I recently returned from the Balearics with…six teenagers in tow. The first stop was Ibiza which included a Black Coffee club outing until 6am (not…for me, you crazy!?), and then some down time with friends in dreamy Menorca. My number one priority was to check out Son Vell, a hotel I’ve been obsessed over since it opened in 2023 and wanted to highlight it here, as it became an instant favorite (for myself and the teens).
The property:
You’re here for the 18th century grandeur, the sprawling property, to feel as if you’re in an editorial spread - and you really are, so long as you have a GenZ’er to capture every pose against every breath-taking backdrop. The arrival is pretty epic; you drive up a narrow dirt country road, past many dry stone walls and slow, grazing livestock. Beyond the wide green lawn, the estate leads to the coast, which is punctuated by ancient megalithic towers unique to Menorca. Think Vogue Espana.
Originally the home of a noble family, Son Vell and its honey-hued estate was meticulously renovated by a team of architects who used local Menorcan materials while evaluating decades-old archival photographs of the house. The grandson of a man who had worked on the farm in its heyday was consulted to help shed light on Son Vell’s past life. Original features like the old well and chimney were maintained, adding to the property’s immense charm. The result is a structurally significant manor house that was brought back to life and serves timeless elegance. We’re here for it.
And, if you are a person who cares (about the Earth), the Vestige hotel group has a sustainable slant; they use everything from chemical-free dyes in the rooms to renewable energy systems like solar and geothermal, and the hotel’s own organic gardens supply the kitchen. So congrats on being a good person while you stay here.
The grounds/rooms:
There are some gorgeous properties on Menorca but none like Son Vell, with an entrance so grand, it will stop you in your tracks. The gardens are dotted with olive trees and citrus groves, and the hotel’s 150 acres are surrounded by working farm land and patchwork fields. The overall palette is quiet and neutral, save for the dusty pink entrance and olive sofas in the living room, and the walls are lime washed or plastered which cements the estate’s original historic Italianate design. The 34 rooms are light and minimal (those in the main house are more old-world, however) – and some have free standing tubs, while others have dramatic shuttered windows. We stayed in a more contemporary room which felt bright and airy, and had our own loungers on our patio which was a lovely spot to open a laptop.
The Food:
With a husband who goes deep on food research (he looks at reviews, photos, and cross-references shit), we always leave the hotel for meals, so I only had breakfast and one lunch at the property. That said, there is a really beautiful fine dining option if you want to stay on-site for evenings; it’s set dramatically in a converted barn (wooden beams and all), and has a tasting menu and wine pairings. People from other properties come to eat here because it’s really destination dining. But the alfresco restaurant is relaxed and serves all the easy food you want to eat; I had the best fig and squash salad with mescaline greens, and there were amazing paellas, beet root hummus, giant tomato salads, sourdough.
There’s also the cutest bar which occupies the former quesería, where cheeses were pressed and ripened, while the third floor (once the hanging space for sobrasada and chorizo sausage), is now a penthouse suite where little birds fly to and from - it’s got big time Romeo and Juliet vibes.
What to do on site:
