Gran Hotel Son Net

The Gran Hotel Son Net is the best luxury hotel in Mallorca for tycoons, honeymooners and business moguls

with baronial aspirations.

As its name suggests, this boutique hotel is very grand indeed. When property magnate David Stein first set eyes on it back in the Nineties during his search for a spectacular retreat

in one of the most beautiful spots on the Med, it was love at first sight. He spent a small fortune restoring the ancient stone doorways and vaulted ceilings of this 17th-century finca

. Then he filled it with fabulously glamorous guests

and his impressive art collection

of canvases by David Hockney, Andy Warhol, Marc Chagall, Frank Stella and Salvador Dali

.

Soon the penny dropped that people would pay good money to stay at the Son Net and luxury hotel chain Stein Hotels and Resorts was born. Rooms, amenities and facilities were upgraded and the Son Net became the last word in luxury in Mallorca. For over a decade now, a glittering cast of characters have made the 15-minute journey from Palma airport

to indulge in this splendid hideaway tucked away amid the Tramuntana mountains

overlooking the ancient town of Puigpunyent.

The facilities



Although there are several excellent golf courses and beaches nearby

, guests at the Son Net rarely leave the grounds.

They tend to head for the Zen Zone Beauty Centre

where renowned dermatologist Dr Murad dispenses Resurgence and Renewal Facials and anti-aging treatments

. Or they keep in shape by borrowing the boutique hotel's free mountain bikes

. The Fitness Centre

has state-of-the-art Technogym equipment

and the already-trim can also tone up with a Pilates or Yoga

session with a personal trainer

. But the favourite haunt of regular guests at the Gran Hotel Son Net is in one of the luxury cabanas

beside the 30-metre pool

enjoying the sunshine and the spectacular views of Puigpunyent

.

Poolside bar

El Mirador is popular in the summer months as you can sip tropical milkshakes

and home-made ice creams under the shade of an ancient cypress tree. Gazebo restaurant

also serves simple, seasonal dishes

made from fresh local produce and vegetables from Son Net's own garden on a terrace by the pool.

But the full fine-dining tour de force at Son Net happens in the evening. Guests tend to dress for dinner

and suavely sip Son Net signature cocktails

in the swish bar on velvet-clad sofas beneath huge black-and-white prints. Then chef Christian Rullan offers a degustation menu and Mallorcan dishes with modern twist in Oleum restaurant

. The vaulted, barn-like space could easily be the setting for a medieval banquet, were it not for the modern knife-and-fork sculptures by acclaimed local artist Ben Jakober which stand either side of the original olive oil press, the largest in Mallorca.

The rooms



Like all luxury boutique hotels, the 31 rooms and suites

at the Gran Hotel Son Net are all different. Zen Zone toiletries, anti-mist bathroom mirrors, antiques and heavenly beds

come as standard, but each room has a distinctive character.

The 150 sq m Royal Suites

have both a living room and a dining room and majestic four-poster beds

so massive you can lie across them. Each has a private split-level garden or expansive terrace

which are ideal for intimate breakfasts.

The Gran Suite

overlooks the pool and with floor-to-ceiling windows

and an antique telescope you can ogle fellow guests without having to go poolside.

Gran Suite Cottages

and Gran Suite Villas

have their own pools

for the painfully private. And if you can't bear to check out of the Gran Hotel Son Net, you can make this dreamy luxury hotel experience a reality by purchasing one of the Ses Cases de Son Net houses

in the picturesque village of Puigpunyent.

This old finca dating from 1672, with its beautiful patio and well, has been restored several times to date - the final restoration ending in June 1998. Natural stone flagged floors and ancient rustic beams are combined with the elegance and traditional interior designed public areas and guestrooms. Not to forget, of course, the impressive centenary oil press which makes a gourmet restaurant, Oleum.

Gran Hotel Son Net is located on a small hill overlooking the Mallorcan village of Puigpunyent. In the middle of the Tramuntana mountain range at the foot of the beautiful GalatzA³ mountain, Gran Hotel Son Net enjoys a unique position in the southwest corner of Mallorca. In the evening, the sunset illuminates the GalatzA³ mountain with a dazzling range of different colours and shades 25 spectacular rooms and suites each individually decorated, a 100-foot swimming pool surrounded by private cabaA±as and gardens, open terraces and a century old olive press converted into a first-class restaurant all combine to create a wonderful, relaxed ambience in the heart of the Spanish Mediterranean.