Life at Santueri
Most of the fun happens around the long dining table and outdoor seating area on the terrace overlooking the courtyard and gardens. Or up by the pool and cabana.
There is a BBQ and pizza oven for those long lunches. And a huge open kitchen and living room at the heart of the house.
When you’re not swimming, eating or enjoying a glass or three of the excellent Mallorcan wine, there are plenty of games to keep you and the kids happy (table tennis, badminton, darts, boules, board games etc).
Otherwise, the house is a great base for trips out to the best beaches on the island, nearby Portocolom with its pretty, old harbour or other picturesque villages.
There are also several wonderful nature trails and walks direct from the house.
About the house
It has the rustic charm of a cortijo, with its tiled floors, wooden beams and an old well in the courtyard. We like rustic. But we like a bit of urban comfort too.
So we got the sledge hammer out and opened up the living room, adding the new kitchen to create an open-plan social hub at the heart of the house. Installing new air con in the bedrooms was a must. As were the new en-suites.
There are five bedrooms in the house and two en suite guest rooms in what was the old stable block, with its own terrace. An additional cosy terrace and charming garden area at the front of the house; gravelled courtyard for parking; 15 meter pool with terrace & cabana; formal garden; two acres of campo (complete with old bench under tree for navel gazing, contemplation, reading).
The surrounding area
Every estate agent in the area assured us each property we looked at, before buying Santueri, was “10 minutes” from wherever we happened to mention: Restaurants? 10 minutes. Beaches? 10 minutes. Shops? 10 minutes. Uzbekistan? 10 minutes… In the case of this rural retreat, it is true. OK, maybe 12 minutes in some cases.
There’s a choice of great nearby beaches – from secluded, picture postcard coves within cycling distance, to the more popular choices.
The nearby towns of Santanyi and Portcocolom are defintely worth a visit – check out the market days. And we especially love the nearby village of S’Alqueria Blanca with its gorgeous honey stone houses.
Cala D’Or is the nearest resort, with a huge choice of bars, restaurants, nightclubs and shops.