Recommended Hotels The Balearics were formally a maze of down-market concrete block hotels brutally clustered right on top of once-pristine beaches and coves.Today the trend is toward providing more discerning travelers with more authentic and upscale accommodations, frequently in old farmhouses and manor houses, as well as short- and long-term rentals. Many hotels on both islands are still beholden to the large tour operators. Only a couple of the establishments recommended below host tour groups; we make no effort to review the block-booked resort hotels, most of which are resoundingly similar in service, amenities, and facilities. You are advised to book hotels well in advance, particularly if planning to visit between June and September. Regardless of when you go, it’s not wise to descend on either island without reservations intact. Many hotels close for winter (December-March). As a basic guide to room prices, we have used the following symbols (for a double room with bath/shower in high season; prices do not include the 7% VAT, or IVA, tax): $below 8,000 pta. $$8,000-15,000 pta. $$$15,000-22,000 pta. $$$$above 22,000 pta. Spain’s country code is 34; the area code for the Balearics is 971.