In the heart of a vast private estate with carefully restored gardens, seaside woodlands, rugged cliffs and secret beaches, a former hideout for the glitterati has reemerged as a sustainable and soulful luxury holiday destination that retains its glam-chic charm. Welcome to the inaugural season at Four Seasons Resort Mallorca at Formentor.
“With our legacy of reviving legendary hotels with a respectful approach to modernization, we are very pleased to add Hotel Formentor to our portfolio of historic European properties that have been restored and enhanced as a new Four Seasons experience,” says Rainer Stampfer, Four Seasons President, Global Operations – Hotels and Resorts. “As we welcome a new generation of holiday makers who love the sun, sand and sea, all of it wrapped in the heartfelt care for which Four Seasons is renowned, the story of this beloved destination is continuing.”
With deep respect for the natural beauty of the land and high regard for its history, the completely updated and modernized Four Seasons Resort Mallorca at Formentor blends poetic charm with luxury hospitality and European sophistication. The 40-hectare (100-acre) Resort is set amid a large estate that also includes a working vineyard – truly a world away, and yet easily connected to surrounding sites and countless recreational pursuits.
“Late summer is a wonderful time in Formentor as we invite guests to join us in the annual vineyard harvest, and then hopefully return next year to enjoy the wine they helped make,” says General Manager Estreya Gosalbez, who leads a team devoted to helping guests make the most of every moment on the island.
With sustainable practices at the core of the Resort’s restoration effort, all 110 guest rooms and suites have terraces facing the sea, and some also offer private plunge pools. The décor of both private and public spaces is bright and airy with natural materials throughout, evoking a seaside glamour that is both nostalgic and very modern.
In the surrounding landscape, native plantings of fragrant flowers are now growing among towering pine groves, allowing for walking paths, exotic garden settings for weddings and other events, and quiet spaces for solitary reflection.
With a fleet of luxury vehicles on land and sea, Four Seasons Resort Mallorca at Formentor is the starting point for explorers of all interests. The Resort’s concierge team has put together a suite of unique experiences and one-of-a-kind excursions that are guided by local experts in their respective fields.
Chief Concierge Bruno Fernandes suggests beginning with Tracing Formentor’s Legacy, A Journey Through History, Romance and Inspiration, a signature experience that introduces guests to the Resort’s historian ambassador Joan Morro. He shares romantic tales of colourful characters going back to the beginning of the hotel’s history in 1929, along with special access to the Rotger Villalonga Foundation, which preserves and promotes the birthplace and work of Catalan poet Miquel Costa i Llobera.
The full-day Enchanting Tramuntana mountain tour takes guests through rustic villages including quiet Valldemossa, the cliffside Sa Foradada, the artistic enclave of Deia, and a Carthusian monastery. Alternately, the same region can be explored from the vantage point of the sea to discover remote beaches, including a hidden gem of a coastal restaurant for a sea-fresh lunch to remember.
Another recommended half- or full-day yachting tour takes guests around the Formentor Coastline with stops at secluded beaches for swimming and sunbathing, while other sea excursions take guests to the best diving spots around the peninsula and hidden caves for underwater exploration. Early risers can set sail at dawn to witness local fishermen and dolphins vying for the day’s best catch.
Island hopping: Four Seasons has also devised a full-day trip across azure waters to the island of Menorca, where guests will find both quaint villages and pristine beaches.
Known as a destination for hikers, bikers and snorkellers, Four Seasons allows guests to dive right in, with expert instruction and guided treks on land and water in and around Formentor. Imagine hiking through the peninsula’s forests with a biologist who knows the ecosystem and can share details on the flora and fauna, and the Resort’s efforts to restore the indigenous landscape. Or, book a marine biologist for a guided snorkelling tour of underwater gardens and teeming marine life including octopuses, seahorses and dazzling neon blue damselfish.
For adrenalin seekers, there’s waterskiing, wakeboarding and even e-foiling, with a qualified instructor on hand to introduce the joys of soaring across the water with confidence and finesse. Cycling tours with a local who knows every trail are that much more fun, or guests can borrow one of the Resort’s bicycles, pack a picnic and head out on their own. There’s on-property tennis too, and for those who want nothing more than to relax on the beach with ice-cold umbrella drinks brought directly to their plush sunbed, Four Seasons has that too.
For younger guests: Kids For All Seasons is a complimentary, fully-supervised program for children with activities that encourage creativity, learning and a whole lot of fun. Next year, a dedicated teen centre will also open, inviting young adults for games, activities and socializing.
The culinary experience at Four Seasons Resort Mallorca at Formentor begins with multiple on-site dining options overseen by Executive Chef Francesco Mannelli. Mel offers a farm-and-sea-fresh Mediterranean menu for breakfast and dinner. Quiosc is an open kitchen and terrace shaded by pines by one of the Resort pools, and down on the beach, Xiringuito serves up refreshing drinks and light fare. In the evening, guests will gather at the round bar at Cercle, where expert bartenders will shake up inventive cocktails and pour from the Resort’s exquisite wine list. Oenophiles will love getting to know the grapes and the growers at the winery located within the same private estate as the Resort.
The concierge team at Four Seasons Resort Mallorca at Formentor has been busy creating a series of very special experiences around the island, including a morning spent browsing a farmer’s market with a local guide introducing guests to farmers, bakers and cheesemakers as they gather delicacies for a traditional aperitivo. For those who can’t resist stocking up, the Resort can arrange shipping as well.
Connoisseurs of fine olive oils will want to book the chauffeured Sa Balsa tour, which takes guests to a picturesque pond encircled by stone walls, originally designed to supply fresh water to olive groves. Here, guests will learn the estate’s history before tucking into a Mallorcan buffet and open bar.
For a full-day experience like no other, the Ancient Finca Discovery tour takes guests to a private finca (a Spanish farm) to learn about Mediterranean agricultural techniques and the extensive estate’s habitat regeneration program. A hands-on cooking class at sunset in a 13th-century stone house sees everyone pitching in to prepare a rustic meal before a local astronomer guides a magical stargazing session.
More to come: Shima, a sophisticated Nikkei-style dining experience, will debut in 2025. Guests who return for the Resort’s second season can also pick up freshly baked pastries at Sospir and enjoy cool treats at Crocant ice cream parlour.
For some, the simple act of getting away, breathing in the sea air and relaxing on golden sands is the ideal wellness holiday. Four Seasons offers plenty of both, and more. The Resort’s beautiful setting within a coastal woodland lends itself to the Japanese art of Shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing – the practice of immersing in natural sights, sounds, scents and textures under the guidance of a mindfulness expert. Or, sign up for an oil painting workshop led by a local artist and capture the beauty of the surrounding landscape for a unique memento of one’s visit to Mallorca.
Fitness buffs will find plenty of choice for an active vacation, including a state-of-the-art gym on site.
More to come: A pop-up spa with two treatment rooms is now open for the 2024 season, with a new, full-service spa debuting in 2025.
The article Now open: Four Seasons Resort Mallorca at Formentor welcomes guests first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.
