Mallorca - First Taste of Spain
The Pool at La Residencia, Deia, Mallorca, Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Portra 400
It was a last minute idea. From intention, to booking, to flight in less than two weeks. It’s not often one makes a significant career change, and this one warranted a few weeks abroad to rest and reset. Mallorca was not an obvious destination for us, coming from Vancouver where Hawaii or Mexico might be the more frequented, and frankly closer, destinations. But shoulder season meant there were some amazing deals to be had, and if you’re going to spend the same money, why not try somewhere new? With that in mind and our 6 month old in tow, we created a simple plan; 2 weeks, 4 stays, 4 very different approaches to beautiful Mallorca.
Tempting, but no baby seat. Deia, Mallorca, Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Portra 400
La Residencia
This one was my wife’s pick. Her reasoning? -You’ve worked your butt off for years, let’s treat ourselves and start with a real rest. Of course, our prior 6 months with our young son had been exhausting as well, so a touch of luxury was well earned by all. La Residencia sits in the beautiful valley-village of Deia on the western side of Mallorca. It’s about a 45min car ride from Palma airport depending how many cyclists are on the road -more on this in a later post. The hotel is owned by Belmond, a hospitality company dedicated to creating amazing experiences for it’s guests.
The history of the compound dates back to medieval times and has changed hands and purpose many times. It was most recently owned by Sir Richard Branson, before being acquired by Belmond (LVMH). The hotel blends luxury and exceptional service with ancient charm and architecture quite seamlessly as it’s myriad buildings seem to be chiseled right out of the hillside it occupies. A village within a village. Upon arrival, our bags are cheerfully grabbed by porters as the valet hops in to park the car and we are whisked off to the patio where champagne awaited. It took about two minutes of sitting, sipping, and listening to the live piano before I melted into my chair.
The patio at Cafe Miro, La Residencia, Deia, Mallorca, Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Portra 400
Reception waiting area, La Residencia, Deia, Mallorca, Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Portra 400
Our patio, La Residencia, Deia, Mallorca, Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Portra 400
A few glasses of champagne later we made our way up to our suite near the top of the property above the main pool and breakfast area. We were delighted to find a large room with a four post bed, private patio with a mountain view, a bottle of wine and some fruit and chocolate as well as a crib already setup for our son. Inside the crib, a toddler-sized branded canvass backpack for him with a stuffy inside -nice touch. It can be challenging to find accommodations such as these that permit young children, but here our son was welcomed warmly. There’s even a family center with activities for kids although our little guy was too young to take advantage of it this time around.
Part of the main road that bisects Deia, Mallorca, Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Portra 400
That first night we hadn’t made reservations so we decided to wander the town and find a place to eat. All three of us were jet-lagged, and I’m sure the little guy hadn’t the slightest idea what was going on. On the recommendation of the hotel we walked to Restaurante Sebastian in the center of the village. As we carried our little stroller up the three steps into the restaurant my first thought was “uh-oh” -I was the only guy without a sport-coat on, and there wasn’t another stroller in sight between the white linen covered tables. We were about to spin around and leave when the owner warmly greeted us and directed us to an open table. It was here we really realized what a family friendly culture we’d stepped in to in Mallorca. As we ordered our meal, the owner swept our son from his high-chair and began to show him around the restaurant stopping at various guest tables, and off to the kitchen to show the chef. The meal was a delight and the distraction for our son meant we could eat it in peace. Amazing.
This happened to us again on the second night when we ate at El Olivo on La Residencia’s property. In this case the waiter excitedly told us how he hopes to have a son like ours one day before whisking him off to parade around the restaurant. This certainly wouldn’t happen back home, but it was most welcomed!
Looking down on Son Fony from our private yard, La Residencia, Deia, Mallorca, Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Portra 400
La Residencia’s property itself is massive, you could spend an entire morning just wandering the grounds as we did, and you might even stumble upon the resident donkeys!
Couple of locals, Deia, Mallorca, Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Portra 400
On the second day we were delighted to be invited to enjoy afternoon cocktails on the lawn by Thomas, general manager of the hotel. His passionate articulation of his vision for the future of the property -retaining it’s old-world charm while updating the rooms with more modern amenities- certainly has us looking forward to a return visit one day.
Terraced hillside of La Residencia, Deia, Mallorca, Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Portra 400
The indoor pool at La Residencia, Deia, Mallorca, Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Portra 400
Wandering Deia
Deia, and Cala Deia below it, is a gorgeous village nestled in a u-shaped valley with a small mount in the center. It is well known for art and ex-pats, in fact there are hardly any “locals” at all, with workers traveling here from other towns. It is in effect a ‘one-road town’, at least as far as cars are concerned, and like most of the Mallorcan coast, that road is winding with remarkably tight corners in places. I do recommend renting a small car to get here (and indeed most of the places we traveled on this trip), but once in town everything is walking distance. There are a few shops, cafes, and restaurants as you might expect, but it truly is a small village so don’t come expecting a lot more than that. Boutiques and galleries are hidden down many lanes and alleys, so be sure to venture off the main road and get lost a little.
If you make your way down a steep switch-backing road to the west of town you find yourself in Cala Deia, a tiny fishing cove with a rocky beach and locally famous seafood restaurant Patro March. The food was good with an excellent view of the cove. In the summer I imagine Cala Deia is an amazing place for a swim and day in the sun, but in April, it would be tough even in a wetsuit! I tried regardless, but got out pretty quickly.
Deia, Mallorca, Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Portra 400
Deia, Mallorca, Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Portra 400
Deia in the hazy morning light, Mallorca, Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Portra 400
Thankfully it’s a light stroller! Deia, Mallorca, Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Portra 400
Box of Fruit, Deia, Mallorca, Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Portra 400
“Boutiques and galleries are hidden down many lanes and alleys, so be sure to venture off the main road and get lost a little.”
The main street through Deia, Mallorca, Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Portra 400
There’s only one route up the west coast, so every town becomes a tourist stop. Deia, Mallorca, Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Portra 400
It gets narrower. Deia, Mallorca, Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Portra 400
He didn’t seem enthused about giving directions. Deia, Mallorca, Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Portra 400
Wandering Deia, Mallorca, Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Portra 400
La Residencia, Deia, Mallorca, Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Portra 400
Parting Thoughts
You could cover Deia in half a day, but stay at La Residencia for much longer. Four nights suited us best, and while we were sad to go, we knew we had a lot more to see ahead. From here we’d be heading to Soller, just a winding half hour further up the coast from Deia. We set the bar pretty high (again) at the beginning of our trip, how would our next destination on the island compare?
Spend the day sitting here? Don’t mind we I do. La Residencia, Deia, Mallorca, Nikon FE, 20mm Nikkor Lens, Kodak Portra 400