Property of the month: 4 reasons to buy this majestic Mallorcan villa

Mallorca does it differently from Ibiza. This more low-key Balearic island is not about flash parties and showboating, though it certainly has its fair share of wealthy residents. In December, Richard Branson bought Son Bunyola, a 4,000 acre estate on the island’s northwest coast for £11.2 million.

Mallorca is quieter, calmer and more historic than its high-octane cousin. People come here for privacy, sea views, good food and a bit of culture. The property market has also far outperformed that of mainland Spain. Last year there was a 50 per cent increase in property sales in Palma, the island’s capital, placing it in the top three cities in Spain for volume of sales, according to property valuation company Tinsa.

The island’s wealthiest hotspots are Calvià, Andratx, Santanyí and Alcúdia. Property in these areas averages €2,000-€2,500 per square metre, says Tinsa. The Spanish government is also encouraging more buyers from abroad with its “golden visa” law that allows non-EU buyers purchasing properties above €500,000 to become Spanish residents.

According to Mark Harvey, of the estate agent Knight Frank, buyers look here for the long term and they stay all year round, not just for the summer: “Many of our clients use Mallorca as a place to winter their yachts because there is so much going on over Christmas as well.” An island for every season, then.

While many buyers look to the north of the island for space (and, ironically given La Fortaleza’s cost, value) less traditional super villas are popping up all over the southwest coast, complete with all mod cons. Forget just installing a pool and underfloor heating, now floor cooling and solar panels are all must-haves too.

Knight Frank is selling one such villa, a palatial 1,800 square metre, eight-bedroom home, set across three floors and just a 10 minute drive from the marina at Port d’Andratx.

Port d’Andratx, 20 miles west of Palma, is not just one of the most popular and more expensive locations in Mallorca, it also has more sales than anywhere else in the Balearics, 40 per cent of them to foreigners, according to local agent Engel & Völkers. Last year the agent marketed a €17 million property containing a glass lift to drop residents off at their private bodega, cinema, library, spa or underground car park as required.

“Andratx is all about the sea,” says Harvey. “It’s a fashionable place to go but really it’s all about the sea views and still being able to go down to the harbour and buy fish straight off the boat.” Andratx has several seaside eateries with fresh fish menus, but for something more upmarket try the buzzing gastronomic scene with some time away from your yacht in Palma, where you will find Michelin-starred Simply Fosh. Take a stroll to discover quaint little bars on cobbled streets or sip sophisticated cocktails at the ultra-fashionable Puro hotel.

Open and bright, with a strong focus on outdoor living, the villa has huge terraces looking out over the spa and 15 metre pool, and towards the Balearic Sea. Natural stone flooring that heats up or cools down depending on your needs is available at the touch of a button and there’s a guest house and staff accommodation, along with a lift between floors. The five bedrooms of the main house are all large en suites, most with their own balconies, so you don’t have to worry about finding your own little nook for some downtime if you need a moment away from all that open-plan living downstairs. There is also a cinema room, wine cellar and a garage for six cars.

“This a home for someone who may want to be here all year round or on and off throughout the seasons,” says Mark Harvey of Knight Frank. “The level of detail is exceptionally high quality. For example, the courtyard between the main property and the guest house has very clever, very beautiful lighting, which makes it great for evening parties.”

The nearby Club de Vela Puerto de Andratx is a moderate-capacity marina, with 475 moorings for medium-sized boats, with a maximum length of 36 metres and four metres draught. Meanwhile, the new Port Adriano, half way from Andratx to Palma, is a true superyacht harbour. Designed by Philippe Starck, it has berths for boats up to 100 metres, as well as shops, bars and restaurants.

Alternatively, the mountains, inland, where a panoramic sea view is not easy to come by, are also increasingly coveted, even with boat lovers. Daniela Gawert of Kensington International is selling a 10-bedroom 17th century Mallorquinian mansion complete with tennis courts, olive groves and 1,200 square kilometres of land in the Puigpunyent mountains, 30 minutes from Palma – and plenty of viewers so far have asked about mooring. “Someone said to me recently, ‘Look, I won’t care about a sea view when I’m in the house, because the rest of the time I’ll be on a boat’.” Mallorca, then, offers the best of land and sea.

On the market for €17m with Knight Frank. + 44 207 861 5034, knightfrank.co.uk