More information about Suite D.O. is included below.
Meet the first Suiter
Ben Andradi explains why he bought
WRITER Jessie Hewitsen
PHOTOGRAPHER -
Ben Andradi, 46, a CEO of a European technology company, and his wife Catherine bought a two-bed Suite measuring 140 sq m in summer 2007.
"I was immediately impressed by Rafael's concept," he says. "He's looked at the lifestyles of modern Europeans and created a development that is effectively a new cosmopolitan community. Suite D.O. properties bring the quality of services normally associated with city living to the Mediterranean countryside.
Love for Mallorca
"My wife and I visited Mallorca a number of times and we love it. You get a lot of the positive aspects of Spain without the downsides commonly associated with the Costa del Sol. There's fine food and a relaxed pace of life, but it's also a very civilised place to be. It has not been overwhelmed by rampant development as other areas have.
"Our Suite D.O. property is in Santanyí, a rural village found 25 minutes from Palma. I visited Santanyi with my wife before buying the Suite and it is charming. It's an archetypal Spanish village - it could be straight out of a Cervantes romance. This said, it is also within easy striking distance of decent shops and restaurants, pretty beaches, golf courses and some of Mallorca's best national parks.
Rural idyll and city convenience
"Suite D.O. provides both the rural idyll and city convenience and the location of our property was one of the key deciding factors in the purchase. Being the Mediterranean, we should have good weather throughout the year. Palma is a well-connected airport and a relatively short flight from the UK.
"The property itself is a period building that has been gutted and refurbished with an interior that you might see in Wallpaper magazine. The modern refit is sympathetic to the historic features of the building and the two harmonise well together. The result is an
Balcony in Santanyi
uncluttered space that is creative but comfortable. The kitchen is designed by Boffi so it should be slick. As a CEO of a technology company I was pleased to see that WiFi is provided. It's strange to think how recently this wouldn't have even been a consideration.
Investment potential
"For me, one of the attractions of the property is its investment potential. A rental guarantee of 5 per cent is available for the first year. After that, the Urban Sky Management & Concierge Service will continue to let out the property throughout the year. This generates a revenue stream when you are not visiting, which makes sense to me, especially as my work commitments mean I'm only going to be able to visit for a few weeks a year. This rental income comes on top of the any capital appreciation. I believe it to be a sound investment. The attraction for my wife ultimately, is the island. She loves it and has an emotional attachment with Mallorca - and she had the final say on buying the property."
Hidden in the narrow, sun-drenched streets of South East Mallorca lie a selection of 'invisible hotels'; traditional, elegant Mallorcan residences sumptuously restored as luxurious, contemporary apartments in the historic heart of captivating Mallorcan communities. Suite D.O. is now selling these unusual homes through Chesterton International, offering buyers the pleasures of hotel life but with the independence and privacy of their own homes.
The invisible hotel
The invisible hotel concept began when Mallorcan-born developer Rafael Danés Soler decided to acquire and restore ancient buildings in some of the most beautiful and unspoiled Mallorcan villages, such as Campos, Santanyi and Ses Salines, to save these precious examples of local heritage. Whilst transforming these buildings into ultra-luxurious contemporary homes, he has carefully retained their original features, so typical of the area in the 18th and 19th centuries.
The result is a selection of plush apartments, which Danés calls 'suites' that offer the services and staff equal to the best boutique hotels and the option to rent the apartments when desired through Suite D.O.
Suite D.O. is derived from the term 'Denomination of Origin' (D.O.), usually associated with finest wines, which designates the territory in which a wine is produced, its characteristics and the specific qualities resulting from natural and human factors that are features of that territory. The Denomination of Origin highlights efforts made by producers in an area to produce an original wine, specific to that territory and to define the rules and criteria that will preside over it.
Heritage updated
"Adopting the D.O. term for our suites emphasizes that the properties are vernacular and very much a result of our heritage updated with the finest design and specification possible" explains Danés. "Our mission is to bring the benefits of urban living to the Mediterranean countryside, sourcing the best architectural sites for our suites and to provide an exceptional service to owners of second homes. For owners and guests, known as 'suiters', every last detail
Campos, South East Mallorca
is looked after by the concierge service, ensuring that all they need to do is relax."
