Son Matias Beach Hotel

We booked through the Thomson site, accomodation only. It was a cheap way to see Palma City while staying by the sea. The reviews I read beforehand never mentioned that the guests would be mostly over 70 years old. There was a tea dance at 4pm each day! The rooms were fine with a lovely sea view but the walls were paper thin and we could hear next doors TV (till 3am one night). The nightly cabarets were fantastic (dance troupes, knife throwing!!). The food was quite awful on one night (A Mexican theme night with chilli con carne without any chilli!!), but best described as OK! We had to pay extra for the TV remote, safe and room fridge. The taxi from the airport cost us 39 Euro (there are meters in the taxi's). There is a bus stop right outside the hotel, take the 105 or 106 into Palma Centre, costs 2.50 Euro and took 30 minutes. PALMA CITY IS FANTASTIC. Cheap way of seeing it, just stay out of the way of the tea dance!

Just returned from Majorca and a stay at the Son Matias which certainly lived up to its 5* reviews. The weather was fine, the hotel was spotless, the food was excellent. And the staff – what can be said about them? They were toe curlingly friendly, eye wateringly kind and superhumanly efficient. Many of the guests return year after year and were greeted like long lost relatives at a family reunion. Though recently retired I felt like a young whippersnapper amongst this doughty brigade who will clearly continue to overcome all obstacles for their winter break in the sun. However, as with everything there is a down side to all this. I felt completely inadequate when it came to the daily tea dances. After a cup of tea and a bikky – the oldies were off Tango, Salsa, Foxtrot, Military Two Step, Fandango, Line Dances or whatever. There was no stopping some of them. We had a go at the Waltz but crashed and burnt at the first spin turn. However, all seemed to appreciate that at least we had a go. There were games on the terrace more or less all day from hoop-la to boules. ‘Killer’ darts took place in the bar and like all the games was clearly designed not to kill anyone. Many took part and everyone thoroughly enjoyed it – you could hear the shrieks of laughter and cheering a mile away in Magaluf. However, once again I felt reluctant to join in for fear of spoiling things. Either I would be too good at the games and tire of their adulation or be too bad and be overwhelmed by their sympathy. I couldn’t figure out which way it was likely to go. So, instead I got my kicks by being the only one to take a dip every day in the challengingly cold swimming pool. The gasps of shock from those around the pool were priceless – quickly followed by comments in the ‘oooh young man’ category and sympathetic references to my inevitably shrinking assets. Otherwise all was peace and calm, the only real excitement came half way through the first week when someone dropped a plate in the restaurant. But, instead of cheers and table thumping, the butter-fingered miscreant was lavished with sympathetic words of comfort from those around and the debris was cleared in an instant. Peace returned and stayed until half way through the second week when all hell broke loose and it was all my fault! During dinner I noticed that a strange brown residue had appeared in the bottom of a bottle of water I had ordered. I felt a bit alarmed and at the same time rendered somewhat speechless. What to do? When the waitress next passed the table I pointed (pointed, mind – didn’t say a word) somewhat pathetically at the brown stuff in the bottle and this set in train a sequence of events straight out of a Monty Python sketch (you know, the restaurant one where Graham Chapman complains about a dirty fork). Before my very eyes, the restaurant manager (a lovely chap) was driven to the edge of a nervous breakdown and the waitress – an even lovelier lady ended up close to tears. Oh dear what a kerfuffle, I was only looking for some reassurance that my hair was not going to turn green! Suffice it to say that I spent the rest of the week bowing diffidently and smiling nervously at anyone brave enough not to look the other way when they saw me coming. These guys wouldn’t complain if a doodle bug landed in their soup – I had clearly let the side down. Would I return to the splendid Son Matias, yes of course I would (if they would have me back) but not until I had mastered a few tea dances, grown a stiff upper lip and learnt to behave myself. In the meantime, I’m going to send my mum – she'll be OK she used to shoot down doodle bugs in the war! PS: My hair didn’t turn green!

