Beach hotels in Palma de Mallorca
Palma's beaches line the bay on both sides of the city, and the district you sleep in decides which one you get. West of the port, Cala Major is a small beach of about 200 m that regained its Blue Flag in 2026, with three of our hotels right on it: Be Live Experience Costa Palma, Be Live Adults Only Marivent and Be Live Adults Only La Cala. East of the cathedral, Can Pere Antoni runs for more than 700 m below the seafront, with a lifeguard post and adapted bathing equipment, a walk from the old town hotels. Further east, past Portixol and Ciutat Jardí, Playa de Palma stretches about 4.6 km towards s'Arenal, split into 15 numbered balnearis. Bus line 4 links the centre with Cala Major and Illetes, and the A1 runs from the airport to Plaça d'Espanya and Passeig Mallorca. The trap is Cala Major in July and August: the beach is small and fills early, so a hotel there gives you the sea but not always room on the sand. The bay averages about 21 °C in June, 26 °C in August and close to 25 °C in September (Puertos del Estado series, 2003-2022).
For a beach stay in Palma de Mallorca, choose your side of the bay before your hotel. Cala Major, west of the port, is the one place where I could confirm hotels standing on the sand. Can Pere Antoni, below the cathedral, is the city beach you reach on foot from the old town, and Playa de Palma is the long strip towards the airport. The 39 hotels we list in Palma average 9.2 out of 10 across 33,788 reviews, and most of them are in the old town. I would pick Cala Major to swim straight from the hotel, the old town if the city matters more than the sand.
Palma de Mallorca in numbers
Spa & WellnessCasa Roca - Palma Old Town Wine Hotel
Adults OnlyCasa Delmonte - Turismo de Interior
Spa & WellnessCan Alomar Hotel
Marina & HarbourVila Damunt
Spa & WellnessBoutique Hotel Posada Terra Santa
Spa & WellnessEs Princep - The Leading Hotels of the World
Infinity PoolTerreno Suites
Spa & WellnessHotel Gloria de Sant Jaume
BeachfrontPortella Palma
Spa & WellnessCan Cera Hotel
Adults OnlyPalma Riad - Adults Only
Spa & WellnessSant Francesc Hotel Singular
Diving & SnorkelingSamaritana Suites
Marina & HarbourStayCatalina Boutique Hotel-Apartments
Spa & WellnessSummum Boutique Hotel Meliá Collection
Marina & HarbourPOC A POC SUITES
Spa & WellnessHotel Basilica
Spa & WellnessPalacio Can Marqués by Puro
BeachfrontPortixol Hotel & Restaurant
Spa & WellnessBelle Playa de Palma Apartsuites
Spa & WellnessCan Bordoy Grand House Hotel GL Preferred Hotel
Marina & HarbourCanavall
Adults OnlyEl Llorenc Parc de la Mar - Adults Only (+16)
Spa & WellnessHotel Antigua Palma - Casa Noble
Spa & WellnessNivia Born Boutique Hotel
Spa & WellnessSant Jaume Design Hotel
Infinity PoolHotel Cappuccino - Palma
Adults OnlyCalatrava Hotel, Mediterranean Sea House
Adults OnlyConvent de la Missio - Grand Luxury Boutique hotel, Adults Only
Marina & HarbourFil Suites
Spa & WellnessConcepcio by Nobis, Palma, a Member of Design Hotels
Spa & WellnessPalma Suites
Spa & WellnessHesperia Mallorca
Spa & WellnessHotel Mirador
BeachfrontBe Live Experience Costa Palma
Spa & WellnessHotel Amic Horizonte
BeachfrontHotel Be Live Adults Only Marivent
Spa & WellnessMLL Blue Bay
BeachfrontBe Live Adults Only La Cala Boutique Hotel
What to expect
- Cala Major regained its Blue Flag in 2026, alongside Cala Estància and Ciutat Jardí; Can Pere Antoni is not on Palma's 2026 list.
- Can Pere Antoni is more than 700 m long and about 30 m wide, with a lifeguard post, adapted bathing chairs, a walkway into the sea and a marked assisted-bathing zone.
- Playa de Palma runs about 4.6 km from Can Pastilla to s'Arenal, divided into 15 numbered balnearis that locals use as meeting points.
- Cala Major, about 200 m long, has showers, a wooden walkway for wheelchair users and a buoyed area for water sports.
- The sea in the bay averages 17 °C in May, 21 °C in June, 26.2 °C in August and 22 °C in October.
Local tips
- ✓Cala Major is small and fills early in July and August; bathers also lay their towels on the pier beside the beach, so look there before giving up on a spot.
- ✓Bus line 4 runs from the centre to Cala Major and Illetes; it is often full at the start of the high season, when the beach hotels also fill up.
- ✓Travelling with a dog: the dog area at Es Carnatge, near Can Pastilla, is open all year, but the shore is rocky, so it suits dogs that swim rather than a sand day.
