5 Best Hotels in Ibiza and the Balearic Islands, Spain

An urban setting on a local city street overlooking the old town makes this lovely late-16th-century former soap factory a cool escape in a lively destination, with photo-ready views of Palma's winding roads. This intimate hotel is open year-round in the Santa Catalina area, but it places a premium on ambience—which is why you'll see an assortment of colorful characters who choose to vacation here. The airy, rustic guest rooms with wood-beam ceilings are minimally furnished, each in a different style, and bathrooms have Mallorcan-style tiling from head to toe. Pro tip: the room service at Concepció by Nobis is worth a night or two. 

Built in 1811 by a Spanish ship captain, this casa señorial (town house) in the heart of Mahón was lovingly restored by architect and co-owner Fernando Pons as a boutique hotel. The restoration preserved even the original tower and its widow's walk. Rooms have queen-size beds, high ceilings with exposed beams, working fireplaces and wood-burning stoves (a plus in Menorca's blustery winters), original tile floors and antique furniture, ample stall showers, and deep oval tubs. Luxurious extras include robes and slippers, towel warmers, and huge mirrors. Dinner is served from Thursday to Sunday, and the café offers breakfast, brunch, and afternoon tea daily. The best room is No. 1, with a private terrace overlooking the interior patio.

A favorite way station for groups of cyclists touring the island, the Son Sant Jordi is a small, family-friendly gem of a boutique hotel, formerly the convent of the adjacent Church of Sant Jordi. The palm-shaded patio garden in back is a delight, with orange and lemon trees, a small pool, and a fishpond. Guest rooms have antique furniture, king-size four-poster canopy beds, ceramic-tile floors, exposed-stone walls, and ceiling beams. Full amenities include robes and slippers. The best room in the house is No. 4, "Les Aguilas." Book for a week, and the hotel will arrange free transfers from and to the airport.

Just across the tram tracks from the train station, this former home still feels much like a family hideaway. The lobby is a cheerful clutter of bric-a-brac (sconces, candelabra, bronze heads, novelty teapots); guest rooms are light and airy, with antique furniture, walls in white or Mediterranean blue, exposed beams on the ceilings, and original terra-cotta floors. The bathrooms are ample, with robes and standard amenities. Ask for the Terrace Room, which overlooks the garden.

An avenue lined with chinaberry and fig trees leads to this lovely restored farmhouse with environmental credentials, including some solar power and organic produce from the farm. Inside, it has retained many old features—an excellent upstairs suite has an oratory—and a row of adjoining stables has been converted to additional accommodation with individual terraces. The family proprietors are opera aficionados, so all rooms are named after composers. On the first floor, public spaces feel calm and relaxing thanks to modern blond-wood furnishings, while the excellent restaurant (also open to the public) serves meals on the deck in good weather: reserve ahead.