Son Mestres de Baix

About Son Mestres de Baix

Son Mestres de Baix suits travellers who want a quiet base on Menorca's south coast with the well-known coves a short drive away. The hotel sits on the Camí De Son Mestres, a country lane inland from Cala Galdana, so a day can begin with a swim at Cala Macarella and end with dinner in Ciutadella. Couples, families and groups of friends who prefer space and self-catering flexibility to a resort strip are the obvious fit.

Son Mestres de Baix is a four-star hotel with apartment-style accommodation and gardens, set back from the coast. Among the listed facilities are an outdoor pool, a salt water pool and a pool bar. The position is rural rather than beachfront: Cala Galdana lies 1.6 km away in a straight line, so a car or a short taxi ride helps. It works well for a week of cove-hopping, walking and slow evenings on the terrace.

Location: Ciutadella de Menorca

Cala Galdana is a horseshoe bay on Menorca's south coast, where limestone cliffs and pine woods frame pale sand and shallow water. The bay is the most developed of the southern calas, with a handful of places to eat around the curve of the beach. Son Mestres de Baix stands back from all of that on the Camí De Son Mestres, 1.6 km from the bay in a straight line, close enough for a morning swim and far enough for quiet nights.

Little is within walking distance of the hotel apart from the lane itself, so plan on a car, a taxi or the seasonal buses that serve the south coast. Cala Galdana is 1.6 km away, Ciutadella 11.1 km, Son Bou 12 km and Maó port 27.3 km. In July and August the car parks at Cala Macarella and Cala Turqueta fill early and some coves have summer vehicle limits. In May, June and September the same drives take minutes.

Rooms and facilities

The listed accommodation at Son Mestres de Baix includes apartments with kitchen, kitchenette, dishwasher, washing machine, oven, microwave, refrigerator and toaster, which makes the hotel practical for families and for stays of a week or more. Balcony, patio, terrace, TV, safe, hairdryer, bath and bathrobe all appear among the facilities, and the apartments add a fireplace, a DVD player and an iron and board. Wifi and internet access are listed too, which helps if part of the stay is work.

Breakfast is listed, alongside a lounge, a garden, a picnic area and a pool bar. Massage and spa treatments, laundry service, housekeeping, cots and high chairs also appear among the facilities at Son Mestres de Baix, and it is worth asking how each is arranged and whether anything needs booking ahead. Non-smoking rooms and a smoking area are both listed, so state a preference when reserving and confirm the layout that suits your group.

Getting there

Menorca Airport (MAH) lies 24.6 km from Son Mestres de Baix in a straight line, south-west of Maó. The usual options are a hire car collected at the airport, a taxi, or a bus into Maó and onward transport. Island buses run more lines in summer and thin out in winter, so check the operator's timetable for the day you land. The last stretch along the lanes of the Camí De Son Mestres is slower than the main road.

Maó port is 27.3 km away, the arrival point for overnight ferries from Barcelona and for sailings from Palma. Ciutadella, 11.1 km from Son Mestres de Baix, handles the shorter crossing to Alcúdia on Mallorca. Collecting a hire car at either port keeps the southern coves within reach. Flights and ferries are fewer between November and April, so a winter arrival needs more planning than a June one.

Beaches, sights and food nearby

Three beaches anchor a stay at Son Mestres de Baix. Cala Macarella is 2 km away in a straight line, a reasonable walk for a confident walker and an easy drive for everyone else. Cala Turqueta, 3.9 km off, has the same white sand and pine backdrop, while Cala Galdana, 1.6 km from the hotel, is the closest swim. Son Bou, 12 km away and the longest beach on the island, makes a change of scene on a windy day.

Ciutadella, 11.1 km from Son Mestres de Baix, is the old capital: a cathedral, narrow streets of palaces and a small port that faces the sunset. The Naveta des Tudons, a boat-shaped prehistoric tomb, stands 7.4 km away and belongs to the Talayotic Menorca sites listed by UNESCO in 2023. Menorcan food runs to cheese with protected designation of origin, lobster stew from the north coast, and simple fish and vegetables, with the markets of Ciutadella and Maó good for picnic supplies.

A day from Son Mestres de Baix

Begin at Cala Macarella, 2 km from Son Mestres de Baix, arriving early because the car park fills in high summer. The Camí de Cavalls, the long-distance bridleway around the Menorcan coast, passes through this stretch, so a morning can combine a swim with a section on foot. Cala Turqueta, 3.9 km from the hotel, is the natural second stop, and the picnic area back at the hotel covers lunch.

In the afternoon, drive the 7.4 km to the Naveta des Tudons to see the prehistoric tomb, then carry on into Ciutadella, 11.1 km from Son Mestres de Baix, for a walk through the old streets and a drink at the port as the light goes. Dinner can be back at the hotel, using the kitchen or the terrace, or down in Cala Galdana, 1.6 km away. A torch helps on the lane after dark.

Practical tips

Much of Menorca's tourism business closes roughly from November to April, and Son Mestres de Baix is the place to check for its own opening dates before booking a winter or early spring stay. July and August are the peak months, when the southern coves and the Cala Galdana road are busiest. The Balearic sustainable tourism tax is charged per person per night by the accommodation, with rates that depend on category and season, are reduced 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 Son Mestres de Baix