Small Elegant Hotels, A Connoisseur’s Guide: Scott’s is one of only three hotels listed for the whole of Spain.

The Duncan Petersen Guide to Charming Small Hotels: Scott’s is one of only six hotels listed for the island of Mallorca.

The Good Hotel Guide: Scott’s is one of the very few -- there were only seven this year -- hotels listed for Mallorca.

The Rivages Guide to Small Hotels of Charm: There are seventeen listings for Mallorca. Scott’s is among them.

The Fodor Guide: Scott’s is one of this guide’s few listings on Mallorca.

Great Places to Stay in Europe: This guide will be out later this year and will feature Scott’s. We don’t know how many other hotels will be chosen.

About Hotels Guide: Scott’s is listed as one of their very few "Fabulous Finds".

This is a selection of the more professional and prestigious guidebooks we’re in. We are in others, primarily in Germany, and there are some we don’t yet know about.

"Elegant, luxurious, refined ... incomparable bedrooms."

Rivages Guide to Small Hotels of Charm

"A little jewel box, a rarity among hotels -- one that doesn’t feel like a hotel, look like a hotel, or offer the dry and standardised service of most hotels.

Spanish Royal Golf Association

"Hardly a hotel in the conventional sense -- more like staying with charming, civilised, knowledgeable friends who are endlessly helpful and marvellously patient, recommending restaurants, drives, secret beaches, and the island's hidden attractions. I've also rarely slept so well in such a wonderful bed in such a pretty room, eaten such sumptuous breakfasts at any time until Noon, or so enjoyed a small unspoilt Mediterranean town which seems caught in a time warp to an innocent past. I almost hate to recommend Scott's in such unvarnished terms, lest so many readers decide to go that I won't be able to get a reservation there next year."

Ken Shelhammer
Best Small Hotels Guide

Responses to Our Feedback Form

At Scott’s, we ask our guests to fill out a form before leaving, giving their (anonymous if they choose) reactions to the hotel. We've taken a range of these replies and summarised them here. We think it provides a good general picture of how people feel about the hotel.

What did you like best about the hotel?

Atmosphere, comfort, high quality personal service, the lovely decor, ambiance, situation, quality of the handmade beds, your pillows and linen, the superb and sumptuous breakfast, relaxing atmosphere, personal attention, elegance, style and grace without stuffiness, location in the centre of unspoilt Mallorca, the unpretentious informality, the spotless cleanliness, quality of the furnishings, beauty of the house, friendliness of the hosts, the home-like atmosphere, the attention to detail, your warm hospitality, charm, and high standards.

The same words keep repeating themselves, so it seems that we actually are making that impression on our guests. That's a comfort to us.

What did you like least about the hotel?

Our favourite answer to this one was "having to leave," and a number of people left this part blank, said they had no complaints, or "found negative thoughts difficult." Nevertheless, some people asked for teamaking facilities in the rooms, which we are providing on request, one person criticised our reading lamps, which have been upgraded, someone else could hear our neighbour's pump, and we have bought them a quieter one. We like to be responsive to people's requirements and desires.

Do you feel you received good value for the money you spent?

Without exception, every single respondent to our questionnaire said yes, most definitely, absolutely, most certainly, or some other equally positive response. This tells us that we are priced about right for our market (you) and has encouraged us to hold our prices where they are for this coming year.

Would you come again, and would you recommend us to friends?

Again, every single respondent said yes to this question, and we are pleased to note that after only three years, about a third of our bookings are either people coming back for a second (or in some cases a third or fourth or fifth) visit, or else friends of people who’ve been here, so clearly it seem that people are recommending us to their friends.

What one thing could we do most to improve our service?

The consensus here is for us not to change anything -- not to try too hard to improve, not to try to fix what ain’t broke. One person mentioned that we didn't have TVs in the room, but they are here and available upon request, and it was our fault for failing to make that clear. In truth, most people have preferred not having a TV, but we're here for everybody, including news addicts. Someone else mentioned teamakers, and again these are available upon request, as we used to leave them in the bathrooms, but found they weren’t used much.

Could you summarise your holiday with us in one comment?

