8 Best Hotels in Menorca, Ibiza and the Balearic Islands

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.

This boutique hotel, named after its owner, is set around a pretty swimming pool and a lush garden in the historic center of Mahón. The antiques-stuffed interiors are warm, elegant, and sophisticated, while the magnificent garden is the real pièce de résistance—a green oasis in the historic heart of the island's capital. The hotel is plastic-free and has a stated commitment to reduce, reuse, recycle, and buy only what is needed. The rooms are bright, modern, and ultra-cozy.

Occupying several renovated and restored 16th-century palace buildings, Faustino Gran has a simple yet elegant aesthetic. The decor combines bright whites and greens of the Mediterranean to create a sense of serenity. Highlights include a spa in a restored cave—featuring organic spa products from the island—and a restaurant in the lush, bougainvillea-draped inner courtyard, where guests can enjoy traditional Mediterranean cuisine with modern twists.

This chic boutique hotel is in the heart of Ciutadella, on a narrow cobblestone street behind the cathedral, and has killer views from the rooftop terrace, extending over the old city and (in good weather) across the ocean as far as Mallorca. The building was Menorca's first shoe factory, built on the site of a 4th-century Roman temple. It has cozy common rooms with plump sofas, marble floors, and a huge vaulted atrium, and the whitewashed walls are accented with resin-and-pigment panels in gold, rose, and Mediterranean blue. The best room is the romantic No. 8, which has a sunken bath. Breakfast is served at a long common table. Belowstairs is a Turkish bath and a single-lane swimming pool.

Antique embroidered bed linens, shelves with knickknacks, and comfy chairs—this is an English vision of a peaceful and secluded rural retreat, and its glory is the garden of irises, lavender, and flowering trees. The hotel's fine little restaurant, open to the public at lunch and dinner, features classics like beef Wellington and innovative dishes such as sea bass and teriyaki-frosted seasonal vegetables and basil oil.

Built in 1740 during the British occupation, this former private residence has been turned into an upscale boutique hotel. The elegant property has 15-foot ceilings, original marble staircases, and tile floors, while the guest rooms combine sophisticated Menorcan style with contemporary features and services. The Terraza Suite has a leafy private terrace.

About 10 minutes by car from the central square and set in a centuries-old oak forest, this comfortable manor house dates to 1777 and is a favorite with young Spanish families. Rooms have stone arches, cupboard closets, and English and Menorcan antiques—ask for a ground-floor double with a private garden terrace, or opt for one of the five large suites in the original barn. Sant Ignasi, the hotel's excellent restaurant (now run by the former chef from acclaimed local eatery Smoix), specializes in Menorcan produce; in summer, meals are served on the tree-shaded poolside terrace.

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.