Golfers Meeting Point Mallorca (2/2)
A review of the 19th IGTM from November 13 - 17, 2016 with new hotels and hotspots in Palma
Secret tip - east coast
Admittedly, the east coast of the Balearic island has been rather neglected until now. After all, it is over an hour's drive from the center, despite being on the freeway. But that could change now, especially as there is a new hotspot among the preferred golf hotels - the newly opened Park Hyatt, the first European hotel in this chain.
Even if the signposting doesn't quite work yet, the 5-star hotel on the hill of Cap Vernell is immediately recognizable because it looks like a Mallorcan mountain village. At least on the outside. The 142 rooms and suites, on the other hand, boast plenty of space, a high level of comfort and "contemporary style", as well as authentic colors and art objects. A mix of Mallorcan flair and modern design.
You can also be highly satisfied with the gastronomic offer here: around the village square, the Plaza de la Torre, four restaurants serve different specialties from all over the world. The Balearic Restaurant with Mallorcan specialties, the cosy Tapas Bar with delicious wines, cocktails and an outdoor terrace, the Asian Restaurant in the style of an exclusive private villa with a veranda and views over the Canyamel valley with dishes from China, India, Indonesia and Thailand and the Bistro with its own bakery, small snacks,
coffee specialties and healthy juices. Most of the produce here comes from local traders.
For golfers and their families, the luxury domicile is a true Eldorado when it comes to leisure activities. Not only are the 18 holes of Canyamel Golf Club just around the corner, but three other clubs can be reached in a quarter of an hour. You can also discover horse trekking or cycling as well as water sports such as sailing,
kayaking or deep-sea fishing. The modern fitness center and the spa in the spacious wellness center with saunas and special treatments with local products are perfect for the cooler seasons. In any case, a visit here just for a taster would be far too short, as it takes longer than just a weekend to explore everything that makes the hotel and the area so special.
And the city of Palma always beckons
Ever heard of the "Tapas Trail"? There was a voucher for it at the IGTM and you could taste your way through the old town of Palma. My tip: La Boveda - always full, always loud and fun. The bar in the old town district of La Llonja is the city's tapas temple. At lunchtime, local professionals meet here to drink a copa at the bar or around the large wine barrels and eat coca - the Mallorcan pizza with tomatoes, onions and peppers. In the evening, tapas of your choice are served (Boteria 3, Palma, La Llonja district). My hotel, the eponymous Hotel Cort, a former bank building and now a design hotel, is right in the middle of it all, at Placa de Cort 11. You practically walk past it when strolling through Palma's old town. The ancient olive tree in the middle of the square is also striking. Hotel guests mingle with locals and tourists, most of whom only realize that the coffee house atmosphere on the sunny terrace belongs to the hotel when they pay for their café con leche.
Even in the hundred-year-old building, the transitions are fluid: open, high-ceilinged rooms meet mosaic-like floor tiles. Large mirrors and opulent lamps hanging from massive wooden ceilings reflect the warm light. The two rooms and 14 suites were designed by Lázaro Rosa-Violán, who used splashes of deep blue to indicate the hotel's proximity to the beach and sea. The maritime thread is continued all the way to the far north: simple wooden shelves and framed nautical charts on the walls pick up on the seafaring history of Scandinavia. It was certainly a great challenge for the architect to create such a homely hotel from the existing DNA of a bank building that unites the cultural mix of islanders and northern Europeans.
The suites are particularly homely, with a color mix of white and petrol or purple, Mediterranean bedrooms, their own library and typical Mallorcan tiles in the charming bathroom. High above the rooftops, the splash pool with sun loungers is the perfect place to relax and in the "Raw Top Bar" you can sample fresh oysters or ceviche every day. The top restaurant with terrace on the Placa de Cort is the icing on the cake after an exhausting shopping tour through Palma's old town.
