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You always wanted to wake up in a luxurious suite in a historic palace located in Palma’s beautiful old town? Then you will adore this new addition to the capital’s glamour scene. The five-star grand luxe boutique hotel Palacio Can Marques wows its guests with a fantastic location, a magnificent building, elegant high-class suites and a top service. Find out more about this stunning hotel!

About Palacio Can Marques

In the heart of Palma‘s charming old town, in the La Lonja district not far from Palma’s popular sights, you will find a stunning historic palace dating back to the 18th century. It houses the luxurious five-star grand luxe boutique hotel Palacio Can Marques. The beautiful building formerly was the Marques family’s residence for many decades. Now it is a beautiful luxury hotel that stands out thanks to its wonderful location, high-class suites and an extraordinary service. The owners have put much effort and passion into the careful renovation of this exceptional property that they are delighted to now share with their guests.

Luxurious and uniquely designed Suites

Palacio Can Marques consists entirely of luxurious suites. There are 13 in total that are all individually designed with particular shapes, furniture and décor. They have unique names such as Escape, Romance, Eden, Oasis or Majestic and range from 33 to 380 m² in size. What they all have in common is their warmth and intimacy being reminiscent of the private residence the hotel once was. Some suites have a large private terrace with stunning views of Palma and the nearby harbour. If you travel together in a small group you can also combine three suites with an elegant communal living room for more privacy.

For ultimate luxury book the presidential Riad Suite that features three bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms on 380 m². This stunning suite for up to six guests offers besides elegant bedrooms and bathrooms a living and dining area, a fully equipped kitchen as well as a 40 m² private terrace with breathtaking views of Palma. While one of the bedrooms features an antique Moroccan fireplace, another one is located in the palace’s tower and offers 360 degree views of Palma and the bay.

Aline Matsika, an internationally recognised interior designer with offices in Paris, New York and Hamburg, has created the unique suites at Palacio Can Marques. The design elements date back to different design epochs. Guests will find a great selection of furniture, art and sculptures. Furthermore, each suite features individually designed chandeliers from Murano in Italy as well as beautiful handwoven carpets.

More exceptional Features

The stunning Palacio Can Marques not only offers luxurious suites but also other extraordinary features.  It houses an excellent restaurant, a beautiful garden, a wellness area and lifestyle boutique.

Restaurant

The Restaurant Can Marques is located inside the hotel. It offers excellent Mediterranean cuisine as well as a large selection of exquisite wines in a historic yet stylish atmosphere. The hotel also offers an excellent breakfast buffet that is served in the restaurant or in the garden. The restaurant is open from 17h to 23h every day.

Garden

If you’re looking for disconnection during an exciting day in the city relax at the hotel’s 200 m² large garden. It offers a peaceful retreat as well as a haven of tranquility in the heart of Palma’s old town. Read a book, have snacks and drinks or meet up with friends in the shade of large palm trees.

Gym and Wellness

Besides a beautiful garden and restaurant Palacio Can Marques also features a private gym with a wellness area. Directly accessible from the garden the gym offers a great selection of work out equipment. Whereas at the wellness area you can enjoy individual massages and beauty treatments.

Lifestyle Boutique

Another great feature of the hotel is the lifestyle boutique that interior designer Aline Matsika runs. She doesn’t only sell certain items exhibited in the hotel. The interior designer is also available for individual design advice for hotel guests.

Super Yacht Excursion

In addition, Palacio Can Marques offers private excursions on a 108 foot sailing super yacht to round off the luxurious experience. Hotel guests have the possibility to explore the stunning coastline of Mallorca on the super yacht ‘WinWin’. The stunning yacht was the winner of the World Superyacht Award 2015. Yacht lovers will furthermore love the location of Palacio Can Marques since the hotel is in walking distance to the harbour. There you can find the Real Club Nautico de Palma and the Palma Boatyard.

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Born in the Republic of the Congo and raised in Paris, Aline Matsika is the woman responsible for the impressive change that can be witnessed at the Palacio Can Marqués. With offices in New York, Paris and Hamburg, the interior designer has dedicated several years to crea- ting unique environments, merging her cos- mopolitan style with African and Asian influences.

With more than 15 years of experience, Aline Matsika has carried out projects in exclusive apartments in the New York area of Park Ave- nue, The Hamptons, Paris, Germany, etc., many of which have captured the attention of prestigious international magazines such as The New York Times, Architectural Digest, Maison Object and even Vogue.

