Artiem Capri

About Artiem Capri

Artiem Capri suits travellers who want a city base in Menorca rather than a beach resort. The hotel stands on Sant Esteve in the centre of Maó, so the harbour, the old town streets and the quayside are within a short walk. Couples who like to eat out and walk home afterwards, and families who prefer a lift and a 24 hour front desk to a scatter of outlying villas, fit here well.

This is a four-star city hotel rather than a resort. The listed guest score is 4.5 out of 5, taken from 1,897 reviews. Expect a practical layout: a lounge and a terrace for slow starts, an indoor pool and a swimming pool, a spa with sauna, steam room and jacuzzi, and a fitness centre. Breakfast is served at the property, which helps before a morning sailing from the port below.

Location: Maó (Mahón)

Maó sits above a natural harbour about 5 km long, one of the largest in the Mediterranean. The city has been the island capital for centuries, and British rule through much of the 18th century left Georgian windows, a gin tradition and the barracks town of Es Castell at the harbour mouth. Sant Esteve is a central street, so the market, the side streets and the working life of the capital are close.

The hotel is 0.8 km from the centre of Maó and 0.6 km from the port, both walkable, with the climb back up from the water part of the town's shape. Es Castell is 3.1 km away and Sant Lluís 4.3 km, so a car, a bus or a taxi is the sensible way for those. In July and August the quayside is busy after dark; in May, June and September the same walk is calmer.

Rooms and facilities

Rooms are listed with air conditioning, a desk, a safe, a minibar and a television, and some categories add a balcony. Families can ask about family rooms and cots, and the lifts and 24 hour front desk make pushchairs and late arrivals easier. Bathrooms come with a hairdryer and toiletries, an iron and board is available, breakfast can be taken in the room, and housekeeping is listed as well.

Confirm the room type and whether a balcony is included, because not every category has one. Ask the property about pool and spa hours, breakfast times and how room service, laundry and dry cleaning are arranged, since all are listed but run to the hotel's own schedule. Guests arriving very late should tell Artiem Capri in advance; the front desk is staffed at all hours.

Getting there

Menorca Airport (MAH) lies 4.3 km south-west of Artiem Capri in a straight line, a short transfer for a capital address. A taxi is the simplest choice with luggage, and a hire car collected on arrival opens up the rest of the island. Buses link the airport with Maó; lines and times change with the season, so check with the island bus operator before relying on a late arrival.

Maó port is 0.6 km downhill, used by the overnight ferries to Barcelona and the sailings to Palma. There is usually no regular direct ferry from Menorca to Ibiza, so most travellers connect through Mallorca or fly. Es Castell is 3.1 km from the door and Sant Lluís 4.3 km, both quick drives. Winter flights and ferry crossings are fewer, and ferry operators publish timetables that change with the season.

Beaches, sights and food nearby

The hotel is not on the beach; it lists a beach nearby and sits 3.1 km from Es Castell and 4.3 km from Sant Lluís, the white village of windmills. The southern coves, limestone bays with white sand under pine, are a drive south, and Binibeca Vell and Cala en Porter make easy additions to a beach day. Ask at the desk which cove suits the wind.

A boat trip round Maó harbour starts 1.2 km away, a walk down to the quay. La Mola fortress, the 19th-century Isabel II fort that guards the harbour mouth, is 4.9 km off, and S'Albufera des Grau, the lagoon and dune park at the core of the Biosphere Reserve, is 6.9 km. Mahón-Menorca cheese carries protected designation of origin status, and caldereta de llagosta is the island's lobster stew.

A day from Artiem Capri

Take breakfast at Artiem Capri, then walk 0.8 km into central Maó for the market and the streets above the water. Continue 0.6 km down to the port and pick up a boat trip round the harbour, whose quay stands 1.2 km from the hotel door. Lunch in town, then an hour in the indoor pool or the spa while the afternoon heat passes and the town goes quiet.

Late afternoon suits La Mola fortress, 4.9 km from the hotel, where the harbour and its mouth open out. Alternatively drive 6.9 km to S'Albufera des Grau for dunes, lagoon water and birds. Return to Maó for the evening and eat near the quayside, then walk back to Sant Esteve. In May, June and September the same round is quieter and the light lasts longer.

Practical tips

Much of Menorca's tourism business closes roughly from November to April, though Maó stays open all year, and July and August are the peak; May, June and September are calmer for a city stay. The Balearic sustainable tourism tax is charged per person per night by the accommodation, at a rate that depends on the type of property and the season, reduced in low season and for longer stays, with children under 16 exempt. Rates change, so check the Govern de les Illes Balears.

Questions about Artiem Capri