Where to Stay in Mallorca: Resorts, Towns and Beaches

Just want a quick answer? Here is where to stay in Mallorca:
Best for families - the north, around Alcudia and Playa de Muro. Zafiro Palace Alcudia
Best for a first trip with everything on hand - Playa de Palma. Iberostar Selection Llaut Palma
Best for quiet coves and walking - the northeast, around Cala Mesquida and Cala Rajada. VIVA Cala Mesquida Resort & Spa
Best for a classic east-coast beach holiday - Cala Millor and Sa Coma. Iberostar Waves Cala Millor
Best for nightlife and value - the southwest, around Palmanova and Magaluf. Zafiro Palace Palmanova
Best for something more secluded - the west, around Andratx and Camp de Mar. Zafiro Palace Andratx
Best for the wildest beach on the island - the south, at Es Trenc. Iberostar Selection Es Trenc

Mallorca is much bigger than most first-time visitors expect. It is roughly 100 kilometres across, and the drive from the north coast to the southwest tip takes well over an hour. That matters, because the island's resort areas are genuinely different from one another and you will spend most of your holiday in whichever one you pick.

The two decisions that shape a Mallorca trip are which coast, and how developed. The north is family territory with long shallow beaches. The southwest is busier, closer to the airport and cheaper. The east is a string of small coves. The west is the dramatic, quieter, more expensive end. Nobody tells you this before you book, and it is the single most useful thing to know.

This guide covers the eight areas worth considering, what each is honestly like, and the hotels in every one.

Mallorca at a glance

On driving: Mallorca genuinely rewards a hire car, and in the quieter areas it is close to essential. Palma's airport sits on the south coast, so the southwest and Playa de Palma are the shortest transfers; the north and northeast are an hour or more.

The 8 best areas to stay in Mallorca

1. Alcudia and Port d'Alcudia - best for families

The north coast around Alcudia is Mallorca's family heartland, and the reason is the beach: a long, gently shelving stretch of sand where the water stays shallow a long way out. Add a walled old town a few minutes inland and it is the most rounded family base on the island.

Consider Alcudia if you want:

• Shallow, calm water that suits young children
• An actual historic town alongside the resort, not just a strip
• The S'Albufera wetlands and Cap de Formentor within reach
• A big choice of hotels at every level

The trade-offs: it is popular and it fills up in July and August. The airport transfer is around an hour.

Hotels here: the platform's largest concentration anywhere on the island. Zafiro Palace Alcudia is a five-star near the port, with Zafiro Tropic, Can Ribera by Zafiro and Son Sabater by Zafiro nearby - the last two smaller and more boutique. Iberostar Waves Ciudad Blanca and THB Bamboo Alcudia sit closer to the beachfront, and the VIVA properties cover the family end: VIVA Sunrise, VIVA Eden Lago and, for couples, VIVA Golf Adults Only.

2. Playa de Muro and Can Picafort - best for a beach-first family holiday

Immediately south of Alcudia, Playa de Muro continues the same enormous bay, and Can Picafort follows on from that. This is the most purpose-built stretch of the north coast - resorts, pools and a very good beach - and it is where a lot of the island's all-inclusive product sits.

Consider this stretch if you want:

• One of the best long sandy beaches in the Mediterranean
• Resort-style hotels with pools and kids' facilities
• The S'Albufera natural park directly behind the beach
• Alcudia old town a short drive away

The trade-offs: it is developed and it knows it. If you want a village atmosphere or somewhere that feels Mallorcan rather than resort-built, look east or west instead.

Hotels here: Iberostar Selection Playa de Muro Village is a five-star on the beach, alongside Iberostar Selection Albufera Park, Iberostar Selection Albufera Playa, Iberostar Waves Playa de Muro and Iberostar Waves Alcudia Park. VIVA Blue & Spa sits on the same beach. In Can Picafort, Zafiro Can Picafort, Zafiro Alzinar Mar THB Gran Playa and THB Gran Bahía are the main options.

3. Cala Rajada and Cala Mesquida - best for quiet coves and walking

The island's northeast corner is rockier, hillier and much less built up. Cala Mesquida in particular is a dune-backed cove inside a protected area, and the whole stretch suits people who want to walk, swim and eat well rather than sit on a sunbed in a crowd.

Consider the northeast if you want:

• Small sandy coves rather than a long resort beach
• Protected dune landscapes and coastal walking
• A quieter, more grown-up atmosphere
• Capdepera's hilltop castle and Cala Rajada's working harbour nearby

The trade-offs: it is hilly, spread out and needs a car. There is less on the doorstep than in the north or southwest.