- ✓From the airport, the A1 bus stops at Porta des Camp and Plaça d'Espanya before ending at Passeig Mallorca, which puts the old town hotels within reach without a taxi.
- ✓For long swims, aim for September: the bay is still around 24.7 °C on average, several degrees warmer than in June, which averages 21 °C.
- ✓MLL Blue Bay stands on a hill about 400 m from Cala Major: count on a climb back after the beach, which matters with small children or a pushchair.
FAQ
Which hotels in Palma are right on the beach?
Three, all at Cala Major. Be Live Experience Costa Palma (8.0/10, 3,232 reviews) sits directly on the beach and has a seasonal outdoor pool. Be Live Adults Only Marivent (7.9) and Be Live Adults Only La Cala Boutique Hotel (7.7) are both adults-only on the Cala Major beachfront, La Cala with its own beach club. Portixol Hotel & Restaurant (9.4) is in the small Portixol harbour, about 300 m from Portixol beach, not on the sand.
Which Palma beach is best for families?
Can Pere Antoni, for space and safety. It is more than 700 m long and about 30 m wide, has a lifeguard post and lookout tower, showers and a walkway into the sea, and you reach it on foot along the seafront from the old town. Cala Major is closer to the beach hotels but only about 200 m long and very busy in summer, which makes it harder with small children.
Does Palma have Blue Flag beaches in 2026?
Yes, three: Cala Major, which regained the flag this year, Cala Estància and Ciutat Jardí. Can Pere Antoni, the central city beach, is not on the 2026 list. Cala Estància and Ciutat Jardí are on the eastern side of the bay, towards the airport, far from the old town hotels.
When is the sea warm enough to swim in Palma?
From June for most swimmers. The Puertos del Estado series for 2003-2022 gives an average of 17 °C in May, 21 °C in June, 24.3 °C in July, 26.2 °C in August, 24.7 °C in September and 22 °C in October. September is the month I would choose: the water is warmer than in June and the beaches are quieter than in August.
Can I take my dog to the beach in Palma?
Yes, at Es Carnatge, near Can Pastilla on the eastern side of the bay, where dogs can run loose and swim all year. The access is rocky, so watch your footing and your dog's paws, and parking is limited at weekends and in high season. It is a long way from the old town, so plan the trip by car or bus.
Which hotels are closest to Can Pere Antoni?
Es Princep (9.5/10) and Casa Delmonte (9.8) are both near Can Pere Antoni and the yacht club. Vila Damunt (9.7) is steps from the cathedral and a short walk from the beach, and POC A POC Suites (9.4) offers family suites in the centre, also a short walk away. Portella Palma (9.5) stands in the old town, four minutes on foot from the cathedral, not on a beach.
Which hotels are outside the old town but not on a beach?
Hotel Amic Horizonte (8.0, 3,639 reviews, the most reviewed of our Palma hotels) has panoramic views of the bay near the port, and Hotel Mirador (8.1) overlooks the harbour. Hesperia Mallorca (8.6) is in La Bonanova, about 1 km from Cala Major, and MLL Blue Bay (7.8) is on a hill 400 m from it. StayCatalina (9.4) is in Santa Catalina, west of the old town; Terreno Suites (9.5) is an aparthotel with balconies, and Belle Playa de Palma Apartsuites (9.3) is a short walk from Playa de Palma.
Which hotels are in Palma's old town?
Most of our list. A first group: Boutique Hotel Posada Terra Santa (9.6), Calatrava Hotel (9.2, sea views from its terrace), Can Alomar (9.7), Can Bordoy (9.3), Can Cera (9.5), Canavall (9.3), Casa Roca (10), Concepcio by Nobis (9.1), Convent de la Missio (9.2), El Llorenc Parc de la Mar (9.3, adults from 16) and Fil Suites (9.2, eight minutes on foot from the port). From any of them, the nearest sand is Can Pere Antoni, a walk along the seafront.
Which other old town hotels are on the list?
Hotel Antigua Palma (9.3), Hotel Basilica (9.4), Hotel Cappuccino (9.2), Hotel Gloria de Sant Jaume (9.5), Nivia Born (9.3), Palacio Can Marqués (9.4), Palma Riad (9.5, adults only), Palma Suites (9.1), Samaritana Suites (9.4), Sant Francesc (9.4), Sant Jaume Design Hotel (9.3) and Summum (9.4). They suit a city stay with beach afternoons: count on a walk to Can Pere Antoni or a bus to Cala Major.
Are Palma's beaches supervised by lifeguards?
Yes, in season, at the main city beaches: Can Pere Antoni has a lifeguard post and lookout tower. For the lifeguard strike called on 23 and 24 June 2026, the city set a minimum of six lifeguards each at Cala Major and Can Pere Antoni, from 10:00 to 19:00. I could not find the city's published 2026 start and end dates for the service, so outside July and August check that the lifeguard tower is manned before letting children swim.