An ‘affair of the heart’ on Mallorca
The wind softly caresses the grasses. They sway back and forth like gentle waves. With almost carefree ease. Next to it – steadfast – centuries-old, gnarled olive trees. Some of them have been putting down their roots in this soil in the north-east of Mallorca, one of the most unspoilt corners of the island, for 900 years. It is fascinating to think that these olive trees were already there when the Moors still ruled the island. That they were already there when King Jaime I of Aragón reconquered Mallorca in 1229. And that they had already been present for a long time when the Carrossa country estate was built by a wealthy Mallorcan aristocratic family around 400 years ago …
Living where the nobility once resided
It is this magic of history that lies over the estate on a hill in the Llevant Mountains. One that is no longer reserved for the nobility, but welcomes luxury travelers from all over the world. Today, this domicile belongs to the Hamacher family of entrepreneurs from Cologne.
In summer 2018, they opened it as a five-star hotel
Carossa Hotel, Spa & Villas
opened. A dream with 350 hectares of land around it. The heart of the hotel complex is the manor house, which – renovated with great sensitivity – has retained its structure and many details. This also includes brand new suites and villas, some of which were built where stables and barns once stood. A total of 75 rooms, suites and vacation homes have been created.
A piece of home on Mallorca
“Sometimes opportunities arise that simply don’t come again!” says Peter Hamacher. ” Our family was able to acquire Carrossa 26 years ago,” says the 35-year-old business economist. As one of the managing directors, he is responsible for marketing and sales. “But there’s much more to this. This is an affair of the heart. My brother Alexander and I grew up here.” It resonates with a lot of emotion, solidarity, a piece of home. Because Alexander also works in the company – as the master of finances. And so Carrossa, which had previously been used as the Hamachers’ vacation home and also as a small seminar hotel with 20 rooms, became a luxury accommodation after a major renovation.
Hideaway in a class of its own
Fortunately, because the estate is so wonderfully secluded that it is a top-class hideaway for vacationers. Stress, what was that again? The sign on the mighty entrance gate alone hints at the dimensions and vastness of Carrossa Hotel, Spa & Villas: it is a whopping 1,000 meters from the small country road to the reception. It is written in black on wood. A narrow path winds its way up to paradise.
Original Mallorca
What you find at the top is a piece of authentic Mallorca. You can feel this in every room. Sure, there are stylish furnishings and contemporary paintings. But there are also the old wooden beams on the ceilings and the rustic natural stone walls. The antiques in the main house. The metal-fitted wooden doors. The aristocratic coat of arms of the former owners on the outer wall. The old sundial that counts the hours with its black hand. The small chapel with a statue of a saint and benches. The patio with the fountain. The bodega with its vaulted ceilings and huge, bulbous wooden barrels that have been around for many a decade. In short: tradition meets modernity in a very special way.
Waving grasses
If you like, you can dive for days on Carrossa. Everything is taken care of. The hotel has two restaurants: the fine-dining restaurant ‘Carrossa’ and the more casual ‘Bistro Badía’. Both are located in the main house and offer the best views from their terraces. While you let your eyes wander from the ‘Carrossa’ restaurant over the enchanting garden designed by Hanoverian landscape architect Frank Diederich (the waving grasses!), you can look out over the landscape to the sea from the higher terrace of the ‘Badía’. Noun is omen: Badía is the Catalan word for “bay”.
Escabeche with frisée salad
Both restaurants are of course open to non-hotel guests. At ‘Carrossa’, for example, chef Ramon García spoils you with his Mediterranean-international cuisine. Born in Andalusia, he has been cooking in Mallorca for 15 years, most recently at the Hyatt Hotel. The 32-year-old serves up a four-course tasting menu for 49 euros in the evening. But before it really gets going, it sends a greeting from the kitchen with a coconut and passion fruit vichyssoise – with crunchy leek and the subtle acidity of passion fruit. This is followed by a starter of herring escabeche, a typical Spanish dish for which he marinated green beans, onions, red peppers, oranges and lemons in an oil and vinegar broth and garnished it with frisée salad.
The main course is a steak with a delicious sauce. The French classic demi-glace is considered by many to be the queen of sauces. And Ramon García has also succeeded perfectly. It beautifully accompanies the meat, which is cooked to perfection. Pure pleasure that melts in the mouth, in the best company with spinach and green asparagus. Refined addition: a quince jelly for a hint of fruit.
The evening, so cozy …
The night is cozy, a Mallorcan red sparkles in the glass: a Tinto from Bodega Àngel in Santa Maria. Its inner life does not consist of autochthonous grape varieties such as Mantenegro or Callet. But the 100-percent Cabernet Sauvignon – grasped under the Mediterranean sun – also tastes very fine. In any case, the wine list is well stocked with 150 references. Finally, an ice cream variation is served on the white tablecloth for dessert. Vanilla and chocolate are delicious. But the extraordinary thing about this trio is the herbal ice cream, which is given extra pizzazz with honey and brittle. García did it himself. Like so much else. “I also don’t use colorants, ready-made broths and stocks or anything similar on my plates,” he emphasizes.
Champagne, cocktail, Capdepera
If you fancy a cocktail or a glass of champagne to round off your dinner, stroll over to the “Oro” bar with its eye-catching golden walls. However, it should not be too late. A wonderful breakfast and exciting exploratory tours await you the next morning.
Perhaps you could jump into the water at Cala Torta or Cala Mesquida? Or pay a visit to the nearby harbor town of Colònia de Sant Pere? Golf enthusiasts will find four 18-hole courses in the area: Pula Golf, Canyamel, Son Servera and Capdepera. And Alcanada Golf, the course with the most beautiful sea view in Mallorca, can also be reached in around 50 minutes. The hotel offers arrangements with green fee discounts.
Far away from the noise of time
Welcome aboard, on the other hand, for all those who love the sea. With a professional skipper, the hotel’s own Greenline NEO Hard Top motor yacht, equipped with solar panels, glides through the deep blue waters of the Mediterranean – and to the most beautiful beaches. Those who simply want to relax in the hotel can be pampered from head to toe in the 1,500 square meter spa area, swim a few lengths in the infinity pool with a view of the sky and mountains, or loll on one of the Balinese beds. And enjoy the heavenly peace. Far away from the noise of the times. To sink relaxed into the pillows later in the evening. The crickets chirp a song.
Murmelz loves.
CARROSSA Hotel . Spa . Villas
Hamacher Hotels & Resorts
Camí de Carrossa KM 3.4 | 07570 Artà | Mallorca | Spain
+34 971-83 56 47 |
www.carrossa.com
The hotel is closed from 17.11.2019 to 21.2.2020.
The company also runs two other hotels in Austria: the Dolomitengolf Hotel & Spa and the Defereggental Hotel & Resort, both in Tyrol.
