Cielos Azules

About Cielos Azules

Cielos Azules suits families and couples who want a self-contained base in Menorca's south-east corner, close to the airport and within easy reach of the whitewashed hamlet of Binibeca Vell. The four-star hotel is listed with a kitchen, a washing machine and a dishwasher, so a week here does not depend on eating out three times a day, and the outdoor pool gives children somewhere to use up the last of the afternoon.

This is a four-star hotel rather than a large resort, set on Carrer Des Rap Volador in the Binibeca Vell area, with the hamlet itself about 1.4 km away. Rooms are listed with air conditioning, a balcony and internet access, and the kitchen comes with an oven, microwave, refrigerator and toaster. It works well for travellers who treat the room as a base and spend the day on the coast or in Maó.

Location: Binibeca Vell

The Binibeca Vell area sits in the south-east of Menorca, a few kilometres from Sant Lluís, a white village of windmills about 3.6 km from Cielos Azules. The hamlet of Binibeca Vell, a cluster of whitewashed lanes and steps by the sea, is 1.4 km away and is the nearest place to walk to for a swim or an evening stroll. Es Castell, the Georgian barracks town at the mouth of Maó harbour, is 7.4 km off.

A car makes this corner much easier. The figures are straight-line distances and the roads are short, but they add up: Menorca Airport is 5.3 km from Cielos Azules and Maó port 7.9 km, while buses to Maó and, in summer, to the resorts run on timetables worth checking with the island bus operator. In July and August the southern coves and their car parks fill early, while May, June and September leave more room on the lanes and by the pool.

Rooms and facilities

Couples tend to use the listed balcony, air conditioning and free wifi as the core of the stay, with the kitchen, coffee and toaster covering breakfast and the odd late supper. Families get more from the cot, high chairs, washing machine and dishwasher, which cut down on packing and on the daily routine. The kitchen is listed with an oven, microwave and refrigerator, so self-catering is realistic rather than token.

Rooms are listed as non smoking and come with a hairdryer, toiletries, an iron and board, a TV and video. Guests arriving late should confirm arrival arrangements with Cielos Azules before travelling, as check-in and check-out times are set by the property. It is worth asking which floor the balcony is on, and whether pool towels and cot linen are supplied, when booking directly.

Getting there

Menorca Airport (MAH) is 5.3 km from Cielos Azules in a straight line, which makes a taxi or a pre-booked transfer the simplest arrival, especially with luggage or children. Hiring a car at the terminal puts the hotel within a few minutes of the airport and gives you the flexibility the south-east rewards. Local buses link the airport with Maó and, in summer, with the resorts; confirm lines and times with the island bus operator.

From Maó port, 7.9 km away, the overnight crossing from Barcelona arrives in the morning, and the drive to the Binibeca Vell area passes Sant Lluís, 3.6 km from the hotel, and Es Castell, 7.4 km. Sailings from Maó to Palma and from Ciutadella to Alcúdia run on seasonal timetables, so check operators before fixing dates. Flights and ferries thin out in winter, when the opening dates of Cielos Azules matter most.

Beaches, sights and food nearby

Binibeca Vell, 1.4 km away, is the nearest place to wander: lanes, steps and the sea at the end of them. Sant Lluís, 3.6 km off, has the white houses and windmills of a village that stays lived-in through the year. On the harbour, a boat trip round Maó's natural harbour is 7.6 km from Cielos Azules, and the La Mola fortress, the 19th-century Isabel II fortification guarding the entrance, is 8.4 km.

S'Albufera des Grau, the natural park that forms the core of Menorca's Biosphere Reserve, is 14.7 km from the hotel, with the Favàritx lighthouse on dark slate beyond the lagoon. Food in this corner is Menorcan: caldereta de llagosta, the lobster stew associated with Fornells on the north coast, and Mahón-Menorca cheese, which carries a protected designation of origin. British rule left Es Castell and a gin tradition in Maó.

A day from Cielos Azules

Start early at Binibeca Vell, 1.4 km from Cielos Azules, before the lanes fill and the light is still soft on the whitewash. Carry on to Sant Lluís, 3.6 km away, for coffee and a look at the windmills, then drive to Maó for a boat trip round the harbour, 7.6 km from the hotel, which shows the scale of one of the Mediterranean's largest natural harbours.

Spend the afternoon at the La Mola fortress, 8.4 km off, where the 19th-century walls look out over the harbour mouth, or push on to S'Albufera des Grau, 14.7 km away, for birds and dunes in the late light. Back at Cielos Azules, the pool and a kitchen supper keep the evening simple. A hire car makes the day flow; buses to Maó run, but check current times with the island bus operator.

Practical tips

Much of Menorca's tourist business closes roughly from November to April, so confirm the opening dates of Cielos Azules before booking flights. July and August are the peak, when the pool and the south coast car parks are busiest; May, June, September and October are calmer. The Balearic sustainable tourism tax is charged per person per night by the accommodation. The rate depends on the type of accommodation and the season, falls in low season and for longer stays, and children under 16 are exempt. Check current rules with the Govern de les Illes Balears.

Questions about Cielos Azules