Villa Matisse

About Villa Matisse

Villa Matisse suits families and small groups who want a quiet base in the south-east of Menorca, close to the whitewashed lanes of Binibeca Vell and within a short drive of Sant Lluís. The three-star villa has its own outdoor pool and garden, so days can be slow and self-contained, with a kitchen for breakfast and long lunches. Couples travelling out of season will find the same space without the summer company.

This is a self-catering stay rather than a serviced hotel: Villa Matisse is listed as an apartment or villa with three stars, and the practical equipment points that way. A washing machine, dishwasher, oven, microwave and refrigerator cover the everyday chores, and air conditioning, wifi and a terrace make the indoors comfortable in the heat. Late arrivals should confirm arrival arrangements with Villa Matisse before travelling.

Location: Binibeca Vell

The south-east corner of Menorca, where the rock turns to limestone and the coves to white sand, holds Binibeca Vell and the villa's own address at Carrer Des Rupit, in the Sant Lluís municipality. Binibeca Vell itself, a whitewashed hamlet of lanes and steps by the sea, is 2.5 km from Villa Matisse, close enough for an evening wander. Sant Lluís, a white village of windmills, is 3.8 km away, and the Georgian barracks town of Es Castell lies 7.3 km off.

A car makes the most of the position: the beaches of the Migjorn coast, Sant Lluís for shops and the harbour towns of Maó and Es Castell are all short straight-line hops, and free parking is listed at Villa Matisse. In high summer the southern coves fill early and car parks can be full, so start out before mid-morning. May, June, September and October bring quieter lanes and easier parking, though some seasonal places close outside the main months.

Rooms and facilities

The listed facilities at Villa Matisse read like a self-catering home rather than a hotel: kitchen, oven, microwave, dishwasher, refrigerator and washing machine, plus a bath alongside air conditioning, a TV and wifi. Families can settle in without eating out every night, and couples get space to spread out. A garden, terrace and outdoor pool give the daytime somewhere to go without leaving the property, and smoke detectors are listed for peace of mind.

Non-smoking rooms are listed throughout, which matters to families with young children. Because this is a villa-style stay, service is lighter than in a staffed hotel, so confirm with Villa Matisse what is provided on arrival and how often linens and towels are changed. Ask whether the pool is open for the whole of your stay, and check whether cots or extra beds can be arranged for your dates.

Getting there

Menorca Airport (MAH) is 6.2 km from Villa Matisse in a straight line, so the transfer at either end of a holiday is brief. Taxis wait outside the terminal, and a hire car can be collected there for the drive to the villa. Local buses serve Maó from the airport, with more lines in summer; check the island bus operator for the nearest stop to Binibeca Vell and finish by taxi.

Ferries from Barcelona and Palma dock at Maó port, 8.1 km from Villa Matisse in a straight line, and the road up to Binibeca Vell takes little time from there. Sant Lluís, 3.8 km away, is the natural stop for groceries on the way, and Es Castell is 7.3 km off. Crossings and flights thin out between November and April, so check timetables with the operators and with Villa Matisse before booking.

Beaches, sights and food nearby

Binibeca Vell, 2.5 km from Villa Matisse, is the nearest place for a walk among whitewashed lanes and steps down to the water. Sant Lluís, 3.8 km away, has the everyday shops and a white centre of windmills, while Es Castell, 7.3 km off, sits at the mouth of Maó harbour. The white-sand coves of the Migjorn coast lie west of the villa, reached by car.

A boat trip round Maó harbour is 7.7 km from Villa Matisse and shows the scale of a natural harbour about 5 km long; La Mola fortress, the 19th-century Isabel II fort that guards the entrance, is 8 km away. S'Albufera des Grau, the lagoon and dune reserve at the core of the Biosphere Reserve, lies 14.9 km off. On the table, look for Mahón-Menorca cheese with its protected designation of origin, lobster stew in the fishing villages, and the gin that British rule left behind.

A day from Villa Matisse

Begin with breakfast on the terrace at Villa Matisse, then make the 2.5 km drive to Binibeca Vell early, before the lanes and steps fill with visitors. Carry on to Sant Lluís, 3.8 km from the villa, for the white centre and windmills, then take the coast road west for an afternoon on the Migjorn beaches, white sand under pine. If the coves are packed, the pool and garden back at Villa Matisse are the fallback.

Late afternoon suits the harbour. A boat trip round Maó harbour is 7.7 km from Villa Matisse, and La Mola fortress, 8 km away, guards the entrance and gives views over the water. Dinner fits Es Castell, 7.3 km off, or Sant Lluís, 3.8 km away. If daylight holds and birds interest you, S'Albufera des Grau is 14.9 km from the villa.

Practical tips

From roughly November to April many businesses on Menorca close for the season, so confirm Villa Matisse's own opening dates before booking a winter stay; the height of summer brings the crowds to Binibeca Vell and the southern coves. Menorca's sustainable tourism tax, the ecotasa, is charged per person per night by the accommodation; at Villa Matisse the rate follows the type of accommodation and the season, falls in low season and for longer stays, and children under 16 are exempt. Check the current rules with the Govern de les Illes Balears.

Questions about Villa Matisse