Where to Stay in Menorca: Best Locations + Great Hotel Recommendations!
Where to stay in Menorca! It can be challenging trying to decide where to stay in Menorca. It is a small island, but should you say on the coast or one of the cities? And there seems to be 1,000 beach options in addition to several beautiful cities. Which ones do you choose?
I had trouble answering both of these questions, but ultimately made my decision and ended up with hotels that worked great for me!
After exploring loads of beaches and the main cities of Menorca, here are my recommendations on which beachside locations to choose from, pros and cons to Maó versus Ciutadella, plus my hotel recommendations!
- Where to Stay in Menorca Overview (With a Map)
- Where to Stay in Menorca: Best Beachside Locations
- Where to Stay in Menorca: Best City Options
- Final Thoughts on Where to Stay in Menorca
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Where to Stay in Menorca Overview (With a Map)
Where you want to stay is dependent on your priorities. You can either stay in a beachside hotel where you have a nice beach within walking distance or you can stay in a city where you have old towns, restaurants and shops within walking distance.
Pros to Beachside: You are by a beach, obviously.
Cons to Beachside: Prices are generally higher, you have less things within walking distance and you won’t be near a major bus hub (if you plan to use public transportation.)
Pros to a City Stay: Cheaper hotel options, more to do in walking distance
Cons to a City Stay: You have to drive or find transportation to beaches
My Struggle Choosing Where to Stay
I had an unusually hard time deciding where to stay in Menorca. Did I want to stay near a beach or the city? And which beach and which city? All while trying not to spend a million dollars on a European summer vacation in July (which is hard!)
I ultimately decided I wanted a couple of days by the beach. But the prices were higher and I felt like it would be less convenient for exploring the whole island. So I opted to split my time between a beach stay and a city stay.
It actually turned out well!
If you are headed to Menorca for the first time, I recommend doing the same! Split your stay between one of each! I stayed for two nights in a beachside hotel and 3 nights in a city and I enjoyed having the experience of both!
There were perks to being able to walk to a beach whenever I wanted but I also enjoyed being able to explore the city at night and still being in walking distance of my hotel.
Where to Stay in Menorca: Best Beachside Locations
Menorca is a popular summer vacation destination for Europeans. If you are wanting to have a nice, relaxing beach getaway, a beachside location is probably the better choice for you.
While Menorca does have several beaches that require hiking and, thus, do not have hotels near them, there are still several beach areas that are great for a beach getaway.
After exploring loads of beaches and beach towns, I recommend choosing a hotel near either Cala en Porter, Cala Galdana, Cala en Bosc or Son Bou. These all have a nice, sandy beach within walking distance.
I know, that is a lot of options, but let me give pros and cons to all to help you decide which is the best fit for you.
**You should be prepared to spend between $240-$300 a night for a beachside hotel in July and August, especially if you book late. The rest of the year can be quite affordable, though (~$120-140 a night **
Cala en Porter
I’ll start with the one I chose and why.
Cala en Porter is one of the smallest “towns” nearby a beach. And that town is located up quite the hill from the beach of Cala en Porter (so not the most convenient.)
However, I found a hotel that was within feet of the beach that was a more affordable (for mid-July) price than some of the other areas. And it had great amenities (rooftop bar, restaurant and pool, food truck, nearby parking.) As someone on my first solo trip and wanting a couple of stress-free days, this was perfect for me.
The Cala en Porter beach itself is also really nice and wide with plenty of room. There are tiki huts and chairs for rent for the day, nearby kayaking tours, beachside restaurants and everything you need for a good beach day!
I also liked that it was a little less busy than the other beach areas that I visited.
Pros to Cala en Porter: Less busy, less expensive
Cons to Cala en Porter: Not as much within walking distance as some of the other beaches
Hotel Recommendation: Osprey Menorca Hotel
I stayed at the Osprey Menorca Hotel and I highly recommend it! If you are looking for a hotel that is a short walk to the beach and provides a stress-free vacation, this one has that.
The hotel was clean, had an onsite, rooftop restaurant (that you get a discount at as a guest), great views from the rooftop and really friendly staff. The bartender and waiter I had was super friendly and the front desk staff was helpful with making my daily plans.
And, as a bonus, when I stayed, they were trying to get a stop set up with the water taxi to take you from Cala en Porter to places like Cala Galdana or Ciutadella, which will make it even more stress-free and convenient!
Book a Room at Osprey Menorca Hotel!
Osprey Menorca Hotel is a good beachside option for those who want convenience in hotel amenities and distance to the beach!
Price: ~140 USD during low season, $230 during peak season (July, August)
Cala Galdana
Cala Galdana is probably one of the most popular beachside areas to stay in. The beach area is larger than Cala en Porter and it has a lot more hotel and restaurants nearby.
The location is the biggest perk of Cala Galdana. I drove here two different times due to starting activities here. My boat tour started here and the trailhead to the beautiful beaches of Cala Macarella and Cala Macareletta start here as well.
In this area I saw several couples walking along the path, so this may be a good honeymoon option in Menorca as well.
Pros to Cala Galdana: Several restaurants and things to do within walking distance, many hiking trails start nearby, many boat tours start here, beautiful natural cliff sides
Cons to Cala Galdana: More pricey
If I were to stay near Cala Galdana I would stay either at:
- Minura Cala Galdana & Apartamentos d’Aljandar– The location is excellent (not up the hills around the beach) and is about $120 a night during low season and around $224 during peak season (however, they do require a 5 night minimum in July and August.)
