Apartamentos Los Girasoles

About Apartamentos Los Girasoles

Apartamentos Los Girasoles suits travellers who want a simple, self-contained base in Son Bou with the island's longest beach a short distance away. The two-star rating sets expectations: this is straightforward accommodation rather than polished hotel service, and the appeal lies in the space, the outdoor pool and the list of practical extras. Couples touring Menorca by car, families needing a playground and a pool, and walkers following sections of the Camí de Cavalls all fit the same brief, since the apartment format leaves you free to set your own timetable.

Apartamentos Los Girasoles is an apartment-style property rather than a full-service hotel, which shapes the day: you come and go, prepare some meals, and use the pool and terrace between outings. There are two stars, so fittings are modest and the emphasis sits on the facilities listed for guests, among them an outdoor pool, a garden, a playground, a tennis court and a café. It works well for anyone who prefers independence in Son Bou over the routines of a larger resort, and for drivers who want parking on hand.

Location: Son Bou

Son Bou sits on Menorca's south coast, in the Migjorn band of limestone and pale sand. Its beach is the longest on the island, backed by dunes and a wetland, and the built area behind it is spread out rather than tightly packed. Apartamentos Los Girasoles stands in the Urb Los Girasoles, about 1.1 km from Son Bou, so the beach and the small shopping parade are walkable but not at the door. The surrounding coast is low, with pine scrub and shallow water, and the nearest deep cove is Cala en Porter, 6.6 km away.

A car makes most sense from this base. The airport is 13.5 km away, Maó port 16.5 km, and Es Mercadal with Monte Toro 9.3 km, so outings in every direction are short drives on the island's roads. Beach days need no vehicle at all if you are content with the 1.1 km to Son Bou, and the bike rental listed at Apartamentos Los Girasoles covers shorter errands. In high summer the car parks at the popular southern coves fill early and some carry seasonal limits, so an early start helps; in May, June and September the same lanes are calm.

Rooms and facilities

Apartamentos Los Girasoles is listed with the practical pieces of an apartment stay: non-smoking rooms, internet access and free wifi, plus terrace and garden areas for the quieter hours. Outside the door, the facilities cover most of a family day, with a swimming pool, an outdoor pool area, a playground, a tennis court and a garden. A café, bars, a restaurant and shops are listed on site, which cuts down on evening driving, and there is parking for anyone arriving by car.

Couples tend to use the quieter corners: the terrace, the garden, the pool outside the busiest hours. Families get more mileage from the playground, the tennis court and the pool, and the apartment layout means children can sleep while adults stay up. Late arrivals should confirm arrangements with the property in advance, since reception hours and key collection are not fixed, and the same applies to cots and extra beds. Check directly with Apartamentos Los Girasoles about check-in and check-out times, laundry service, currency exchange and bike rental conditions before travelling.

Getting there

Menorca Airport (MAH) is 13.5 km from Apartamentos Los Girasoles in a straight line, the closest of the island's transport points. The usual choices are a taxi from the terminal, a hire car collected on arrival, or a bus towards Maó with a connection south; seasonal resort buses serve Son Bou in summer and the island bus operator publishes the current lines. With luggage and children the drive is short enough that a taxi makes sense, while a hire car pays off if you plan to move around during the stay.

Maó port is 16.5 km away, which keeps the overnight ferries from Barcelona within easy reach for anyone bringing a vehicle. Arriving from the port means a drive south-west across the island, and the same road serves Es Mercadal, 9.3 km off, at the foot of Monte Toro. Cala en Porter is 6.6 km from Apartamentos Los Girasoles and Son Bou 1.1 km, so local transfers are quick. Flights and ferries thin out in winter, and the summer buses that serve Son Bou do not run to the same pattern then; confirm timings with the operators.

Beaches, sights and food nearby

Son Bou, at 1.1 km, is the obvious daily swim: long, shallow at the edges, with dunes and a wetland behind. Cala en Porter, 6.6 km away, is a deep cove between high cliffs and a change of scene when the wind picks up. Cala Macarella, 11.9 km off, is the white sand cove under pine that draws a crowd, and arriving early or by bus is the standard advice. A talayotic village 3.2 km away covers the prehistoric side of the island, and Monte Toro, 9.3 km distant, gives the widest view of the coast.

Menorca's kitchen is plain and coastal. Mahón-Menorca cheese carries a protected designation of origin and appears on most menus, often with oil and tomato. Caldereta de llagosta, the lobster stew associated with Fornells, is a celebration dish, while smaller plates of fish, vegetables and pastry fill ordinary evenings. Around Son Bou the eating is resort-scaled, with the café, bars and restaurant listed at Apartamentos Los Girasoles covering the simplest option after a late return. Es Mercadal, 9.3 km away, has a year-round centre with everyday shops and bakeries.

A day from Apartamentos Los Girasoles

Start early and walk the 1.1 km down to Son Bou for a swim before the sun hardens, then take the path behind the beach into the dunes and the wetland, where birdlife is easiest to watch in the quiet hours. Back at Apartamentos Los Girasoles, the pool and the garden take the middle of the day, and the playground keeps children occupied. The talayotic village 3.2 km away makes a short, cool detour and the right introduction to the island's prehistoric sites, with talaiots and taules in open ground.

After lunch, drive the 9.3 km to Es Mercadal and continue up Monte Toro for the view over both coasts; the sanctuary at the top sits at about 358 m, the island's highest point. Alternatively, spend the afternoon at Cala Macarella, 11.9 km from Apartamentos Los Girasoles, or at Cala en Porter, 6.6 km away, and return for a late meal on site. Evenings are simple in Son Bou: a drink at the bars listed at the property, a walk in the garden, an early night before the airport run.

Practical tips

Much of Menorca's tourism business closes roughly from November to April, so confirm the opening dates at Apartamentos Los Girasoles before booking flights or ferries; Son Bou is a summer resort and quietens sharply outside the season. Typical sea temperatures run about 22-23 °C in June and 23-25 °C in September, both calmer than the height of July and August. A sustainable tourism tax, the ecotasa, is charged per person per night by the accommodation, at rates that vary with season, category and length of stay; children under 16 are exempt, and the Govern de les Illes Balears publishes the current rules.

Questions about Apartamentos Los Girasoles