Complete indulgence, a privilege in rich surroundings, an oasis of peace and comfort, one of the most enjoyable places we have stayed -- ever, standards so high it was hard to believe in this day and age, positively indulgent, an opportunity to sample the authentic Mallorca in style, all we were expecting knowing your reputation and yet surpassed by the reality, thoroughly enjoyable, relaxing, authentic and refreshing, a delightful sample of the one of the loveliest parts of the island, fine hospitality and wonderful value for the money we spent, a welcome change to impersonal service and mass produced hotel rooms, everything we could have hoped for and more, civilised comfort rare in today's world. All the general comments were along these lines.

But our favourite comment was simply, "not nearly long enough."

Scott's Advertisements Have Won Prizes... and now are being used in a university course on copywriting. We thought some of them might amuse you, as well as perhaps help convince you to visit us (which was, after all, our reason for writing them).

MICHAEL JORDAN TOLD US RECENTLY...

That one of the reasons he regularly visits Scott’s Four Star English Townhouse Hotel on Mallorca is that he likes to stretch out on one of the seven foot (2.15 metre) beds in the Amber Room and luxuriate in its deep comfort without any fear of extending over the edge. We’re flattered that he appreciates our extra tall handmade Vi-Spring beds -- we put them in because we have tall friends who told us they never could find a hotel with beds long enough for them. So whenever Michael comes to stay we put him in the tall room, for which he is grateful, though it’s a little strange to us since our Michael Jordan comes from Slough, not Chicago, and is only five foot six, not six foot ten.

Still, if it makes him feel good...

Scott’s -- civilised, gracious, and authentically untouristy.

‘YOU ARE FRAUDS!’ CRIED THE TRAVEL AGENT...

Referring to Scott’s Four Star Townhouse Hotel on Mallorca. "You aren’t a hotel at all. You keep the front door locked and just give guests a key. You don’t have twee little shops or saucy postcards or reps selling tours or time shares. There’s no bartender -- you allow guests to take drinks and just sign for them. You don’t even have any nice Muzak; there’s only boring old Mozart with the orange juice -- speaking of which why does it have little bits of pulp in it? Why if you weren’t in all those guides that keep banging on about your antiques and handmade beds and Persian rugs and elegant comfort, I’d never believe you were a hotel at all. You’re really just like somebody’s home, though with good servants and I will admit the breakfast is wonderful.

Nevertheless, I think it’s a bit of a fraud."

Scott’s -- civilised, gracious, and authentically untouristy.

‘NOTHING NAFF HERE’ SAID THE EQUERRY...

As he came down the staircase of Scott’s Four Star Townhouse Hotel on Mallorca. He had just finished a tour of the hotel in anticipation of the royal visit. "I like the fact that there are no TVs on view," he said. We told him they were available on request but we felt they detracted from the antiques and the decor. "I like the fact there are no minibars," he said. We said we thought our honour book bar was far nicer. "I like the handmade beds," he said. We agreed. "I like the look of the sumptuous breakfast," he said. Thank you, we said. "The Princess will take a room," he said. "One night. Royal discount."

Of course, said we, tugging our forelock.

Scott’s -- civilised, gracious, and authentically untouristy.

‘OF COURSE, I AM A VERY HISTORIC PERSON...’

Said the Modern Entrepreneur, as he stood in the patio at Scott’s Townhouse Hotel on Mallorca, preening, allowing us to admire the Armani linen suit he was modelling. "Which is why I am liking your house so very much." The sun gleamed on the frosted tips of his expensive designer haircut. "Yes, it is almost like being in Florence," he opined thoughtfully, "only without the tourists." He shrugged. "Just lovely, and the rooms... all so pretty... so hard to choose just one. So yes, I must come again, I think." And then the Merc came to take him to the helipad, and thence to his private jet. We’re pleased we seem to have an across the boardroom appeal, even at our scant £100/night prices.

Scott’s -- civilised, gracious, and authentically untouristy.

‘LIKE COMING HOME. I FEEL I BELONG HERE...’

‘Only better, of course,’ said Peter X, famous (though anonymous here) actor, ‘since I can’t get breakfast until noon at home.’ He rose and straightened a slightly wonky picture in the bar at Scott’s Townhouse Hotel on Mallorca (perfection being an offence to God, we leave a few details like this unseen to) and then stretched and finished the thought. ‘And at home I have to fetch my own ice, tidy up after myself, even, the Lord forbid, clean at times. As I said, being here feels like home, but without the responsibilities.’

