Mallorca: Wearing the gorgeous colour blocked BCBG skirt.I really didn’t think another area on this alluring island could contend with my home of 15 years.

That was until I ventured out to a beautiful, quaint village further north called Deià. It is the place that the famous English poet and novelist, Robert Graves called home from 1932 and since then the picturesque village has become very much an artist’s town and cultural place for tourists to visit. Having been once a few years ago for a day trip, it’s a place you don’t forget and I have since been itching a return. The perfect ”˜excuse’ came this year when I was invited to come and experience one of the most famous hotels in Mallorca, Belmond la Residencia, right in the heart of Deià, facing the Mediterranean Sea.

Getting there

Belmond la Residencia is a scenic 40-minute drive from Palma de Mallorca airport. You’ll pass through a village called Valldemosa which is another popular spot for shopping and people watching, full of cobbled streets and cute cafes. As you drive further north, the views over the mountains are surreal, breathing in the fresh air and free spirit of Deià is like nothing I’ve experienced and the hotel takes advantage of this beautiful town it calls its’ home. Former owner Richard Branson who bought the property in 1987 obviously recognised the beauty of this charming place and it is still growing now with 67 bedrooms on offer to take guests away into another world.

I arrived at mid-day with my mother and parked up in their private gate access area. Directed towards the reception, you can’t help but notice the unique character of the hotel, the stone walls, beamed ceilings and cobbled entrances. I met with a wonderful lady called Louise who gave me a tour of the Residence and told me about the exclusive offerings they have for the guests.

The Experience

Belmond la Residencia is so much more than your classic getaway. Hidden in pockets of the hotel is another world of creativity and experiences that are hard pushed to find anywhere else. I passed young children doing sculpture classes with wide grins and had a peek into the hotel’s Sa Tafona gallery which plays host to wonderful art collection by local artists all year round. With their own resident artist as well as sculptor, adults and children can dive into master classes or introductory teaching with ease, as well as attend classic music concerts throughout the year. On top of that you can even go for a typical Mallorcan picnic in the beautiful setting of Deià after a Donkey Ride.

 The suites are breath-taking and the hotel is no stranger to famous faces with the likes of Leonardo di Caprio, Harrison Ford, Jamie Oliver, Sienna Miller, Cliff Richard and royalty from all over the world all having visited the award winning hotel.

You can clearly see how hard they work to maintain the culture and individuality of the hotel whilst ensuring guests have an all-round experience.

The Spa

As part of my trip, I visited their leading spa for a new unique treatment they had just launched. The Vitamin Boost Spa Treatment is a 50-minute treatment consisting of a detoxifying massage, full body exfoliation, facial enzyme peel and anti-ageing hand and foot massage, as well as the Vitamin drink.

I have tried plenty of cold-pressed juices, vitamin-rich drinks and detoxifying smoothies over the years ”“they’re all great and I’m certainly an advocate for some, but half of these drinks on the shelf are full of sugar, sweeteners, and are actually weight gainers more than anything else! Hence I’m always a little sceptical when trying a new drink in this market. Out of the four Vitamin drinks the spa offers, all with different uses, I chose the Detox drink. Full of pineapple, spirulina and artichoke, I am so pleased to say that not only was the taste exceptional but it was truly clear of all the ”˜bad’ add ins that I see all the time. It was the perfect way to end the whole treatment and I came away with a real sense of calmness and felt revitalized. I also learned about the amazing health benefits of artichoke – I didn’t realise what a fantastic food it was for your body and its positive effects on reducing cholesterol. Win, win!

A little info on the other drinks for you:

Detox (pineapple, spirulina and artichoke), Radiance (collagen, red grape and aloe vera), Anti-Ageing (pomegranate, hyaluronic acid and citrulline) and Vitality (mandarin, gingko biloba and guarana) ”“ the first beauty drinks to be enriched with macro-antioxidants extracted from the skin of fruit, which are extremely effective at fighting the aging effect of free radicals.

The vitamin drinks are gluten free, contain no added sugar and have just 20kcal per 100ml.

(Isn’t she pretty!)

