Dunas de Formentera

Formentera is the smallest Balearic island and is everything that its splashy sibling Ibiza is not: wild and unspoiled, with no airport, so arrival is only by sea—the epitome of slow travel. Dunas de Formentera, which opened this summer amid the sand dunes of Migjorn, the island’s longest beach, reveals the area’s earthy landscapes, both inside and out. With interiors impeccably designed by the Palma-based Antonio Obrador studio, the hotel radiates Formentera’s bohemian aesthetic: natural wood, terracotta, ceramic latticing, muted shades of caramel and cream. The boutique inn was designed to gently coexist with the surrounding terrain, in line with the island’s ethos of sustainability. Interconnected pathways and boardwalks meander through the dunes, and around every corner, the star of the show beckons: the Mediterranean Sea. The hotel’s green commitment goes beyond the design, too—it matches funding for regeneration projects, and prioritizes purchasing from local markets and fishing programs, including for its beachfront, open-fire Mediterranean restaurant Caliu. On Formentera, nature reigns supreme. The island strictly regulates summer vehicle flow, led by Formentera Eco, a pioneering project to safeguard the island’s ecological future. Take a dip in the astonishingly clear waters, which are partly maintained by one of Spain’s largest Posidiana reefs, a dense ecosystem of seagrass. It’s not just the sea that sparkles, but the night sky, too. In 2023, the island was designated a Starlight Tourist Destination by the Starlight Foundation due to its low light pollution. Gaze up at the stars from La Mola plateau, home to a lighthouse and the island’s highest point, or while languidly back-floating in the hotel’s saltwater infinity pool.

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