Majorca

Mum of two Hannah Britt took her daughters to Mallorca by herself this summer – and found this want-for-nothing all-inclusive to be a suitable co-parent

“You’re mad,” said my partner John when I mooted the idea of taking the girls to Mallorca without him. But with the six weeks of the summer holidays stretching ahead of me, I decided to ignore him and spend a long weekend abroad with my two daughters, aged six and two. And I’m so glad I did.

When your partner is otherwise engaged (read: work) choosing the right hotel is much like choosing a temporary replacement. This summer, my right hand man was the five star Zafiro Palace Palmanova. And the want-for-nothing all-inclusive turned out to be an excellent co-parent.

FOOD FOR ALL

One of the brilliant things about an all-inclusive hotel is that it takes all the guesswork out of mealtimes. Will they eat anything? What will they eat? Will the toddler tip her entire bowl on the floor and ask for more? (Yes – sorry Zafiro).

The food at Zafiro Palace Palmanova was brilliant. A large main buffet restaurant (The Market) provided endless, ever-changing choice from fresh seafood and local dishes like paella, to more child-friendly options like pasta and pizza. The salad selection was delicious – and drinks were premium, and incredibly well made. The best coffee is to be found in the bar, which opens at 9am – thank me later.

Elsewhere, a la carte options (Mediterranean El Olivo, Italian El Portico and Japanese Tastes) provide upmarket eateries for something a little more special. We loved The Veranda too, which served food at more irregular times, meaning there was a meal to be had whenever anyone was hungry.

FUN, FUN, FUN

There is so much to do for children on-site, taking any stress out of activity planning for the day. A dedicated kids’ club team put on everything from pool games to foam parties to ensure there’s never a dull moment.

A large kids’ pool sits tucked away to the back of the site, with a huge inflatable bounce slide and a mixture of slides to occupy them for hours. Next to it, a bouncy castle, large trampoline and play area delighted my children too – particularly in the evening, when the sun was less ferocious.

Also in the evening, a daily kids’ disco gets children singing and dancing, while their grown ups watch on adoringly with a well-earned glass of wine.

POOL TIME

In the middle of the hotel complex lie the main pools, many of which welcome children – although some are adults-only. A swim-up bar in the main pool makes smoothies, milkshakes and virgin cocktails for little ones, and most days there is a running mat brought onto the water for children to run/dance/roll along, before splashing into the pool at the end.

KIDS’ CLUB

Children who attend kids’ club during the day are given a medal at the kids disco in the evening, which is a brilliant tactic for drawing them in. Suitable from ages four to teens, the cute little house, set next to the kids’ pool, puts on activities like bracelet making and T-shirt painting.

BEAUTIFUL ROOMS

There are lots of room options to choose from at Zafiro Palace Palmanova, from swim-up suites to penthouses with hot tubs – and everything in between. Cots for babies and day beds for children are provided when required.

Decor is chic, sleek and modern, with pretty wooden accents and high-thread-count cotton. We were lucky enough to have a swim-up suite, which had a large superking bed, and a sofa bed for my six year old. Large glass doors opened up onto a private pool area, with a small space just for us, then a larger expanse of water which we shared with a few other families in neighbouring rooms. A boltable gate ensured water safety and a decking area with a circular lounge bed provided somewhere to chill out.

Having a pool so close, meaning we only really had to leave the room for meals, was incredible. We stayed in the water until our fingers wrinkled.

EXPLORING NEARBY

When feeling intrepid one day, we took a taxi a short way into Palma to explore, choosing a private walking tour available on Tripadvisor. Our guide was fascinating, with endless facts about the city, making it fun for my six year old too. The location of the hotel made exploring Palma easy and we were able to visit the cathedral, castle and the old town, before my two year old decided she’d had enough. Palma is stunning, and well worth seeing. Wandering around the ancient streets provided shade too, as did swinging inside the town hall.

BEACH TIME

A back gate out of Zafiro Palace Palmanova takes you on a path straight to the Palmanova beach and the Mediterranean Sea beyond. A beautiful sandy beach, it makes for a brilliant day trip – especially as it’s lined with cafes, bars and ice cream shops. After our 15th sand castle of the day, I took the girls for a drink at the sandy-toed Turtle Beach, which was a hit with all three of us.

