Son Bou Gardens Apartments

A large property surrounded by lawns and palm trees, Son Bou Gardens Apartments is made up of apartment units spread across five zones. While not directly on the beachfront, the property still has a seaside resort feel, with a strong emphasis on family vacations. Interiors feature traditional Balearic-style decor, and while some may see it as dated, others find it charming. The lobby doesn't invite lingering as it's quite small and dark, with walls covered in tourist information. Guests congregate at restaurants and swimming pools, which are spaced out across the grounds, meaning it's never a far walk to reach features. The resort's sheer spaciousness also means there's plenty of room to relax in peace and quiet. Those looking for more lively activities can head out to see free evening entertainment at the nearby San Jaime Club. 

Situated in the lively resort town of Alaior, Son Bou Gardens Apartments has a convenient central location. It's a five-minute walk through a nature reserve to Son Bou Beach -- the longest beach on the island. There are several restaurants, bars, and shops in close vicinity to the property -- though guests are warned that many options are closed during the low season. There's free evening entertainment at San Jaime Club, a six-minute walk from the hotel. Aquarock Menorca is a 44-minute drive from the property; the park includes swimming pools, waterslides, and go-karting. It's a 20-minute drive to Mahon Airport from the hotel.

The apartment units are simple, decorated in a homey but outdated style. Wooden-framed doors and windows, white cupboards, and '70s-style brown-tiled floors give a basic backdrop. Framed floral paintings and cheap-looking flower-patterned textiles in the sofas and bedspreads add color, but they also add to the units' dated look. Each apartment has three bedrooms and an open-plan living room, dining area, and kitchen. Dining rooms are furnished with white-and-turquoise tables that seat four. Each kitchen is fitted with a refrigerator, full-size gas oven, toaster, electric kettle, microwave, washing machine, sink, cutlery, and cooking utensils. Additional amenities include air-conditioning (for a fee), ceiling fans, flat-screen TVs, double glazed windows, irons, ironing boards, drying racks, and free Wi-Fi. Small, private balconies give a spot to rest on sun loungers or cook on little barbecue grills. Bathrooms are decorated with floor-to-ceiling blue tiles and come with shower/tub combos, hairdryers, and magnifying mirrors -- no toiletries are provided. 

Features here are convenient, with a strong focus on families. There are four large swimming pools spread across the various zones of the property; each includes a kids' pool, lifeguards on duty, sun loungers (for a daily fee), and parasols. One of the pools features a waterslide. For dining, there are two restaurants, a supermarket, and a coffee shop/bakery on-site. The restaurants include take-away or sit-down options and serve mostly snacks, barbecues, local seafood dishes like paella, pizza, and other light meals. Despite these restaurants, the hotel is focused on self-catering and offers pre-packed foods for apartment kitchens -- either basic, special, or luxury versions -- for an additional charge and to be ordered when booking the hotel. Guests should take note that not all pools and restaurants are open during the low-season.

The games room includes billiards and several arcade games; there are also various kids' playgrounds located across the resort. The nearby Son Bou Beach is a protected area, with a plethora of water sport activities on offer like swimming, paddling, windsurfing, waterskiing, and scuba diving. The reception staff can assist with tours and car-rental bookings. On-site parking and Wi-Fi are both available for free, but note that Wi-Fi passwords change daily, which can annoy guests.