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Mallorcan Idyll If you have never visited Mallorca, do not miss out on this wonderful island and take a drive to the northwest coast where the Tramuntana area will surely surprise.

Declared a Unesco heritage site it is a natural treasure ready to discover.

Driving up from Palma towards the mountains you pass through the historical village of Valldemossa with its ancient Cistercian monastery and quaint stone-paved streets. The road continues towards Deià and the winding route reveals glimpses of the Mediterranean glistening below, its appearance silky smooth and tantalising. I resist the temptation to stop on the narrow road until arriving at the Son Marroig viewpoint. The vista is stunningly beautiful. If you have time, visit the house and gardens of the Archduke Luis Salvador who himself fell in love with Mallorca and dedicated much time to not only creating paths through the mountains –which are still in use today- but also writing in depth and with great knowledge about the local flora and fauna. His work is still used as a point of reference today.

The road continues alongside a rocky, olive-strewn landscape until you reach the tiny village of Deià, popular with artists of all genres. Here stands the luxury hotel, Belmond La Residencia, of which so much has been written. From the moment I enter the driveway it feels as though I am entering a private country estate. There is no hint of it being a ʻgrande dameʼ with the usual fanfare that greets arrivals at exclusive properties. Here is a warm, friendly welcome with an offer to settle in a seat, take in the dramatic view, relax from the journey and enjoy a glass of cava. The luggage, the car, the passport were taken care of while I was unwinding.

A great start!

The remainder of my stay did not disappoint. The hotel fits snugly into the village and seems to exist in total harmony with the locals. Walls are hung with paintings by an array of local artists, the hotel gallery had a temporary exhibition by another local artist, and guests are encouraged to hone their creative talents by booking a painting class or a creative workshop with the sculptor who also offers classes in the art of silver clay, and lino cutting. Alternatively, a local potter is also on hand for those interested in hand-made pottery. Her plates adorn the tables of El Olivo, the gastronomic restaurant within the property. Or you can take a stroll through the grounds with the sculptor in residence who also curates the Sculpture Garden. He is a mine of information about the sculptors whose works scatter the terrain, mingling in among the lemon, orange, fig and pomegranate trees.

My stay coincided with the weekly guided tour of the village with an opportunity to meet artists in their studios giving an insight into local lore and what people find so special about Deià. There is a diversity of personalities and styles –but all agree that the special light and Mediterranean atmosphere of this tiny village were a source of inspiration for them.

Belmond La Residencia has all the facilities you expect of a 5 star hotel, but what makes it special is the discretion, the understated luxury and the additional extras: a complimentary boat trip to see the northwest coastline of the island from the sea; a cooking class with the Chef, a master class with an artist, a hillside trek through the olive groves to see where the olives grow that produce their own extra virgin olive oil and, at the top, led along by the hotelʼs donkeys, a beautiful picnic where I sampled an array of local products and learned how the Mallorcans prepare their ʻpa amb oliʼ. I learnt about the salt from the east of Mallorca and sampled some that had been flavoured by the hotel

chef; had an olive oil tasting and learnt about the different local olive varieties, and saw the ramallet tomato that is grown here and kept hanging from one year to the next so that there is always a tomato available to rub on that country bread!!! All was washed down with local wine and after the meats, cheeses, pies and tarts, not forgetting the sweet ensaimada –the return trip downhill seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. What a discovery for me! I was hooked on the island, hooked on the sea and the mountains, and hooked on this beautiful hotel gem that provides comfort, excellent service, top quality facilities and cuisine but in a simple, informal way that appealed to my free spirit and made me feel as though I was part of a family.

This is a property whose celebrity visitors fills pages, yet it is not what one expects of a celebrity hideaway as there is absolutely nothing glitzy about it. But after meeting the staff, experiencing the wonderful warm welcome, excellent service

and sublime cuisine, I began to understand why this appeals to a certain kind of celebrity.

Here they pass by unnoticed. They will be treated the same as every other guest and left alone. On a trip into the village, and a few wines later, I was chatting to some residents and all of them agreed that the hotel formed part of village life and yes, now and then, you would spot a famous face wandering about the village, but no-one bats an eyelid. They are welcomed as any other person and left to enjoy village life.

This is a unique hotel property and I am sure much work goes on behind the scenes to guarantee it all works so splendidly well. The staff is wonderful and a major factor in its success and then the location is unbeatable so it ticked all the boxes for me and was a true revelation. I felt as though I was in the Mediterranean as I had imagined it when reading books about this part of the world –the landscape, the light, the vegetation and the local people. A far cry from what some picture as a tourist destination. Here the slow pace of life and the tranquility I breathed induced enormous peace and relaxation. www.belmond.com/laresidencia Tel: +34 971 639 011