Mallorca magic in picturesque Port d'Alcudia

VIVA Golf Hotel is situated on the beautiful beach in Port d’Alcudia in the north of Mallorca | Contributed

Like many things in my life, I was introduced to the VIVA Golf Hotel in Port d’Alcudia on the majestic island of Mallorca through golf, which has not only been the sole topic of my job for the bulk of my working life but is also my main sporting passion as a pastime.

As had been the case the previous year, though on that occasion it was at a course near Palma and, therefore, stayed in the island’s capital city, I was kindly invited in 2022 by the Challenge Tour, which, for non-golfers, is the DP World Tour’s feeder circuit, to cover its Grand Final supported by The R&A at Club de Golf Alcanada on the outskirts of Port d’Alcudia.

VIVA Golf Hotel is situated on the beautiful beach in Port d’Alcudia in the north of Mallorca | Contributed

I’d never been to Port d’Alcudia, which sits around an hour’s drive north of Palma, before and found myself instantly regretting that because it has a different feel to most of the other places I had visited in the past on Mallorca. As the name suggests, it has a port at its heart and you can set your watch by the arrival and departure of the various ferries to and from the likes of Barcelona on the Spanish mainland and both Ciutadella and Mahon on neighbouring Menorca.

From the minute I arrived in Port d’Alcudia and, equally so, stepped through the front door of VIVA Golf Hotel, I felt my love for Mallorca had been reignited and, following two subsequent visits - I’ve found some great tapas bars and restaurants close to the port and in some of the back streets where it is great mixing with the locals - to report on the same season-ending event, it was time to take my wife to let her find out why I’d always come home from this particular trip and tell her that I’d found a new ‘happy place’.

I’ve not always got it right over the years when it has come to basing such work trips on where we should necessarily be heading for a holiday, but, in this instance, I was quietly confident and I think we’d been in the hotel for less than an hour when she uttered those words you just want to hear…..”I love it!”

For starters, the hotel is adults only, which was a tad ironic for us as we prepared to become grandparents for the first time. It was difficult to tell any difference when we’d stayed in a similar hotel in the Caribbean towards the end of last year, but, in this case, the peace and tranquility around the pool in particular ensured that we enjoyed the break we were looking for and that was also helped by the weather being exceptionally good for the end of May.

The Adagio Restaurant, where breakfast and dinner are served, is a lovely place to spend some time | Contributed

As I’d discovered during those Challenge Tour Grand Final assignments, breakfast, which is served in the Adagio Restaurant, is superb, tickling every taste bud whether it’s cereal or cookies, bacon or bananas, toast or exotic teas you are after. Oh, and let’s not forget the opportunity to start your day with a glass of fizz!

A lovely place to spend some time, whether you are sitting inside or outside, the Adagio Restaurant is also where a buffet dinner is served and we enjoyed the wide variety that was on offer at Asian, Mediterranean and Mexican Nights, choosing a nice bottle of Vina Sol to add to all sorts of delicious tastes.

Lunch is served in the Mirablau Restaurant, which offers a terrific selection of dishes - we had a pizza that was to die for on one of our visits - and don’t be fooled by its location as it is way more than what someone might term as a ‘beach bar’.

Talking of bars, the Palmira Pool Bar is located in one of two neighbouring swimming pools and, though drinks can be brought to your sunbed thanks to the age of QR codes we now live in, a much-needed dip every now and then can be tied in with an equally much-needed refreshment and, yes, the occasional alcoholic one was taken over the course of our eight-day stay.

One of the first things that struck me about VIVA Golf Hotel was how friendly and helpful the staff are, something that was verified by my wife, who was also quick to acknowledge how clean every single area is in the hotel and how nice it smells in the corridors and both the standard of the rooms and the outlook from them as well.

All the rooms enjoy views out across Alcudia Bay and the ones on the upper floor even have a rooftop terrace | Contributed

The hotel only has three floors - four if you count the roof terrace for the rooms on the upper floor - but the view out across the beach and Alcudia Bay is almost spellbinding. Whether it’s watching people walking or running along the path that runs from the town centre all the way out towards Can Picafort or others having fun on the beach or a boat or something out on the water, it is just a wonderful spot.

Every room has a view of the sea and every balcony has a comfortable sofa, where, if you prefer being on your own, you can lap up the sunshine and the view. Some of the rooms also have a hot tub and a cabana, with our one being used for a game of cards on a couple of nights after being out for a walk after enjoying the tasteful nighttime entertainment - we also enjoyed hearing a Spanish guitarist at breakfast one morning - in the bar adjoining the Adagio Restaurant.

An adults-only policy means peace and tranquility around the pool in particular | Contributed

The hotel’s Balneum facility offers a massage room and a small outdoor sauna and jacuzzi while the short walk into the heart of Port d’Alcudia and the longer one - it only takes about half an hour - into the stunning Alcudia old town are both recommended if you fancy some time away from the pool.

What about the golf, though, I hear you asking? Well, the hotel was built close to the first course on the island, hence where its name comes from, but, if you are looking to take your clubs with you, a visit to the aforementioned Club de Golf Alcanada is your best option and, just like VIVA Golf Hotel and Port d’Alcudia, I can promise that it won’t disappoint.