With inexpensive flights from London and regional UK airports via easyJet, Ryanair and others, suiters can leave the office on a Friday afternoon and be sipping a glass of Anima Negre from Falanis, Mallorca, the region's first D.O., in the evening.
Prices for a Suite D.O. property start from € 279,500 (approx. £ 193,500) for a 60 sqm suite, rising to € 1,125,000 (approx. £ 778,879) for a 200 sqm suite with a 150 sqm terrace.
For more information about purchasing a Suite D.O. property, please contact Urbansky Holding Europe:
Tel: +34 933 688 730
Email: Sales.suitedo.com
Website: www.suitedo.com
Media contacts: Urbansky Holding Europe
Tel: +34 933 688 730
Email: Press@suitedo.com
The next Suite D.O. location is Ses Salines, in south east of Mallorca. Ses Salines has been chosen as it has everything we are looking for: a quiet, undisturbed town close to the airport, excellent restaurants and places of outstanding natural beauty.
WRITER Jessie Hewitsen
PHOTOGRAPHER
Ses Salines is a small town found on the south east of Mallorca, one of the least developed sections of the island. It is a small town, close to Santanyí, another Suite D.O. location, and like Santanyí, offers easy proximity to some places of outstanding natural beauty. The Cabrera National Park, for example, is a ferry journey away, and is made up of 19 small islands covering 1,318 hectares on land. Just outside of Ses Salines, on the road to Santanyí, is Botanicactus, one of Europe's largest botanical gardens. A popular walk covering 8km starts at Cala s'Almunia and finishes at the Cap de ses Salines. The walk takes around three hours and passes through cliffs, unlike other walks,
A typical Mallorcan House
which overlook and cross the islands many sandy beaches and coves. "Ses Salines is typical of the undisturbed and undeveloped towns that we have chosen for our locations", explains Rafael Danés.
Suite D.O. has now launched and has started selling its first three communities: Ca L'Onclo 1897, in the town of Campos, Jaume II 1937, in the town of Santanyí, and L'Aljub 1910, also in Santanyí. A new website for Suite D.O. has also been launched.
WRITER Jessie Hewitsen
PHOTOGRAPHER Hydragraphix
As an antidote to the sprawling developments of overseas homes being built throughout Europe, the Suite D.O. communities will be kept small (each community will consist of between 2 and 12 units), ensuring an impeccably high standard of service will be maintained. Campo and Santanyí are close to each other in south-east Mallorca, an undeveloped region of the island, and a quick 30-minute drive from Palma airport. The next location will be another small town close to Santanyí and Campos, called Ses Salines.
Further communities are being planned in the most desirable spots in Europe, including Tuscany, in Italy, Empordá, in North-East Spain, and Provence, in the south of France and the plan is to roll out the Suite concept all over the world.
Denominación de Origen
Suite D.O. takes its name from the system that regulates the Spanish wine industry. The term "Denominacion de Origen" (D.O.) guarantees that the quality of winemaking is maintained, and that generations of winemaking traditions are kept. In the same way, the Suite D.O. concept indicates a stamp of quality that buyers can expect and a style of design that all of its properties will adhere to.
The first three projects all involve the renovation of old buildings and updating them with the very best of modern technology. All Suites will have WiFi and Boffi kitchens. The design of the Suites will be contemporary
Community of Ca L'Onclo 1897
and minimalist, with an emphasis on space and tranquility, all mixed with traditional Mallorcan architecture.
First-class concierge service
The aim is to combine the facilities offered by world-leading hotels with the intimacy of a boutique establishment and the exclusivity of a members' club. Buyers of our Suites will receive first-class concierge service, with a designated Suite Executive Manager ensuring all your needs are met, including, if desired, stocking up the fridge and wine cellar and collection from the airport. All Suite owners will have access to a private dining club and spa, staffed by fully trained beauty therapists.
Rafael Danés, CEO of Suite D.O., owned an advertising agency in Barcelona, and has moved into property development with an aim to offer a better standard of customer care than is currently available on the market. "When you buy into Suite D.O., you don't just buy property", he says. It's a lifestyle and we will ensure that the moment Suite owners step off the plane they can relax, confident that the team at Suite D.O. will look after everything.
