Miguel Conde: Owner of Can Cera, Can Alomar & Calatrava Hotels
The man behind some of Palma's best boutique hotels
Miguel Conde is a busy man. When he's not renovating old Mallorcan palaces, he's travelling to new places to try out different experiences that could benefit his 3 hotels. He's always searching out new renovation projects, constantly looking to improve the 3 hotels that he currently owns, and all whilst trying to ensure that his hotel guests have the best possible stay they can have.
Miguel has kindly taken time out of his busy schedule to talk to us, and to share some top tips for dining out and where to find the best coffee in Palma..
Tell us a little bit about your business and how it all started out..
I have a background in renovating old buildings, and I noticed there was a lack of boutique hotels in Palma de Mallorca. I undertook the renovation of Hotel Can Cera back in 2009 in order to not only maintain it, but to improve all the artisitc elements of the building.
How long have you been in your current role and how long have you been with the company?
My first foray into the world of hospitality began in 2009 with Hotel Can Cera in Palma, a five star hotel. After it's opening in 2010 I started my next project, the Calatrava Boutique hotel, also a 5 star hotel, which opened in April 2013.
The hotels are beautiful.. which is your favourite room/s and why?
It's difficult to choose just one room as my favourite in each of our hotels, as all of them have a distinctive decoration and atmosphere that makes you want to stay in it. In winter, at Hotel Can Cera, I would stay in the rooms on the main floor, with warmer decoration, apart from all the common rooms surrounding guest’s rooms, which invite you to enjoy a winter day between the walls of this special palace. In summer I choose the rooms on the second floor with a fresh and summery decoration, in addition to the solarium next to the rooms, where you can enjoy a relaxing sunbathe.
All rooms with sea views at the Hotel Calatrava, are those that have a special charm, especially the 6 suites with private terrace, dressing room and lounge.
All our Suites at Hotel Can Alomar, are very nice, so it is difficult to choose between them. I would choose the hotel's public areas: cocktail area, terraces overlooking the Paseo del Borne of the city, the sun terrace with swimming pool and relaxation area and the courtyard with its orange trees.
Hotel Can Cera is over 700 years old and has been added to and changed a fair amount over the years. Which is the oldest part?
Some of the architectural features dates from the 12th century, then built over them are parts from the 17th century, and a few parts from the 19th century. All these influences are reflections of the different owners of the palace, including today with it's transformation into a boutique hotel.
What would you say is the one thing on the restaurant menu people should try & why?
In each of our 3 hotels we try to offer different gastronomic styles :
In Hotel Can Cera, I recommend the tasting menu offered in the evenings, which changes daily. It is the best way for our customers to enjoy a reflection of the main courses which they can find at the restaurant menu created by our chef with fresh and high quality products. The style of our kitchen is high quality Majorcan cuisine.
Hotel Calatrava offers our customers a menu created with seasonal products with which we create beautiful Mediterranean tapas. Guests can enjoy a varied menu, so there are always new dishes to taste.
In Hotel Can Alomar, our customers can enjoy a style of cooking called Nikey, with the fusion of Peruvian, Japanese and Mediterranean cuisine. Our tartar and ceviches are definitely one of the suggestions I make for our customers, as well as all daily recommendations from our chef prepared with fresh products brought directly from the market .
What are the most popular treatments people have in your spas, and what would you suggest for someone who's spent a long day on their feet exploring Palma?
After a long day exploring Mallorca ... I recommend our customers to enjoy a relaxing spa session at any of our hotels, followed by a revitalizing massage, to charge of new energy their body and continue enjoying the island the next day.
The treatment that most of our clients book is "Essence of the Mediterranean," a full body massage where Mediterranean products are used. All products used in our spa are naturally manufactured at the island (salts from Es Trenc, Sóller Valley Oils, etc..)
What makes Mallorca a special place to be for you?
Mallorca is one of the most amazing places in the world. It has one of the largest and best preserved old towns in Spain, also the Serra de Tramuntana, officially recognized as UNESCO World Heritage, beautiful countryside where you can enjoy all year round, the incredible coasts it has with beaches and virgin coves ... All this together helps for a development of the most important infrastructure such as; the International airport of Palma, 25 golf courses with 18 holes, fantastic marinas, great cuisine and also a great culture and weather.
What are the best bits about your job?
Firstly to create wonderful spaces in old houses waiting to be rehabilitated, second, to see that our customers enjoy and feel comfortable in our hotels.
And the worst bits?
All the hours I spend in the office, but that's what it takes to achieve what we have right now. And there's the Spanish laws to overcome with any new project..
What is in store for the future with your business, any exciting projects in the pipelines that you can share with us?
In 2014 I will be mainly focussing on finding different ways to improve our 3 hotels (if possible) to continue providing an exquisite offer to our customers and to give them a unique experience in our hotels.
What are your personal and professional goals for the future?
My career goals are to continue doing what I'm doing, including looking for new challenges, and to do everything I can to make Mallorca a better place.
Where would send someone who was after that something 'something special' in Mallorca to eat or drink?
I recommend any of the restaurants of our hotels. In all of them, our clients can enjoy high quality cuisine with fresh seasonal products and a personalized and qualified service. In Hotel Can Cera you can enjoy a snack or a dinner in the typical Majorcan courtyard. At Hotel Calatrava, you can enjoy the sea views with a large and quality selection of Mediterranean tapas. Hotel Can Alomar has different options to choose from: our cocktail area offers a large selection of cocktails made with the best products brought directly from the market and the restaurant will invite you to dive into a combination of different, well-matched cooking styles.
Your favourite place for lunch or dinner if you're grabbing a quick bite to eat?
Hotel Calatrava would be my choice. I can enjoy a fresh and revitalizing salad or Mediterranean tapas selection in a magnificent terrace with sea views.
Where will we find the best coffee or hot chocolate?
Without a doubt it would be Can Joan de S'aigo, one of the oldest cafes in Mallorca. It dates from the 1700's and nowadays they still cook all their products in the same way they would have done back then. Not only do they have the best coffee & hot chocolate, but they also serve amazing traditional ensaimadas and cuartos.
What do you do in your time off?
In my free time I like to travel. During these trips I have time to re-charge my batteries to be able to continue my projects. I also nurture my knowledge of the tourism industry, look for new projects and experiences.
Which is your favourite shop on the Island?
Rialto Living as it combines fashion, art and decoration in the same place - something unique in Palma de Mallorca.
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If you want to stay in any of the hotels or dine in any of the restaurants, you can find all the details you need here:
