Somewhere along the line, Mallorca lost a little of its sparkle. Now, the best hotels in Mallorca are helping the island reclaim its shine, blending luxury with timeless charm. Gone are the days when, in the 1980s, Magaluf put a slur on its reputation, and it became Majorca, all phonetics and glottal stop. Then in the 1990s, everyone went next door to party with its naughty little sister, Ibiza.
The smart set has never stopped going to Mallorca, unshuttering their villas every springtime. They come for its romantic coastline, dramatic mountainscapes, tiny bays of sapphire water, and terracotta-roofed villages, jumbled across hilltops. And Palma, with its boulevards of boutiques and its labyrinthine old town full of hidden tavernas and sophisticated bars.
This is the island that has inspired generations of artists, writers, poets, and musicians since Chopin shocked the locals by turning up with his mistress, George Sand. Then came DH Lawrence, Robert Graves, Joan Miró, and Anaïs Nin, all drawn to sleepy Deià, which has become a haven for artists. Jagger partied here in the 1980s, when he wasn’t in Mustique. Then, in 2023, Richard Branson opened his first hotel here.
How we choose the best hotels in Mallorca
Every hotel review on this list has been written by a Condé Nast Traveler journalist who knows the destination and has visited that property. When choosing hotels, our editors consider properties across price points that offer an authentic and insider experience of a destination, keeping design, location, service, and sustainability credentials top of mind.