Places to Stay: Mallorca, Two Bucket List AirBnb's

With Jessica Bartlett

More than once Mallorca’s turquoise shores have lured me like a siren’s song, the island’s magical energy and inescapable pull growing a little more potent with each visit. With her vast and varied landscape, each side of her shores, though only a few hours as the crow flies, can feel worlds apart. From the dramatic Serra de Tramuntana mountains in the north, with its limestone coves and breathtaking cliffs, to the Pine fringed sandy shores of the south, Mallorca contains microclimates and multitudes, each waiting to be explored. And while I love a hotel turn-down service as much as the next girly, I love even more that deeper connection to place that I’ve only ever found by checking-in to a house and immersing myself in the rhythm of the landscape and local community.

Over two separate trips, I’ve had the pleasure of staying at two uniquely different homes, each on opposite sides of the island. On both occasions I travelled in September (IMO the most beautiful month to visit, for crowds, value, temperature and general sense of peace) – which also gave the unique advantage of allowing for a truly apples for apples comparison, free from seasonal bias. Both houses over-delivered on some much needed R&R, with their charming (read: not at all bougie ) interiors inviting the kind of relaxation that’s only possible when nothing feels too ‘precious’. And both had been on my bucket-list forever, having fallen in love with their ancient origins, now happily converted into holiday accommodation. They offer a wonderful glimpse into the old-Mallorca past, while acting as a tranquil base from which to enjoy the present.

One, a rustic stone cottage hidden high in the hills of Soller, nestled amongst ancient olive groves, UNESCO heritage mountains and hiking trails right on your doorstep. The other, a converted fisherman’s cottage, perched right on the water’s edge, complete with a boathouse underneath and a constant soundtrack of lapping waves.

Sóller Stone Cottage

Only a short drive from the town of Sóller, this ancient stone cottage, tucked deep into the side of the mountains feels like an almost off-grid experience, in the best possible way. After navigating the vertiginous driveway down, a truly breathtaking scene reveals itself, with the house’s terrace wrapping around the hillside, dropping away to the valley below. A sparkling pool tucked onto the lower terrace, complete with sun lounges and an equally gorgeous view, invites days spent doing little else. The upper level is dotted with more places to while away unhurried hours, roving between lounge chairs, hammocks and eventually, the outdoor dining table for evening aperitifs.

Picking up provisions at the incredibly stocked local supermarket (how is it that even the most ‘basic’ regional shops in Europe feel like our fanciest gourmet grocers in Australia?), including fresh fish, cheese, charcuterie and seasonal vegetables to grill. Our days soon settled into a gentle rhythm of unhurried starts, taking in the morning mountains over hot coffee, little adventures out and about (sometimes a hike, sometimes a swimming cove, sometimes a boat ride) before returning by afternoon, firing up the outdoor brick BBQ, rinsing off (the view from the shower is equally magic) and settling in for an afternoon of aperitivos, stoking the coals, and eventually cooking when our appetites commanded.

Perfect For

Surrendering completely to the energy, soundscape and pace of the mountains. Waking with the sun, napping by the pool, reading in the hammock, swimming, cooking, grazing, sleeping. Repeating.

Don’t Expect

This is not a ‘designer’ house. There’s no fancy towels or chic linen on the beds. The bathroom is positively daggy and there’s sheets draped over the sofas. BUT what it lacks in décor, it over delivers in atmosphere. It is hard to describe how relaxing it is being so enveloped by the mountain and her gentle energy, while still being so accessible and wonderfully close to all that this end of Mallorca has to offer.

Highlights included

The truly breathtaking view – it was like waking to a different painting each day. The tinkling bells of sheep and goats, heard grazing in the valley below. The slow ritual of preparing a charcoal grill in the evenings and cooking over fire (a novelty for this Aussie, who is accustomed to simply turning the dial on a gas BBQ!)

Nearby, if you can tear yourself away

The charming, ancient city of Soller with its historical trams and impossibly good gelato is the perfect outing, while picking up provisions. Best enjoyed in the morning, before the tourists pour in from Palma. Infamous Deià, an equally short drive in the opposite direction, as is the Island’s newest (& achingly cool) kid on the block, Hotel Corazon, where you can dine as a non-guest, soaking up the vibes from their terrace restaurant, which serves up ‘local, seasonal, medicinal’ fare, with much of it foraged from their kitchen garden.

Keep in mind

The driveway leading down to the house, off the main road, has even more hairpin bends and steep turns than the mountain road itself. It is not for the faint hearted (or nervous driver) but by day 3 you’ll be navigating it like a pro!

Book your stay here.

Cala Santanyí Fisherman House

I’d dreamed of this house, saved to a forgotten Pinterest board years earlier. I went deep down a deep rabbit hole trying to find it (and secure it!) for this holiday. It did not disappoint. From waking to the sounds of the sea, watching the water grow impossibly more turquoise throughout the day, to padding barefoot between the house and it’s adjacent rooftop terrace, via requisite dips in the sea each time, it felt like dreaming with eyes wide open. Days were spent cooking fresh fish over the little charcoal BBQ, sipping spritzs while reading books, and one particularly energetic morning, taking the kayaks out for a paddle.

During the day visitors to the cala dot the rocks on either side of the house, staking out their spots in the sun. The cove is a hive of activity and laughter. But there’s something special about sipping aperitifs from your balcony, making slow dinner preparations, as everyone else packs up and leaves for the day, where it felt like we were the only souls there. More than once, we pinched ourselves as the sun set on another shimmeringly beautiful day.

Perfect For

Living out all your traditional Mallorcan fisherman hut dreams, wearing swimmers and sarongs from dawn until dusk, slipping in and out of the water, between snacks and sunbed rotations.

Don’t Expect

This cottage wins no awards for décor or chic amenities. But what it lacks in interior design it more than makes up for in charm. It’s also surprisingly well equipped for such a teeny footprint. Case in point, making coffee in the postage stamp sized kitchen offered 3 options; an espresso machine, a filter coffee machine or a traditional Italian stove-top pot.

Highlights included

Waking and sleeping to the sound of lapping water, which felt like living or on a boat, minus the constant rocking. Walking out the front door and slipping straight into the sea for endless snorkels was a dream. And the charming pulley basket system that connected the house balcony to the adjacent sun deck, was such a delightful novelty (!) we never tired of ferrying bottles of vermouth, ice and cooking provisions back and forth, while dining on the top deck.

Nearby, if you can tear yourself away

Santanyí town (a short drive inland) is brimming with beautifully stocked shops, delicious restaurants and charming old-town atmosphere. Twice a week it hosts an incredibly popular market, which I recommend arriving at early, to avoid queuing traffic.

Keep in mind

The house has ancient proportions (read; small everything by modern standards). The stairway is narrow, the doorways are low and the bathroom is so petite you could mistake it for being on a boat. If you’re travelling with anyone whose ever been described as ‘a unit’ they may find this cottage claustrophobic. We were unbothered, as the feeling of living right on top of the sea more than made up for it.

Book your stay here.

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