| Gran Excess Son Julia
Gran Hotel Son Julia is at the forefront of a luxury-21st Century-hotel-renaissance evolving in Mallorca. This 15th Century mansion is supremely stylish, beautifully proportioned, with suites reminiscent of a Palace; rooms exquisitely designed and bathrooms from 'World of Interiors'. This is the perfect choice for an easy getaway: pools, tennis courts, golf and sensual spa and fitness facilities, plus romantic dining on terraces or in the vaulted dining room. Another incredible feature is that this Mallorcian oasis is only 15 minutes from Palma airport.
I am writing about Son Julia again for two reasons. We have recently had the pleasure of staying in the Royal Suite, which is phenomenal; and Son Julia deserves the praise.
The facilities here go from strength to strength. When we were here in March the lake-sized-pool was not yet completed and the tennis courts still needed rolling. The second terrace pool was ready, and, even in March you did not risk hypothermia. However, we adored the spa and the indoor pool area downstairs under an original sandstone vaulted ceiling. It had an incredible atmosphere, almost Romanesque, with hammams and a large separate jacuzzi pool with an extraordinary force in its jets. The teak loungers around the pool are constantly refreshed with white towels and fresh water and fruit is on hand. From here, you can slope off for a massage, facial, or holistic body treatment; but the real surprise for me was in the staggering suites.
The Royal Suite (5 Luxe-Trotters for value for money)
We stayed in this simply enormous, palatial suite, with a large terrace looking out across local classic Eastern Majorcian terrain; windmills, palm trees, olive and carob trees, and a broad bright horizon. The bedroom was vast and airy with an enormous bed covered in a quilted silk spread with an oriental rug on a marble floor in front. The mini bar was more like a mini kitchen and one that stocks the kind of treats that you only ever find in other peoples' houses. There was a seating area looking across the capacious bedroom onto the terrace, and off this room was a separate, stylish sitting room with yet another massive plasma screen TV and mini bar. The enormous windows open out onto the central area of the mansion where there are tables and chairs for guests on this floor to enjoy drinks, breakfast or tea.
The bathrooms at Son Julia are incredible. In our suite the jacuzzi bath would fit four people, with two basins and separate loo. It's all in honey-coloured marble with expensive fittings and very chic finishes. It's all excessively indulgent without being extortionate, so we give the Royal Suite 5 Luxe-Trotter stars for being the grandest suite with the most reasonable price tag.
The Imperial Suite
This is pretty wild. I took my children round with me and they were speechless. Believe me, that's not normal. Seeing is believing here, because it is lavish in an almost Sultan style; there is even a private gym with high tech cardio vascular equipment facing a plasma screen with a hammam for warming up. It's voluminous and really quite modern but with some wonderful kilims and fabulous furniture and a separate dining area. Real soul is found here too, because you never cease to forget that you are in a 15th Century classically beautiful mansion, with plenty of references to the past, blended into a stylish contemporary design genre. If you're fond of marble, you'll find a copious quantity here stretching throughout the suite, but much of it is actually very, very old; simply immaculately preserved. If you can, then do!
The Grand Suite
This is extremely elegant with exceptional proportions. It is excessive only in terms of its space and the warm colours make it homely in a stylish Majorcian-Moorish way. Of the three, this is perhaps the most believable in a suite sense, but is also the most affordable.
For suite excess in Mallorca, take your pick from one of these three. If they are all full, try an incredible junior suite, they, too, are very special. Mallorca is a year-round holiday destination and is never really that cold. It is always charming; an exceptionally hospitable Island with a natural beauty that is quite unlike anywhere else in Southern Europe.
|
