A special garden between the sea and S’Albufereta
A special garden between the sea and S’Albufereta
On the right, Pollença Bay and the dazzling Mediterranean waters that merge with the stunning mountain backdrop. On the left, a row of tamarisks and pitosporum lead the way to the entrance of what is now the PortBlue Club Pollentia Resort & Spa.
Three hundred metres from the entrance is a tree that stands out among all the others, upright and sturdy, as if the north winds and salt from the sea had never bothered it during the more than one hundred and fifty years it has been watching the world go by. The oldest of the palm trees in the Pollentia gardens started life when the place was still known as Can Cap de Bou and was a farm which was used to raise cattle. Nowadays, to the right of the arch which serves as the entrance to the resort, the palm tree welcomes guests who come to spend a few exciting and unforgettable days in this natural paradise.
The Chairman of PortBlue Hotel Group, Ferran Porto is a lover of nature, a firm defender of sustainability, and a great admirer of the gardens around Club Pollentia, and he is also proud of the tree and everything it represents. Having spent his entire life between the Mediterranean and S’Albufereta, he has also seen all of the significant economic and social changes in the area and played an active role in the development of tourism in Mallorca. He has always felt very clearly that development would have to be based on the protection of the natural environment, not just in the creation of new infrastructure, but also in the day-to-day operations of island hotels with the support and commitment of both employees and guests.
That is why the hotel itself only occupies a third of the eight hectares in the resort, with the rest of the land given over to the spectacular gardens. He is proud to take a stroll along the garden paths and explain in great detail how this unique space has been created over time to allow guests to both enjoy and respect it.
The resort has several quality and environmental certifications, but among the most important of its many awards for its constant support for sustainability is the RE-THINK HOTEL award as one of the best hotel sustainability and renovation projects in the Balearic Islands.
An improvised nursery to save trees and palms
A little over halfway through the 20th century, the land belonging to the Porto family was transformed from livestock farming to a “holiday town” as it was known at the time. It consisted of bungalows with corrugated iron roofs to welcome and host travellers. Trees and plants grew wild around the resort, and what is now S’Albufereta Natural Park was a popular site for local hunters.
In the early 1990s the holiday town needed to adapt to the new trends in tourism and preferences of its guests and lay the foundations for what we now know as Club Pollentia. Throughout this process, Ferran Porto always felt strongly that the beautiful tamarisks, palm trees and other native plants that had the potential to be an important part in the design and creation of future gardens should be preserved.
As a result of his determination, and in order to protect them during the works on the resort, they were all transferred to an abandoned quarry nearby, where a temporary nursery was set up to make sure they would be safe.
“Actually we had to drill around the roots of quite a few of the palm trees to put cement around them and create “pots” which would help to preserve them”, he nostalgically recalls.
A garden-view room please.
More than 30 years have gone by since Club Pollentia was founded, and its gardens have become its biggest hallmark. The location on the seafront is obviously a huge attraction and privilege for all guests, but the careful landscaping and care taken with the gardens means that many guests often prefer a room with a view of the garden.
Standing guard as if they were a protective army, the tamarisks help reduce the impact of the sea wind and breezes. Resistant and picturesque trees located throughout the resort that brighten up the gardens in spring with their tiny flowers, and are concentrated in an area that forms a “shield” to the seafront.
The enhancement and preservation of the Natural Park also helps create a unique environment. Thanks to cooperation with the Ministry of the Environment, the plants that border the gardens are controlled to ensure that only native flora grows in both areas. And to help guests enjoy the peace and beauty of the Park, the resort has also installed a cabin for guests to watch all the local and migratory birds.
Over recent years, PortBlue Club Pollentia Resort & Spa has been completely renovated and extended to 532 rooms, but the peacefulness transmitted by its carefully tended and well-preserved natural environment continues to make it a beacon of sustainability and a paradise in which to enjoy the Island of Calm.
The enhancement and preservation of the Natural Park also helps create a unique environment. Thanks to cooperation with the Ministry of the Environment, the plants that border the gardens are controlled to ensure that only native flora grows in both areas. And to help guests enjoy the peace and beauty of the Park, the resort has also installed a cabin for guests to watch all the local and migratory birds.
Over recent years, PortBlue Club Pollentia Resort & Spa has been completely renovated and extended to 532 rooms, but the peacefulness transmitted by its carefully tended and well-preserved natural environment continues to make it a beacon of sustainability and a paradise in which to enjoy the Island of Calm.
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