Barcelo Hamilton, Menorca Review: Leave The Kids At Home For An Exercise In Relaxation

The Space
If you like your holidays to be filled with sunshine and gin but hate kids and English accents abroad, then book yourself a week away in the hidden gem that is Menorca. The smallest of the Balearic islands, Menorca is often overlooked by its louder siblings Majorca and Ibiza, but the tiny island is a hidden haven of beautiful ports, glorious sunshine and some of the best seafood we’ve ever had.

At little over 50km long, you can see all this island has to offer without breaking a sweat, either by hiring a car or (our personal favourite) taking water taxis from port to port.

The Vibe
Menorca was made for relaxing. The beautiful Mediterranean climate lends itself to sunbathing, swimming, water sports and al fresco dinners washed down with local gin and Cava.

Forget the party vibes that you’d associate with other Spanish resorts – life moves a little slower in Menorca, which makes it popular with older travellers as well as couples looking for a stress-free break in the sun. Bring a book or two, pick a comfy spot in the sun and unwind.

The Hits
The hotel – We stayed at the Barcelo Hamilton in the eastern town of El Castell in the Port of Mahon. As well as being thoroughly modern with welcoming staff and all the amenities you could want, this luxury hotel is adults only. No, that doesn’t mean it’s full of wrinkly swingers (well, none that we saw) but it does mean that when you are relaxing by the pool or in one of the rooftop hot tubs there are no screaming kids being chased around by weary parents.

To up the relaxation ante even further, indulge a treatment at the U Wellness spa. We opted for the Menorca Wine Experience, which features a body scrub followed by a full body massage using wine based products and a glass of Menorcan plonk after your treatment to enjoy with cheese. Bliss.

Make the effort to get up for breakfast - it's an epic buffet with made to order omlettes and pancakes.

The food – Menorca is a seafood fan’s heaven. Lobster, calamari, octopus – you can eat fish for breakfast, lunch and dinner on the island and never have the same dish twice. We ate at Sa Cova, part of the Hamilton hotel, and enjoyed six courses of some of the best seafood we’ve ever eaten washed down with wines from a local vineyard.

The drink – The British brought gin over to Menorca in the 18th century and the spirit makes up part of the island’s signature tipple, Pomada. We bought a bottle of this pre-mixed gin and bitter lemon and polished it off in one sunny afternoon back home.

As well as local gin, Menorca has a handful of burgeoning vineyards that produce a variety of grapes. We were lucky enough to take a trip to one of the newest, Binifadet, and sample some of its delicious wines. Take the afternoon to enjoy a short tour and find out how they make Spanish champagne before sitting down to a gorgeous tapas lunch under a lush green patio, while you quaff reds, whites, roses and bubbly. If there is a better way to spend an afternoon, we haven’t heard of it.

The Brag
Cova d’en Xoroi. If you decide amongst all this relaxation that you’d really rather fancy a night out, make your way to the island’s most famous club. Carved out of the side of a cliff, Cova d’en Xoroi is quite simply breathtaking. Head down in the evening to enjoy a stunning sunset over the water as you sip a cocktail and take in the view. But the locals know that this place doesn’t really get going until midnight. Bring your dancing shoes and party into the wee hours in the hollowed out caves, where your reward is a sunrise worth staying up for.

The Instagram Shot

The Misses
Depending on how you look at it, the lack of young people is either a bonus or a major drag. If peace and quiet is what you’re after though, the slightly older holidaymakers are a godsend.

The Deets
Rates at Barcelo Hamilton start from £77 per room per night. Price based on two people sharing on a B&B basis.
 
Monarch, the scheduled leisure airline, operates year round flights to Menorca from Birmingham, London Gatwick, London Luton, Manchester and Leeds Bradford airports with fares, including taxes, starting from £39.99 one way (£79.94 return).

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