Las Petunias

About Las Petunias

Las Petunias suits travellers who want a simple base on Menorca's west coast, close to Ciutadella but outside the main resort strips. The hotel sits on Carrer Tramontana near Cala en Blanes, which puts the old capital 2.7 km away and the southern coves within a short drive. Couples touring the island, small families and anyone who prefers cooking a few meals to eating out every night will find the arrangement practical. A car makes the position work best.

This is a one-star hotel, so the appeal is a straightforward base rather than a full-service resort. Its guest score stands at 4.4 out of 5 from 419 reviews. The listed facilities lean towards self-catering: a kitchen with oven, microwave and refrigerator, a dishwasher, a salt water outdoor pool, table tennis, air conditioning and free car parking. Non-smoking rooms, a cot for younger guests and a terrace round out what is on offer for couples and families.

Location: Ciutadella de Menorca

Cala en Blanes is the nearest village to Las Petunias and a small resort on Menorca's west coast, away from the larger holiday strips. Ciutadella, the old capital, is 2.7 km away in a straight line, close enough for an evening in the old town, the cathedral and the narrow port. The surrounding shore is the Migjorn side of Menorca: limestone rock and white sand coves under pine. The hotel is set back from the water, so the coast is a short trip rather than a stroll.

A car is the practical way to reach most of what surrounds Las Petunias. Ciutadella is 2.7 km away, close enough for a taxi in the evening; Cala Turqueta lies 11.7 km off, Cala Galdana 14.7 km and the Naveta des Tudons 7.1 km. Bus lines on the west side are fuller in summer and thinner outside it, so check the island bus operator before relying on one. Parking at the popular southern coves fills early in high summer, and some coves have seasonal limits.

Rooms and facilities

The listed facilities suggest rooms set up for self-catering stays as much as for short ones. A kitchen with oven, microwave and refrigerator, plus a dishwasher, suits families who want breakfast and simple meals at Las Petunias instead of eating out three times a day. Air conditioning, a bath, a television and a DVD player cover the indoors; the terrace, the salt water outdoor pool and the table tennis give families somewhere to spend a slow afternoon.

As a one-star hotel, Las Petunias is worth a short conversation before booking: which rooms include the kitchen and dishwasher, whether a cot is available for your dates, and how late arrivals are handled, since check-in is best agreed in advance. Ask about pool hours and whether parking needs reserving in high summer. Non-smoking rooms are listed, so request one if smoke-free space matters for the stay.

Getting there

Menorca Airport (MAH) is 38.3 km from Las Petunias in a straight line, on the far side of the island from Cala en Blanes. A hire car collected at the airport is the simplest option, since the route crosses Menorca to the west coast and then serves the coves. Taxis make the run too; check the current fare before setting off. Buses link the airport with Maó, and onward travel towards Ciutadella needs checking with the island bus operator.

Maó port is 40.8 km from Las Petunias, so a sea arrival involves a cross-island transfer rather than a short hop. Ciutadella, 2.7 km from the hotel, handles ferries from Alcúdia on Mallorca and is the handiest port for this side of Menorca. Seasonal buses serve the west coast in summer and thin out outside the main months; winter flights and ferries are fewer, so confirm times with the operators and with Las Petunias before travelling.

Beaches, sights and food nearby

Cala Turqueta, 11.7 km from Las Petunias, is the white sand and pine cove of the southern coast; Cala Galdana, 14.7 km off, is a bigger bay where a day is easier to organise. Ciutadella, 2.7 km away, is the obvious evening out, with the old town at dusk, the cathedral and the narrow port. The Naveta des Tudons, a boat-shaped prehistoric tomb, is 7.1 km from the hotel and takes under an hour to see.

Menorca's food is another reason to stay on this side of the island. Mahón-Menorca cheese carries a protected designation of origin and turns up on menus across the island; caldereta de llagosta, the lobster stew associated with Fornells in the north, is the celebration dish. Fish, cold meats and pastries fill the everyday menu. Ciutadella's food shops, 2.7 km from Las Petunias, supply the kitchen for self-catering evenings.

A day from Las Petunias

Start early and drive to Cala Turqueta, 11.7 km from Las Petunias, before the parking fills in high summer. A morning there, with a swim and a few hours on the sand, uses the best of the light. Come back through Ciutadella, 2.7 km from the hotel, for lunch and a slow hour in the shade of the old town. The Naveta des Tudons, 7.1 km from Las Petunias, fits the same run and needs under an hour.

The afternoon belongs to the salt water pool at Las Petunias, with table tennis for anyone still energetic. In the evening, head into Ciutadella again, 2.7 km away, for the old town at dusk and dinner, then return to Cala en Blanes. For a change of scene, Cala Galdana is 14.7 km off, and Es Mercadal below Monte Toro is 24.2 km, a longer drive for a day when the coast is crowded.

Practical tips

Las Petunias works best in late spring, early summer and September, when the west coast is calmer and the pool is welcome after a morning out. High summer brings the crowds and the fullest car parks at the coves. Many hotels, beach bars and seasonal buses on the island shut roughly from November to April, so confirm the opening dates at Las Petunias before booking. A sustainable tourism tax, the ecotasa, is charged per person per night by the accommodation; the rate varies with category and season, children under 16 are exempt, and the Govern de les Illes Balears publishes the current rules.

Questions about Las Petunias