Indulgent Escapes Break In Majorca At Hotel De Mar A Gran Melia Hotel

Majorca has long been one of Europe’s most beloved island destinations, but there is a quieter, more refined side to this beautiful Balearic island that many visitors never discover. We recently had the pleasure of experiencing an iconic Mallorca hotel as part of an Indulgent Escapes package with Jet2holidays. It genuinely exceeded our expectations in every way.

The Chocolate Hotel: Architecture and History

Before we even checked in, we were struck by the building itself. Hotel de Mar a Gran Melia Hotel is instantly recognisable by its distinctive dark brown ceramic tile cladding, which wraps around the building in stacked, angular volumes that seem to hug the coastline. This is why it’s known locally as the Chocolate Hotel!

The hotel welcomes guests aged 15 and above, making it a wonderfully peaceful retreat away from the family resort crowds – and it has a story behind it that sets it apart from anything else on the island. Here is everything you need to know.

The Vision of José Antonio Coderch

The hotel was designed by the celebrated Spanish architect José Antonio Coderch de Sentmenat and opened in 1964. Coderch was one of the most important architects of his generation, known for his rationalist forms and his philosophy of integrating buildings with their natural surroundings.

At Hotel de Mar, he approached the design with one guiding principle: every room should face the sea. He found it inconceivable that a hotel overlooking the Mediterranean would have rooms with road-facing views, and so the entire building is orientated to embrace the water. Each room is also staggered in relation to its neighbours, meaning complete privacy from your own balcony – a detail that feels genuinely thoughtful rather than incidental.

The interiors were entrusted to Barcelona-based design duo Alfonso Milá and Federico Correa, who created a cohesive aesthetic of minimal yet elegant furniture that perfectly complemented Coderch’s architectural vision. Several of the original custom pieces remain in place today, including Miguel Milá’s iconic TMC standing lamp, which you will spot around the hotel’s social spaces.

Joan Miró’s Seal of Approval

One of the most extraordinary footnotes to the hotel’s history is its connection to Joan Miró. The surrealist artist and sculptor was living nearby at the time of the hotel’s opening, with his own modernist studio on the hillside offering a direct view of Coderch’s creation.

Miró was captivated by what he saw. He became one of the hotel’s first guests and, in 1964, wrote a personal dedication in the hotel’s golden guest book, praising the architecture. Today, seven of his prints are displayed in the lobby alongside archival materials that tell the story of this remarkable building.

That connection is what gives the hotel its unique cultural weight. It is not just a beautiful place to stay – it is a piece of living architectural and artistic history.

What is the Jet2 Indulgent Escapes Package?

We booked this trip through Jet2holidays as part of their Indulgent Escapes collection, which is a carefully curated portfolio of five-star hotels paired with a generous set of inclusions that make the whole experience feel genuinely premium from the moment you leave home.

What’s Included

This luxury holidays package includes more than you might expect. Here is what we received:

Fast track at the airport. Priority lane passes at our UK departure airport – London Luton – meant we walked straight through security without the usual queue. For anyone who finds airport stress a dampener on the start of a trip, this alone is worth a great deal.

A complimentary drink on board. Each passenger receives a complimentary drink per flight, which is a lovely touch on the outbound and return journeys. The friendly crew were welcoming and helpful throughout, and we departed promptly – always a good start.

A £10 per person onboard voucher. Each passenger receives a £10 voucher to spend in the Jet2shop during the flight – and helpfully, you can combine both vouchers into a single purchase. We pooled ours to pick up a pack of self-heating eye masks, which felt like a perfectly indulgent way to begin a luxury break.

Private hotel transfers. Rather than waiting for a shared coach, a private vehicle met us at Arrivals and took us directly to the hotel. The same service is included on the return journey. After a flight, this kind of seamless, door-to-door service makes a real difference.

25kg baggage allowance. Generously included for each passenger, meaning no agonising over what to leave at home.

Top tip: One thing worth knowing is that customs and passport control at Palma airport can take a while, particularly on busy arrival days. Our advice is not to plan anything for your first afternoon. Factor in extra time, settle into the hotel, and let the island come to you.

Indulgent Escapes holidays to Majorca with Jet2holidays include everything (flights, transfers and hotel) in one booking, which simplifies the planning considerably.

Getting There and Getting Around

We booked flights from London Luton Airport, which is easy to reach. You simply take the Luton Airport Express to Luton Airport Parkway Station and then transfer to the DART (Direct Air-Rail Transit) shuttle.

Flights to Majorca with Jet2 take approximately two hours and twenty minutes. The flight itself was smooth, the crew were genuinely warm and attentive, and everything ran to schedule.