We can’t add to that; he said it all.

Scott’s -- civilised, gracious, and authentically untouristy.

WARNING: SCOTT’S MAY BE ADDICTIVE...

Recent studies reveal that Scott’s Townhouse Hotel on Mallorca is highly addictive. First time users (or ‘guests’ as they are called) get an instant rush from the handmade beds and goosedown pillows. Subsequent visits stimulate brain pleasure centres resulting in relaxed euphoria and carefree contentedness. The ‘guest’ loses the will to carp and complain, finds anger difficult, and affects a beatific smile even when provoked. It’s sad.

But the late stage of the syndrome is the most piteous. When away from Scott’s the ‘guest’s’ hand constantly twitches toward the telephone, an unwilled impulse to make a reservation to return to the source of the pleasure. Victims have been known to turn up on the doorstep of Scott’s, whimpering and rending their garments, hoping to be taken for what they always claim is ‘just one last night.’

It never is enough; the victim is hooked.

Scott’s -- civilised, gracious, and authentically addictive.

‘ELEGANCE, COMFORT -- WHAT MORE COULD I ASK?’

Said one of our guests commenting on her stay at Scott’s Four Star Townhouse Hotel on Mallorca. Well, we can think of a few more things. What about unobtrusive warm service, the peace and tranquillity in our fragrant courtyard, our expert guidance on restaurants, walks and drives, the authenticity of a small wine town untouched by tourism, our non-chlorinated pool with Jacuzzi jets, or the attention to detail in every corner of this old historic house? You could ask for them. But you don’t have to: they’re part of the package. All you have to do is turn up on the doorstep.

Scott’s -- civilised, gracious, and authentically untouristy.

‘JUST PLEASE DON’T BE TOO "ENGLISH"...’

Advises my partner as she greets guests arriving at Scott’s Four Star Townhouse Hotel on Mallorca. She can say that because she is English, and what she means is that you English (I can say that because I’m a Yank) are sometimes too polite for your own good, too backward about coming forward, too diffident or shy or reticent about asking for what you want. We want you to be supremely comfortable, feel supremely well taken care of. We don’t want you to end a holiday feeling ‘if only.’

So just ask for what would make you happy. Every guest gets three wishes.

Scott’s -- civilised, gracious, and authentically untouristy.

‘NO, NO, THOSE LEMONS ARE ONLY FOR LOOKING AT!’

Remonstrated a guest as he observed another guest advancing with intent on the lemon tree in the patio at Scott’s Four Star Townhouse Hotel on Mallorca. ‘Just a little something for my G & T,’ said the would-be lemon thief, plaintively. ‘All sliced, right there in the bar inside, waiting for you,’ intoned the first man, his lips puckered from the yellow crescent he held in his teeth. The miscreant slunk away, admonished and shamed.

Even guests are protective of our decorative tree, and woe betide those who would strip it bare and spoil the view for future visitors.

Of course the neighbour’s tree that hangs over the wall is another matter entirely...

Scott’s -- civilised, gracious, and authentically untouristy.

‘WE WANT THE ROOM WITH "BEDZILLA"...’

Said the couple who rang Scott’s Four Star Townhouse Hotel on Mallorca looking for accommodation. They’d heard about it from friends who’d stayed with us and enjoyed delicious nights in a seven foot, handmade, deep coil pocket sprung Vi-Spring bed with long staple percale sheets and dreamy goosedown pillows. Trouble is, we’ve got several ‘Bedzillas,’ so we had to narrow the field a bit. And truth told, all our beds are special, all handmade; some are just a bit larger than others. Come along and take your pick.

Scott’s -- civilised, gracious, and authentically untouristy.

ONLY FOR GROWN-UPS...