Creating the perfect balance between tra- ditional and contemporary, the interior de- signer has introduced an innovative fusion of different eras with modern furniture and antique artwork in the Palacio Can Marqués, making it one of the most exclusive bou- tique hotels in Palma’s old town.
“The most important aspect of a project for me is the lighting, the rugs and the artwork. These three things are what really give the room its spirit” explains the interior designer. In Concept Ethnique and Mosaic LLC, her Paris and New York stores, we find just that, a collection of African and French antiques, decorative objects and artworks that will transform any space into something unique.

I like to mix more contemporary styles with a classic touch and some Asian and African artefacts.

We visit the magnificent boutique hotel to catch up with Aline Matsika who tells us about her experience in the fashion world, the influence of African culture in her de- signs and the most challenging aspects of decorating one of the most historic build- ings in Palma.

How would you define your interior design style?
When working with a client I like to interview them, see what colours they like, materials, what sort of style appeals to them. Sometimes people love many things without any sort of correla- tion so it’s important to understand how we can merge these in a way that effectively re- flects their personality.
The most important thing is to produce a comfortable home that meets the needs of a client. Therefore, when people ask what my style is, the answer is always that it adapts to the client.
However, for myself, I like to mix more con- temporary styles with a classic touch and some Asian and African artefacts.

Would you say there is an influence of African culture in your designs?
Yes! I was born in the Republic of Congo but grew up in Paris with my family and I think that, subconsciously, the way I work comes from my background.
I would say there are some influences of Afri- can culture in my designs but, above all, you can feel the French Couture. I have also adop- ted the cosmopolitan Anglo-Saxon style from being based in New York.

We have read that you studied Marketing at Paris University. How did you take the leap into the world of interior design?
In 1996 I decided to open a decorative con- cept store in Paris. Due to my marketing background, I was familiar with the econo- my and didn’t need a study of the market. I knew exactly where to position myself and it was an immediate success. While travelling around Africa, I reconnected with my back- ground and began to collect pieces of Afri- can art to introduce to the store and people loved the fusion.
Two years later, I opened another store in Paris but I had always been fascinated by America and my next goal was to conquer New York. In the year 2000, I achieved it and opened my Mosaic LLC store in the Big Apple.

You spent several years working as a model all around the world. Do you think those years influenced the way you perceive the design world?
Subconsciously yes. Because of the fashion world, I developed a sensitivity towards tex- tures, fabrics and patterns. I’m completely in love with fabrics. I have millions of samples in my New York office! I like things being very smooth in terms of colour for both interiors and clothing. I like gradients of colours, for example, if I choose a pink, I’ll go from fuchsia to pastel, add a touch of terracotta, etc., just like I did in the suite Rose.

How was the idea of renovating this incredible palace born?
I met my client when working on his residence in Germany and, when we met at the Palacio to discuss it all, I was astonished and suggested that it would be a great place for a boutique hotel. My client was never fond of the idea, however, two years later he agreed to carry out the project. Maybe he’d seen how Mallorca had changed in recent years and the quality of tourism that had arrived.

And how does decorating an 18th century palace compare to your other projects?
It’s the biggest project I’ve done, by far! I’ve worked on incredible homes in New York, houses in the Hamptons and apartments in Park Avenue, but all of these ranging from 250 to 700 m2.
The Palacio had been renovated 20 years ago but never with the purpose of making a boutique hotel.

The boutique hotel has 13 suites, all unique in design and decoration. Were there any that you found more challenging to decorate?
The Riad is the 380 m2 presidential suite that has 3 bedrooms, a fully equipped kitchen, a dining table that hosts 12 people and much more. In the past, it only had one room so creating two more was a challenge.
The space itself has a tower that used to have an 8-metre tall kitchen and a dining room. We decided to divide the height of the kitchen, install a bathroom above and, at the very top of the tower, a suite with 360 degree views of the city. The Cathedral on your left, the harbour in front, Son Vida on your right and the Tramuntana behind you.
The Riad is completely different. It’s definitely a highlight and surprises all who set foot in it.

Lastly, do you have any future projects in mind?
I’m currently working on a project similar to the Palacio Can Marqués but on a smaller scale. It’s an impressive 1000 m2 house over- looking the harbour in the hills of Cannes, France.
I think it’ll be a very interesting result.

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