This 5-star hotel in Northeast Mallorca is a stunner. Hands down, it’s the most beautiful place we’ve ever stayed. Nestled up against the mountains with exquisite views in all directions, it’s the perfect place to unwind. We splurged on two nights here in celebration of my 60th birthday.

Our spacious suite (#13) was comprised of three adjoining rooms: an entry/sitting area, a bathroom and the bedroom. We had sweeping views of the property from the bedroom side window as well as the private terrace (first photo), located to the left of the sitting area. The staff left a lovely birthday gift (sparkling wine, fresh fruit and a sweet letter). We enjoyed them on the charming terrace along with some Cinco Jotas jamon iberico Paul had purchased at the Boqueria in Barcelona.

Es Racó d´Artà features an impressive spa and wellness program. Daily meditation and yoga are complimentary, as is use of the Finnish sauna, Turkish steam bath, plunge pools and indoor pool. The meditation room was my favorite; I imagined covering all our floors at home in soft woven rugs and piling pillows everywhere–not realistic by any means but a wonderful fantasy nonetheless. And, of course, I love a place that burns Palo Santo to subtly transport your mind to another plane of existence.

The Ashtanga yoga on morning one was hard for us first timers but Paul and I managed to complete the class (I’m a Vinyasa flow type if I do yoga at all). In morning two’s meditation session, we learned an interesting breathing technique to help cleanse the mind and body: breathe in through your left nostril while holding a finger on the right side to keep it closed, then move your finger to close the left nostril and breathe out the right side. Our instructor Joy kept this up almost the entire class… I had to keep pausing to give my arm a rest. For me, the best thing about meditation is being covered with a cozy blanket while sitting/lying on a soft surface with plenty of pillows. Not saying that I achieved any sort of mindfulness but I was supremely comfortable!

In addition to spa time, relaxing by the outdoor pool consumed A LOT of our time at Es Racó d´Artà. The views surrounding the property were staggering and I finally found time to finish the magazine I’d been hauling all over Spain.

Es Racó d´Artà offers a splendid breakfast buffet sourced locally or grown on the property: freshly-squeezed fruit and vegetable juices, hand-churned butter that an attendant forms into little curls on a wooden board (really!), sweet or multi-grain breads, charcuterie, yogurts, honey, cereals, just-picked fruits and a variety of savory cooked-to-order dishes (plus avocado toast for the Californians). Splendid is actually an understatement. The first morning, we hit the buffet after meditation and yoga (see photos below); on morning two, we skipped the yoga part to head straight to breakfast!

Dinners in the well-lit outdoor dining area were fantastic. The scent from the wood-burning oven wafted everywhere and it was heavenly. Paul sampled a few local wines which then prompted a visit to one–Can Majoral–on our way to Palma. A simple lettuce salad with lightly pickled onion was a personal standout: lettuce, onion, EVOO, vinegar and salt equals PERFECTION. Grilled meats and vegetables were juicy and deliciously herbaceous– we love a chef who makes liberal use of fresh herbs, even on dessert (e.g., ground bay leaf on the creme caramel). The glassware was handmade in Mallorca and at our visit to the factory, we lucked into two glasses and a vase in the same dark red pattern. Every time I look at them, I am transported back to this magical place.

We left the property only once during our stay for a quick day trip to Palma. The highlight for me was the Arab Baths. They were lush and serene amid the bustle of tourists visiting Palma.