Says the brochure for Scott’s Four Star Townhouse Hotel, Mallorca. It isn’t that we have anything against children, mind you. We have a brace ourselves. But children don’t mix with silk curtains, 19th century lace hangings, good antiques and Persian rugs, so we "welcome" them only from the age of twelve. Similarly, the other elements of the hotel are tailored for grown-ups -- the music at breakfast, the choice of reading materials, even the selection of art on the walls. As the Princess’s equerry said of us, "Nothing naff." Frankly, what we’re trying to do is provide a haven from the pervasive "Yoof" culture, maintain some old-fashioned standards, and provide some quality in an age when it seems increasingly rare.

Call us elitist. Is that a crime?

Scott’s -- civilised, gracious, and authentically untouristy.

‘THE PILLOWS ARE THE SECRET...’

Said the Travel Writer about Scott’s Four Star Townhouse Hotel on Mallorca. "One of the things I’ve noticed over the years is that there is little correlation between the price of a hotel and the quality of its pillows. Some of the so-called "super luxe" hotels I’ve visited have miserable little bags of what must be a mixture of old floor sweepings and leather scraps on the beds. They certainly aren’t something anyone could sleep on. I now travel with my own personal pillow, though I see that here at Scott’s you have proper goosedown pillows. Well done!"

We appreciate the appreciation, but would only note that good handmade beds deserve wonderful pillows. And we do have hypoallergenic pillows (soft ones) for those few people who aren’t feather friendly. Sweet dreams!

Scott’s -- civilised, gracious, and authentically untouristy.

‘SORRY, GENERAL. NOT FIREFLIES, FAIRY LIGHTS.’

We have to explain these things sometimes. Here at Scott’s Four Star Townhouse Hotel on Mallorca we like for the garden and the patio to look pretty at night, so daughter Chessie hides tiny candles in among the flowers and the plants. And lovely it is, too, starry planetarium pinpricks of light casting shimmering shadows in the fragrant dark, a moon overhead, and the sky’s stars mirroring the lights below. Pity we don’t have real fireflies; where I come from we called them ‘lightning bugs.’

Scott’s -- civilised, gracious, and authentically untouristy.

THE BRAIN SURGEON WAS FRANKLY AWED...

Observing the Staff at Scott’s Four Star Townhouse Hotel, Mallorca. "They make my work seem like mixing mudpies." He had just watched Judy unpacking a crate of pine cones air-freighted in from Alaska to burn in the fireplace when the evenings get chilly later on. (She thinks they have a nicer fragrance than the local pine cones). Well, maybe that anecdote is apocryphal, but we do import our breakfast jams from Switzerland, our tea from Blighty, our sheets from the USA, our pillows from Germany, and our bathtaps from Birmingham. Only the best will do, and we know that your comfort and satisfaction lie in our attention to singular detail, particular detail, consummate detail.

Scott’s -- civilised, gracious, and authentically untouristy.

‘YOU’RE MUCH TOO CHEAP’ SAID THE PARVENU...

As he stood in the Drawing Room at Scott’s Four Star Townhouse Hotel, Mallorca. He fingered his gold medallion. "How much did that painted ceiling cost? And how about all those old antiques? And them handmade beds. Cor .. musta costa bomb. But when I go someplace flash I like to pay for it. I like to tell my friends how much I spent. I like to lay it on with the birds. I can’t stay here -- not with these prices." What can we say? There’s just no answer to that. All we can comment is that over the past two years, 100% of the people who stayed here told us they had enjoyed excellent or better value for the money they spent.

We’ll just have to take comfort from that. And "flash"? Us? Hmmmm.

Scott’s -- civilised, gracious, and authentically untouristy.

‘GOD IS IN THE DETAILS...’

Said the architect, as he perused the decor at Scott’s Four Star Townhouse Hotel on Mallorca. "I see the wall stencilling matches the tablecloth material in the Dining Room. I see that the pool is non-chlorine, and features both a swim jet and a Jacuzzi. I see that you have those little mosquito killer vaporisers in the bedrooms, and that the pillows are goosedown and the sheets percale. And that the little angel soaps are both good soap and pretty. And so on and so on. Frank Lloyd Wright would have been impressed. Or was it Mies who said that? Or maybe Corbusier. Oh, well, whichever one it was, you’ve still got your details right."

Scott’s -- civilised, gracious, and authentically untouristy.

‘THANK GOD! A HOTEL FOR GROWN-UPS...’

