Encanto del Mar

About Encanto del Mar

Encanto del Mar suits travellers who want a quiet, practical base at Cala Galdana and a car in the drive. The three-star hotel sits at Carrer Aiguavessant 15, in the south of Menorca, with the horseshoe bay 0.5 km away and the white coves of the Migjorn coast within easy reach. Couples touring the island and families who prefer a pool and a garden to a resort strip fit here.

Encanto del Mar is a three-star hotel rather than a large resort, with an outdoor pool, a garden, a terrace and a lounge among the listed facilities. Express check-in and express check-out are listed too, which helps if you land late or leave early. Free car parking and wheelchair accessibility are also listed. Think of it as a straightforward, well-placed stay for exploring Menorca by road, not a self-contained holiday village.

Location: Ciutadella de Menorca

Cala Galdana is a horseshoe bay on Menorca's south coast, 0.5 km from Encanto del Mar. This is the Migjorn coast, limestone with white sand coves under pine, and the bay is the most developed of the calas along this stretch, which makes it a practical base. Cala Macarella, 1.8 km away, and Cala Turqueta, 4 km away, are the wilder neighbours. Both are reached on foot along the coast path or by road.

The bay itself is walkable from the hotel, and the coast path towards Cala Macarella starts nearby. For everything else, a car helps: Ciutadella is 12 km away, Son Bou 11.1 km and the Naveta des Tudons 8.4 km. Buses serve the south coast in summer, with more lines in the warmer months and fewer outside them; check the island bus operator for current routes. In high summer the car parks at the popular coves fill early.

Rooms and facilities

Facilities at Encanto del Mar are listed as an outdoor pool, a garden, a terrace and a lounge, with free car parking and luggage storage. For couples, the pool and terrace give a place to unwind after a day on the coast path. Families should note that the layout of the grounds and the pool depth are worth confirming before booking, and late arrivals can ask about express check-in.

Meals are best planned around Cala Galdana and the larger towns, with the listed facilities centred on the pool, garden, terrace and lounge. Horse riding is listed too, and the Camí de Cavalls, the bridleway of about 185 km around the coast, runs through this stretch of Menorca. Wheelchair accessibility is listed; ask the property which areas it covers, and confirm check-in times and how parking is allocated in summer.

Getting there

Menorca Airport (MAH) is 23.8 km from Encanto del Mar in a straight line. The airport sits about 4-5 km south-west of Maó, and the drive across the island to Cala Galdana is the simplest way to arrive with luggage. A taxi covers it directly; a hire car collected at the airport gives you the run of the south coast for the rest of the stay, which suits this location.

From Maó port, 26.7 km away in a straight line, ferries arrive from Barcelona and Palma; Ciutadella, the old capital, is 12 km from the hotel and has its own crossings to Alcúdia on Mallorca. Buses run to Maó and, in summer, to the resorts, with fewer services in winter. Flights and sailings thin out outside the season, so check timetables with the operators before fixing dates.

Beaches, sights and food nearby

Swimming is the main draw. Cala Galdana is 0.5 km from Encanto del Mar, Cala Macarella 1.8 km, Cala Turqueta 4 km and Son Bou, the longest beach on the island, 11.1 km. Cala Turqueta is best reached early or by bus, as parking at the southern coves fills quickly in summer and some carry seasonal limits. The Naveta des Tudons, a boat-shaped prehistoric tomb, is 8.4 km away.

Menorca's food is tied to its dairy farms and to the British century on the island. The local cheese, Mahón-Menorca, has protected designation of origin status, and the gin tradition left by British rule still shapes what is poured in Maó. Fish and shellfish come from the harbours, and the lobster stew associated with Fornells is a north-coast speciality. Cala Galdana has places to eat within walking distance of the hotel.

A day from Encanto del Mar

Start early and walk the coast path from Cala Galdana towards Cala Macarella, 1.8 km away, before the heat builds and the parking fills. Carry water and swim at the bay, 0.5 km from Encanto del Mar, on the way back. Eat in the bay at midday, then use the afternoon for the pool, garden and terrace listed at the hotel, with the car parked for free.

Late afternoon suits Cala Turqueta, 4 km from Encanto del Mar, once the day visitors thin out, or a drive west to Ciutadella, 12 km away, for the narrow port and the old town at sunset. The Naveta des Tudons, 8.4 km from the hotel, is a short detour on that route. Evenings are quiet in Cala Galdana; Ciutadella and Maó, 26.7 km away, have more going on.

Practical tips

The season shapes a stay at Encanto del Mar. Much of Menorca's tourism business closes roughly from November to April, so confirm the hotel's opening dates before booking, and note that the height of summer, in July and August, fills Cala Galdana and the nearby coves. The bill also includes the Balearic sustainable tourism tax, charged per person per night by the accommodation; the rate varies with the type of accommodation and the season, children under 16 are exempt, and the Govern de les Illes Balears publishes the rules.

Questions about Encanto del Mar