New Hotels and Villas (Mar 2023)
Finding new hotels that tick all of our boxes is not always easy, but here are a few places that have been added recently. Actually they mostly reflect our move to include a few more villas and apartments to our lists.
La Palma was an island that was almost unknown until the recent volcanic activity thrust it into the limelight. Suddenly it is on everyone's bucket list, both for its natural stunning beauty and also for the chance to see the power of earth at its most raw. 
Dulce Valle Villas has views in all directions. Look north and east to the mountains and the caldera, or west to the Atlantic Ocean. It's a small cluster of one and two bedroom apartments, set in a terraced garden. At the centre is the large swimming pool with a grand terrace all around and a spa on the side with a jacuzzi, sauna and Turkish bath. All the apartments are exceptionally well-equipped with a sitting room that includes a sofa-bed, a kitchen with a full range of appliances, a private terrace, wi-fi, satellite TV, a safety deposit box and reversible air conditioning. From the villas there are a host of hiking trails to the various viewing points, waterfalls and the impressive Caldera de Taburiente. For less energetic people, there are some incredibly scenic winding roads to take you to many of the best places too.
We move on to another of the lesser-know Canary islands, Fuerteventura. Fuerte Village Suites lie on the leeward side of Fuerteventura where the white sandy beaches are washed by a calm turquoise sea. The style is elegant and crisply modern, with two bedrooms and two bathrooms, along with a living room, kitchen and terrace with a view of the sea. There is also a small garden and a very private patio courtyard with an outdoor shower and sunbeds. There are nearby beaches with comprehensive facilities and others with nothing but sand and sea: the choice is yours!
The south-west corner of Menorca is probably one of our favourite places on earth, so it's great to have two new additions there. First is La Casa Menorca, small hotel of only six rooms surrounded by acres of gardens and grounds. Of course there is a swimming pool, terrace and sun-deck as well as lots of sunny and shady corners where guests can relax in privacy. The bedrooms are beautifully appointed with feature walls of Marèse stone quarried on the estate. Each room has a double bed, air-conditioning, private terrace and an en-suite bathroom with either a bath tub, shower, or both. La Casa Menorca is close to the sweeping sandy bay at Cala Santa Galdana and not far from the unspoilt little beaches of the south-west corner of the island.
Finally, for the moment, we come to the Menorcamar Apartments, located just 100m from the sea and the Cap d’Artrutx lighthouse, and a short and pleasant walk will take you to one of the best sunsets on Menorca. The huge pool is surrounded by a terrace with sunbeds and sunshades. At one end is a large jacuzzi. There is an indoors/outdoors lounge area alongside the bar which serves an ample assortment of drinks, cocktails and snacks. Ranged around the pool, all the apartments have one double bedroom, and the entire complex is “adults only” to ensure a refined and tranquil holiday. There are two sandy beaches within easy reach, Cala’n Bosch and Son Xoriguer.
1 Mar 2023, 09:51