*Nightly rates at Zafiro Palace Palmanova start from €438 per night with All Inclusive Redefined ®

It is the only Spanish airport on the official new list – issues could regularly last for two hours or more

Brits jetting off to a Spanish holiday hotspot in August should pay attention to a new official airport update. Spanish media reports say that Palma Airport will be operating beyond its capacity for 18 days throughout August, according to an official analysis – for more than two hours on 10 occasions.

It has been reported that the airport in Mallorca is the only Spanish airport featured on a list of airports where Eurocontrol – the central organisation for coordination and planning of air traffic control for all of Europe – has identified mismatches between predicted demand and available capacity during August and September.

The list also features several Greek airports – Athens, Corfu, Heraklion, Kos, and Chania – alongside Istanbul’s Sabiha Gökçen and London’s Gatwick. As a result, Palma Airport faces an extremely busy August, Spanish media reports claim. According to Eurocontrol forecasts, it will surpass its operational capacity on 18 days, more than half the month.

On 10 of those occasions, the excess demand will stretch beyond two consecutive hours, while on the remaining eight, it will be concentrated within two-hour windows, Eurocontrol says. The capacity for Palma is set to stand at roughly 74 movements per hour, comprising approximately 33 arrivals and 40 departures, the agency says. During particular time slots, the anticipated flight demand will outstrip the number of operations the system can accommodate, says Eurocontrol.

Eurocontrol says the forecasts do not mean airports will be overwhelmed. Yet they say their analysis aims to identify periods when high concentration of flights may require measures to regulate traffic flow.

El Diario reports that the European agency projects that demand will also surpass the airport’s capacity at least eight times between September 1 and 27, with three instances stretching beyond two consecutive hours and five lasting two hours. Yet airport operator Aena has told media in the country that under no circumstances has Palma Airport been operated “beyond its declared capacity”. They say that if demand ever exceeds the established airspace capacity due to an unforeseen event, such as storms or regulatory measures, not all operations are permitted to take place simultaneously.

In such cases, they say air traffic control regulates the flow of flights through various traffic management and sequencing measures. Sources at the airport have also told Spanish media that a major overhaul there has resulted in a larger security checkpoint featuring hand luggage screening machines that do away with the need to remove liquids and electronic devices, as well as “more efficient routes throughout all areas, including the one dedicated to inter-island passengers”.

Eurocontrol said in its assessment of Europe-wide air traffic: “July 2026 set new records for air traffic. The EUROCONTROL area recorded its highest ever monthly traffic, with over 1.13 million flights and a peak of 37,659 flights on Friday 24 July. Worldwide, commercial aviation also reached an all-time high of 153,359 flights on 23 July.

“On average, capacity among the busiest 10 carriers remained stable compared to the previous week.” The update comes as tourists heading to Spain and other EU nations face the prospect of lengthy queues this summer at airports. The EU rolled out its Entry/Exit System (EES) in April, which requires passengers from the UK and other non-EU countries to register their fingerprints, photograph and personal details upon their first arrival. This has resulted in lengthy hold-ups for countless passengers.

EES delays lead to big increase in waiting times at EU airports

The Financial Times reported this month that peak waiting times at two major European airports – Munich and Frankfurt – have doubled this summer compared with the same period last year, following the EU’s chaotic rollout of its new electronic border system. Mallorca is amongst the many airports where significant delays have been reported on multiple occasions throughout the year..

Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary said the system should be moved online. “Only the Europeans would invent s*** like this,” he told investors last month, adding that the airline had witnessed substantial queues at around 15 airports.

The scorching temperatures are also heaping further pressure on the airport, according to the Majorca Daily Bulletin. The publication reported that Palma Airport workers are once again demanding the immediate reopening of the airport canteen.

Staff say the facility is essential as somewhere they can eat and take refuge from the sweltering summer heat. The Balearic Government has urged airport operator Aena to reopen the venue as swiftly as possible.

Reports suggest that officials believe Aena is currently working to adapt the premises with the aim of getting the canteen back up and running in the near future.