Mr & Mrs Smith

This place is almost perfect. Just twenty-five minutes from the airport and a million miles away from the more lively side of Mallorca. Once you've negotiated the seven hairpins on the single-track road on the way up to the hotel, you arrive in an oasis of calm, with a view of Valldemossa that feels like you're in the middle of an oil painting. The friendly staff, great bar and tempting infinity pool mean there's not much reason to attempt to negotiate the hairpins on the way down.

Just one thing – the food. It's average at best, which is really disappointing for a hotel of this quality. Breakfast is average, but dinner well below par for the price. The reason for this is that a lot of the food is pre-prepared off site and heated up when required (one of the other guests found this out by asking the chef, who is perfectly capable of cooking better things, but isn't allowed to by the owners). On our second night, I thought I'd try a pizza, thinking it impossible to get wrong. Bad mistake – it was obviously a frozen one and possibly the worst I have ever eaten. Not what I was expecting for €12. This isn't meant to be critical. Just some advice for the hoteliers. If they could improve the food dramatically, they would be running a perfect establishment, which would be even more popular than it is currently.

This was our first Mr & Mrs Smith trip. We had a wonderful time at Mirabó de Valldemossa in Majorca. The peaceful setting, the wonderful music, the elegant rooms. Antonio, the manager, was a dream of a host. Nothing was too much trouble and you feel like you are in your own home with someone looking after you; perfect. The Ca's Patro March restaurant by the beach at Cala Deia was wonderful, fish caught daily from the area, and so fresh. We ate there a lot, an absolutely great find, can definitely recommend. We also found the restaurant Deia in the village, lovely view, eat outside, delicious food. A perfect holiday and we will definitely travel with Mr & Mrs Smith again. Thank you.

Mirabo was a perfect retreat for us. Its unique combination of simplicity (the honesty bar) and luxury (the infinity pool) was ideal. The view from the room across to Valldemossa at night was magical. Everything in the room was simple and beautiful. Antonio, the host, was able to balance a welcoming and familiar chatter with leaving you on your own to just 'be' in much needed silence. We wanted for nothing, surrounded by olive, orange and fig trees, heavy with fruit, in stunning grounds that took our breath away. An amazing find. Thanks.

For a really special meal on the approach to Soller, try Bens D'avall. It's really accomplished cooking in a stunning setting with mountains behind and coastline views from the terrace. Truly fabulous food for a spoil. We love contrast and for really honest local food, Can Gata in Soller knocks the touristy terraces into touch.

We also became firm favourites of Ca'n Mario in Valldemossa... some of the best local fare we enjoyed and a much more traditional setting than many other offerings. The stuffed squid in particular is knock-out! From the hotel, the back path behind the hotel is a much more enjoyable route into the town than the main road.
Warning: taxi-ing can get pricey as there's only one guy in Valldemossa so they come from Soller or Palma. We would rent a car next time.

Dinner at La Residencia in Deia was an absolute treat, especially as the Mirabo de Valldemossa dinner is good but not spectacular.

The Hotel de Valldemossa also does very good food and has a stunning terrace overlooking the old town. It is walkable as well, perhaps 30 minutes in total, although very dark in the trees up the drive.

The Mirabo itself was an oasis of tranquility, perfect for tuning out - especially as the internet connection didn't work anyway - and the pool (either of them in fact) is a great place to lounge with a book and a beer or glass of the local white or pink wine...