Mallorca Has More Than a Dozen Iberostar Hotels. These 2 Show Their Range.

If you’re traveling without kids: Iberostar Selection Es Trenc

Photo: Iberostar Hotels & Resorts

Iberostar Selection Es Trenc is located in a resort town called Colònia de Sant Jordi. The property is a short drive from Platja des Trenc, the largest undeveloped beach on the island and part of a protected natural reserve. Dressed in soft neutral tones that mimic sandy beaches, the 198-room hotel, now in its second season following widescale renovations, skews toward couples or adult travelers looking to decompress.

Iberostar Selection Es Trenc isn’t an adults-only hotel, but guests have reported that it feels like one in reviews that they’ve left. I didn’t see many kids during my stay. The hotel felt uncrowded in general, but that could be because I visited in May during the off-season.

Every accommodation at the hotel has a sea view. Rooms fall into categories like Panoramic Sea-View Suite, Mediterranean Infinity Suite, and Wellness Sea-View Double. My room was bright and cozy, and I loved waking up to the sound of the waves every morning. I also appreciated the shower amenities made with natural ingredients.

Photo: Iberostar Hotels & Resorts

Sustainability is built into the experience. The hotel runs on 100 percent renewable electricity, and much of the furniture is crafted locally in Mallorca to support small businesses and the local economy. In each room, glass jars replace plastic water bottles, encouraging guests to refill them at the filtered water stations on every floor. Even the refillable bath amenities are formulated with clean ingredients, free of sulfates or parabens — a refreshing alternative to single-use toiletries that create so much waste in the hotel ecosystem. Iberostar has also eliminated single-use plastics across its hotel portfolio, which includes more than 100 global properties. There are recycling bins in every room.

Breakfast is served daily in the main buffet restaurant — a mix of Spanish and international dishes — but the highlight for me was dinner at Salivent. The menu is Mediterranean with a focus on seafood. I had local fish with a side of vegetables and Basque cheesecake for dessert. As I walked back to my room at the end of the night, I enjoyed listening to the live band playing music in the lobby.

Photo: Iberostar Hotels & Resorts

Beyond the pool, a tranquil space, the spa is one of the property’s main amenities. It’s relatively basic: treatments are conducted on a designated floor, and there are no additional facilities such as a sauna or steam room. I had the Signature Flor de Sal d’Es Trenc 60-minute treatment, during which the therapist uses salt from the nearby salt flats to scrub your body, followed by a half-body massage.

The Flor de Sal d’Es Trenc treatment also serves as a nudge to explore what’s outside the resort, even beyond the nearby beaches. Southern Mallorca has an ideal climate for salt production and is home to sprawling salt flats. My group toured the best-known salt producer on the island, Salinas d’es Trenc. We learned how the salt is produced and got to take home our own jar of salts. On the way out, I stopped by the gift shop to stock up on more salt, packaged in ceramic jars good-looking enough to leave out on the counter.

We also drove about 10 minutes away to get lunch at Casa Manolo, a family restaurant in the town of Ses Salines that’s been operating since 1945. The walls are adorned with old black-and-white photographs and signed celebrity photos. We sat indoors, but there was also plenty of outdoor seating. The menu has a selection of daily fish, steak, and fresh seafood. My group ordered the fried artichokes, croquetas, and olives to start, and then I ordered the sole with a side of vegetables as my entrée. For dessert, we ordered a variety of cake slices to sample, including traditional Spanish favorites like almond and cheesecake, paired with a café cortado to beat the lingering jet lag.

If you’ve got your family in tow: Iberostar Selection Albufera Playa

Photo: Iberostar Hotels & Resorts

For our last three nights in Mallorca, my group stayed at the beachfront Iberostar Selection Albufera Playa hotel in the Playa de Muro area. Playa de Muro itself is famously safe beach for kids, thanks to its long and shallow shoreline. The hotel is equally accommodating of families, especially as an all-inclusive, and I noticed the change of pace instantly at check-in. The atmosphere felt livelier, and I saw several children in the lobby, though that’s not to say that this property isn’t also a good choice for child-free travelers.

Iberostar Selection Albufera is divided into two hotels: Playa and Park. The Park building consists of 280 guest rooms and caters more to families. Playa has 260 guest rooms, a mix of suites and double rooms. Guests have access to all of the same common areas, which include seven pools (and a splash pool), the spa, Star Camp for kids, a fitness center, a playground, and a sand beach with lounge chairs.

There are ten dining venues serving various cuisines, ranging from a buffet to a Spanish tapas restaurant, a Greek restaurant, a Mexican restaurant, and a 24/7 cafe, which I frequented every day My personal favorite was Kyknos, the Greek restaurant, which serves fresh seafood and Mediterranean-inspired cuisine. Throughout the day you could also watch live cooking demonstrations. Guests who upgrade their stay with Star Prestige get access to an adults-only rooftop pool overlooking Alcúdia Bay and a designated adults-only dining area.

Photo: Iberostar Hotels & Resorts

Throughout the day, there’s a constant stream of activities and entertainment for both kids and adults. This includes a Star Camp for kids and a children’s pool with water slides, as well as a heated indoor pool, Zumba classes, volleyball, Pilates, a spa, a fitness center, and direct access to Playa de Muro. The hotel also stages nightly live performances.

Off the property, about a 30-minute drive from the hotel, you’ll find one of the oldest textile stores and factories in the town of Pollença. It’s called Vicens, and it’s been around since 1854. The factory makes colorful housewares, clothing, and handbags featuring a traditional Mallorcan ikat pattern. My group got a behind-the-scenes look at how the fabric is made and how many different people are involved in the process.

Getting to the properties and around Mallorca

Photo: Goodwin Mallorca/Shutterstock

Both Iberostar Selection Es Trenc and Iberostar Selection Albufera Playa are located roughly 45 minutes from Palma de Mallorca Airport (PMI) by car. If you plan on exploring the island from either property, you may want to rent a car. Mallorca is spread out and hilly. It takes about 60 to 90 minutes to drive from east to west, and like the different Iberostar properties across the island, each part of the island brings something different to your travels. The north side is wilder, more defined by mountain landscapes, and great for hiking. The south is dotted with beaches and coves.

Renting a boat is another great way to explore Mallorca. My group had a two-hour boat tour one day. Though it was a little windy, we were able to see Platja des Marquès in Colònia de Sant Jordi and the adjacent Platja Estanys. We dropped anchor in the middle of the ocean, and while some of us jumped for a dip, I decided to bask under the Mediterranean sun on the bow of the boat. Both Iberostar Selection Es Trenc and Iberostar Selection Albufera Playa can help you arrange boat excursions through local operators.

Note: Additional reporting by Matador Network’s Matador Creators editor.