Hort Sant Patrici is a working farm, a family operation for over thirty years. The property still produces cheese, wine, and olive oil. There is also an extensive sculpture garden, really a small park, full of works by international and Menorcan artists.

The main house, Ca Na Xini, was rebuilt in 2005 and offers eight rooms to discerning travelers. The rooms and public spaces are elegant and minimalist in design, a cool white refuge from the intense Menorcan sun. Some rooms have terraces, which open to views of the surrounding property and large sculpture garden.

The only problem with this hotel is its location on the island of Menorca. I could easily have spent my week wandering about the gardens and vineyard, enjoying the Mediterranean sun from my terrace, and cooling off with a dip in the saline pool. There is so much to explore and do, the island is so beautiful, leaving little time to fully enjoy this unique rural hotel.

There are bicycle and walking routes, some quite ancient, just beyond the hotel gates. But, the hotel is also strategically placed for easy access to the island’s mostly deserted northern beaches.

Ca Na Xini is surrounded by small farms and dairies, including a neighboring pig farm. I enjoyed getting to know the little piglets next door even though it saddened me to think they’d all someday end up sausage.