Sant Francesc Hotel Singular

At some point Palma de Mallorca’s best hotels came to rival those in Barcelona and Madrid, two cities that have been in the top league for luxury and boutique hotels from the start. That’s thanks in large part not to the big chains but to one-off independent hotels like Sant Francesc Hotel Singular, a thorough refurbishment of a 19th-century palace that is, in its current incarnation, very much the equal of the long-established names in high-end hospitality.

The rooms and suites apply a near-monochrome, minimalist scheme to the well-preserved architectural details. Some of the better ones come with a balcony or a terrace, with views of the courtyard or the Basílica Sant Francesc; all are supplied with contemporary design furniture and the full complement of modern luxury-hotel comforts.

A glamorous little spa makes use of Anne Semonin products, alongside a fitness room built into the palace’s old cistern. Quadrat, the restaurant, begins in the old stables and spills out into the courtyard garden. And the rooftop might just be the hotel’s most, well, singular space — with the old church as a backdrop, it’s got a perfect little pool as well as a perfect little poolside bar.