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Port de Sóller is one of the last destinations in Mallorca that strikes an ideal balance between catering to the island’s annual throng of visitors and maintaining a deeply authentic mood. Here, even during the height of summer, streets are quiet, the vibe is sleepy and an overriding sense of village life prevails. An ideal location then for Bikini Island & Mountain Hotel Port de Sóller, a new hotel that pays equal reverence to a unique gypset-style as it does to its surrounding environment. Based in a completely revamped preexisting building, the hotel occupies a space that is ideally located for access to the nearby beach and promenade, with its many bars and restaurants, and picture-perfect views of the port. With both Palma and Sóller itself just a tram or train ride away, the property is well-placed to explore this magical island.
In a complete departure from local style, the hotel is characterized by a bohemian aesthetic, which permeates each and every corner. Inspired by laid-back Balearic living and the island’s natural splendor, Armin Fischer of Dreimeta has dressed every nook and cranny in a joyful blend of color, pattern, and topiary for a lush escape in which the original 1960s San Francisco hippie movement is brought to life. Here, natural and organic materials appear in the form of woven palm leaf canopies, and an extensive use of wicker, as seen in the hotel’s long Bali-made reception desk. The entrance, a lush passage lined with plants, rattan peacock chairs, and oversized earthenware, punctuates this homage to nature. Elsewhere, a boho lens filters each frame; over 300 brightly colored ceramic pots hang low from ceilings to house overflowing plants, while a psychedelic wall mural by Berlin-based artist Olaf Hajek decorates the lobby, depicting a colorful swarm of butterflies, birds, and flowers.
Equally as vibrant are Bikini’s guestrooms, where the use of bold hues has been repackaged to create quietly soothing spaces. The 114 rooms and suites all feature interiors that nod to the Californian hippie era, with accents that include mustard-colored tiled bathrooms, shell chandeliers garnered from Asian markets, and multicolored rugs designed by Deniz Karyüz. Colorful portable Wonderboom wireless speakers by Ultimate Ears are provided in each room to accompany guests on beachside jaunts, as are brightly patterned beach bags by Spanish brand Wouf, which are also available to purchase in the hotel’s lobby boutique. Guests seeking on-site relaxation needn’t look any further than the terraces or balconies which accompany every accommodation, each one dotted with rattan lamp shades sourced from India and plush bespoke daybeds made in Bali.
The multifaceted hotel is rounded up by a series of spectacular communal spaces. Neni, an outpost of the popular Middle Eastern-styled German eatery holds fort on the hotel’s fourth floor, a spot that allows for unrivalled terraced views. Here, in front of a backdrop of the Tramuntana mountains and swooping vistas of Port de Sóller, guests are served a menu of pan-Middle Eastern sharing dishes—an ideal prelude to drinks at the adjacent Donkey Bar, which offers gin-focused beverages amidst a soundtrack of sixties and seventies classics and live piano. Amping up the recreation options even further is a large outdoor area that is centered on an impressive pentagon-shaped pool, remarkable for a multicolored mosaic peace sign on its floor formed from of a series of small flowers. The Pikkini pool bar, serving light bites and drinks, offers the little encouragement needed for day long recesses, as does the neighboring spa, which is the only hotel spa in the world to use Santa Verde products in treatments that are carried out either poolside or in the two treatment areas, which join a hammam and steam room.
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