Hostal Restaurant s'Algaret

About Hostal Restaurant s'Algaret

Hostal Restaurant s'Algaret is a two-star hostal on the square in Fornells, on Menorca's north coast. It suits couples and families who want a village base rather than a resort strip: the bay, the harbour and the village lanes are a short walk, and the house has a pool, a garden and a restaurant of its own. Travellers touring the island by car get free parking, which matters in a village this small.

The stay is modest and practical. Facilities at Hostal Restaurant s'Algaret are listed as air conditioning, free wifi, a bar, a terrace, a reception area and a shuttle service, alongside the pool and restaurant. With two stars, expect a simple, well-run village hostal rather than a full-service hotel. Pets are not allowed, so plan accordingly, and ask what the shuttle covers.

Location: Fornells

Hostal Restaurant s'Algaret takes its name from the square where it stands, in the middle of Fornells. The village sits on a sheltered bay on Menorca's north coast, the Tramuntana side, where the rock is older and darker and the wind is a regular feature of summer afternoons. Fornells itself is 0.1 km away, so the harbour and the boat moorings are within a short walk. The village is known across the island for caldereta de llagosta, lobster stew.

Walking covers the village and the bay. For anything else, a hire car or a taxi is the practical choice: Arenal d'en Castell is 6.2 km away in a straight line, Es Mercadal and Monte Toro 8 km, the north-coast kayaking 2.6 km. Summer in Fornells is busy, with the square and the harbour front full in the evening and parking tight; May, June, September and October are calmer, with easier tables and cooler walks.

Rooms and facilities

Rooms come with the basics covered: air conditioning and free wifi are listed, and there is a reception area for arrivals. Couples get a pool to return to after a day on the north coast and a restaurant downstairs for evenings when driving again has no appeal. Families get the same, with the garden and terrace giving children room; ask about cots, extra beds and room layouts before booking.

Check-in and check-out times are set by Hostal Restaurant s'Algaret, so confirm them directly, especially if the ferry from Maó or a late flight lands after dark. Ask what the listed shuttle service covers, whether pool towels are provided and whether a parking space can be held in high season, since the square fills up. Pets are not allowed at the hostal, and the pool and restaurant keep their own seasonal hours.

Getting there

Menorca Airport (MAH) is 22.7 km from Hostal Restaurant s'Algaret in a straight line, south-west of Maó. Hiring a car at the terminal or taking a taxi are the most direct options, and the car also covers the island's scattered coves. Public transport on Menorca centres on Maó, with summer links to the resorts; the island bus operator publishes current lines and times, so check the connection before setting off.

From Maó port, 21.8 km away in a straight line, the drive north passes Es Mercadal, 8 km from the hostal, at the foot of Monte Toro. Arenal d'en Castell, a near-circular bay, is 6.2 km away and makes a useful landmark on the way. Sailings and flights thin out in winter, so confirm times with the operators and tell Hostal Restaurant s'Algaret roughly when you expect to arrive.

Beaches, sights and food nearby

The coast around Fornells is the draw. Sea kayaking on the north coast is 2.6 km from Hostal Restaurant s'Algaret, a way to see the sheltered bay and the older, darker rock of the Tramuntana shore. Arenal d'en Castell, a near-circular bay 6.2 km away, is the closest sandy swim. Inland, Monte Toro rises to about 358 m, 7.9 km away, with a sanctuary on top; the Favàritx lighthouse, 13.3 km away, stands on dark slate inside S'Albufera des Grau Natural Park.

Fornells is known for caldereta de llagosta, the lobster stew served throughout the village, and the restaurant at Hostal Restaurant s'Algaret means an evening meal without another drive. Menorca's larder is otherwise built on cheese, notably Mahón-Menorca, which carries a protected designation of origin, and on a gin tradition left by British rule in the 18th century, still visible in Maó's Georgian windows and in the barracks town of Es Castell.

A day from Hostal Restaurant s'Algaret

Start the day with a walk down to the bay at Fornells, 0.1 km from Hostal Restaurant s'Algaret, before the village gets busy. Drive 2.6 km for a morning on the water, kayaking the north coast, then head 6.2 km to Arenal d'en Castell for a swim in the near-circular bay. Lunch back in the village, or at the restaurant at the hostal, keeps the afternoon loose. In high summer, start early: the light is better and parking easier.

An afternoon inland takes you 7.9 km to Monte Toro, about 358 m high, with its sanctuary and views of both coasts; or 13.3 km east to the Favàritx lighthouse, where the dark slate, dunes and birds of S'Albufera des Grau Natural Park mark the core of the Biosphere Reserve. Return to Fornells for the evening, with the garden, terrace and bar at Hostal Restaurant s'Algaret waiting and the harbour a short walk away.

Practical tips

Fornells runs on the summer season. From roughly November to April many of the village's restaurants, the seasonal resort buses and much of the island's visitor trade shut down, so confirm Hostal Restaurant s'Algaret's own opening dates before booking a winter stay. Peak demand comes in July and August; May, June and September are gentler. The Balearic sustainable tourism tax (the ecotasa) is collected per person per night by the accommodation, with rates set by lodging type and season and children under 16 exempt; the Govern de les Illes Balears publishes current rates.

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