Esplendido Hotel

At last, a hip hotel in picturesque Puerto Soller on Mallorca's mountainous northwest coast, with amazing views, pools, restaurant and lounge-bar

What do you do when the first hotel you have created is a rip-roaring success? If you're Mikael and Johanna Landstrom, you take a dowdy, run-down 1950s hotel, apply the magic formula that worked first time around, and create a vibrant and shiny new base in Mallorca's most scenic seaside town. Stylish, funky, and occupying the best position in the middle of the bay, it's just what popular Puerto Soller has been crying out for.

Most of the bright and airy rooms look out to sea and best of all, most have terraces with stunning views across the horseshoe bay. In fact you're so close to the sea that you can hear the waves lapping below. With a colourful bistro-restaurant, a stylish lounge-bar that would not look out of place in any hip city hotel, and a swanky pool that literally tops it all, we can see why the only thing the successful Swedish husband and wife team didn't change was the name. Because it's all rather splendid indeed.

Highs

• Watching the sun set into the sea from your terrace as the two lighthouses start their nightly vigil
• The hearty breakfast in the light-filled breakfast room or the sunny terrace
• The fabulous-looking pool, almost floating above the hotel
• The scenic natural harbour of Puerto Soller, with its fish restaurants, cafes, sandy beach and friendly, holiday atmosphere
• And it's only a short tram ride to the mountain-ringed old town of Soller, with its historic buildings, citrus orchards and pilgrims' paths
• Now that the seafront road is pedestrianised, there's little or no traffic between you and the sea

Lows

• Bear in mind that it's popular with families, and the upper pool can teem with kids in midsummer (there is a separate kids' pool but it doesn't seem to live up to its name)
• At 80 rooms, it’s larger than most i-escape hotels, but retains an intimate air and good service
• Being in the centre of Puerto Soller parking can be difficult, so those with hired cars may be inconvenienced