Torralbenc

There was a time when, in the travel press at least, the Balearics were known mostly for their youthful exuberance and nonstop party culture. But while nobody was looking, they also set about becoming bastions of tasteful, intimate, small-scale, high-end luxury hospitality. Now they’re the sort of place where Prime Ministers go to unwind. Menorca just might be the last one to embrace this transition — but if Torralbenc is anything to go by, they’re taking to it like old hands.

It’s built from the bones of an old farm, lovingly restored where it needs to be restored — things like stylish modern bedrooms and bathrooms and that gorgeous saltwater infinity pool are, needless to say, contemporary additions — and meticulously preserved where the old ways will do: the rough walls of stacked stone and the age-old gardens surrounding the terraces strike an unmistakably rustic note.

The rooms, as in any decent estate-turned-hotel, are scattered throughout the property, each one inheriting a personality all its own. Some face the sea, others simply the gardens, but all do it from either private terraces or balconies — here, a stay spent shut indoors is a stay wasted. But be sure you get down to the old storeroom as often as you can — it’s now Torralbenc’s restaurant, where the toolkit of modern Spanish cooking is brought to bear on the produce and traditions of Menorcan cuisine, to unfailingly satisfying effect.

Please note: Torralbenc is open seasonally from May to October.

How to get there:
Menorca Airport (MAH) is located 7 miles from the hotel.