Alua Illa de Menorca

About Alua Illa de Menorca

Alua Illa de Menorca suits travellers who want a base in the Menorcan countryside rather than a resort strip. The hotel sits outside the main resort areas, so a car helps, and free parking is listed. Couples who prefer quiet evenings and families who want space both fit here, and pets are allowed. Sant Lluís and Es Castell are close by, and the south coast coves lie a short drive away. The address is Avenida 1A S N.

Alua Illa de Menorca is a four-star hotel with a guest score of 4.4 out of 5 from 1,628 reviews. The stay is built around the pools, the garden and breakfast in the restaurant, with the coast a drive away rather than at the gate. The property is not beachfront, so plan beach days by car or bus, and check seasonal opening with the hotel before booking a winter flight.

Location: Sant Lluís

Alua Illa de Menorca stands in open country on the edge of the island's south-east corner. Sant Lluís, a white village of windmills, is 3.7 km away in a straight line, Es Castell, the Georgian barracks town at the mouth of Maó harbour, is 4.6 km, and the whitewashed hamlet of Binibeca Vell is 6.2 km. Maó itself, above its long natural harbour, sits 6.6 km from the hotel.

Distances here are straight-line figures, so road routes run longer. A hire car, arranged through the hotel's car rental service, makes the coves and Maó easy, and free parking is listed. Buses serve Maó and, in summer, the resorts, though lines thin outside the season; check the island bus operator for current times. In high summer the car parks at the popular southern coves fill early, and May, June, September and October bring quieter roads.

Rooms and facilities

Rooms at Alua Illa de Menorca are listed with air conditioning, a balcony, a safe, a minibar and a television, plus bathrobes, slippers and toiletries in the bathroom. Family rooms and sofa beds suit parents travelling with children, and non-smoking rooms can be requested. Arrivals that land after dark can check in at the 24 hour front desk, and luggage storage takes bags before the room is ready.

Leisure facilities listed at Alua Illa de Menorca include outdoor and indoor pools, a kids pool, a pool bar, a fitness centre, a spa with sauna, steam room, jacuzzi and massage, plus tennis, mini golf, archery, darts and table tennis. Confirm with the property which of these run all season, whether breakfast is included in the rate, which rooms have a balcony, and how pet stays are arranged. Laundry service, currency exchange and a wake-up service are also on the list.

Getting there

Menorca Airport (MAH) lies 7.4 km from Alua Illa de Menorca in a straight line, south-west of Maó. A taxi is the quickest way to cover that gap with luggage, and the hotel's car rental service suits a stay built around day trips. Buses run to Maó and, in summer, to the resorts; check the island bus operator for the current timetable.

The port of Maó is 6.6 km away in a straight line, which keeps ferry days simple. Ferries from Maó and Ciutadella cross to Barcelona overnight, Ciutadella links to Alcúdia on Mallorca and Maó to Palma; there is usually no regular direct ferry between Menorca and Ibiza, so most travellers connect through Mallorca or fly. Check the operators, and expect fewer sailings and flights in winter. Alua Illa de Menorca sits between airport and port, so transfers stay short.

Beaches, sights and food nearby

Beaches are a drive rather than a walk from Alua Illa de Menorca. Binibeca Vell, 6.2 km away in a straight line, has a small cove beside the whitewashed lanes, and the south coast beyond Sant Lluís holds the long beach of Son Bou and the deep cove at Cala en Porter. Cala Galdana, Cala Macarella and Cala Turqueta lie further west along the Migjorn coast.

Food on Menorca is straightforward and regional. Mahón-Menorca cheese carries a protected designation of origin and appears on most menus, and Fornells, up on the north coast, is known for caldereta de llagosta, a lobster stew. Maó keeps a gin tradition from the long period of British rule in the 18th century. Markets, bakeries and village cafés around Sant Lluís and Es Castell cover everyday shopping.

A day from Alua Illa de Menorca

Start a day from Alua Illa de Menorca with the short run to La Mola fortress, 4.6 km away in a straight line, where the 19th-century walls guard the harbour mouth. Continue to Es Castell, 4.6 km from the hotel, for a look at the Georgian barracks town. In the afternoon, join a boat trip round Maó harbour, 6 km away, to see the inlet from the water.

Later in the day, drive to Binibeca Vell, 6.2 km from Alua Illa de Menorca, for the whitewashed lanes and a swim, then return for dinner at the hotel. A second day can go north-east to S'Albufera des Grau, 12.9 km away, with its lagoon, dunes and the Favàritx lighthouse on dark slate. A car covers all of it; buses and taxis work for Maó and Es Castell.

Practical tips

Much of Menorca's tourism business closes roughly from November to April, so check Alua Illa de Menorca's opening dates before booking; July and August are the peak, while May, June, September and October bring quieter roads and fewer people on the sand. The Balearic sustainable tourism tax, the ecotasa, is charged by the accommodation per person per night. The rate depends on the type and category of the hotel and the season, is reduced in low season and for longer stays, and children under 16 are exempt; check the Govern de les Illes Balears.

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