Reviewed Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Like many special hotels, this one is tricky to find. There are no sign posts. No terrace on the street flowing with hotel guests and a stream of waiters with spritzes. Only the discreet stone archway that leads off the square to what was once a private family home then a school run by nuns indicates you have arrived. Can Bordoy today has been entirely renovated by much-in-demand husband-and-wife architects Jaime Oliver and Paloma Hernaiz of OHLAB. Their aim was to respect the building's rich heritage but to bring it up to date with contemporary notes. There's a shady courtyard and a long, stone bar with a low-key reception area; a living room with beautiful creeping vines across the ceiling connects to a dining room and a library with views out to the back. The designers have excelled in filling this space with natural light and drama with a mix of both vintage and new furniture. Their vast, custom-made walnut beds and in-room cocktail bars with integrated stereos are real highlights. The basement spa and rooftop south deck with 360-views and a glass-bottom plunge pool are delightful, as is the Botanic restaurant run by chef Andr�s Benitez, focusing on locally sourced organic ingredients. Among the crush of boutique offerings in medieval Palma, Can Bordoy captures the true heart of the place in a way worthy of the moment.

FLASH POINT The hotel's ace in the hole (and a rarity in the city) is a large, secluded garden with chairs and a swimming. ...More