A Day and Night in Mallorca

On being invited to Magaluf, a part of me died inside.

With more STI clinics than A&E's and pints from 15p, it's a "lads on tour" dream, a strip saturated in end of exam parties. Sadly, however, I am far from the "lad" kind. But when On The Beach took us to the newly opened BH Mallorca hotel, my conceptions on Mallorca changed forever.

There's far more to the island than drunken tattoos and sights no article could even bear to mention.

Greeted with the hotel's own brand of champagne with tapas prepared for us by the hotel's "state of the art" chef, misconceptions of Mallorca were already starting to change.

BH Mallorca is a colossal phenomenon of a hotel, with 656 modern suites, all with balconies, air conditioning, televisions and a mini-fridge filled enough to make every sunset that little bit more tipsy.

The modernity of the hotel gave the notorious Magaluf a fresh new look, with a beach club, stage area and an 18+ waterpark with nine white-knuckle slides; even watching people go down the largest slide on the island is enough to make anyone feel a little queasy.

So what is there to do in Mallorca?

Boat Trips

The best way to see Mallorca in its full-blown glory is undoubtedly via a boat trip. The affordable trips take visitors round parts of the island, highlighting key areas to visit whilst basking in the Spanish heat.

Witnessing the blue waters that bring travel guides to life with stop offs for a quick swim, Mallorca's boat tours inject that little bit of culture into your holiday whilst topping up the tan and serving as a perfect hangover cure, trust me. We personally travelled with Dolphin, which featured an upper and lower deck, a well stocked bar and an underwater viewing level.

Lunch in Portals Vells

A Mallorcan gem and possibly one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever visited is Portals Vells.

Light blue waters greet pure sands, as the pocket of luxury demands your visit. Whilst in the area, we took for lunch at the outdoor beach restaurant overlooking the waters. If you’re a fan of either tapas or paella, this is the place for you. If you’re not, this place will change that. On ordering a “naked paella”, every flavour was as rich as the next, that caused immediate silence and a few eye lulls across the table; myself included.

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An Evening in Palma

Laden with wooden shutters, proudly decorated with independent shops and boutiques in quintessentially Spanish buildings, Palma, Mallorca's capital, serves as the perfect evening stroll. Just a shell-throw away from the BH Mallorca, the Balearic mantelpiece is a rose tinted area where even the backstreets look inviting.

Seriously. With its infamous cathedral looking over the city, it exudes an air of romance. It's a city for the young and old, with designer boutiques for the shoppers amongst us and museums and impressive architecture that could make even the saddest Instagram look like a photographer's portfolio.

Visitors can grab a Sangria and watch the sunset over the Marina, take a tour of the city on horse and carriage or simply sit in a traditional coffee and watch the Spanish world go by. Palma is the closest thing to bliss, a truly remarkable and under-spoken city promising nothing less than a good time.

As the sun sets on Palma, finding where to eat can often be a struggle. On being invited to Mallorca's apparently "best restaurant" as Spain's Director of Tourism described, it seemed almost too good to be true. But true it was.

Sunset Dinners

Balneario Illetas, in La Sterrazas Beach Club, is an impressive restaurant that deserves so much praise. Impeccable menu choices with a faultless view looking out into the warm Spanish waters made the bistro location an imperative Balearic visit.

Watching the sun set into a watercolour palate of pastels with tapas and bread boards, gently merging into candlelit dinner, I'd recommend the squid dish, makes Balneario Illetas, a honey pot for those wanting to woo a special someone. Likewise, it's a classy evening out for when you need a break from Magaluf's not so romantic strip.

Chill Days

When the weather is as good as it is, not being able to chill out and enjoying it is sinful. BH Mallorca possesses a rather impressive “Beach Club”, just off their even more impressive water park. With loungers dotted in and out of the water, under canopies, being able to bask in the sunshine seems all too easy, finished off with music setting the chill tone, dancers on podiums and all inclusive bars.

Wild Nights

It all changes as the sun sets though. On the other side of the waterpark centrepiece locates the Stage area.

During our stay, Tinie Tempah took to the stage, getting a crowd of 4,000 moving as one before heading for yet another night out on the strip. All three regions of the modern hotel prove its size and how it caters for whatever you want from your holiday in the sun.

This trip truly changed preconceptions and misconceptions of what the island has to offer. Mallorca is cheap, accessible and has plenty to do, with flights departing from all across the UK.

Mallorca is far more than Sun, Sex and Suspicious Parents.

For more information on bookings and locations, visit OnTheBeach.co.uk

A Day and Night in Mallorca

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