Convent de la Missió

If, as they say, the Devil gets all the best tunes, then it seems only fair that God gets the best accommodation. The big guy in the sky might not be for everyone, but you can’t deny that his earthly disciples got some divine inspiration when it came to design. The capital city of Mallorca is famous for its cathedral and churches so it’s fitting that we’ve picked a former place of worship in Palma to rest our weary heads.

Despite detailed directions (and, appropriately, many mutterings of ‘Oh God’, where is it?’), we get lost in mazy back streets, but eventually find the hotel tucked away from the nightlife in a narrow, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it alley in the old town. Hotel Convent de la Missió, converted from a 17th-century monastery during a three-year restoration programme, looks, at first glance, like an archetypal international designer-luxe hotel: there’s a font with floating blooms, huge squat candles, and some convincing minimalist art. You know the look: pale, interesting and almost austere – a delightful simplicity that would sit well with any visiting monk.

The front-desk staff are trendily black-clad and unusually, for this type of cosmopolitan establishment, relaxed and friendly. We eat late in the swish hotel restaurant, where we are impressed by the attentive service (this is a very knowledgeable maître d’) and extensive wine list. Huge plates dwarf the portions, but there are no worries here either about quantity or quality; we are presented with fresh, subtle, serious food in the modern Oriental/Spanish style.

What our room lacks in the way of a view, it makes up for in terms of impeccable taste and contemporary style. This is a shrine to design – right down to the smart taps and the bedlinen. Further compensation comes from the hotel’s fabulous common areas – triple-height vaulted rooms in which you can sense centuries of devotional activity – and an in-house art gallery providing a shot of modern culture. Breakfast takes place in the open courtyard. It’s possibly our favourite moment of the stay, heightened by the courtyard’s luxurious mix of contemporary glass and steel. We sit out in the decked garden, generously planted with huge tropical trees and bushes, feasting on a selection of fresh fruits, cheeses and, of course, our daily bread.

The old town of Palma is full of fascinating architecture – a massive cathedral, a museum stuffed with Picassos and Mirós – but we naively assume there will be access on Sundays. Be warned that on the Lord’s Day, you will encounter a backdrop fit to play the ghost town in a western. While this might be a problem in most cities, this is Mallorca so it’s off to the beach we go. The one to head for is C'an Pere Antoni – it’s the locals’ beach of choice – and thankfully free of the Union Jack shorts and/or 10 pints of San Miguel posse that can pop up with alarming frequency on this island.

The museums may be shut, but the pleasures of the hotel are available 24/7. With its immaculate service, cool, sexy rooms and restful location, it made a firm convert of this reviewer.