Hotels here: VIVA Cala Mesquida Resort & Spa and VIVA Cala Mesquida Suites & Spa sit above the cove, with Zafiro Cala Mesquida nearby. For something quite different, Predi Son Jaumell Hotel Rural is a converted rural estate inland - the most distinctive property in this guide. Around Cala Rajada, THB Guya Playa, THB Cala Lliteras and THB Dos Playas cover the mid and lower range, and Iberostar Waves Pinos Park sits at Sa Font de sa Cala.

4. Cala Millor and Sa Coma - best for a classic east-coast beach holiday

The east coast around Cala Millor is the straightforward, well-established Mallorcan beach holiday - a wide sandy bay, a promenade, plenty of restaurants, and rates that are usually gentler than the north.

Consider Cala Millor if you want:

• A good sandy beach with a proper promenade
• Better value than Alcudia or the west
• The Caves of Drach and Porto Cristo nearby
• Somewhere easy that does not need much planning

The trade-offs: it has a package-holiday character that will not suit everyone, and it is a long transfer from the airport.

Hotels here: Iberostar Waves Cala Millor and Senator Cala Millor sit on the bay, with Talayot hotel nearby. THB Sa Coma Platja is on the adjacent beach at Sa Coma, and further south Iberostar Waves Cala Domingos sits on a smaller cove.

5. Playa de Palma - best for a first trip with city access

Playa de Palma is the long beach just east of the capital, and its advantage is simple: you get a proper beach holiday and Palma - a genuinely good city with a cathedral, old town and serious restaurants - fifteen minutes away.

Consider Playa de Palma if you want:

• The shortest airport transfer on the island
• Palma's old town and dining on a short bus or taxi ride
• A long sandy beach with a promenade
• A base that works without a hire car

The trade-offs: it sits under the airport approach, and parts of the strip are dominated by large hotels and, in places, a boisterous crowd. The stretch nearer Can Pastilla is generally quieter than the middle.

Hotels here: Iberostar Selection Llaut Palma and Iberostar Selection Playa de Palma are the five-star options, with Iberostar Waves Cristina, Iberostar Waves Bahía de Palma and THB El Cid at more moderate rates. Also on this stretch, THB Niágara and THB María Isabel sit a short walk back from the beach.

6. Palmanova and Magaluf - best for nightlife and value

The southwest, in the municipality of Calvia, is the island's busiest and cheapest resort area. Magaluf's reputation precedes it, but Palmanova and Santa Ponsa next door are considerably more moderate, and the whole area has been steadily upgrading.

Consider the southwest if you want:

• The lowest rates on the island for a comparable hotel
• A short airport transfer, around 25 minutes
• Sheltered bays with calm water
• Nightlife within walking distance, if that is the point of the trip

The trade-offs: Magaluf specifically still draws a young party crowd in peak season. If that is not what you want, book in Palmanova or Santa Ponsa rather than Magaluf itself and check the walking distance between them.

Hotels here: Zafiro Palace Palmanova is a five-star with Zafiro Palmanova alongside it. H10 Casa del Mar sits at Santa Ponsa, and Bahia Principe Escape Coral Playa is at Magaluf itself.

7. Andratx and Camp de Mar - best for seclusion and scenery

Round the corner from the southwest resorts, the coast turns dramatic. Camp de Mar and Port d'Andratx sit at the start of the Serra de Tramuntana, and the character changes completely - smaller coves, pine-covered hillsides, yachts and noticeably higher prices.

Consider this area if you want:

• Mallorca's most scenic coastline within easy reach
• A quiet, upmarket base
• The Tramuntana mountains, Deia and Valldemossa for day trips
• Small pretty coves rather than resort beaches

The trade-offs: it is quiet in the evenings, the beaches are small, and you really do want a car. It is also the most expensive part of the island covered here.

Hotels here: Zafiro Palace Andratx is a five-star at Camp de Mar, and H10 Blue Mar sits nearby in the Andratx area.

8. Es Trenc and the south - best for the island's wildest beach

Es Trenc is the beach people mean when they say Mallorca still has undeveloped coastline - a long dune-backed stretch of white sand with no resort strip behind it, protected from building. Staying nearby is a different proposition from anywhere else in this guide.

Consider the south if you want:

• The most natural beach on the island
• Salt flats, birdlife and a quiet, flat, cycle-friendly landscape
• Colonia de Sant Jordi's small harbour and the boat to Cabrera
• To be away from resort development entirely

The trade-offs: there is very little nearby. This is a car-and-a-book holiday, not a walk-to-dinner one.

Hotels here: Iberostar Selection Es Trenc is a five-star at Colonia de Sant Jordi. Over on the southeast coast, Iberostar Waves Club Cala Barca sits at Portopetro and THB Felip is in the harbour town of Porto Cristo.

Other areas worth knowing

Palma itself. The capital is a genuinely good short-break city - cathedral, old town, art galleries, excellent food - and it is increasingly a destination in its own right rather than just an airport. There are no properties on this platform in Palma city centre at present; the Playa de Palma hotels above are the closest, fifteen minutes out.

