Belmond La Residencia | total WOW resort

welcome drink at Belmond La Residencia, (c) 2017 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

Everything about Belmond La Residencia is a wow. First, its location in the artists village of Deià overlooking the north shore of Mallorca. An hour from Palma, the village's seclusion markedly lessens the influx of tourists. You can walk through the small town, visit studios of its artists (which we'll be doing tomorrow morning), and browse in the small shops.

The welcome was warm and featured the fresh lemonade pictured above — quite tart and a perfect way to welcome guests on a sunny and hot afternoon. But beyond the graciousness of our hosts. La Residencia is simply a beautiful place. Formerly the Mallorcan estate of Richard Branson, it was purchased by Belmond and has been developed into a world-class resort.

blooming flowers adorn a walkway (c) 2017 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

Buildings are constructed of hand-cut white stone, typical of Mallorcan architecture. My suite is extremely spacious and splashed with light. The living room has no less than five large windows, with one set of French doors leading to a private balcony and the other with a Juliet balcony overlooking the hills. Beautifully furnished in the Spanish style, walls are whitewashed plaster, the ceiling has exposed wooden beams, floors are cool terra cotta tile, and the bathroom has a soaking tub, step-in shower, single vanity, and WC.

One of the finest resorts I've ever stayed in, our guests enjoy Virtuoso and Bellini Club amenities.

copyright  (c)  2017 by Ourisman Travel LLC.  All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

looking forward to Barcelona and Mallorca

map of southeastern Spain with the location of Mallorca circled

A very popular European holiday destination, a group of Brownell travel advisors is heading to Mallorca in just a week. Our purpose is to learn about Mallorca (sometimes spelled Majorca), its resorts, and what there is to do and see. Oh — and also to have a good time, but that goes without saying! I'm blessed with some of the best colleagues in the travel industry.

My trip begins with a return to Barcelona. I previously visited in 2009 and posted a couple of blog articles. One article, does architecture shape culture?, contrasted the authoritarian church architecture found in most of Spain with the freewheeling, art deco architecture of Gaudi's Sagrada Família. The other article discussed two local restaurants in Barcelona. Mas Bacus is an enoteca (wine store), located at Carrer d'Enric Granados 68, a 15 minute walk from the Mandarin Oriental. Open from 12 noon until 10 p.m., it's closed Sunday and Monday nights, so I'll probably have Saturday dinner here. I learned from the MO concierge that Can Ravell is permanently closed; he has recommended 2254, located at 335 Carrer Consell De Cent.

While in Barcelona, I'll be spending two nights at the Mandarin Oriental, doing a site inspection of the Majestic Hotel, and making a hard hat tour of a new hotel still under construction, the Almanac Barcelona. I also plan to join the El Borne & Gothic Street Art Tour.

Then, six nights on Mallorca, split between the St. Regis Mardavall and Belmond La Residencia. Our itinerary includes excursions to:

Palma — Castle Bellver, Plaza Mayor, old Jewish Quarter, and the town's gothic cathedral
Finca Son Bordils — a winery visit including wine tastings and lunch
La Residencia — a walk on the resort's donkey trail with a picnic lunch in the olive groves
Deià — artists walk

We'll also be doing site inspections of the Park Hyatt, Castillo Son Vida, Hotel Castell Son Claret, and Hotel Gran Melia del Mar. Here is a google map of Ourisman Travel's preferred hotels in Mallorca. When you work through us, you'll receive the best amenity packages available through Virtuoso, Belmond Bellini Club, Starwood Luxury Privileges, and Travel Leaders Select.

copyright (c) 2017 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.