One Last (Baby-Free) Hurrah in Mallorca

Parents-to-be jet off to Spain’s Balearic Islands for uninterrupted pool time on their last adults-only vacation.

CAMPOS, Mallorca - I’m not one for cutesy mumbo jumbo, so the term "babymoon" does not sit well with me. But the idea of taking one last hurrah before our family of two becomes a family of three appealed to me. Planning our last holiday was (perhaps irrationally) high on my to-do list; I started searching for the perfect destination to make a memorable trip. We were after someplace warm and sunny (we’re Brits, guaranteed sunshine is always a plus) and seeing as I would be rather rotund, it would ideally be somewhere that involved a comfortable, short-haul flight.

After logging research and recommendations, we decide on Fontsanta Hotel, on the south side of Mallorca. Driving through the Spanish countryside in mid-June and pulling up to the rather formidable metal-looking gate of the hotel, I spot those golden words – adults only hotel — on the sign and immediately get excited. An utterly serene, beautifully landscaped oasis, anchored by a stunning 19th-century country house-style building lay in wait. An outdoor restaurant under vine-tickled trellises sits just behind a lush garden maze to the left and two large swimming pools edged with double daybeds to the right, with the quiet pierced only by tweeting birdlife and the gentle sound of garden water features. It is a truly romantic destination, clearly indicated by the scattering of hot tubs and daybeds around the grounds. 

Fontsanta Hotel's dining program is great for pregnant people — they take food allergies and dietary requirements very seriously. After filling out a form at check-in, my breakfast table is custom-labeled (gluten-free, soya, pasteurized, etc.). It's very easy to be healthy here. It's also very easy to order chocolate pancakes day in and day out. (Try them and thank me later.) 

A note about dinner: Even those who have booked the bed-and-breakfast dining option should eat at the restaurant at least one night. The food is truly special — we had wild sea bass and free-range chicken with potato gnocchi and lemon. While I’m sure both would pair beautifully with a bottle of crisp cold white wine, it all feels magical enough with the sun setting over the Mallorcan countryside.

Other highlights quickly make themselves known, including a daybed call button for ordering poolside refreshments. While it can get a bit pricey (we’re talking at least $40 a pop for alcohol-free lunches) the fact that you only have to push a button and nothing else makes snacking this way a massive luxury.

We do manage to take a few joy rides in the rental car, enjoying quality traditional tapas in a pretty garden at Restaurant Es Molí De Santanyí in the charming town of Santanyi. In Salines, Cassai Restaurant proves to be a tasty and surprisingly emotional lunch. (I cry when our wedding song comes on. Thank you, hormones.) Fontsanta is also very close to Es Trenc, said to be one of the best beaches on the island.

There are a couple of minor drawbacks to this hotel — complimentary water should be available at the pool (tap water is cool with me, but the only options are bottles at four euros a piece). The spacious double room with terrace (room 45), decorated in extremely neutral tones, is tasteful and comfortable aside from the configuration of the bathroom. While the toilet and shower were separated off into a separate cubicles, there was only a frosted door between the toilet and the bedroom — so it's not especially private.

But these are tiny flaws in an otherwise heavenly break, peaked by a trip to the hotel’s famous spa. Famed for its curative waters, there is an indoor thermal pool and incredible massages. Utterly relaxed, I wander back to our room in my robe down the stone path through the immaculate garden, ready for an evening of room service and Father of the Bride (don’t ask, we were going through a Martin Short appreciation phase). I feel incredibly light, despite my increasingly heavy belly, and — not to sound too gushy — truly content and ready for whatever's next.

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