Solisla

About Solisla

Solisla suits travellers who want the sea within a short walk and a quiet base for the rest of the island. The hotel sits at Arenal d'en Castell on Menorca's north coast, a near-circular bay of pale sand, and is listed as beachfront, so a morning swim comes before anything else. Couples who prefer calm to nightlife, families needing space and a pool, and walkers on the Camí de Cavalls all fit here.

This is a three-star hotel with apartments among its accommodation, and the listed facilities point to self-catering as much as to short breaks: a kitchen or kitchenette in some units, a refrigerator, microwave and toaster. There is an outdoor pool, a garden, free wifi and free car parking, plus a balcony, patio or terrace in some units. The mood is practical rather than polished, with the sand a short walk from the door.

Location: Arenal d'en Castell

Arenal d'en Castell is one of the north coast's most sheltered spots, a bay that curves almost into a circle of pale sand with low hills behind. Solisla stands on Via De Ronda, about 0.6 km in a straight line from the centre of the bay, so the beach and the small seasonal cafés are a short walk. The resort is compact and quiet, built for swimming, reading and late dinners rather than nightlife.

Es Mercadal and Monte Toro are about 8 km from Solisla in a straight line, Fornells 5.6 km and the Favàritx lighthouse 8 km, so a hire car, a taxi or a seasonal bus decides whether the week is beach-only or wider. Maó and its port lie 16.4 km off. July and August fill the bay and the parking near the sand; in May, June and September the same walk takes minutes and the water stays warm.

Rooms and facilities

Facilities at Solisla are listed for stays of a week as much as for long weekends. Apartments come with a kitchen or kitchenette, a refrigerator, microwave and toaster, and coffee-making equipment, which keeps breakfast and children's meals simple. Families get family rooms; couples can take a smaller unit and eat out in the bay. Non-smoking rooms are listed, each with a TV, safe and hairdryer, and some have a balcony, patio or terrace.

Late arrivals should confirm reception hours, key collection and the pool's hours before travelling, since a three-star hotel sets its own. Ask as well whether cleaning runs daily or on a schedule, and whether the family rooms take cots or extra beds. Luggage storage is listed, which helps when the flight home leaves in the evening. An ATM and a market appear among the facilities, and wifi is free.

Getting there

Menorca Airport (MAH) lies about 18 km from Solisla in a straight line, south-west of Maó. The usual options are a taxi or a hire car picked up on arrival, with the road running north through Es Mercadal before turning for the coast. Buses connect the airport with Maó, and summer services reach the northern resorts; check the island bus operator, because lines and times change between the seasons.

Arriving by sea means Maó port, 16.4 km from Solisla in a straight line and served by overnight ferries from Barcelona. The drive north is straightforward and suits a morning arrival. From Fornells, 5.6 km away, the coast road brings you into the bay from the east. Winter flights and ferries are fewer, so build the trip around the timetable and ask Solisla which connections are running.

Beaches, sights and food nearby

The bay is the main draw: pale sand in a near-circular sweep, shallow at the edges and sheltered from most swells. Solisla is listed as beachfront with a private beach. Inland, Fornells, 5.6 km away, is a fishing village with a harbour and a small fort, and Es Mercadal, about 8 km off beneath Monte Toro, is the nearest town for supplies. The white coves of the southern Migjorn coast lie well beyond and need a car.

Eating well on Menorca takes little effort: Mahón-Menorca cheese, which carries a protected designation of origin, with bread and oil; fish from the north coast boats; and caldereta de llagosta, the lobster stew associated with Fornells, 5.6 km from Solisla. The gin tradition in Maó dates from the 18th-century British period, and the town is 16.4 km away. Pastries, olives and cold beer cover the rest of the day.

A day from Solisla

Begin with a swim in the bay while the sand is still cool, then walk back to Solisla for the day's planning in the garden or by the pool. Drive to Es Mercadal, about 8 km off, and climb to Monte Toro, 6.8 km from the hotel in a straight line, for the sanctuary and a view of both coasts. Eat in the town at midday and return north for a late afternoon on the sand.

A second day heads east instead: the Favàritx lighthouse, about 8 km from Solisla, stands on dark slate inside S'Albufera des Grau Natural Park, with the lagoon and dunes on the way. Kayaking the north coast, listed about 7.4 km away, fills a calm morning. Finish at Fornells, 5.6 km off, for a long lunch by the harbour before the drive back along the coast road.

Practical tips

Much of Menorca's tourism business closes roughly from November to April, so check Solisla's own opening dates before booking outside summer; the bay fills in July and August, while May, June, September and October are gentler. The Balearic sustainable tourism tax, the ecotasa, is charged by the accommodation per person per night, at rates set by type of accommodation and season, lower in low season and for longer stays, with children under 16 exempt. The Govern de les Illes Balears publishes the current rates.

Questions about Solisla