The Food

Following our visit to the spa, Mum and I were lead to one of the most beautiful and idyllic restaurants I have seen; Café Miró . Huge white chairs sit on top of a gorgeous original Mallorcan stone floor with the restaurant overlooking the village of Deià. It’s shaded naturally with billowing trees that create a canopy over the restaurant to escape the hot sun. It breathes relaxation, class and originality, and that was just the setting.

I find sometimes in life it can be easy to ”˜sweat the small stuff’, and being there that day really reminded me of how beautiful the world we live in is, and we should be so thankful to be a part of it.

We were handed a pretty Spanish decorated menu and the food on offer was exciting to say the least. A choice between tapas or classic starters for the first course, we were advised to pick five tapas dishes between us followed by mains. We started with the home-baked focaccia bread which (no exaggeration here), I would visit Café Miró again solely for this. Best. Foccacia. I’ve. Tasted.

Followed by:

Seafood Croquettes

Sautéed Scallops wrapped in belly pork.

Crostini with goat cheese, caramelized onions and berry compote.

“Piquillo” stuffed pepper

Galician style Octopus

The seafood croquettes and sautéed scallop (I would recommend ordering 2 portions as a portion is only one scallop) were exceptionally tasty. Croquettes are a classic Spanish tapas dish but having these filled with fresh fish made all the difference. They get all their fish from a village just 15 minutes away called Port de Sóller which means it’s to the highest quality ”“ something that showed without question in the main courses. The berry compote served with the goat cheese crostini was an absolute treat and the octopus was perfectly cooked. The Piquillo stuffed peppers were also a lovely addition but I probably would have stayed away from 2 goats cheese tapas, even though it’s one of my favorites! We did have some other little friends joining for lunch, a few buzzing wasps! Not the most welcome of lunch guests but actually they were kept at bay pretty well given the amazing smells diffusing into the fresh air. The kind waiters put out coffee pots lit with a match that deter them, a great tip for any summer BBQs you’re having at home!

Main courses ”“ AH! Wow. Freshly caught fish, superb presentation and extremely generous portions, they were the star of the show. I had the mixed grilled fish and Mum had the sea bass with fennel salad. Scallops, prawns, mussels, squid, and the fish from the catch of the day all topped with a light but flavorsome pesto dressing. It was actually too much for me to finish but if I could have wrapped it up and taken it home with me I would have. I could live off that fish. The mussels and prawns were superb and despite having almost the whole sea bed on my plate, it wasn’t too fishy or overpowering in the slightest.

I tried Mum’s sea bass which certainly lived up to the same standard. The fennel shavings added a fresh crunch and it was all topped with La Residencia’s own olive oil which I was kindly given a bottle to take home with me. It’s now nearly empty in my cupboard at home just a few weeks later! When it comes to excellent food, my appetite is almost unstoppable but I must admit we both struggled to finish our plates. That’s not a reflection of the taste or quality of the food but I would recommend going for 3 tapas instead of 5 to start to make sure you can enjoy all of the mains!

Dessert was a very refreshing Pineapple carpaccio. I know I said we were full….but always room for a little fresh fruit and sorbet!

My thoughts of Belmond la Residencia

First, when the day comes”¦this is top contender for my wedding! The whole hotel encompasses classic beauty and love for where they are ”“ a place of relaxation, enriched culture and pure originality. It’s exactly the kind of feel and place I would want to celebrate at on a special day. Just in case you want to look into it, their maximum capacity is 60 guests and June/September are pretty popular months so be sure to enquire in advance!

Something else that’s important for me to note were the staff. Everyone was so happy to be there, to be working there and to help in any way they could, and for me that’s a true sign of an exceptional hotel. Nicola, the spa manager, who had actually been brought over by Richard Branson himself was the essence of that, so thank you!

I would spend a week there, a weekend or even visit again for a day. The feeling when I left was one of complete relaxation and happiness. It’s a ”˜feel-good’ place that surrounds you with beauty in every corner. Thank you to the team at Belmond la Residencia, you introduced me to a place I will never forget. And who knows”¦maybe I’ll see you in a few years for my wedding!

For booking enquiries at Belmond La Residencia, please contact the number below or visit their website for more details:

Website: http://www.belmond.com/la-residencia-mallorca/

Booking Inquiries: 0845 077 2222

Classic Double Rooms at Belmond La Residencia start from £227 per night including breakfast and taxes.