Where you stay in Mallorca shapes the whole trip. The island is big enough that a beach resort in the far north or east can mean long drives to the sights, so for a first visit focused on Palma and the classic day trips, the city is the natural base. Within Palma, the choice is between the old town and the seafront, and for a second base, Sóller in the mountains is hard to beat. Here is how the main options compare, and the hotel we would pick for each kind of trip.
Palma old town: for history at the door
Staying inside the old town means walking to the cathedral, the Almudaina and dozens of tapas bars, and coming home through lanes of mansions and hidden courtyards. Streets are narrow and parking is hard, so it suits travellers without a car. The western side, around the Passeig des Born, is livelier, with shops and restaurants; the eastern side, around the Plaça de Sant Francesc, is quieter and more residential.
Best value in the old town
Hotel Born is our featured pick. It is a family-run four-star hotel in the sixteenth-century palace of the Marquises of Ferrandell, a minute from the Passeig des Born, with breakfast served in its courtyard and doubles, twins and triples at prices that are rare for the old town. There is no pool or spa, but the building and the location do the work.
For a splurge
Sant Francesc Hotel Singular is the most polished address in the old town, a five-star mansion of 1860 on a quiet square with 42 rooms and suites, a rooftop pool bar and the Quadrat restaurant. Choose it for a special trip, and book a suite if you want space.
For romance
Hotel Can Cera, on the same street, is an adults-only hotel of just fourteen rooms in a seventeenth-century palace, with a courtyard vermouth bar and a small spa that couples can book for themselves.
The seafront at Portixol: for sea air
East of the centre, the old fishing quarters of Portixol and El Molinar have a laid-back village feel, a long promenade and fish restaurants, while the cathedral is a pleasant walk or a short taxi away. The Portixol Hotel and Restaurant, open since 1956, has 25 bright rooms, a pool facing the sea and free parking, which makes it the best pick for travellers with a car or anyone who wants to run or cycle along the water every morning.
Sóller: for the mountains
A night or two in Sóller changes the trip. You can ride the vintage train back to Palma, walk in the Tramuntana and have the town square to yourself in the evening. Gran Hotel Sóller is a five-star spa hotel in a grand nineteenth-century building in the centre, with a rooftop pool, an indoor spa pool and breakfast included, a short walk from the station. In winter confirm that it is open on your dates.
Matching base to trip
For a first visit on a budget, Hotel Born. For a special occasion, Sant Francesc. For couples, Can Cera. For the sea and a car, the Portixol. For a mountain escape, Gran Hotel Sóller.
Practical tips
Book early for summer, when Palma fills up. Ask every old-town hotel about luggage drop-off and the nearest car park. In the low season, check which restaurants, pools and spas stay open, since some reduce their services in winter.
