BON SOL

Sun for the body — who knows, perhaps that’s what Don Antonio Xamena thought as he looked out to sea from the top of a small hill in Illetas.

Back in the 1950s, that entire stretch of coastline was undeveloped. The house on the hill was the only visible structure — the rest, untouched nature. It was the vision of a dreamer. What others couldn’t see, he had already drawn in his mind: a hotel — or rather, a hostal — that at the time had just 14 rooms.

This intuition was extraordinary — in a way, a leap into the unknown, especially when seen in the context of post-war Spain. Despite not having entered World War II, the country was in a deep economic crisis, worsened by autarky and international isolation. Meanwhile, Europe was experiencing an economic boom driven by the Marshall Plan and large-scale reconstruction.

In 1953, Spain was still far from what would later be called its “economic miracle,” which wouldn’t begin until the 1960s with the implementation of economic reforms and strategic cooperation with the United States. The Palma airport didn’t officially open until 1960. Before that, only a handful of small airlines operated in the Balearic Islands. Tourism was virtually non-existent, and transport connections were scarce. Travel times were long and mostly by sea.

You have to view that choice through the lens of its time — not ours, where large investment groups and international hotel chains open luxury properties on the island every year. Mallorca continues to "bake" dream destinations, especially in the luxury segment. The city is now ranked among the top ten places to live in the world. Even major entrepreneurs like Amancio Ortega (Zara) have acquired boutique hotels in the historic center. But none of this was imaginable — or even conceivable — in the 1950s.

There was no economy. Tourism was undeveloped. There was no supporting infrastructure. And yet, Don Antonio Xamena saw an opportunity where others saw only rock. He laid the first stone on the summit of that hill.

It was a bold gamble in a complicated historical moment — but the pull of the sea and the sun was stronger than any warning. That view of the Bay of Palma, and the stunning cove at his feet, had enchanted him.

This is how we like to imagine the founder of Hotel Bonsol:
Standing tall, gazing out to sea, kissed by the sun and caressed by the breeze, with his beloved wife Roger Toro by his side — both of them quietly building the future of a hotel that would become a benchmark for a different kind of family hospitality: a home away from home.

This is the story of a family-run hotel — of a man who made a dream come true, guided only by his heart, the sun, and the peace that only the sea can bring.

Thank you, Don Antonio, for believing in this small yet great project called Hotel Bonsol, which, for over 70 years, continues to look out to the sea from the very same spot — putting heart and soul into everything, always following the Bon Sol — the good sun, as we say here in Mallorca.

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