I Stayed at Sir Richard Branson’s New Luxury Hotel in Mallorca—Here's What It Was Really Like
Like everything at Son Bunyola, the property’s logo is elegantly understated, and perfect: the “y” rendered as two-leafed olive twig. That subtle nod to the olive groves ubiquitous here on the terraced slopes of Mallorca’s Tramuntana Mountains conveys the essence of Sir Richard Branson’s newest luxury hotel.
“To get quality fruit, you graft new growth onto an old trunk,” explains Martín Bestard, a jovial nature guide pointing out a 1,000-year-old olive tree on the grounds—massive and gnarled with weathered whorls of old growth. An arboreal Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Indeed, grafting new growth onto an old Balearic beauty is exactly what Branson has done in reviving Son Bunyola, a 16th-century finca (farm house) that opened in June, joining the seven other exclusive properties in the Virgin Limited Edition collection, and the only Branson offering in Europe. Nestled within a UNESCO World Heritage site, the meticulously restored finca is surrounded by mountains and vineyards tiered like a wedding cake, all overlooking the dazzling lapis waters of Mallorca’s pristine northwestern coast.
When asked what makes Son Bunyola distinctive—and what kept Branson committed to the project over the nearly two decades that it took to bring it to fruition—general manager Vincent Padioleau simply looks from the hotel terrace out to the sea, his arm sweeping across the postcard-perfect landscape. “This! This view is what makes Son Bunyola special,” he says, “and makes all my other hotel colleagues jealous.” He has a point.
Looking down from the entry gate off the curvy main road, a two-lane affair lined by stacked-stone walls hurdled by the occasional wild goat, Son Bunyola is cradled within the breathtaking setting—its chalk-white stuccoed walls blending seamlessly with the surrounding rocky terrain. It looks like it’s always been there, which it more or less has.
Historic records document an estate here dating from 1229, and today the 26-bedroom hotel remains true to the footprint of the central finca—once the holiday house of nobles—with its interior courtyard and two towers, one dating to the 13th century, as well as the Tafona, which now houses two spacious suites, one of the hotel’s two restaurants, and a 200-year-old olive press.
Marble hallway floors and a grand staircase are all original, as is the gilded altar from the chapel, now gracing the main restaurant’s dining room. Even the vineyards have been restored to once again grow the malvasia (Arabic for “vineyard by the sea”) grapes exclusive to this Tramuntana region. “We expect to uncork our first vintage by 2026,” adds Padioleau.
With the baaing of sheep in the background, the sense of time here distills to slow motion, something elemental and awe inducing, tinged with hints of medieval luxe (especially if, like me, your suite happens to be in the round turret). And not just because you’re on vacation or sipping sangria by the turquoise-tiled pool or peering into the mesmerizing Mediterranean while paddleboarding or snorkeling along the resort’s three-mile beach. It’s equally because the design team, led by the local firm Gras Architects with interiors by the Palma-based Rialto Living, let Son Bunyola’s deep history and magical setting dictate decisions.
“We treated it like any home, making it personal and inviting, with each bedroom designed differently,” says Barbara Bergman, who co-founded Rialto Living along with her husband Klas Kall.
Bergman curated contemporary Mallorcan art for all guest rooms and common areas, while Kall and Rialto’s team chose fabrics and furniture showcasing Mediterranean colors and feel—refined but relaxed, lush yet low-key.
In fact, that’s the Branson signature: Take an otherworldly setting and make it feel like home. Call it exquisitely crafted comfort, or finca fancy. Or perhaps, like extracting oil from olives, it’s simply bowing to divine natural flavor.
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