Four Seasons Mallorca opens on a working vineyard

In the heart of a vast private estate with carefully restored gardens, seaside woodlands, rugged cliffs and secret beaches, a former hideout for the glitterati has reemerged as a sustainable and soulful luxury holiday destination that retains its glam-chic charm.

Four Seasons Resort Mallorca at Formentor is a 40-hectare (100-acre) resort is set amid a large estate that also includes a working vineyard.

With sustainable practices at the core of the Resort’s restoration effort, all 110 guest rooms and suites have terraces facing the sea, and some also offer private plunge pools. The décor of both private and public spaces is bright and airy with natural materials throughout, evoking a seaside glamour that is both nostalgic and very modern.

In the surrounding landscape, native plantings of fragrant flowers are now growing among towering pine groves, allowing for walking paths, exotic garden settings for weddings and other events, and quiet spaces for solitary reflection.

A foodie’s paradise

The culinary experience at Four Seasons Resort Mallorca at Formentor begins with multiple on-site dining options overseen by Executive Chef Francesco Mannelli. Mel offers a farm-and-sea-fresh Mediterranean menu for breakfast and dinner.

Quiosc is an open kitchen and terrace shaded by pines by one of the Resort pools, and down on the beach, Xiringuito serves up refreshing drinks and light fare. In the evening, guests will gather at the round bar at Cercle, where expert bartenders will shake up inventive cocktails and pour from the Resort’s exquisite wine list.

Oenophiles will love getting to know the grapes and the growers at the winery located within the same private estate as the Resort.

The concierge team at Four Seasons Resort Mallorca at Formentor has been busy creating a series of very special experiences around the island, including a morning spent browsing a farmer’s market with a local guide introducing guests to farmers, bakers and cheesemakers as they gather delicacies for a traditional aperitivo. For those who can’t resist stocking up, the Resort can arrange shipping as well.

Connoisseurs of fine olive oils will want to book the chauffeured Sa Balsa tour, which takes guests to a picturesque pond encircled by stone walls, originally designed to supply fresh water to olive groves.  Here, guests will learn the estate’s history before tucking into a Mallorcan buffet and open bar.

For a full-day experience like no other, the Ancient Finca Discovery tour takes guests to a private finca (a Spanish farm) to learn about Mediterranean agricultural techniques and the extensive estate’s habitat regeneration program. A hands-on cooking class at sunset in a 13th-century stone house sees everyone pitching in to prepare a rustic meal before a local astronomer guides a magical stargazing session.

More to come: Shima, a sophisticated Nikkei-style dining experience, will debut in 2025. Guests who return for the Resort’s second season can also pick up freshly baked pastries at Sospir and enjoy cool treats at Crocant ice cream parlour.

Spa and wellness

The Resort’s beautiful setting within a coastal woodland lends itself to the Japanese art of Shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing – the practice of immersing in natural sights, sounds, scents and textures under the guidance of a mindfulness expert.

Or, sign up for an oil painting workshop led by a local artist and capture the beauty of the surrounding landscape for a unique memento of one’s visit to Mallorca.

Fitness buffs will find plenty of choice for an active vacation, including a state-of-the-art gym on site.

More to come: A pop-up spa with two treatment rooms is now open for the 2024 season, with a new, full-service spa debuting in 2025.