february 06 What can I say i have never enjoyed myself as much as I did at son matias! Me and my fiance went for a holiday to palma nova it was one of those where you got allocated a hotel on arrival, I was expecting a rowdy brothel , which is what we got in magaluf october 05. But i was very suprised when to my delight we got son matais beach the hotel was briliant and the food to die for. We had such a great time we won mr & mrs on valantines day and made 2 very good friends whom weve kept in touch with and gone for regular meets up. The staff are very friendly and became very good friends, as soon as we got home the following day i was on the internet booking again, now we go back in three weeks and were bringing my parents as an anniversary present, it is great I really cant wait to go see my frineds at the son matais and the best thing is the couple we met last time are flying out the day after us. I'd recomend this hotel to anyone! Sarah Wakefield West Yorkshire

stayed here last xmas cant fault anything brilliant staff , food first class ,excellent xmas dinner rooms lovely and well kept everyone very helpful a pleasure to be there just a brilliant holiday 5 stars for cleanliness lovely staff and atmosphere thanks son matias

Once again we had a wonderful holiday. Meals were good plenty to choose from. Staff very helpful. The hotel is kept really clean. Entertainment was good. We had fun joining in the games such as water volley ball etc. It was nice not to have children running around(I do like children just not on my holiday)Bar Manager Tony is a star.

first time abroad, what a fantastic hotel, and wonderful staff, especially bernie restaurant staff, wont forget his charm , ellie

We have stayed here on 5 occasions (Alone, With Mother And With Grand kids). Always a great place to stay, good value, good grub and excellent service. Having read through this, I think we are due another visit. If you are looking for a great base for Palma Nova or Magaluf, give the Son Matais a try, I am sure you will be impressed.

This was a last minute break booked by my wife, the first time we had flown and the first time to Mallorca. Being both in our 50's we were a bit aprehensive about the hotel being full of rowdy teenagers (we've 4 of those at home!). We booked with Going Places on Saturday and flew out on Monday. We arrived at Palma in the dark, accomodation allocated on arrival. We arrived at the Son Matias about 22:00, and on entering our room were suitably impressed. We could hear the sea, but not see it. The room was clean and well decorated. The next morning on opening the curtains (light proof!) we were very impressed with the view. We were right on the beach, a superb view of the beach. The hotel was superb. Clean, well equipped, and at this time of year we were the youngest guests! It was quiet at night, no problems sleeping. The food was outstanding. We stayed HB, and the self service buffet always had loads of variety. The staff were great (especially Bernie!!) There was some fair entertainment in the evenings. The only problem we had was that on the one evening we wanted to watch Man Utd play on TV we had to leave after 10 mins because the TV was in the smoking area of the bar. A minor problem. We visited Peguera and Palma, where we went on the train to Soller. We only had 4 days, but we will definately return to Mallorca, there is so much of the island we want to see.. The public transport was cheap and efficient, although rather busy at times. Our holiday was perfect from start to finish. We drove from Cumbria to Manchester Airport, the car parking was without a hitch, the flight was on time and arrived early. The hotel could not have been better, Mallorca is beautiful, the weather was great. As you may have gathered, we liked it.

The Son Matias Hotel has to be one of the best I've stayed in for overall enjoyment. The staff are absolutely fantastic and very helpful. The rooms where fairly standard but had great sea views. The food was good and the entertainment was varied. This was definately an older persons hotel especially as it was so early in the season. But even though I am only early forties I enjoyed it all the same. I would not hesitate in recommending the hotel to anyone especially as there where no little kids running around! I will be making a return trip in the near future for sure.

Went to this hotel last year great out of this world food fantastic staff helpful and friendly entertainment every night good and funny hotel clean near by attractions accessible but far enough away from the noise at night no children under 12 lifts clean and tidy corridors clean and tidy would recomment to all