Getting Around

The hotel is located in the peaceful residential neighbourhood of Illetas, about six kilometres west of Palma. The private transfer from the airport takes around twenty minutes, and it is a smooth, hassle-free journey with your driver waiting on arrival. Taxis are easy to arrange from the hotel, and Palma itself is compact enough to explore comfortably on foot once you arrive.

Something we discovered but unfortunately did not have time to book during our stay is the complimentary Audi Experience available to guests at Melia properties. The experience gives guests access to an Audi to explore the local area – a lovely way to get off the beaten track and discover places that are harder to reach by taxi or on foot. It is free to book, and it is one of the first things we will arrange if we stay at a Melia hotel again.

Staying at Hotel de Mar Gran Melia

All rooms at the hotel have sea views, and the staggered design of the building means your private terrace feels exactly that: private.

We stayed in a Deluxe Sea View room on the sixth floor – the hotel has seven floors in total. At 40 square metres, the room is a generous size, with king twin beds, a balcony, shower and two sinks, a capsule coffee machine, TV with Chromecast, and bathroom amenities by Carner Barcelona.

Turn-down service each evening brought complimentary Solan de Cabras water and Pancracio artisan chocolates.

Breakfast at Perseo Restaurant

Each morning we had breakfast included in Perseo restaurant, and it quickly became one of the highlights of the day. The spread is extensive, but what stood out most was the freshly cooked egg station, where dishes were prepared to order each morning. A great selection of a la carte items are also included – we highly recommend the sobrasado with honey and cheese!

It is the kind of breakfast that sets you up properly for a day of exploring, and the setting – with light flooding in and the Mediterranean glittering beyond the windows – made it feel like a genuinely special ritual.

Lunch on the Riva Lounge Terrace

We had lunch on the Riva Lounge terrace one afternoon, and it was an experience we would recommend without hesitation. The terrace sits right at the water’s edge, and the combination of the location, the food and the sea breeze made it one of those lunches that you don’t want to end. It is the sort of setting that makes Majorca so enduringly appealing.

Arrels by Marga Coll

For an evening of real culinary ambition, Arrels by Marga Coll is not to be missed. The restaurant offers a Mallorcan tasting menu that celebrates the island’s produce and heritage with genuine skill and creativity.

Chef Marga Coll brings a deep connection to local ingredients and flavours, and the result is a meal that feels rooted in place – this is not generic hotel fine dining, it is food that could only come from Mallorca. If you are a food lover, this alone is worth planning your trip around.

A Birthday Surprise

I was celebrating my birthday during our stay, and the hotel went out of their way to make it feel special. The team surprised us with a bottle of Spanish sparkling wine, a lovely selection of sweet treats from Bombon beach club, and a handwritten card. It was such a warm and personal touch, and it said a great deal about the care the hotel puts into its guests’ experiences.

Paul found a lovely dress for me in the Maryan Melhorn hotel boutique, which stocks a thoughtfully curated selection of things you actually want to take home.

Hotel Amenities

The Natural Cove

One of the most special things about the hotel’s setting is its own natural cove, which gives the property an intimacy and seclusion that a standard beachfront hotel simply cannot replicate. The rocks and clear water feel beautifully unspoilt, and it is a genuinely lovely place to spend time.

The Outdoor Swimming Pools

The hotel has two outdoor pools as well as the natural cove. One is an infinity pool located close to Perseus restaurant terrace and the spa, and the other is next to Bombon Beach Club. They’re not heated but tend to warm up quite fast under the Mallorcan sun.

Bombon Beach Club

The hotel collaborated with Italian designer Alberta Ferretti to create this stylish waterside space, and the result is exactly what you would hope for – beautiful surroundings, a refined atmosphere, and that sense that everything has been considered. Whether you are there for a drink, a swim or simply to sit in the sun and watch the Mediterranean, Bombon is one of those places you will not want to leave.

The Clarins Spa

Spa access is not included as standard in all room categories, so it is worth checking this when you book. We paid for access for one afternoon at 40 euros per person, and it was absolutely worth it.

The thermal circuit includes a hot tub, a cooler pool with water jets, a steam room, a Finnish sauna, a Scottish shower, a mist shower, heated loungers and treatment rooms, plus an outdoor area.

The Gym

For those who like to maintain a fitness routine while travelling, the gym at Hotel de Mar is genuinely impressive. It has sea views and the equipment is well-maintained and comprehensive. The gym is open to all guests, and Paul made good use of it on more than one morning.

What to Do Nearby

Illetas is a wonderful base for exploring some of the most culturally rich parts of Majorca. Here are our recommendations for how to make the most of your surroundings.

Palma de Mallorca

The island’s capital is only a short taxi ride away and deserves at least a full day of your time. One of our highlights was the Fundación Juan March, a beautiful cultural foundation housed in an 18th-century palace in the heart of the old town. Entry is free, the rotating exhibitions are consistently strong, and it is the kind of place that feels like a genuine discovery rather than a tick-box tourist stop.

