If you’ve ever wondered whether to  pronounce the Spanish Balearic island “Majorca” or “Mallorca”, drink a can of Heineken, say,  “The water in Majorca don’t taste like what it ought to”, and find out!

This Heineken advert from around 1985 which is not just a guide, but a little piece of Youtube nostalgia for a Monday morning. Classic!

Meanwhile, anyone holidaying in Majorca (Mallorca) this week may bump into former Manchester United, now Madrid football megastar Cristiano Ronaldo around town.  He was spotted leaving what looks like Mood nightclub in Portals Nous just outside of Palma this weekend.

Mood is a big favourite with the rich and famous yacht lot, orange tanned expats and other z-list celebrities living on the island.  If any other celebs are looking want a real insight into Mallorcan nightlife, then come join us in the little Spanish bars around Palma’s old town.  We can guarantee you won’t be recognised (and no-one will care who you are anyway).

More from Blogtelopia’s Majorca Celebrity Watch later this summer….

It’s amazing the difference a lunch hour can make.  I wrote this blog post just before I headed into Palma for my lunch and before the car bomb went off down the coast in Palmanova.

Mallorca is now in the news for all the wrong reasons.  And while this is a very sad day here, tourists, rest assured, this is a very small island, and terrorism cannot exist here.

So here it is – blog post updated and uploaded.  Here are my top 10 reasons why you should (still) visit Mallorca this summer (and scr*w the terrorists)! :

1.    It’s hot, hot, hot: That’s right, Mallorca has been sizzling for months now.  Day time temperatures are topping 30 degrees Celsius and I actually can’t remember when it last rained.
2.    You never know who you’ll meet: Mallorca is holiday hotspot for the rich and famous.  Not only does the Spanish Royal family spend their hols here, but you’re likely to bump into the likes of Bob Geldolf + daughters, Catherine Zeta Jones, and Boris Becker…. Oh and I also sat next to Pauline Quirke in a café the other week. How’s that for rubbing shoulders with the glitterati?!
3.    The sea: Cool off and take dip into the turquoise blue waters that surround the island.  Go swimming, try windsurfing, hire a kayak, or just sail.  All of the above are our favourite past-times.
4.    Visit the cool capital city Palma: Palma is surprisingly Spanish and a great way to get an idea of what life is like for us locals. I won’t point you in the direction of the really cool Spanish bars – you’ll have to wander the Old Town streets and discover them for yourself.
5.    Fiestas: Mallorca goes fiesta crazy during the summer months.  The smaller towns each have their annual street party but by far the biggest is the Moros y Cristianos (Moors & Christians) festival in Pollensa in August.  Residents fill the streets in fancy to recreate the moment when the Christians reclaimed the island from the then ruling Moors.  Expect there to be lots of alcohol and general partying.
6.    Es Trenc Beach: You’ll need a car (or the patience of a saint to cope with the busses), but Es Trenc a beach/nature reserve gives the Seychelles a run for its money.  Yes, it really is that beautiful.
7. Great Gastronomy: Molinar, Portixol and Port Andratx serve some of the best paellas on the island.  But don’t stick to the fancy restaurants.  Nip into the tiny Mallorcan restaurants and try the Menu del Día for a real insight into the local food here.
8.    Sultry Sunsets: Pick a coastal point on the south or west side of the island at around 8.30 – 9pm during July / August and watch the sunset.  My favourite point is from the terrace bar El Piñon (C/ Isla de Samos) in Coll d’en Rabassa
9. Nightlife: The Paseo Maritimo is where the party’s at during the summer months as visitors pack out the bars or clubs.  Alternatively, and for an altogether more chilled night out, head for the beach with some mates, a few beers and a picnic.
10.    Cheap Hotels: start from just £17 per person, per night and what’s more, there’s plenty of availability.

How’s that for tempting.  You won’t be disappointed.  So what are you waiting for? Get booking now!

Estrenc Beach by http://fincacanbarret.blogspot.com/

All eyes are on tennis’ biggest tournament Wimbledon which runs this summer, (weather permitting and Cliff Richard singing) until the 5th July.

The biggest blow for us here at Hotelopia is that Rafael Nadal isn’t playing.  This means, 90% of Majorcans including most Hotelopia staff who’d normally tune in to see their local hero play will be switching off in their droves.   Not us Brits though.  We may be few and far between in the office, but we’re throwing our weight, along with the rest of the UK, behind *Scottish player Andy Murray and the nearest we have to national talent**.

And those lucky enough to bag last minute Wimbeldon tickets can find hotel accommodation all over London.  Regardless of where you stay, getting to London’s SW19 is easy, as the public transport system is pretty well connected across the city.

*Note to all Scottish sports fans:  Just remember where your allegiance lies when it comes to supporting us during football internationals
** Whatever happened to Tim Henman?

At Hotelopia, we’re lucky enough to be headquartered on the beautiful Balearic Island of Majorca.  So for this month’s newsletter we included an insider’s guide to the island.  And here’s the link.

Majorca also happens to be one of Europe’s most popular holiday destinations.  But we’ve steered clear of the usual holiday hot-spots such as Magaluf and recommended visitors  stay in other areas of the island.

And no one knows the island like a local, so we asked Hotelopia employee Mateau Nicholau for his tips.   Just to be on the safe side, I had the difficult job of checking out his recommendations, and I’ve added a few of my own.

So even if you don’t get to follow the whole itinerary – let’s face it, it’s rather exhausting – pick a few off the list to ensure you see more than the average tourist here.

And don’t forget, be the first to receive news of deals, offers, and other destination guides by subscribing to receive our newsletter here.

It seems the Britsh public are “nun too happy” in response to the group of 17 Bristol boys  dressed as nuns who were caught boozing and behaving badly in Crete according to Handbag.com.

While it seems most Brits are ashamed of their behaviour, the reality is that a market exists for this type of holiday.

Hotelopia is based on the beautiful Spanish Balearic island of Majorca, which is home to one of Britain’s favourite hen and stag party destination Magaluf.

Lagered up stag and hen packs, wearing anything from naughty nuns, schoolgirls and nurses outfits are common place here. But thankfully any misbehaving is contained within this  resort.

Magaluf is a very small part of an essentially beautiful island. Without the boozing Brits drinking their own body weight in San Miguel every summer, the local economy would be hard hit.

So if the 17 men wish to get back into the habit, then they should book a break to Magaluf.  They’ll be welcomed with open arms.

For everyone else, Majorca offers great gastronomy, stunning architecture, free island festivals, and sun worshiping on the virgin white sands, making summer here something of a religion – Amen to that!