El Consul Mao

About El Consul Mao

El Consul Maó suits travellers who want a town base in Maó rather than a beach resort, with the harbour and the old centre within a short walk. The hotel is a four-star property on Carrer D'en Deià, close to the port where the ferries dock and the streets that climb through the capital. Couples, solo travellers and families all fit here, and a car is useful for the coves and prehistoric sites that lie beyond the town.

The stay is a straightforward town hotel rather than a coastal one: four stars, air conditioning, wifi and a terrace, with a buffet listed among the facilities. Rooms include family options and non-smoking rooms, and the property lists a kitchen, a safe and a luggage room. There is no beach outside the door, so days tend to combine the town with trips out to the island's coves by car or bus.

Location: Maó (Mahón)

Maó (Mahón) sits above one of the largest natural harbours in the Mediterranean, about 5 km of water that runs inland from the mouth at Es Castell. The capital keeps Georgian windows from the long period of British rule, a gin tradition and a working port. El Consul Maó stands on Carrer D'en Deià, 0.8 km from the centre of Maó and 0.7 km from the port, so the waterfront, the market streets and the ferry quays are all walkable.

From the hotel, the nearest places need no vehicle: the harbour is a short walk and a boat trip round it starts about 1 km away. Es Castell lies 2.8 km off and Sant Lluís 3.8 km, both easy by bus, taxi or a short drive. In July and August the town is busy and parking near the port fills, while May, June and September bring easier streets, fewer queues at the harbour and cooler walks.

Rooms and facilities

Facilities listed for El Consul Maó cover the practical side of a town stay: air conditioning, wifi, internet access, a safe, a TV and a terrace, plus a buffet, coffee and special diets. Couples may value the concierge, express check in and the luggage room, while families can ask about family rooms, the kitchen and chess or board games. Late arrivals should let the property know the arrival time, as check-in and check-out are set by the hotel.

Before booking, confirm with El Consul Maó what the kitchen includes, whether parking needs reserving and how special diets are handled. Ask which rooms are non-smoking, whether the terrace is shared, and how the family rooms are laid out. Laundry service, cleaning and first aid are listed, along with a smoke detector and a smoking area. The tourist tax is added to the bill by the accommodation, so ask the hotel what applies to the stay.

Getting there

Menorca Airport (MAH) is 4.1 km south-west of Maó, and El Consul Maó sits 4.1 km from the terminal on a straight line. Taxis wait outside arrivals for the short run into the capital, and hire cars can be collected at the terminal for the drive in. Buses link the airport with Maó, with more services in summer, so check the island bus operator for times that connect with flights.

Ferries from Barcelona dock at Maó port, 0.7 km from El Consul Maó, which puts the gangway within walking distance of the door. From the port it is 0.8 km to the centre of Maó, 2.8 km to Es Castell at the harbour mouth and 3.8 km to Sant Lluís. Winter brings fewer flights and sailings, so confirm the crossing and the hotel's own opening dates before booking a stay outside the summer.

Beaches, sights and food nearby

El Consul Maó is not a beach hotel, so plan on short drives for swimming. The nearest coves lie south of Maó towards Sant Lluís, 3.8 km away, where the rocky south coast gives way to small bays. La Mola fortress, the 19th-century Isabel II fort that guards the harbour, is 4.6 km off, and S'Albufera des Grau, the lagoon and dune park at the core of the Biosphere Reserve, is 7.4 km away.

Menorca's food is tied to the sea and the dairy farms: Mahón-Menorca cheese carries a protected designation of origin, and the port towns serve fish and shellfish, with lobster stew a speciality of the north at Fornells. In Maó, the gin tradition left by British rule sits alongside the island's cheese on menus and shelves. Special diets are listed at El Consul Maó, but confirm the details with the property before arrival.

A day from El Consul Mao

Start the day early with the walk down to Maó port, 0.7 km from El Consul Maó, and take a boat trip round the harbour, which begins about 1 km away. Back on land, climb into the old centre, 0.8 km from the hotel, for the Georgian windows and the streets above the port. Lunch in town, then drive 2.8 km to Es Castell to see the harbour mouth from the barracks town.

In the afternoon, take the 4.6 km run to La Mola fortress, where the 19th-century walls look over the water, or continue 7.4 km to S'Albufera des Grau for the lagoon, dunes and birdlife. Return to Maó in the evening, leave the car and walk to the harbour for dinner, with the lights on the water and a short 0.7 km walk back to El Consul Maó. A taxi covers the same ground if driving is not wanted.

Practical tips

Much of Menorca's tourism closes roughly from November to April, so check El Consul Mao's opening dates before a winter or early-spring stay; July and August are the peak, when Maó is busiest and parking near the port, 0.7 km away, is harder. The Balearic sustainable tourism tax is collected by the accommodation per person per night, at a rate set by category and season, lower in low season and for longer stays, with under-16s exempt. Ask El Consul Maó about the charge and check the Govern de les Illes Balears for current rules.

Questions about El Consul Mao