Hotel Recommendations Please! Balearics/Mainland Spain

[JustAMum31]

Looking for specific hotel recommendations if possible please 😊

What we need -

• Balearics or mainland Spain would be our preferred choice for 1 week in June
• 2 adults and 5 year old child
• Family hotel with a decent kids pool for younger kids (not bothered about kids club as wouldn’t use it)
• Within walking distance of beach, nice town and local restaurants
• Max 1 hour drive from airport
• Max budget of about £3k (if AI, would prefer slightly less if SC)

Has anyone tried and tested any hotels that may fit the bill? 😊 Will be our first beach type holiday with DS so hoping for recommendations 😊 has been years since DH and I were abroad. Previously have enjoyed Cala D’Or type area of Mallorca.

We have booked the Hoposa Villaconcha in Puerto Pollensa, Majorca, which gets great reviews and is very near the wider sandy beach. Would meet all your requirements. Nice to have an apartment rather than just a hotel room. Not AI but tonnes of fab local restaurants to choose from.

We are going to the Zafiro Menorca, has really good reviews and seems ideal for younger kids. S/C for us as DS has asd and is a fussy eater. Zafiro hotels seem to all get good reviews. Puerto Pollensa looks beautiful but too far from the airport for us.

@Inthepark thank you! I’ll have a look 😊 Board basis doesn’t really matter - if AI we tend to book it just for ease of having it when around the pool etc but we tend to eat out most nights as we like to try different places 😊

@Goonergirl14 Thank you! I’ve seen the Zafiro ones before actually! I’ll have a look 😊

Pretty well everywhere in the Balearics is within 1 hour's actual driving time of the airport. For example, Cala d'Or is about 50 minutes from driving off to getting to the town. The problem is that if you have a coach transfer you can wait for an hour or more while they fill the bus up, and then the tour of the hotels at the other end can take most of an hour too. You might be last on and first off... or not. So it's maybe not a good idea to cross a place off because it's an extra 10km away, because the distance isn't what will get you on the transfer.

Of course, if you take a taxi that's less of a problem, but in Majorca that will cost between €20 (Playa de Palma), €40 (Palma Nova), and €95 (Cala d'Or on a Sunday).

On that basis I would look at Alcudia, where the beach is brilliant for small children, especially at the north end where there are almost no waves. The resort part is so-so (you will encounter a certain number of football shirts) but the old town is just a short bus ride or a moderate walk away and it's really nice.

@samarrange Thank you 😊 Will be hiring a car to do the journey from airport to hotel and back as we wouldn’t allow DS to be in transfer without our carseat so within 1 hour actual drive time is fine 😊
As you say, not so much of an issue in the Balearics as nowhere is very far.

Have had a few recommendations for Alcudia from other local families so will have a look. Old town sounds more up our street than football shirts 🫠😅

Also Santa Eulalia in Ibiza is beautiful but I wouldn't say much to do for kids, Es Cana may be better. Majorca has so much choice I wouldn't know where to start! 😀 Alcudia was too big/busy for me but there is a lot for families to do..if I was picking Majorca I would be heading for Cala D'Or or Puerto Pollensa.

All taxis in Spain provide car seats. The taxis at Palma airport have access to a huge cupboard with every possible size, and if you book the return a day or two in advance via your hotel the taxi will also come with the right seat. So if you won't be using the car otherwise, you might be cheaper off that way (about €80 each way to Alcudia). Or you could bring your own seat (the airline will carry it for free) and use it in the taxi rather than theirs.

@Goonergirl14 We love Cala D’Or - it’s where DH and I always went on our own. Although we visited adults only hotels previously so family hotel suggestions are very welcome!
We fancied trying somewhere different but may end up back in our fav spot 😊

Puerto Pollensa definitely seems more up our street than Alcudia. I’m having a look at hotels there just now 😊

Thank you!

@samarrange Thank you 😊 Just personal choice - I wouldn’t use a seat provided by a taxi service as I don’t know how it’s been used/stored etc. And would rather not have to rely on taxis being on time etc or being able to install our seat in whatever vehicle turns up 😊
Cost of hire car vs taxi etc isn’t an issue - happy to pay the hire car cost and deal with my own car seat 😊

Menorca is amazing for kids, it reminds me of majorca in the 1980s so family friendly and safe. The Mar Senses or Royal Son Bou are both great for kids and are all inclusive.

being able to install our seat in whatever vehicle turns up

Well, for future reference, or if you change your mind, every vehicle sold in Europe since 2001 that can carry passengers has Isofix attachment points. 🙏

@samarrange Thanks 😊 We choose to still read face our child so use an extended rear facing seat which doesn’t use Isofix - it is belted and tethered so I prefer knowing that I definitely can do this 😊

Have a look at the Bonaire hotel in Cala bona. https://www.tui.co.uk/destinations/bookaccommodation?productCode=007652&tab=overview&noOfAdults=2&noOfChildren=1&childrenAge=5&duration=7&flexibleDays=3&airports%5B%5D=MAN&flexibility=true&noOfSeniors=0&when=09-06-2025&pkg=897918088/3/525/7&tra_o=5124260083/5853344&tra_i=5124260146/5853345&units%5B%5D=007652:APARTMENT_HOTEL&packageId=007652ESMJ005717494272000001749513600000TOM217017501184000001750118400000TOM21711BA01897918088/3/525/7&index=9&multiSelect=true&brandType=T&bb=AI&room=&isVilla=false&searchType=search&finPos=9&price=pp&durationCode=7115 the hotel is lovely and both cala bona and Cala Millor are really nice. The hotel is at the furthest end of Cala bona but there’s a prom that you can walk down to the far end of Cala Millor.

There’s little funfair rides and a couple of playgrounds on the front and nice bars and restaurants all the way down.

@Peabody25 Thank you! This looks lovely! Will have a look into the area etc - not too far from where we usually visit I don’t think (Cala D’Or) although we’ve never been along there 😊

Protur Safari Park in Sa Coma, Mallorca has a free access kids splash park (with drinks available if AI) and several pools (although some are very deep!). My DC enjoyed it immensely a few years ago age 4&8

@MustBeThursday Thank you! I’ll take a look 😊