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Just to let you know… This post (probably) contains affiliate links, including Amazon Associates links, and I may receive a small commission if you click one. This is at no extra cost to you and allows this site to keep running.
Es Picarol Sineu isn’t just a completely unique Mallorca hotel – step inside and you’ll discover so much more.
As a travel blogger, it’s not uncommon for friends, family and even complete strangers to ask for travel recommendations.
What is unusual, though, is for my first “must do” in any destination to be a hotel. But, if you were to ask me about the things you absolutely must do on the Spanish island of Mallorca, staying at Es Picarol Sineu undoubtedly takes the one of top spots.
At first glance, there’s nothing obviously bucket list-worthy about Es Picarol. No crazy gimmicks. No once in a lifetime views. No over the top rooms.
But that’s all part of its charm.
Es Picarol Sineu, while impressively grand and tastefully decorated, reserves most of its allure for the guests who spend a night or more in one of its five rooms and suites. Yes, that’s right. Despite its generous interior, there are only five guest rooms at Es Picarol.
Spend just a couple of nights at this very special hotel, and you’ll begin to uncover the many stories and details that make it very bucket list-worthy – and most likely find yourself just as in awe as I did.
Just to let you know… This post contains affiliate links, including Amazon Associates links. I may receive a small commission from them at no extra cost to you.
An intimate kind of luxury
Some might argue that ‘personalised’ is part of the definition of ‘luxury’. Perhaps it should be a given. But, in reality, luxury travel is (too) often shrouded in expectation, judgement and unnecessary pressure.
Perhaps that is why it feels odd to label Es Picarol Sineu as a luxury place to stay in Mallorca. Yet it can’t really described as anything else.
There’s no doubt that the building itself – a restored 19th century stately home – ticks all the luxury boxes, as do the personalised service and details throughout.
The reason it feels semi-wrong to use the name Es Picarol and ‘luxury hotel’ in the same sentence is because, above all else, everything about it feels incredibly homely. And perhaps that is where other boutique hotels could learn a lot from this special place.
So, yes, there’s no doubt that Es Picarol ticks all the luxury boxes insofar as it is a boutique hotel. At Es Picarol, though, luxury takes on a much more human and personable form.
Sometimes a hotel is simply a place to lay your head. Other times, it’s a unique travel experience in itself. And, for digital nomads and those who spend a lot of time on the road, sometimes a hotel becomes a home away from home.
Even though I’m no longer travelling full time, there’s no doubt that Es Picarol falls firmly into all three of the above – something that rarely happens.
Checking into Es Picarol Sineu
The homely atmosphere – and you really do feel at home from the minute you walk into Es Picarol – and impeccable service feel nothing but natural. And that is because of its best feature of all and something that no other hotel could possibly emulate: its hosts.
When you check into Es Picarol, you aren’t just checking into a boutique hotel. More than that, you are being hosted in José and Carl’s home. Along with their utterly loveable dog, Samba, the owners of Es Picarol genuinely care about their guests’ experience and you can feel it.
Their attention is 100% on YOU and making sure you enjoy every second of your time in Mallorca, in a way that you feel like you have a friend rather than a concierge, tour guide or other service provider.
And it’s not just that they go above and beyond to make every guest 100% happy, but that they show so much joy in doing so. Both Carl and José appear to get so much enjoyment from creating this magical guest experience that, while this is very much a 24/7 job for them, it’s easy to forget that it is.
The result of José and Carl’s very natural and wholehearted hospitality is that, as a guest, you can feel completely at ease and make the most of your trip to Mallorca.
It’s a somewhat unusual experience to feel at home in a place that only was completely unknown to you hours before. That is especially true when you find yourself in such a stunning property, so grandiosely curated and of such impressive demeanour.
But somehow José and Carl make that a reality for every guest who enters their home. Without losing the luxury treatment or touches, you feel like part of the family from the moment you step through the front door – or, in my case, from the moment you drive past the front door.