- Or Comitas Floramar– Location is a little uphill, low season price is comparable to the other hotel. However, it does NOT have a 5 night minimum during peak season (but it does get close to $300 a night during peak season)
Cala en Bosc
Cala en Bosc is like the Cala Galdana area in regards to beach and accommodations. It has a larger beach area and several different hotels and accommodation options (more than Cala en Porter.)
Cala en Bosc is a bigger town than many of the beachside towns and is home to a pretty large marina. It feels more catered to tourists and families in that it is more easily accessible and flatter. While Cala Galdana has stunning cliffside views and more of a nature feel, Cala en Bosc is more developed.
Pros to Cala en Bosc compared to Galdana: Flatter, more restaurant options,
Cons to Cala en Bosc compared to Galdana: Not a hub for boat tours, located on the far southwest tip of Menorca
A great beachside hotel is FERGUS Style Carema Beach hotel (the white and orange-roofed hotel located on the right side of the photo below!)
It has direct access to Cala en Bosc, a beach bar, a beautiful pool and is generally a clean and beautiful hotel. Though it is around $300 a night in July and August (a little higher than average) you can get a GREAT stay during low season for about $120-$140 a night.
Son Bou
Son Bou is quite different from the other three areas. While most beaches in Menorca have a cove (that can be quite small) with sand along the edges, Son Bou has about a mile and a half (2.4km) stretch of white sandy beach.
If you have ever been to the Florida panhandle, this beach looks very similar to that!
This is a good area for families and kids as well due to the amount of beach available, the shallow waters and the ease of access to the beach.
There are also activities catered to children in this area due to its reputation as a family-friendly area to stay in.
A lot of the accommodation options are villas or apartments uphill from the beach (white houses in the second photo below and marked in dark red on the map.)
If you want to stay down below, near the beach you have less options. There are two popular ones that have direct access to Son Bou.
Royal Son Bou Family Club– This is the nicer, 4 star, higher rated hotel, but also costs $400-$450 a night in July and August (more affordable in offseason and shoulder season.)
Sol Milanos Pingüinos– This is a 3-star hotel with direct beach access. Though the reviews are less glowing, it also comes with a price-tag that is nearly half-price to the Royal Son Bou Club!
How to spend 5 days in Menorca seeing the best beaches, hiking, exploring the cities and more!
Where to Stay in Menorca: Best City Options
If you are a first-time visitor to Menorca and want to see several different areas of the island, a city stay may be better for you.
See Menorca on Your Own Time!
If you want to explore multiple beaches and cities in Menorca, it is BEST to rent a car! I booked through Discover Cars with no problems at all.
There are two major cities in Menorca, Maó, the current capital, and Ciutadella, the previous capital.
While there are a few other towns splattered across the island, these are the two main cities to choose from if you want a lot of shops, restaurants and things to do within walking distance!
Again, though I did enjoy my beachside stay, I also enjoyed my time in the city. I enjoyed being able to explore the city at night after dinner.
And, probably most importantly, I enjoyed being close to Me-1, which is the road that connects to nearly everything on the island.
City options are circled in blue below👇🏻
Where to Stay in Menorca: Maó (mahón) vs Ciutadella
One of the biggest questions I had when planning my trip to Menorca was which city to stay in.
In reality, they both offer similar things. They both are beautiful, walkable cities with unique architecture. They both are also located near the water, just on opposite ends of the island.
In comparison, Ciutadella has an older feel to it. The architecture is older and gives the city a little more charm. Maó is a bit more like a modern European capital. However, it is still very unique with its hillside old town that overlooks the large, natural harbor below.
Pros to Maó: Generally more affordable, a little less popular for tourists than Ciutadella, 10 minutes from the airport.
Pros to Ciutadella: More history and charm in the architecture, a bit closer to more of the popular beaches of Menorca
Where I stayed and My Experience There!
I originally planned to choose Ciutadella because I love historic architecture. At first glance, it looked more appealing to me.
However, when I went to start booking a hotel (a little too close to my departure date, I might add), I found the best hotel for the best price in Maó.
Therefore, I rerouted my plan and stayed in Maó for my three city nights.
After exploring both cities, I was glad to have stayed in Maó. I really enjoyed my time there!
Though Ciutadella definitely has the historic charm, I thought Maó was equally as beautiful as Ciutadella. It does have a bit more of a modern feel, but the old town overlooking the harbor really is beautiful as well.
Maó also has great food and restaurant options and generally has a more local feel just because it isn’t as popular as Ciutadella as a home-base.
Hotel Recommendation: Hotel San Miguel
Walkability and affordability were priorities for me when choosing my hotel. I found this best combination in Maó at Hotel San Miguel.
It had a perfect location in Maó. It is only a 5-8 minute walk to the old town and is about a 3 minute walk to public parking (that I always found a parking spot in.)
Hotel San Miguel was clean, with good-sized rooms and restrooms, a rooftop area and drinks available including water, beer, etc.
The hotel also is safe, with a card to enter the building as well as the room, which was nice as a solo traveller.
Though I didn’t spend much time at the hotel due to spending days exploring, it served its purpose well!
Book a Room at Hotel San Miguel!
If you want a hotel within walking distance to everything in Maó, Hotel San Miguel is a great option!
Price: ~125 USD during low season, $200 during peak season (July, August)
Final Thoughts on Where to Stay in Menorca
Whichever beach destination and/or whatever city you choose, I am confident you are going to have a great Menorca holiday!
I really don’t think there is a BAD location in Menorca. That is part of the charm; it is intimate and easy to explore!
Here is how to spend 5 days in Menorca seeing the best beaches, hiking to the best views, exploring cities and more!
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