SENTIDO Pula Suites Boutique Resort

The approach to the Sentido Pula Suites Hotel is up an attractive driveway flanked by neatly tended flora, sculpted shrubbery, and olive trees. It's a dramatic arrival, but the first moments inside the hotel are an underwhelming experience. Beige walls, sandstone floors, and an understated front desk create a rather drab space for an upscale property. The Mediterranean finca-style architecture, with its traditional terra-cotta tile roofs and pastel stucco walls, adds a certain rustic charm to the place. Peaceful grounds are brimming with plant life. Golf carts ferry guests along a long path that stretches the length of the complex, lined with around two dozen low-rise blocks that house the property's 68 suites. The hotel is built on a sloping hillside, so there are steps to negotiate. Guests are usually senior couples, mostly from the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as some families with kids over the summertime. And of course, many of the guests are golfers.

The hotel has a particularly peaceful and secluded setting at the foot of a hill, surrounded by fields and countryside in the east of Majorca. It's also right next to the Pula 18-hole, 70-par golf course and a 10-minute drive from two other golf courses in Son Servera and Canyamel. Besides golf and a quaint rural restaurant about 15 minutes away on foot, there's very little within walking distance. A car is needed to explore the area. The resort and sand of Cala Bona are 10 minutes' drive away and the livelier Cala Millor is under 15 minutes away. The hotel's location is one of the island's more remote. Plan on an hour's drive from the capital of Palma and its Palma de Mallorca Airport. Parking is free at the hotel. 

The 68 spacious suites are available in the categories of Standard Suite, Superior Suite, and Superior Deluxe. The main difference is that upgraded rooms are slightly larger (from 515 to 600 square feet) and have better views. Ground-level suites feature front patios and lawns. Upper-level suits open to spacious terraces with views over the pool or golf course. Decor is simple and cheerful, with a mix of traditional and contemporary furniture, stone-tiled floors, and modern artwork. Suites might include four-poster beds and wood ceiling beams. Some guests have mentioned poor soundproofing between walls.

Standard amenities include flat-screen TVs (with a few English channels), coffee- and tea-making facilities, and well-stocked (and reasonably priced) minibars; upgraded suites add coffee machines. Wi-Fi is free of charge though it can be spotty in the more remote units. Stone-tile bathrooms all have separate showers and tubs, plus wall-mounted hairdryers, robes, slippers, and toiletries.

Free breakfast is served in the hotel's bright and spacious main restaurant. The varied buffet includes made-to-order eggs served via waiter service on the outdoor terrace. A late breakfast, lunch, and dinner are also served buffet-style, and food quality is generally considered excellent. Two bars, one lounge and one poolside, are also open for snacks and light meals for most of the day. Live music is put on several times a week on the bar terrace.

Most guests enjoy the lack of music or activities around the pool: a slightly quirky split-level design built mostly built for cooling off and relaxing. There's a shallow section for kids. A circular indoor pool is heated, and spa facilities include a sauna, steam room, massage treatments, and a cross-current pool. Two clay tennis courts and two paddle courts are also available (rackets cost extra). Wi-Fi is free, though spotty, throughout the complex.