"With a sky-skimming infinity pool—the longest in Palma—bringing the Balearic sea right up to the feet of the Balinese sunbeds, El Llorenç’s rooftop is glorious. Around the corner from Palma’s historic hammams in Parc de la Mar, this hotel refracts the medieval heritage of its La Calatrava location through an ultra-contemporary lens. Swedish designer Magnus Ehrland used 27 different geometric tiles in the space, all versions of the Arabic star. During construction, architect Pedro Rabassa found an 11th-century Moorish oven in the foundations. Ehrland designed without dogma, freely adding botanical splashes: local Santanyi stone pillars and Versailles-style parquet floors are playfully mixed with quirky, palm-print carpets, peacock chairs, and feather headdresses. Sense of place is established with photographs of Palma, an exotic green-tile basement pool and hammam, and Tannur restaurant, which serves up hearty Mallorcan food. Meanwhile, DINS is a fine-dining experience by island chef Santi Taura, who deconstructs historic local dishes." - Roxy Kavousi-Walker, Stephanie Rafanelli
