining restaurant, Terraza, is an attraction in itself. As dusk arrives over the sleepy boutique hotel the hum of visitors take their place at the smart white clothed tables. We are surprised by their vast a la carte menu with pages of options. We order Thai tempura vegetables and a bright lobster salad to start and before both moving onto steak. Other options include a fish and seafood soup with wakame algae, warm goats cheese salad with crunchy Iberian ham and rabbit fillet stuffed with chard, raisins and nuts roasted in mustard. All menus are listed in Spanish, English and German. Breakfast offers endless options: hidden inside the restaurant a limitless buffet caters to everyone and includes fresh juices, fruit platters, croissants, as well as European and cooked options. This breakfast proved just the ticket before jumping in the car for a day of exploration.
Aside from the glamour of the pool is their humble spa, again with views over the neighbouring landscape. A sauna next door is also available and is switched on at guest’s requests. For visitors who are able to drag themselves away from their pool cabana, Cases de Son Barbassa also offer a range of activities to further discover the surrounding area. Sporting activities include golf at the nearby luxury golf course, hiking, cycling tennis and horse riding excursions. They can even arrange water sports off the nearby coastline. Celebrating local Mallorcan wines, Cases de Son Barbassa further encourage guests to discover local vineyards and delicious wines.
This quaint property represents authentic Mallorca. Exposed brick and humble interiors are complemented with fine dining and a slower pace of living whilst absent of the overcrowded resorts, we felt we had found ourselves on a different island all together. The impressive pool adds a splash of glamour and is the most popular point to retreat to. Hire a car if you plan to visit as Cases de Son Barbassa which is quietly tucked away offering an uncomplicated, harmonious retreat.
Address: Carretera Cala Mesquida, camino de son Barbasa, S/N, 07589 Capdepera, Illes Balears, Spain, +34 971 56 57 76, sonbarbassa.com
