Arriving at Son Net is heart lifting. The journey is no hardship, only half an hour from the airport, and the scenery is soon picturesque.

Mallorca is a very attractive land. Turning out of the quintessentially quaint village of Puigpunyent, towards the West of the island, and up towards the Finca, the rather beaten sand 'path' that leads to glory belies its blessed conclusion.

This staggeringly appealing 17th century home, sitting on foundations dating back to the Bronze Age, has endured the colourful centuries with phenomenal natural beauty and stands today as one of the finest examples of period architecture in Mallorca.

The past is celebrated in the contemporary, as the modernisation of the interiors feels more metamorphic than deliberate, emitting a timeless and soothing ambiance that unfurls the stress-coil within seconds. Furthermore, the situation is pretty awesome: situated on a hill above the mainly vintage village of Puigpunyent, it is surrounded by the Tramuntana Mountain range, both dramatic and verdurous and, as I noticed this time, thriving with an abundance of bird-life.

The artwork does not go unnoticed here. In fact, you could spend half a day admiring David Stein's personal collection, which is as eccentric as it is eclectic. Fine old oils, layered with iconism and paint, hang on chunky barefaced stone walls, a Chagall is casually placed near the bar across from a Warhol, two swinging Frank Stellas sit above bottle-green chenille sofas and all this notable work continues on the first floor starting with two Hockneys. The modern and the old stand alongside surprisingly comfortably in an environment that exudes a period stillness unique to this style of architecture; cooled stone flagged floors underfoot, large rustic beams overhead and a dining room that is an impressive conversion of an old olive press.

The large terrace off the appropriately named, Oleum, (Latin for olive oil), is a magical location on which to dine. So often, the spell of locale perfection is broken by the lack of skill in both the kitchen and the service, but here the alchemist's promise is sweetly fulfilled. Candlelight kicks in after a pale amethyst sky fades to dusk around a valley that echoes with the comforting distant calls of another day's end, punctuated by the sudden exotic shrill of cicadas and the gentle cooing of doves. No music, not needed.

The radiant pool area at Son Net is deeply inviting, surrounded by the tranquilizing valley with large private cabanas and top-notch loungers. There is an winning bar, set in chunks of local stone beneath an ancient shade-bearing cedar. The surrounding terraced gardens spiked with white agapanthus and sprays of pink roses, beneath carefree palms and flowering frangipani trees, are set against an agonizingly cobalt-blue sky. A short distance to a great escape...

Find out more and book direct with the hotel at www.luxuryexplorer.com