Portixol

Rooms

Views are everything here and room types are defined by where they point - Sea View, Port View or No View (which actually means you can still look out but with no chance of seeing the sea). There are also terraced options on offer.

Whilst the Atico rooftop room (with its outdoor shower, huge terrace and panoramic views) is clearly at the top of the pecking order, our favourite remains the Mediterranean View with Terrace rooms. These are decent sized and you can watch the setting sun and changing colours of the sea from loungers on your terrace.

Regardless of views, all rooms have simple unclutttered styling - even your TV/DVD is discreetly tucked away in a white portholed cabinet. Expect solid Scandinavian comfort - lots of white and blue, mid-century wood panelling, soft bedlinen, branded bathrobes, powerful showers and Marie-Stella Maris eco-toiletries which smell divine. The Dux beds are superb and duvets will keep you warm in cooler months, air-conditioning will keep you chilled in summer.

If you want more independence book the Port House Suite, a duplex building adjacent to the main hotel. It is set on 2 floors with a spiral staircase leading to the roof terrace where you can lounge and relax in your bathtub with a view.

Features include:

• Bathrobes
• Hairdryer
• In-room treatments available
• Minibar
• Safe box
• WiFi

Eating

Breakfast is a leisurely affair served until 11.30am. In the dining room, large tables with white tableclothes and aqua glasses are well spaced, allowing you to relax. Or take your breakfast out to the shaded terrace. You get fresh juices (squeeze your own if you like), cheeses, salamis, pastries, fresh fruit, compotes, yogurts and the widest selection of cereals and dried fruits and nuts we've seen in Mallorca. There's also a menu of cooked fare. Take your time: order another coffee, gaze out the window to the pool and sea beyond and linger over the newspapers.

People travel from near and far to dine in the restaurant here as the food is good and the atmosphere relaxed. For lunch and dinner, you can choose from the very reasonably-priced, daily changing set menu, which always has a veggie option, or go a la carte. On our last visit, we tucked into salmon tataki, red curry, and coffee parfait with mascarpone and rhubarb ragout. It was all really impressive yet unfussy, beautifully presented, and super tasty - even the house wines were spectacular. If you prefer something lighter there's a spot-on snack menu served beside the bar or alfresco. Many a delicious burger and chips or club sandwich have helped us through a New Year's Day (washed down with hearty Bloody Marys).

If you want to eat out, there's a growing number of local waterside restaurants - ask the friendly staff for recommendations.

Features include:

• Bar
• Kids' meals
• Restaurant
• Restaurants nearby
• Room service
• Vegetarian options

Activities

• Chill by the pool, spin discs in the lounge (there's a large collection of LPs and record player), check out the sauna, then spoil yourself with a massage or facial using delicious Kerstin and Florian products
  
• Feeling energetic? Burn up some energy in the mini-gym and ask reception about the private yoga classes
  
• Borrow one of the hotel bicycles and whizz up the coastline or into Palma along the seafront path - no hills!
  
• Wind down in the spa. Treatments include hot-stone massages, a 'Moor Mud Body Wrap' and an 'Energizing Spirulina Experience'
  
• Palma has a wealth of historical buildings, art galleries and boutiques - see our city guide for details
  
• There are 6 golf courses within 20 mins' drive - reception can help you book tee off-times at reduced rates
  
• Watch live Real Mallorca football matches - the hotel can arrange free tickets

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Cycling
• Golf
• Historical sites
• Museums / galleries
• Nightlife
• Shopping / markets
• Swimming
• Yoga

Kids

Every time we've visited there have been a handful of children (well behaved - including our own). The hotel's calm ambiance never seems to be spoilt and children like the pool area. The long promenade is ideal for pushing a pram or pushchair and there is a small sandy beach nearby.

Best for:

All ages

Family friendly accommodation:

The best for families of 3-4 (where the kids are under 12) are Mediterranean View, Mediterranean View Terrace and the Port House Suite, which have a double bed and a comfortable queensize sofa bed (for up to 2 children). The Port House Suite is a duplex with the sofa bed and bedroom on separate floors, which may not suit all families. If you want a bath rather than shower go for the Atico, Port House Suite and Big Port View rooms. Baby cots are available too and can fit in most rooms.

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available

Distances:

• Airport: 15 minutes
• Nearest supermarket and pharmacy: 5 minutes' walk
• Hospital: 15 minutes

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

The hotel is located in the old fishing quarter of Palma - now one of hottest barrios - on the outskirts of the city (2km from the centre). It is a 15-minute drive from the airport.

By Air:
Fly into Palma (9km). Click on the links below for a list of airlines serving this airport.

From the Airport
We'd recommend taking a taxi; there are plenty outside the arrivals building, and you can explore the local area on the hotel's bicycles and just rent a car for the day from the hotel if you want to venture further afield.

By Car:
See our car rental recommendations. Bear in mind the hotel only has a small carpark.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

More on getting to Mallorca and getting around