Exulted the crusty pensioner as he settled himself in at Scott’s Four Star Townhouse Hotel on Mallorca. "No snide young attendants always soliciting a tip. No fawning servile concierge offering superfluous "services." No twee shops or racks full of saucy postcards. No travel reps pushing nightlife tours or little cruises or timeshares. No special programmes for children. In fact, no children. It’s pure bliss!" Well, that’s what we set out to offer -- simple comfort, quiet elegance, and unobtrusive service. That’s not too much for anyone to ask for, is it?

Scott’s -- civilised, gracious, and authentically untouristy.

‘STILL MORE VIPs FOR YOU’ SAID THE TRAVEL AGENT...

When he rang us up at Scott’s Four Star Townhouse Hotel, Mallorca. "How is it they always want to come to your hotel?" Truth told, we aren’t sure. Maybe it’s our wonderful beds or goosedown pillows, or good antiques or sumptuous breakfasts. Maybe it’s because we’re not much like a hotel, and people like having a key or helping themselves to drinks in the bar. But maybe it’s because we treat them as people, not VIPs. Or maybe really it’s because we treat all our guests alike. And maybe other people like to come because they feel we treat them like VIPs. VIP or not, the welcome here is always warm.

Scott’s -- civilised, gracious, and authentically untouristy.

‘THE VERDICT IS IN,’ EXCLAIMED THE JUDGE...

As he entered Scott’s waving the new Mediterranean Traveller Guide. "Listen to what it says." ‘Of all the new small luxury hotels that have sprung up on Mallorca in the past few years, Scott’s is the choice for luxurious comfort, impeccable taste, and civilised amenities. It is ideally located for exploration of the island from a base in an authentic and less touristed wine area. Moreover, the prices at Scott’s are lower than those of the hostelries catering for wealthy German tourists.’

What can we say? It’s nice to be appreciated for what we try to do, which is to offer sybaritic comfort and individual service at reasonable prices.

Scott’s -- civilised, gracious, and authentically untouristy.

THREE ANGRY BAKERS HAVE BEEN SAYING...

That Scott’s Four Star Townhouse Hotel, Mallorca, isn’t being fair to them because we won’t buy all our bread from any single one of them. We’re sorry they feel that way, but suppose we’ll just have to live with their pique, as in our opinion Paco makes the best croissants, José the best crusty rolls, and Juan the best pan moreno. It’s three trips, three waits in separate queues, and three sets of cross looks, but in the end we know our guests are getting the very best bread on offer for the best and most beautiful breakfast we can create. Guests have been known to take pictures of it. As they say, "God is in the details."

Sorry fellas.

Scott’s -- civilised, gracious, and authentically untouristy.

‘ARE WE YOUR ONLY GUESTS?’ ASKED THE COLONEL...

As he settled himself into an easy chair at Scott’s Four Star Townhouse Hotel, Mallorca. "It’s so tranquil, so calm and relaxing here, and the attentive service makes me feel as though we are the only ones here." The Colonel had been staying for a few days with his companion, Judy O’Grady, and they had come down well past eleven every morning. (At Scott’s we serve breakfast until the civilised hour of Noon) We had sent them to places most tourists never see, recommended drives, walks, a secret beach and an excellent authentic local restaurant (£3.25 for a three course lunch, with wine). Altogether he was feeling cosseted, pampered and indulged. But then we try to make all our guests feel that way -- as though they were our only guests.

Scott’s -- civilised, gracious, and authentically untouristy.

SOME EPICURES WERE OVERHEARD TO SAY...

That the breakfasts at Scott’s Four Star Town-house Hotel, Mallorca, are so good and so sumptuous that they didn’t need to eat again until suppertime. We don’t know about that -- we just know that we squeeze the oranges fresh every morning, that we serve only the very best old fashioned unadulterated charcuterie and that an authentic card-carrying ee-by-gum English butcher cures the lovely ham we serve, that our crunchy aromatic croissants and toothsome crusty rolls are baked fresh in the village each morning, that we import our jams from Switzerland, and that we personally chase the free-range Mallorcan chickens to relieve them of their very best and freshest eggs.

Scott’s -- civilised, gracious, and authentically untouristy.