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Hotel, Palma Nordic design fills a series of historic buildings in the Mallorcan capital
Cultural composite
A Mallorcan boutique hotel with a Swedish owner makes for an intriguing blend of aesthetics, with a laid-back ambience at its heart
The hotel scene in the Mallorcan capital of Palma continues to boom, and, despite being a tiny city on a tiny island, its ability to offer an ever-evolving flux of accommodation belies its small size. As such, it was not a surprising choice for the Nobis Hospitality Group to land on this hub of renewal for the Swedish brand’s first place outside Scandinavia: what better place to re-enact the group’s penchant for transforming historical structures into contemporary hotels? The result is Concepció by Nobis, a new 31-room property that opened in summer 2021, and which reflects both the architectural diversity of Mallorca’s forward-thinking capital and the city’s rich cultural identity.
Named for the former market street on which it is located, on the edge of Palma’s Old Town, Concepció by Nobis is a three-floor structure drawn from a centuries-old merger of buildings that together once housed an urban chapel, residences, a warehouse and a soap factory. After a development process that took nearly five years, Nobis, together with architects at Stockholm-based studio Wingårdhs, plus Spanish firms Jordi Herrero Arquitectos and Eduardo Garcia Acuña Arquitectos, have meticulously brought the building back to life with a reinvention that sees it take on an entirely new persona as a hotel. In its new guise, it’s a gutsy property that is animated by both Nobis’ signature aesthetic – a decidedly contemporary flavour with some Scandinavian accents – and the building’s original features.
It’s also the kind of space that you feel would probably shed the “hotel” moniker if it could. Expansive windows and floor-to-ceiling doors on the ground level sit perpetually ajar, unabashedly placed to beckon passers-by into a space and vibe that are evocative of a members’ club, not to mention fully Instagrammable – now almost a prerequisite for every new hotel. In an age of hybrid working, Concepció’s breezy and ambient lounge strikes the right chord with its series of corners and alcoves, all equally suited to working and meeting, as well as moments of solace, spontaneous gatherings and shameless idling.
Wingårdhs’ lead architect Helena Toresson worked hard to engineer this multifaceted functionality and has done so with aplomb while also incorporating the craft of local artisans in order to infuse the hotel with an unmistakably Mallorcan spirit. “Partly because it’s a way to the ensure we created a unique project, but also because it is a sustainable way to do things,” she explains. Case in point, the defining bespoke ceramic tiles that are present throughout Concepció’s many spaces, which are the brainchild of Wingårdhs. The practice enlisted local tile specialists Huguet to produce the green and white watercolour-style design. Running uninterrupted across the hotel’s Words Ella Marshall
Images Courtesy of Design Hotels
Facing page Tiles by native Mallorcan brand Huguet are used throughout, linking the hotel with local craft
entrance floor and appearing as a smaller version in guest rooms and bathrooms, this handmade touch is an echo of the building’s original tiling and is a stylish representation of Concepció’s ease in contrasting old and new.
Modern accents such as these prove a stylish complement to the careful restoration of the building, in which great care was taken to preserve and renew architectural features that include cross vaults, beamed ceilings, interior arches and bay windows. “We found a concept based on the building, the city and the Nobis way of doing things,” says Toresson, “and with this method we found a unique expression.”
Layers of metal add a modern edge to the revived backdrop, as seen in a sculptural brassclad reception desk in the diminutive lobby, and a bar that is covered in hammered zinc at Xalest, the in-house restaurant overseen by chef Xema Álvarez. Anchoring these lively interiors is a flawless dynamic between bespoke items, natural materials such as wood, leather and wool, and an ambient palette inspired by both the Mediterranean sea and the dramatic Tramuntana mountains that rise up along the island’s northern coast.
It’s all united by a distinctly Scandinavian aesthetic, which emerges in the presence of Nordic-produced pieces throughout the property. In the lounge, rugs from Swedish family-owned company Ogeborg offer a welcome layer of texture under the room’s old pillars and vaults, while at Xalest guests sat atop J39 chairs by Børge Mogensen dine on modern Mallorcan cuisine. Guest rooms feature natural wood stools by Finnish brand Nikari, against bright-white walls lined with black doors and beams, dark and neutral textiles and locally crafted carpentry. Subtle yet memorable details, like the bottles of recently released scents by Swedish brand Byredo placed in each guest bathroom – a sure crowdpleaser – are a further reminder of the hotel’s Scandinavian heritage.
Step outside, however, and an unmistakably Spanish essence prevails. From the top-floor tower that serves as an unofficial observation deck for vistas over the Old Town’s rooftops, to the multi-level outdoor terrace and pool, the centrally located property offers an oasis in the heart of the city. In successfully channelling Nobis’ trademark Scandi cool and accurately reflecting the duality of old and new Palma, Concepció by Nobis has announced its arrival as the city’s new haven.
Above Nera stools by Zanat and a bespoke bed by Swedish brand Gemla in one of the guest rooms
Facing page The vaulted all-day bar at the hotel’s in-house restaurant, Xalest
Facing page The Terrazza room includes its own 17 sqm terrace, with views of the surrounding historic buildings Above Left to right: a shady colonnade around the pool area; Huguet’s tiles continue into the outdoor spaces
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