Fonoll Mari

About Fonoll Mari

Fonoll Mari suits travellers who want Menorca's west side without staying in the middle of a resort. The hotel is a four-star property on the Carretera Torre del Ram, just outside Cala en Blanes and about 3.3 km from Ciutadella in a straight line. Couples who plan to drive to the southern coves, and families who value a pool and a garden, both fit here. The setting is quiet and the old capital is a short hop away.

Fonoll Mari is a four-star hotel rather than a resort complex, so days tend to be built around the property and the car. There is an outdoor pool with a separate kids pool, a garden, a terrace and free car parking. Rooms list air conditioning, Wi-Fi, a kitchen with an oven and dishwasher, and a washing machine, which suggests the place works for longer stays as well as short ones. Confirm room types and arrival times directly with the property.

Location: Ciutadella de Menorca

Fonoll Mari stands on the Carretera Torre del Ram, outside Cala en Blanes and clear of Menorca's main resort areas. Ciutadella, the island's old capital, is about 3.3 km away in a straight line, with its cathedral, palaces and the narrow port that draws people down to the water in the evening. Cala Galdana, one of the south coast's best known coves, is about 14.9 km from the hotel.

A car is the practical way to reach the beaches, Ciutadella and the rest of the island; Fonoll Mari lists free car parking. Taxis cover the short run into Ciutadella, about 3.3 km in a straight line, and buses from the town serve the southern beaches and Maó. In July and August the roads and the car parks at Cala Turqueta and Cala Galdana are busiest; in May, June and September the same drives are calmer.

Rooms and facilities

Rooms at Fonoll Mari are set up for practical holidays. The listed facilities include air conditioning, a fan, a TV, a safe and free Wi-Fi, plus a bath, a bidet and a hairdryer. Several listed extras point to longer stays or family groups: a kitchen with an oven, microwave, dishwasher, refrigerator and toaster, a washing machine, an iron and board, and a cot and high chairs. Confirm which of these come with your room type.

Couples will find the terrace, garden and outdoor pool the core of the day. Families get the separate kids pool and the kitchen equipment listed above, and the patio and picnic area give children room outdoors. Laundry service, cleaning and first aid are listed, and a smoking area is set aside. Late arrivals should confirm arrival arrangements with Fonoll Mari in advance, and ask about non smoking rooms when booking.

Getting there

Menorca Airport (MAH) is about 38.5 km from Fonoll Mari in a straight line, on the far side of the island near Maó. A hire car collected at the airport is the simplest way across, with the drive ending on the Carretera Torre del Ram outside Cala en Blanes. Taxis wait at the airport. Buses run into Maó, and the onward connection towards Ciutadella needs checking with the island bus operator.

From Maó port, about 41.2 km away in a straight line, the same applies: a car or a taxi covers the crossing of the island, and passengers arriving on overnight ferries from Barcelona should plan that transfer before setting out. From Ciutadella the hotel is roughly 3.3 km away, a short taxi ride. Flights and ferries are fewer in winter, so check times before booking Fonoll Mari in the quieter months.

Beaches, sights and food nearby

Ciutadella old town is the nearest draw, about 3.3 km away in a straight line and best seen at dusk when the lanes above the port fill. The Naveta des Tudons, a boat-shaped prehistoric tomb near the town, is about 7.6 km from Fonoll Mari. Cala Turqueta, a south coast cove of white sand under pine, is about 11.7 km away, and Cala Galdana about 14.9 km.

Menorca's food is part of the reason to stay on this side of the island. Mahón-Menorca cheese carries a protected designation of origin, and the fishing village of Fornells, on the north coast, is known for caldereta de llagosta, its lobster stew. Ciutadella hosts the Sant Joan festival around 23 and 24 June, with horses and riders in the streets. Town markets and shops are where to buy island produce before returning to Fonoll Mari.

A day from Fonoll Mari

Begin at Fonoll Mari with a swim in the outdoor pool or a slow breakfast on the terrace, then take the short drive of about 3.3 km into Ciutadella for the old town, the cathedral and the lanes above the port. From there, carry on to the Naveta des Tudons, roughly 7.6 km from the hotel, to see the prehistoric tomb. Lunch back in Ciutadella keeps the driving short.

Spend the afternoon at Cala Turqueta, about 11.7 km from Fonoll Mari, or at Cala Galdana, about 14.9 km away. Both are south coast coves, and the car parks there fill early in high summer, so arrive early or go later in the day. In the evening, return to the hotel to change, then drive back into Ciutadella, about 3.3 km, for the old town at dusk.

Practical tips

Fonoll Mari sits on an island where much of the tourism business closes roughly from November to April, so confirm its opening dates before booking outside the main season. July and August are the peak; May, June and September are calmer. The Balearic sustainable tourism tax is charged per person per night by the accommodation. For a four-star stay at Fonoll Mari the rate depends on the season and the length of the booking, with reductions in low season and for longer stays, and children under 16 are exempt; check the Govern de les Illes Balears for current rates.

Questions about Fonoll Mari