(Carl happened to be outside when I arrived and, after greeting me with an infectious smile, helped me to park my car.)
It’s something very unique and is what makes staying at Es Picarol such a pleasure.
| Experience Es Picarol for yourself: Click here to check prices and availability for your dates.
A story in every detail
While the hospitality is the standout feature of Es Picarol, the hotel would still be a must-stay without it. Staying at Es Picarol is an experience in itself, with so much to discover during your time there.
It all starts with the colourful façade – the first thing you will see when you arrive at Es Picarol.
Striking yet unexpectedly subtle at once, the restored front gives a good taste of what you can expect to find inside: a stately home restored in a way that respects its original life yet adds a new breath of life in line with its current owners.
Step inside, and you’ll see just how very fitting this first impression is.
When José and Carl bought the property that is now Es Picarol 16 years ago, it was a long way away from what it is today. It took a long time, too – 14 years in total – to complete the restorations and turn the hotel into the piece of art it is today.
There are many reasons why it took so many years to complete, some of which Carl shared with me throughout my stay. Those stories are his to share, not mine, but any guest who stays at Es Picarol can expect to discover a number of stories for themself.
Es Picarol is a hotel where every detail has a story to tell.
Every hand selected ceramic plate on the wall. Every vintage lamp carefully placed within the guest suites. Every tile on the restored floors. It seems as though every inch of this very special building has a secret to discover.
From the hand-painted blocks on the wall to the quirky dog-themed details in unexpected places, Carl and José will happily share the story behind anything that catches your eye (and there will be lots!).
It certainly adds a very endearing – and inimitable – charm to what is already an impressive project. I mean, in how many other hotels would you find yourself discovering that your hosts got married in the very spot where you’re sitting and sharing stories?!
A hotel with heart
It’s quite a feat to have created such a stunning hotel. Where vintage pieces have been perfectly placed in comfortably modern rooms. Where the home’s traditional features have been so well respected while breathing new life into its very essence. And where every wall and floor is a gallery to be admired.
But it is something else to have made such an admirable achievement feel so unassuming and so irresistibly inviting.
For all its grandeur, nothing about Es Picarol feels forced or overthought. It takes a certain skill set to be able to place together so many unique and wonderful items in a way that gives them equal weight of the spotlight. And, more so, in a way that invites the viewer to discover each in a natural way, during moments of conversation or daily life.
What is truly magical about Es Picarol is the way you will feel when you stay there. To be surrounded by so many stories, so many intricate design features and what is essentially a living masterpiece – and for that not to be the thing that stands out the most.
It’s the kind of feat that’s hard to achieve in a cosy guesthouse, let alone a manor like this. And yet it may well be the homeliest hotel I’ve ever stayed in.
Above all else, Es Picarol is a hotel designed and run with heart.
A hotel this beautiful could get away with mediocre service and still be worthy of a return visit, yet Carl and José go above and beyond any hosts I’ve ever encountered in my many years of travelling. And that is what makes Es Picarol so very special.
Staying in Sineu
Es Picarol is situated in the heart of Sineu, a cosy market town in the middle of the island of Mallorca.
While it’s not particularly well-known for tourism, it’s a wonderfully convenient place to base if you hope to explore everything Mallorca has to offer (and there’s a lot!).
If you plan to hire a car in Mallorca – something I highly recommend – then almost everywhere on the island is within a 1-1.5 hour drive of Sineu.
And did I mention the beautiful views of the Serra de Tramuntana mountains you can enjoy? If you stay at Es Picarol, make sure you arrive home in time to watch the sunset over the mountains from the hotel’s perfectly positioned rooftop terrace!
Exploring more of the Spanish islands?
Good choice! Here are some more posts that will help you plan an unforgettable trip:
- Ibiza vs Menorca – which of the other Balearics is best for you?
- The ultimate Ibiza packing guide
- The best things to do in Gran Canaria
- Unique things to do in Menorca
- Exploring the Gran Canaria nature