The Tramuntana villages. Deia, Valldemossa and Soller, in the mountains along the northwest coast, are the most beautiful part of the island and a common day trip. No properties listed there either.

Ibiza and Menorca. Worth knowing if you are browsing the platform: because all Balearic properties share one city field, a search returns Ibiza and Menorca hotels alongside the Mallorcan ones. If you specifically want Mallorca, check the address on the property page.

How Mallorca's direct-booking offers work

HotelsBookingDirect shows what each Mallorcan hotel offers travellers who book on the hotel's own site rather than through a third party. A property page shows the offer type, the travel period it covers and the date by which you need to book - Book Direct carries you through to the hotel's own booking flow under those terms.

Mallorca is one of the best-covered destinations on the platform, largely because the island's inventory is dominated by Spanish resort groups that run their own direct-booking programmes - Iberostar, Zafiro, VIVA, THB and H10 all have a significant presence here, alongside Bahia Principe and Senator.

That matters because these groups compete with the big tour operators for the same customer, and a discount for booking direct is one of their main levers. Coverage is strong but not universal, and the terms differ by group, so the property page is the place to check.

Our guides to Iberostar promo codes and H10 promo codes cover two of the groups here in detail, and hotel promo codes covers how to tell a live code from a dead one.

Beyond codes, what the property pages typically list includes free cancellation, pay-at-hotel options, room upgrades, early check-in and late check-out, free breakfast on many properties, and spa or wellness packages - which are common in this market.

Offers and benefits vary by hotel, rate, travel dates and availability - check the hotel's current terms before booking.

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When to go

May, June and September are the best months - warm sea, manageable crowds, and rates well below peak. September in particular is the local favourite.

July and August are hot, busy and the most expensive. If you are travelling then, the north's long beaches absorb crowds better than the small east-coast coves.

April and October are pleasant for walking and cycling, and Mallorca has become a serious cycling destination in spring. Some resort hotels close for the winter, so check.

November to March is quiet, cheap and green. The Tramuntana is at its best, but many coastal resorts largely shut down.

Getting around Mallorca

Hire a car if you are staying anywhere but Playa de Palma or the southwest. The island is large and the best of it - the Tramuntana, the coves, the inland towns - needs driving.

Book the car before you fly in summer. Availability at Palma tightens and walk-up prices are high.

Buses are decent between the main resorts and Palma but thin on the east coast and in the mountains.

Palma is worth a day whichever resort you choose. The cathedral, the old town and the food are the best on the island.

Check the airport transfer time before booking. The southwest is around 25 minutes, Playa de Palma 15, and the north and northeast an hour or more - which changes what a one-week trip feels like.

You can also explore Mallorca tours and activities through our travel partner.

Explore Mallorca tours and experiences on Viator {INSERT-VIATOR-MALLORCA-LINK}

Frequently asked questions

What is the best area to stay in Mallorca for families?

The north coast around Alcudia and Playa de Muro. The beach there is long and shallow, which suits young children, and Alcudia has a real old town alongside the resort rather than just a hotel strip. Cala Millor on the east coast is a good-value alternative.

Where should I stay in Mallorca for a first trip?

Playa de Palma if you want the shortest transfer and easy access to Palma city, or Alcudia if the beach matters more than the city. Both have a wide choice of hotels and neither requires a hire car.

Which part of Mallorca is best for a quiet holiday?

Andratx and Camp de Mar in the west for scenery and seclusion, the northeast around Cala Mesquida for dune-backed coves and walking, or the south near Es Trenc for the island's most undeveloped beach. All three are quiet in the evenings and all three are easier with a car.

Do I need a hire car in Mallorca?

In Playa de Palma and the southwest, no - buses and taxis cover it. Almost everywhere else, yes. The island is around 100km across and the quieter areas have limited public transport.

Is Magaluf worth avoiding?

It depends on the trip. Magaluf still draws a young party crowd in peak summer, but neighbouring Palmanova and Santa Ponsa are considerably more moderate while sharing the same sheltered bays and low rates. If nightlife is not the point, book in those instead and check the walking distance.

When is the best time to visit Mallorca?

May, June and September give the best combination of weather, sea temperature and price. July and August are hottest and busiest. April and October suit walking and cycling, though some resort hotels close over winter.

Where is the best beach in Mallorca?

Es Trenc in the south is the most natural - a long dune-backed stretch with no development behind it. For a long, family-friendly beach with facilities, Playa de Muro in the north is hard to beat.

How far is Palma airport from the resorts?

Playa de Palma is about 15 minutes, the southwest around 25, Cala Millor and the east coast roughly an hour, and Alcudia and the northeast an hour or more. Worth factoring into a short trip.

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