Cristine Bedfor

Menorca may be quieter and less visited than some of its Balearic neighbors, but creative small hotels are flourishing on this supposedly “minor” island. Cristine Bedfor, in the Menorcan capital city of Mahón, is a most unusual luxury boutique hotel, in a good way — named for a fictional character dreamt up by hotelier Cristina Lonzano, it’s a multi-layered concept, a local’s vision of a British traveler’s idea of a perfectly hospitable Menorcan residence.

Designer Lorenzo Castillo has filled Cristine Bedfor’s spaces with thoughtfully selected antiques and objets, in pursuit of the kind of character possessed by the best small hotels. The house’s 21 bedrooms range from singles and doubles to more expansive (and self-explanatory) terrace rooms and finally Cristine’s Choice, the largest and most lavish of the accommodations.

The hotel’s restaurant is a partnership with the well-regarded local restaurant Ses Forquilles, and makes expert use of the island’s local produce and the abundant Mediterranean seafood. As for the city itself, Mahón is an order of magnitude smaller than Palma, its Mallorcan counterpart; you can easily see the port and the entirety of the old town in a single day.