S Olivera

About S Olivera

S Olivera suits families and small groups who want a north-coast base with a kitchen of their own. The four-star hotel sits near Arenal d'en Castell, a near-circular bay of pale sand that lies 1.5 km away in a straight line, so a stay can mix time by the outdoor pool with short drives to the bay, to Fornells and into the island's centre. Couples who prefer steady, practical holidays over a resort round of bars tend to settle well here.

The property is a four-star hotel rather than a serviced apartment block, yet the listed facilities lean practical: a kitchen with oven, microwave, dishwasher, refrigerator and toaster, plus a washing machine, iron and board, air conditioning and free wifi. Cots and high chairs are listed for younger guests. It is a self-sufficient kind of stay, useful on Menorca for a week or more when eating in some evenings matters as much as eating out.

Location: Arenal d'en Castell

Arenal d'en Castell is a near-circular bay of pale sand on Menorca's north coast, in the Tramuntana half of the island, where the rock is older and darker and wind is a regular feature. S Olivera sits 1.5 km from the bay in a straight line, close enough for a walk down in the morning and a walk back in the evening. The coast road links the bay with Fornells and with the road to Maó.

Beyond the bay, most of the north coast needs a car, a bus or a taxi. Fornells is 7.7 km from S Olivera, Es Mercadal and Monte Toro 9.2 km, and Maó port 14.5 km. In July and August the bay fills from mid-morning and the roads around it slow down; in May, June, September and October the same coast is calmer and the sea still warm enough for long swims.

Rooms and facilities

Rooms at S Olivera are listed with air conditioning, a television and a terrace, and the kitchen equipment suggests stays where breakfast and lunch are made in. Couples can keep it simple with the microwave, refrigerator and coffee; families make more use of the oven, dishwasher and washing machine, which cut down on packing. Non-smoking rooms are listed, and internet access comes alongside free wifi.

Late arrivals should confirm reception hours and key collection with S Olivera before travelling, since arrival arrangements can vary by season. It is worth asking which rooms have the listed terrace, whether cots and high chairs need reserving in advance, and how often linen and cleaning run on longer stays. Towel arrangements for the pool are also worth a question when booking.

Getting there

Menorca Airport (MAH) is 16.4 km away in a straight line, south-west of Maó, and the drive to S Olivera crosses the middle of the island before turning north for Arenal d'en Castell. Taxis wait at the terminal and hire cars can be arranged there or in Maó. Bus services reach Maó and, in summer, the resorts, though lines and times shift with the season, so check the island bus operator.

From Maó port, 14.5 km away, ferries connect with Barcelona and Palma, and the road out of the harbour town heads north past the turn for Es Mercadal, 9.2 km from S Olivera, and Fornells, 7.7 km off. Sailings and flights thin out from November, so a late-autumn or winter arrival needs more planning than one in June, when both run more often.

Beaches, sights and food nearby

The nearest sand is Arenal d'en Castell, 1.5 km from S Olivera, a near-circular bay with the village behind it. Fornells, 7.7 km away, is a fishing village on a deep inlet, and the Favàritx lighthouse, on dark slate at the edge of S'Albufera des Grau Natural Park, is 6 km off. The park, the core zone of the Biosphere Reserve, is 9 km from the hotel.

North-coast cooking leans on seafood and rice, and Fornells is known across Menorca for caldereta de llagosta, lobster stew. Mahón-Menorca cheese carries a protected designation of origin and turns up in markets and on menus, including at Es Mercadal below Monte Toro, 9.2 km away. With a kitchen at S Olivera, self-catering is easy, and the terrace suits a late lunch after a morning outside.

A day from S Olivera

Start with a swim in the outdoor pool at S Olivera before the day warms, then walk or drive the 1.5 km down to Arenal d'en Castell for the bay. Late morning works for the run to the Favàritx lighthouse, 6 km away, where the dark slate and the edge of S'Albufera des Grau Natural Park begin; the park is 9 km from the hotel. A car makes the loop straightforward.

After lunch, head inland to Es Mercadal, 9.2 km from S Olivera, then up Monte Toro, about 358 m, for the sanctuary and the view over both coasts; the summit is 7.7 km off in a straight line. Back at the hotel, the terrace and an early dinner cooked in the kitchen close the day. Taxis work for shorter hops, and buses serve Maó and the resorts in summer.

Practical tips

S Olivera's season matters more than the map suggests. Menorca's tourism business winds down across much of the island roughly from November to April, from beach bars to seasonal buses, while the main towns stay open, so confirm the hotel's own opening dates before booking a winter or early-spring stay. The peak weeks fall in July and August. A sustainable tourism tax, the ecotasa, is charged per person per night by the accommodation; rates vary with category and season, under-16s are exempt, and the Govern de les Illes Balears publishes the rules.

Questions about S Olivera