Park Hyatt Mallorca
The new mountainside resort by the ocean flaunts the island’s physical beauty and local food
Park Hyatt Mallorca has opened on a part of the beautiful Balearic Island far from the crowds found in capital city Palmaan overrun summer holiday hotspot. About an hour’s drive east from Palma airport is the brand’s first-ever resort in Europe; a smattering of painted pink structures meant to resemble one of Mallorca’s many historic villages. The property itself is not on the coastline, but tucked a little more inland on the gentle slope of a mountain. Here, you’re enveloped in tranquil ambiance and sunlight.
The direct view to the ocean lies just over the mountain, but from a few angles, you can stumble on glimpses of the glittering blue water. And for truly stunning postcard panoramas, there are abundant hiking paths as close as five minutes away, where you can get a birds-eye view of Canyamel beach and beautiful fjord-like inlets. (Serious hikers should set aside some time before or after to visit the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range, on another side of Mallorca; the UNESCO World Heritage site hosts the famous eight-day-long Dry Stone Route).
For cooling off, skip the hotel’s two poolswhich aren’t too large nor deep, but great for kidsand arrange a ride to some of the many secluded beaches and bays nearby. The closest stretch of beachCanyamelis only a 15 minute walk from the hotel (but they provide free transportation), and it is the most crowded. Instead, a little bit further is the beautiful and small Cala Torta, which has a tiny bar on the sand and a hippie lifeguard team.
The hotel’s 142 rooms and suites are spread across eight different buildings, and each room has their own private terrace, big enough to do some work on the provided furniture (pictured above is the Presidential Suite’s terrace, which also has its own private jacuzzi). The quickest way to get around is by golf cart. We elected to walk to/from our room about half the time; but because of the way all of the buildings are clustered together (and kind of look similar to one another), its easy to get a little lost.
When you wake up, you want to be making a beeline for the breakfast at Balearicthe on-site farm-to-table restaurant. Breakfast is an array of Mallorca’s, Spains and Catalonia’s finest, from whole roasted Mallorcan potatoes in Le Creuset dutch ovens, to Malleschleck’s homemade marmalades, artisanal honey from Art, diverse granola and muesli offerings in handmade olive wood bowls, plus cheeses, cured meats and fish. For lunch, Balearic switches to a simple, healthy menu listing catches of the daymost which have been caught at Cala Ratjada, the famed fishing port only 10 minutes away. John Dory, pulpo, prawns, rock lobster and more is grilled outdoors. Supplements to the main fish include fresh tomato salads, grilled veggies, sauces; and there’s an entire bottle of quality olive oil at each table ready for the pouring.
Another dining option, called Tapas, has local, award-winning cheeses and aged jamn ibrico stored in transparent fridges (and do not leave Park Hyatt without trying the spicy, soft-to-the-point-of-spreadable sobrasada made from black Mallorcan pigs). Finish it all off with the local digestif, anise-based Herbs de Mallorca liqueur.
Inside the casual Caf Sa Plaa, there’s also a small shop that sells some of the best locally produced olive oil, like Mallorca’s own Aubocassa and Castillo de Canena in Spain. You can also take home the salt used in the restaurants: Flor de Sal dEs Trenc is harvested from natural salt flats off of the island.
July to August is the high season in Mallorca (explaining the unusual situation that unfolded when we landed in Palma a few weeks agoa hectic arrivals parking lot just packed with buses and buses and buses, ready to whisk mostly European tour groups to their hotels). But the water is warm through November, so theres plenty reason to visit in the fall months. Staying at Park Hyatt Mallorca after September might be recommended. During our visit two weeks ago, the country club and green space (outside of the property gates) were still undergoing major construction; a dusty, orange field of nothingness. It didn’t bother us directly: the construction work was completely inaudible, and the promised amenities (tennis courts, indoor pool, paddle ball courts, etc) aren’t what we were particularly seeking out. Its just an eyesore from certain vantage points, like the Serenitas spa balcony and some of the larger public terraces.
Due to Park Hyatt Mallorca’s somewhat isolated location from Palma, we recommend planning ahead with the day trips you want to take. Reservations can be booked online, where room rates start at 680 through August and drop to 320-480 in the fall.
Images by Nara Shin
