Looking for a wellness escape by the beach? Add Santa Ponsa, Mallorca to your list
Mallorca is a failsafe holiday destination for so many reasons. The easy peasy three-hour flight is obvs a big one, but the glorious turquoise blue beaches, classic Mediterranean cooking and picturesque mountainous backdrop is what wins our heart every time.
If all this, with an added spot of wellness sanctuary life, sounds like your ideal trip away, head to Santa Ponsa. Situated in the southwest of the island, the town offers both a buzzy beach break as well as a relaxed recharge away from busy city living.
Santa Ponsa: Where we stayed
We spent a blissful few nights at the Kimpton Aysla ready to recharge and shake off any stressful city vibes thanks to it's 360 views of cascading mountains, peaceful atmos and endless ways to switch off. There’s a lot to rave about here, but I’ll start with the rooms.
Impeccably decorated, the walls and shelves feature beautiful, bright artwork made by artists from the Balearic Islands. Greeted with floor to ceiling windows that take full advantage of how green the resort is, the furniture is modern and colourful, and the bed is king-size. Next to it sat two welcome cocktails which inspired an instant joyful holiday feeling. Sipping on a cocktail and stepping out onto the sun-soaked terrace – which fyi, I fully believe was bigger than my London flat - overlooking the serene gardens and pool, I was more than ready to unwind.
There’s a theme throughout the hotel in keeping the design local. The rooms are spread across two hollow buildings, one housing a spookily concealed maze in the middle and the other a gorgeous smelling botanical garden, both representative of the indoor patios you’d see in old Mallorcan houses. The grounds are spacious for the fact they only have 79 rooms, with hammocks and comfy chairs dotted across isolated pockets of the gardens so you can escape other guests or even hide from who you’re there with. Alone time is self-care, guys. Kimpton Aysla’s aim is to get you to switch off and they’ve 100% nailed that brief.
What we did
Living a former life as a country club, Kimpton Aysla is awash with opportunities to keep either active or relaxed, or both. There’s a full 18 holes golf course next door and if this takes your fancy the hotel can arrange a game for you. Personally, playing golf is as far away from my idea of a holiday than you can get, but I enjoyed the surrounding acres of endless green views it provides. If you prefer your activities on wheels (yes, me), the hotel also rent out electric bikes. Sightseeing at speed is a lot of fun and satisfied my desire for adventure without too much exertion.
Oh, and that outdoor pool I mentioned earlier, well there’s actually two of them, paired with two sophisticated pool bars lined with swinging chairs and palm trees. Plus, there’s the semi-Olympic size indoor pool to get your morning laps in, located in the hotel spa and gym. The bright airy gym holds an impressive amount of equipment and a fitness programme hosting weekly classes in the studio, too. I skipped the steam room and sauna to try their salt cave. A trippy but therapeutic experience, sitting in a room with 0% humidity, the walls covered in crystallised pink salt rock, it helps improve your breathing and clears your lungs.
More about the spa I hear you cry? Well, if I wasn’t there for the golf, it was the Maison CODAGE Spa that clinched it. I had the Couture Face Experience facial; a truly personalised facial treatment which includes a skin consultation with the therapist, where we built a serum from scratch using ingredients from the in-house lab. Talking in depth about my skin and its needs is something I’ll do with any unlucky by passer, so to divulge with an expert mixologist who is engaged in finding your best solution is mine and any beauty nerd’s dream. Once your concoction is made the therapist uses the serum for a 60-minute facial which was pure wellness heaven.
Looking to explore a little outside resort bliss? For such a calm, remote spot, you’ve got the buzzy beach of Santa Ponsa only a 5-minute drive away and the striking capital city Palma just 20 minutes. So, if you’re growing tired of your peaceful wellness pursuits jump in a handy private shuttle arranged by the hotel and there’s plenty of options on the doorstep.
I advise leaving some room in the case because Palma is a mecca for shopping. With shopping centre Porta Pi sitting on the outskirts and designer and high street faves lining the city streets, we mooched around the likes of Zara and Louis Vuitton before discovering more local treasures. Carmina Shoemaker will transport you to classic European shopping, set in a charming low-lit shop-cum-leather cave, with zebra print rugs and comfy chairs. Stacks of shoe boxes tower next to shelves displaying the finest leather footwear, including western inspired ankle boots, men’s brogues and delicate Mary Jane flats. We also browsed the artsy glass offerings at Gordiola, another place where the shop interior is just as exciting as what you're browsing.
What we ate
If you do head into Palma, make sure you perch up at the bar at El Camino; an immensely stylish restaurant; long, thin, and bright, with leather high stools and bronze low hanging light fittings. There was a small crowd gathered outside, almost shoulder barging to get through the doors as soon as the shutters went up, so of course we were gagging to get in there and join the hype. Owned by Eddie Hart who bought London Barrafina, El Camino serves up Mediterranean tapas. Sharing plates appear as and when they’re ready whilst our glass of vino is regularly attended to and we watch the action unfold in front of us. We ate queen scallops, tuna tartare and burrata and pumpkin salad, followed by a crème brûlée we’d just witnessed ablaze by the chef’s torch. Très chic.
We dined on both menus at Kimpton Aysla’s in-house restaurant SABA. During the day at SABA bar the menu offers more traditional Spanish fare which was so welcomed when we arrived at the resort for a beautifully long lunch. Plate after plate of mouth-watering tapas arrived at our table faster than we could finish including cod croquettes, patatas bravas and octopus, as well as not-so-small plates of fish and chips and entrecôte. It was mine and my naïve pallet’s first-time trying Ceviche, which I can safely say I was blown away by and happy to have discovered it here during our siesta feast.
Continuing our new obsession nosing up with the chefs, we sat up at a bar-slash-kitchen once again to indulge on SABA’s evening menu; mixing western and Asian cultures by using local Spanish ingredients to create authentic Japanese and Korean dishes. We had two dreamy evenings here, lounging on Scandi design chairs, surrounded by colourful tiled walls and rattan screens. The restaurant has a lively, sophisticated atmosphere allowing you to watch the kitchen team work its magic. The attentive waiters and chefs explain the courses as they arrive with you, offering carrots such as seasonal kimchi, nigiri, spicy tuna rolls and bulgogi to round off their delicious Omakase set menu.
Newly introduced to the menu is shabu-shabu, a Japanese hotpot dish where you DIY boil thinly sliced meats amongst vegetables and noodles. It made for the perfect send off meal which we washed down with a ginger Pisco sour - their cocktail of the week - whilst simultaneously scrolling Skyscanner on our phones desperately checking when we can next visit this Mediterranean haven.
Rates at Kimpton Aysla start from approx £310 per night.
You Might Also Like
