Spanish conquest

Teapots from Harrods and hot-water bottles hanging in the wardrobes are not normally found in Spanish hotels.

But in the Palacio Ca Sa Galesa - literally the Welsh woman's palace - in the Majorcan capital, Palma, these quintessentially British items are commonplace.

For managers Christopher and Vivien Pollard, it is all part of their plan to create a taste of the UK: "We were aiming to provide a base for people to stay for bed and breakfast of a special quality. We decided if we were going to do something it would have to have a meaning worldwide, hence the English afternoon tea with tea-cosies and teapots from Harrods. The tea is a Knightsbridge blend that we like ourselves," says Christopher.

The hot-water bottles are there for extra comfort. The couple have always used them in winter and feel it is a personal touch.

Their idea was to restore the 17th century building and fill it with their collection of antiques. The couple wanted to offer the kind of hotel they themselves like, with a few touches from back home.

Until 1986, the Pollards ran their own catering company, Hamard Catering in Wales. The company was then sold and they retired to the island and became involved in the renovation of a 17th century derelict building.

The Pollards's wealth of industry experience helped them to turn the building into a hotel. The investment company behind the project agreed to their plans, giving them a free hand, and the hotel opened in May 1995. But the path to opening was not smooth.

"Planning permission was difficult. There were 14 sticking points with the council, but we bargained, bartered and discussed and managed to get through them," says Christopher.

A total of £2m was spent on the hotel, including the purchase of the antique furniture from all over the world, some of which is on loan from the Pollards's private collection.

Their industry experience paid off a second time when marketing consortium Reis de Mallorca - Kings of Majorca - admitted the hotel into the group immediately.

The consortium usually only admits new members after two years' trading, but was so impressed with Palacio Ca Sa Galesa that it waived the rules.

Each of the 18 privately owned hotels in the group pays the peseta equivalent of £780 a year subscription fee. For this sum, the hotels gain access to trade shows and entry in the Reis de Mallorca publication, which devotes two pages to each hotel and its facilities.

Success followed success and talk of the Welsh woman's palace didn't take long to spread. Write-ups about the hotel soon appeared back home in the, The Times, She magazine, the Daily Mail and more recently Vogue.

As well as the attention received from the British press, the hotel has been featured in German publications and on television. This has paid off as more than 50% of the hotel's guests are German. The rest are English and Spanish.

Just six months after opening, Palacio Ca Sa Galesa picked up a special initiative award from Spanish magazine Gran Hotel Internacional in November. The award was specially created as the magazine felt it deserved recognition.

The Pollards's efforts are not just paying off in terms of media attention and awards. Palacio Ca Sa Galesa has been enjoying autumn and winter occupancy rates of about 80%. Turnover for the last financial year was £476,000.

Occupancy in June fell to 58%, down on the 81% the hotel enjoyed in May. The decrease reflects the quiet period the hotel experiences in summer; it is always busier in autumn, winter and spring. An occupancy level of 80% for January, February and March this year reflects this.

Special weekend breaks add to these occupancy levels. The hotel offers a three-night package for £249 per person based on two people sharing a room. This price includes a return flight from Gatwick.

Although the majority of guests are German, this kind of deal encourages British weekenders and the hotel sees a good mixture of different countries.

Breakfast in el rinc¢n de mi abuela - my grandmother's corner - is typical Majorcan fare. The hotel does not have a restaurant because of its size and the number of high-standard restaurants in Palma, but the Pollards are happy to arrange a lunch or dinner party for a minimum of eight people.

Guests who go out for lunch are usually back in time for complimentary afternoon tea in the Monet kitchen, a reproduction of the artist's kitchen in Giverny. Yellow Harrods teapots serve the Knightsbridge blend number 12 tea with typical Majorcan cake.

Stronger drinks are on hand, too. Guests can help themselves to a sherry from the honesty bar and simply sign up for what they have had.

The bedrooms are furnished Majorcan-style, although each is decorated differently. Every room is named after a composer: Mozart, Beethoven, Sibelius, Chopin, Handel and Gershwin.

When it comes to comfort, every detail has been thought of. English novels, for instance, are provided in case guests have forgotten to pack theirs.

Touches such as these demonstrate the hotel's five-star status, which was awarded by government body Consellena de Mallorca. The hotel was designed to meet this rating and the category denotes the luxury of a hotel's facilities without the service of an English five-star hotel.

Palacio Ca Sa Galesa is staffed, apart from the Pollards, by assistant manager Enrique Catal Escalas and head of housekeeping Manuel Robles and his team of four.

The low level of staff around the hotel helps guests to feel at home. Visitors can laze about in the sun on the roof-terrace, where everything from sun loungers and a splash-pool to complimentary cold drinks are provided.

If it is not afternoon tea or lazing about that guests are after, there is a small swimming pool, a sauna and fitness equipment beneath the hotel.

In light of the investment made in the hotel and its success in terms of occupancy and awards, the Pollards aren't considering further renovation. The couple's future plans include focusing on getting as much publicity for the hotel as possible.

"The added extras, such as the bar and afternoon tea, make the hotel very comfortable. It's relaxed and exclusive but unique," concludes Christopher.