Rialto Living is a wonderful concept store that is as much an experience as it is a shop. Spread across a converted cinema, it stocks furniture, homeware, fashion, books and beauty in a beautifully curated environment.

For lunch, we had paella at FERVOR Palma, which was excellent – proper, unfussy cooking with good ingredients. For drinks afterwards, Cappuccino Sant Miquel is a Palma institution, with a beautiful terrace and fountain.

A couple of things worth noting for timing your visit: Sa Llotja, the stunning 15th-century Gothic merchants’ exchange, is somewhere that we loved on our last Mallorca visit, but was closed during this stay while a new exhibition was being installed. The Royal Palace of La Almudaina was also closed at the time – worth checking current opening status before you go.

The Gothic cathedral of La Seu is as extraordinary as its reputation suggests, and the narrow streets of the Calatrava district are filled with beautiful architecture and independent boutiques at every turn.

The Joan Miró Foundation

We did not manage to visit the Pilar and Joan Miró Foundation during this trip, but it is firmly on the list for a return visit and we would highly recommend it to anyone staying in the area. The foundation occupies the site where Miró lived and worked for almost thirty years, and it is considered one of the most important artistic destinations on the island.

Given how deeply the hotel’s own story is intertwined with Miró’s legacy – from his famous dedication in the guest book to the seven prints displayed in the lobby – visiting the foundation would be a natural extension of a stay here.

Bellver Castle

Paul and I visited Bellver Castle and both agreed it was one of the highlights of the trip. Perched on a pine-covered hill overlooking Palma and the bay, this 14th-century Gothic castle has an unusual circular design that makes it unlike any other medieval fortress we have seen.

The views from the ramparts across the city and out to the Mediterranean are breathtaking, and the castle’s history – it served variously as a royal residence and a prison – gives it a layered, fascinating atmosphere. Entry is very affordable, and if you visit on a Sunday it is completely free. The walk up through the pine woods adds to the sense of occasion.

Playa d’Illetas

We also discovered that the walk to Playa d’Illetas from the hotel is very manageable and takes you past a couple of charming beach clubs. Illetas beach itself is small but scenic, with clear turquoise water and a relaxed atmosphere that feels a world away from the busier areas further along the island.

Jardines de Marivent

Somewhere that is high on our list for a return visit is the Jardines de Marivent. These compact but beautiful gardens are part of the Marivent Palace estate, which has served as the official summer residence of the Spanish royal family since the 1970s and is said to be the favourite palace of Queen Sofía.

The gardens are open to the public for much of the year (they close during the royal family’s Summer residence period) and are free to enter. They are home to more than 40 native plant species and feature twelve bronze sculptures by Joan Miró, donated by his family and created between 1969 and 1981 – yet another thread connecting this corner of Majorca to the artist’s extraordinary legacy.

Sóller by Train

A popular day trip that we simply did not have time for on this visit is the journey to Sóller by vintage train – a classic Majorca experience that runs through the Tramuntana mountains from Palma. The narrow-gauge railway dates back to 1912 and the scenery along the route is spectacular. It is well worth building into your itinerary if you have the days to spare.

What to Pack for Mallorca

Majorca in early Summer is warm but not relentlessly hot, and the evenings can carry a gentle breeze. Here is what we would suggest packing:

• Light layers for evenings. A linen jacket or light wrap is useful for evenings on the terrace.
• Comfortable walking shoes. Palma and Bellver Castle involve some walking, and cobblestones are part of the charm.
• Swimwear. The hotel has direct access to the sea and a beautiful pool area.
• Swim shoes. Ideal for swimming in the hotel’s cove.
• Sun protection. Factor this in properly – the Balearic sun is stronger than it can feel.
• Smart casual for dinner. The hotel has a refined atmosphere, and guests generally dress for the evening.
• A small day bag. Useful for excursions into Palma, Bellver Castle or the Jardines de Marivent.
• No need to bring an umbrella – you can borrow one from the hotel.

Final Thoughts

The Hotel de Mar Gran Melia is one of those rare hotels that you think about long after you have left. Its architecture is extraordinary, its setting is spectacular, and the care that has gone into maintaining and celebrating its heritage gives it a depth of character that newer hotels simply cannot replicate.

Paired with the thoughtful inclusions of the Jet2holidays Indulgent Escapes package – from the fast track at the airport to the private transfers and the warm, attentive crew on board – the whole experience felt effortless from beginning to end.

If you are looking for an adults only Majorca holiday with genuine cultural character, a five-star pedigree and that elusive quality of feeling truly special, this is it.

This stay (excluding meals) was hosted by Jet2holidays as part of a press trip.