Biniancolla Ginesta

About Biniancolla Ginesta

Biniancolla Ginesta suits travellers who want a quiet base in south-east Menorca rather than a place in the middle of a resort. The hotel sits outside the main resort areas near Punta Prima, with Binibeca Vell about 2.9 km away and the white village of Sant Lluís about 4.1 km. Couples who like space and families who prefer some self-catering flexibility tend to settle in well, with a hire car making the coast easy to reach.

Biniancolla Ginesta is a four-star hotel with an outdoor pool and a garden, so a day can pass without leaving the grounds. The listed facilities lean towards apartment-style comfort: a kitchen with an oven, microwave, fridge and toaster, plus a washing machine and a dishwasher. It is a practical, unfussy choice for a week or two in Menorca, and a useful base for the south coast and Maó harbour.

Location: Sant Lluís

Punta Prima sits at the south-eastern corner of Menorca, a stretch of coast that mixes small coves with low whitewashed development. Biniancolla Ginesta stands outside the main resort areas near the village, which keeps evenings calm. Sant Lluís, a white village of windmills, is about 4.1 km away for everyday shopping, and Binibeca Vell, the whitewashed fishing-village-style hamlet, is about 2.9 km. Es Castell and its Georgian barracks streets lie about 7.4 km off.

Walking covers little here, so the realistic plan is a car, a taxi or the island buses, which run more often in summer; check the current lines with the island bus operator before relying on them. The straight-line distances are short: Binibeca Vell about 2.9 km, Sant Lluís about 4.1 km, Maó port about 8.4 km. In July and August the south-coast car parks and cove access fill early; in May, June and September the same runs feel easy.

Rooms and facilities

The listed facilities at Biniancolla Ginesta point to a self-catering style of stay. A kitchen with oven, microwave, refrigerator and toaster, plus a dishwasher, washing machine, iron and board, covers the practical side; coffee making, a TV, a bath and a hairdryer cover the rest. Couples can keep things simple, and families find a cot listed alongside the laundry and cooking kit that makes a week with children manageable.

Outside, a garden, a terrace and an outdoor pool give the stay its shape, and a fireplace suggests the property is used beyond the height of summer. Non smoking rooms are listed. Confirm with Biniancolla Ginesta which units include the kitchen and laundry equipment, whether the pool is shared between units, and what is provided for a cot, so the arrangements match your group before arrival.

Getting there

Menorca Airport (MAH) is about 6.6 km from Biniancolla Ginesta in a straight line, the closest of the island's arrival points to the hotel. A taxi or a pre-booked transfer covers that hop quickly, and a hire car collected at the airport gives the most flexibility for the south-east coast. Island buses link the airport with Maó and, in summer, with the resorts; check current routes with the island bus operator.

From Maó port, about 8.4 km away in a straight line, the same short transfer applies, which suits anyone arriving on an overnight crossing from Barcelona. Coming from Sant Lluís (about 4.1 km), Es Castell (about 7.4 km) or Binibeca Vell (about 2.9 km) is a brief run by car or taxi. Schedules thin outside summer and flights are fewer in winter, so confirm arrival times with Biniancolla Ginesta and plan the crossing around the season.

Beaches, sights and food nearby

Beaches on this corner of Menorca are the south-coast kind: limestone, white sand and pine. Binibeca Vell, about 2.9 km from Biniancolla Ginesta, is the whitewashed hamlet on the water, and the coastline around Punta Prima and Sant Lluís, about 4.1 km, holds the nearest small coves. Es Castell, about 7.4 km, has the harbour-mouth setting. S'Albufera des Grau Natural Park, the core of the Biosphere Reserve, is about 15.2 km away for dunes and birds.

Menorca eats well, and two things are worth seeking out while staying at Biniancolla Ginesta. Mahón-Menorca cheese carries a protected designation of origin and turns up on menus across the island, often simply with olive oil. On the north coast, the fishing village of Fornells is known for caldereta de llagosta, a lobster stew; it is a long run from the south-east, so treat it as a day out. Maó's British-era gin tradition survives in what is poured locally.

A day from Biniancolla Ginesta

Start with a swim on the south coast, leaving early in July and August when parking near the coves tightens. Back at Biniancolla Ginesta, the outdoor pool and garden take the middle of the day. In the afternoon, drive about 2.9 km to Binibeca Vell to walk the whitewashed lanes, then continue about 4.1 km to Sant Lluís for its windmills. Both are short hops from the hotel by car.

Late afternoon, head about 8 km to Maó for a boat trip round the harbour, one of the largest natural harbours in the Mediterranean, with the 19th-century La Mola fortress about 8.1 km away guarding the mouth. Finish with a stroll along the port and something to eat before the short return to Biniancolla Ginesta. If the day has more room, S'Albufera des Grau is about 15.2 km away for birds and dunes at dusk.

Practical tips

Much of Menorca's tourism business closes roughly from November to April, so check opening dates with Biniancolla Ginesta before booking a winter stay; July and August are the peak, when the south-coast coves and car parks are busiest and the hotel's pool earns its keep. The Balearic sustainable tourism tax is charged per person per night by the accommodation, at a rate that depends on the type and category of the property and the season, reduced in low season and for longer stays, with children under 16 exempt; check the Govern de les Illes Balears for current rates.

Questions about Biniancolla Ginesta