Mallorca with teens: how to get it right with St. Regis Mardavall

At St. Regis Mardavall Mallorca, FQ Editor and single mum Lisa McGarry finds that that it’s not about how long you go for, but where you stay.

We’re sitting in one of the spa pools at St. Regis Mardavall on our Mallorca with teens trip, and it’s almost deserted. This is despite the fact that it forms part of a vast hydrotherapy area, with warm and cold pools, plunge pools, a jacuzzi, every kind of sauna, a cold room and a beautiful hammam.

The reason is simple: most guests gravitate towards the main pools, where huge day beds look out over the yacht-speckled Mediterranean, and waiters drift past offering fresh juice shots, sorbets and other delightful freebies.

But my teenager prefers the spa and its array of hydro-options. We’re here for three nights, as a reward for finishing school and exams, and he loves having the place almost to himself.

Almost, because we’re sharing it with two glamorous American women perched on the in-water sunbeds, all warm smiles and great hair. Talking to them gives shape to something I’ve already started to realise about this hotel, and St. Regis more generally.

They were meant to be in Sicily. A volcanic ash cloud had cancelled their plans at the last minute, leaving a hole in the middle of a two-week European trip. One of them was a Marriott Bonvoy member who’d stayed at St. Regis hotels before, so she started searching the brand and found a good rate here.

“We didn’t know anything about Mallorca,” she tells me. “But we knew we’d be safe with St. Regis.”

Because when time is short, you don’t want to spend the first two days discovering what the hotel gets wrong, especially when doing Mallorca with teens and their famously volatile moods. You want to arrive, hand over your cares around the time you step out of the car, and know you’re in good hands.

It started with a suite… and a hotel lobby

Arriving at St. Regis Mardavall is swish and exciting. From the long, greenery-flanked driveway to the Ferrari casually parked outside (for guest hire), the uber-solicitous staff and sweeping lobby, there’s an immediate sense of class, but it’s also relaxed. Marble, chandeliers and polished surfaces bring the grand luxe; contemporary art, colour and playful design details add the cool factor. Beyond, the resort opens out towards the gardens, pools and Mediterranean, so by the time you reach the suites, you’re looking down across the whole scene to the sea.

We’re in a fifth-floor sea-view suite, and it’s gaspingly gorgeous. Generous rooms, gleaming bathroom, great toiletries (the benchmark for me), walk-in closet, efficient aircon, well-stocked fridge tucked into a carved wooden dresser, massive bed and, of course, the terrace, with loungers and views across the Bay of Palma. Even the mandatory confusing hotel light switches were conquered in under two minutes.

Head down to the lower level and out into the gardens, and this is where most of the action is. The main pools are surrounded by day beds and fragrant gardens bedecked with bougainvillea and swaying palms. By day three of ‘Mallorca with teens’ our favourite spot was on the furthest loungers: still close enough for the free snacks, but secluded, with the sparkly turquoise sea just in front and the spa a two-minute barefoot wander away. There’s also a decent gym attached to the spa, a table-tennis area, and a kids’ club over the other side of the gardens.

Eating and getting around Mallorca with teens

You don’t need to leave St. Regis Mardavall if you don’t want to: it’s quite hard to tear yourself away. The jewel in its culinary crown is Michelin-starred Es Fum, which attracts a suitably fabulous clientele, although my teenager did not need that level of gastronomic abandon on this trip.

Poolside Terra serves a high-end breakfast buffet, lounger service and excellent à la carte dining by night, while Mar Sea Club has stunning coastal views, Latin American-Mediterranean fusion and more of a beach-club vibe. We had an incredibly joyful lunch there. We also popped into the elegant St. Regis Bar for tapas and snacks. No notes.

Still, it’s a beautiful spot to explore. Palma Old Town is the obvious excursion, with its cathedral, galleries, winding streets and general sense of occasion, but on this trip we were keeping things low-key. Instead, we headed to Palma Nova for dinner on our last night: touristy, yes, but with a lovely white-sand beach and plenty going on. It’s around a five-minute drive from the hotel, or a longer walk along a fairly functional road, passing the huge and excellent local supermarket on the way.

In the other direction is Portals Nous, with pretty swimming spots and the much glossier Puerto Portals marina. This may be why so many people drifting through the St. Regis bar look so polished. The Spanish royal family’s summer residence, Marivent Palace, is just along the coast, and this corner of Mallorca has long attracted royalty, yacht owners and the international jet set. There’s a faint sense that you’ve wandered into their playground, which I loved: no FOMO here.

Family affair

I’ve tried many kinds of holiday over the years as a single parent to a solo child, and St. Regis Mardavall hit a particularly sweet spot for us. You’ve got the luxury and pampering, but also the sea as playground and plenty of Mallorca within reach. Reception can arrange everything from Palma Old Town and watersports to trips into the Tramuntana mountains, where Valldemossa, Deià and Sóller bring stone villages, olive groves and huge coastal views.

For younger children, the kids’ club adds another option to the time-honoured tradition of pool time, which none of the children on our visit seemed remotely tired of. It’s set slightly back in the gardens, with its own shallow pool, playground and plenty of shade. For us, though, the real luxury was finding somewhere that worked just as well for a teenager who wanted space, spa time and excellent food as it did for his mother.

Three nights later…

We left St. Regis Mardavall Mallorca completely decompressed. Not even the terrible aircon at Palma Airport could dent our equilibrium, although leaving that suite certainly tried. Was three nights enough? Yes, just about. Enough to feel as though we’d properly been away, rather than simply squeezed a holiday into a long weekend. Sometimes, it really isn’t about how long you go for, but where you stay.

FQ NEED TO KNOW: MALLORCA WITH TEENS

Getting there: London to Palma approx. 2hr 25; resort around 20 minutes from the airport.
Rooms: 125 rooms and suites, all with private terrace/balcony; connecting options available.
Families: Explorer Club, playground and two shallow children’s pools; dedicated Teen Club. (Check current operating dates/hours when booking outside school holidays)
Spa: Wellness pool accessible from 13 with an adult; thermal area 18+.
Eat: Terra, Mar Sea Club and Michelin-starred Es Fum, plus St. Regis Bar.
Do: Palma Old Town; Portals Nous; Tramuntana mountain excursions; watersports, golf and yacht trips can be arranged.
Marriott Bonvoy: Free to join; check the member rate before booking.
From: £2175 per night for a Garden View Suite.
Best for: Couples, families and parents travelling with teens.