I have never had a more transformative, relaxing vacation in my life. Every coin has two sides; Mallorca is of course known for bustling and ratchet (by European standards) nightlife, fine dining, and beautiful Mediterranean beaches. But this pearl in the Balearic archipelago has more to offer than sunburn, hangovers and tapas.
45 kilometers from Palma Mallorca International airport is Arta; a quaint town where time feels irrelevant in the best way possible. A few minutes away from the Arta town-center is a monastic boutique hotel set amongst olive groves and grapevines. I can’t explain it, but the moment you turn from the main highway onto the unpaved road you immediately feel the urge to disconnect from the rest of the world and get lost in curated tranquility.
Bienvenido, a Es Raco D’Arta. Check out the reel on my IG here.
There is an allure about this place that is almost spiritual. On arrival, you’re whisked to the reception building in a golf-cart by a charming member of staff clad in tan linen uniform congruent with the brown, beige and off-white aesthetic of the property.
Everything around looks natural, clean and fresh, because it is. The reception area like the entire rest of the resort smells of rosemary and lavender. You’re offered a glass of cool, infused water to quench your thirst, though it is more of an elixir to dilute your stress. There are no unpleasant staff members here, literally everyone is smiling, and whispering in soft tones to perpetuate the air of calmness that surrounds you.
There a couple different rooms types, we opted for a Casita with a small terrace and a two seater outdoor reclining chair set under a grapevine laden pergola. Surrounded by cloistral walls, and an open ceiling graced by pine trees, the outdoor shower was my favourite part of the room. The interior was terraced with a comfortable size living area, with a sunbed style sofa and cushions softer than clouds. The beds are scented, accented with a piece of rosemary every morning, and afternoon, as if the cool-whip soft mattresses weren’t enough, right? Also, the rooms come stocked with two bottles of water which are refilled twice a day. Mallorcan wine awaits with a Blanc de Merlot, and Merlot bottle of wine.
It was a little after 5:30pm by the time we arrived, so we quickly showered to clean off the last bits of travel dust, poured a glass of wine and sat outside to enjoy the start of the sunset. This place is so romantic, and so private that you can really get lost in each other. That we did. It was so quiet you could hear the bees buzzing busily around the rosemary hedges in front of our outdoor sofa and the water feature added a soft harmony to the natural orchestra.
I cannot stress enough how amazing the culinary program is. Mallorcans are very proud of their Mediterranean identity and resources, so every single menu item, if not grown or produced on the property is sourced locally. I have more than 500 restaurants under my belt, and par-none Es Raco has the freshest cuisine I have ever had.
From the tomatoes with anchovies, a simple balancing act of sweetness and saltiness drizzled with Mallorcan olive oil, to the lamb shank which was so perfectly braised you could test its tenderness by cutting it with a wooden spoon. Everything was delicious, and made you feel satiated without guilt because of the pureness of the cuisine.
After a few G&T’s made with Cabroboc, a Mallorcan gin, we traipsed back to our casita for what was the best night’s sleep I have ever had.
Committed to their focus on wellness, there is a morning mediation session every day at 8:00am, followed by a yoga practice led by Joycelina which is suitable for any level. It’s also included in your room rate.
You leave the session feeling balanced and healed, a little bit sexy, and in touch with your innermost being. I can’t explain it, maybe it’s the fact that the class is guided in two languages, or the beautiful landscape observed from the massive glass window overlooking the hillside – but I am pretty sure I had a vision of some kind during savasana. I may have even levitated, who knows.
With no reason to leave the hotel, we didn’t. I understand from chatting with some of the staff at the hotel that Arta is a less vibrant town than Palma so not much to leave for really. Having taken a taxi instead of renting a car made venturing into the town even less appealing. So, we took in the full Es Raco experience in true young professionals who needed a time to take a break from the real world fashion – we went to…erm…sleep.
Breakfast is included in the room rate and is a smorgasbord of healthy choices from fresh fruit and nuts to tomatoes with pesto, freshly squeezed juices, a broad selection of teas and coffee and just….it was all amazing. After a good breakfast to vitalize your soul, and a light scratch from the neighborhood kitten that affectionately attends your table being adorable in search of a shnacky-snack, we went back to the casita, took a shower, and went for a stroll to the infinity pool adorning the hilltop.
The view from the pool is soothing. You can only see hills, mountains, olives trees and grapevines in the distance, while the bees work on the lavender plants at the edge of the pool, paying you no mind, moving deliberately between flowers obviously entranced by the idyllic surroundings themselves.
The water was cold as fxxk though. Keep in mind, I am a Bahamian and cold is subjective. I can safely say, it felt like the sea water in Cape Town during the December/January – it took some getting used to. There are poolside cocktails, and an abundance of fresh air for your consumption.
Es Raco D’Arta is a great place for couples looking to take a proper break from life, reality, responsibilities, and detach to find some time to spend with each other. If you’ve got a group and want to have a wellness week, this is also an ideal spot for you.
Get lost in relaxation, it’s one place I promise you won’t want to be rescued from.
Thanks for reading. You can follow me on my socials @imnickintl on “X” formerly known as Twitter, and @imnickintl on Instagram.
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