Hotel Des Puig
Deia, Soller & Mountains, Spain
Reviewed by
Nikki Tinto
This small hotel known as the 'Hotel on the Hill' has been taking in guests since the early 1900s. It has long attracted bohemians, artists and writers (including DH Lawrence, Arthur Rackham and Manuel de Falla), and features in a short story by Robert Graves and in Gordon West's 1929 travelogue Jogging Around Majorca.
The Hotel D'es Puig of today is a simple, relaxed and intimate affair with rustic guestrooms owned by Mallorquin Jaime Pujol and managed by Lucien and Ana Maria. Life doesn't get much better than spending a lazy afternoon here, reading under a lemon tree by the swimming pool with fabulous mountain views. After a short flight, a 40-minute drive from the airport and no hassle, you are in heaven. There's no restaurant, but this doesn't matter as Deia has an excellent selection of cafes and superb restaurants. And for families (with quiet children) the 2-bedroomed Penthouse Suite with its own kitchen and living room is ideal. For those on a tighter budget, there are also simpler self-catering apartments on offer, just around the corner.
The Hotel D'es Puig of today is a simple, relaxed and intimate affair with rustic guestrooms owned by Mallorquin Jaime Pujol and managed by Lucien and Ana Maria. Life doesn't get much better than spending a lazy afternoon here, reading under a lemon tree by the swimming pool with fabulous mountain views. After a short flight, a 40-minute drive from the airport and no hassle, you are in heaven. There's no restaurant, but this doesn't matter as Deia has an excellent selection of cafes and superb restaurants. And for families (with quiet children) the 2-bedroomed Penthouse Suite with its own kitchen and living room is ideal. For those on a tighter budget, there are also simpler self-catering apartments on offer, just around the corner.
Highs
- One of our favourite places to stay in Mallorca - not because it is luxurious, more that it is informal, friendly, and set in the heart of idyllic Deia
- Excellent restaurants just a short stroll away
- Its swimming pools with stunning mountain views - a rarity in Deia if you don't want to splash out on the five-star La Residencia or the rather bland Es Moli
- Affordable rates for Deia, which include an ample breakfast, an honesty bar and self-service tea and coffee (hotel rooms only)
- The self-catering apartments make a good budget option for families (note breakfast is not included). They are a 2-minute walk from the hotel but you can use the hotel pool
Lows
- Parking and driving in Deia's windy streets is tricky, but the hotel has some parking spaces close by
- No 24hr reception so you'll often need to ring the bell on the front desk for assistance and late check-ins need to be pre-arranged
- Many of the bedrooms and bathrooms are small with showers only and single beds pushed together to make doubles (book a Junior Suite for more space)
- Rooms at the front can sometimes suffer from noise in high season
Best time to go
Anytime, although Deia is rather quiet and cool November-early February. In mid summer (July/August) laze around the pool or go down to the small beach; in spring or autumn, make the most of the slightly cooler air and go hiking in the mountains.
Our top tips
Book restaurants early in high season as they can get booked up in advance. One of our favourite walks in the world is up across the mountains from Deia to Valldemossa (takes around 3-4 hrs).