THE MAGIC OF MALLORCA
From iconic courses to mouth-watering food, Mallorca has all of the ingredients needed to make it an idyllic golf break destination. Carrossa Hotel & Spa is the perfect hub for golfers wanting to play the best courses on the island, while indulging in 5-star luxury…
If you spend a large amount of time daydreaming about your next golf break, as so many of us do, there’s a good chance Mallorca is on your list. Aside from the obvious perks of delicious Spanish cuisine, golden beaches and that perfect Mediterranean climate, the largest of the Balearic Islands is a golfing gem. But it can also be a daunting prospect to organise a golf break.
There’s accommodation to think about, transport, restaurants – not to mention the added expense of hauling your clubs across the sea. Even for the most frugal golfers, it’s not long before the costs – and the preparation hours – start mounting up. That’s where Carrossa Hotel & Spa has stepped in; taking the stress of planning off golfers’ shoulders.
New for 2024, the luxury venue has meticulously crafted a five-night package that distils the best of Mallorcan golf into one holiday – and, best of all, into one price.
Though it’s only a short drive from the fast-paced metropolis of Palma, where the nightlife is rightly renowned, Carrossa is as calm as it comes. The road to the resort is a secluded journey through orange plantations, lavender groves and olive trees older than any course on Mallorca. Deep in this idyllic setting, you’ll find Carrossa itself, surrounded by private, blissfully quiet land.
Built more than three centuries ago, the main hotel is a converted manor house around which the resort has been crafted. Though you wouldn’t know it from the carefully preserved charm of the exterior, the hotel’s interior is the height of modern luxury. The former stables have been similarly repurposed as opulent suites.
Despite Carrossa’s beauty, you’ll inevitably be itching to hit the fairways – and the resort has hand-picked some of the island’s finest courses for you. The venue that most people associate with Mallorca is probably Club de Golf Alcanada, where golf’s most promising developing players congregate every autumn for the climax of the Challenge Tour. This course, designed by the prolific Robert Trent Jones Jnr, has earned a reputation as the best on these shores, despite only opening two decades ago. It also holds the distinction of being Mallorca’s only true coastal layout, routed to slope gently down to the Mediterranean Sea, where the iconic Alcanada Lighthouse sits on a nearby island.
If Alcanada wasn’t enough, you’ll also get the chance to play Capdepera Golf, home to what has often been voted the most beautiful hole on the island: the par-3 15th, a downhill test with breathtaking vistas out to sea and across the dramatic Mallorca landscape.
The third course on your itinerary, Canyamel Golf, was designed by Jose Gancedo – once dubbed ‘the Picasso of Golf’. An easy drive from Carrossa – as are all three courses in the package – Canyamel is perfectly positioned to offer spectacular views of nearby Menorca. Arguably the
trickiest hole here is the par-5 9th, where players must navigate an old stone hut that was left in the middle of the fairway when the course was first designed. You’re also in with a chance of spotting one of the area’s resident tortoises making its way carefully across the turf.
If you don’t fancy lugging your clubs around Mallorca all week, Carrossa has got you covered. As well as daily gourmet halfboard, the five-night package includes a 50 percent discount on Callaway or Ping club rental. The resort have added 20 brand new sets of Ping clubs to their offering for 2024 – the renowned brand’s G430 and G Le3 ranges for men and women, respectively – so you’ll be able to use the same clubs all week, if you like.
When you’re not swinging a club, you’ll be dining in the resort’s acclaimed restaurants: the flagship Restaurant Carrossa and the lighter, relaxed atmosphere of Bistro Badia. Both boast gorgeous views across rolling tree-topped hills and out to the bay of Alcudia where dolphins swim. New Head Chef Angel Zapata Martin has concocted an entirely new menu that is sure to bring the exquisite flavours of his native Barcelona to the table.
However, it may be Carrossa’s spa that truly sets it apart from the other opulent resorts on the island, and adds an extra layer of indulgence to your golf break. The immersive facility includes three distinct saunas, two pools to choose from and, of course, an extensive list of both classic and innovative treatments. If relaxing with a drink by the rooftop infinity pool doesn’t sound like the ideal way to unwind after a round, you may be on the wrong island.