Excerpt from Issue 383 – September 2026
Benedicta was born and grew up in Trebaluger, Menorca, with an English mother, Ashlee Pearce, and a Menorcan father, Gaspar Linares. While at University in Barcelona she went to Holland on an Erasmus exchange programme where she met her French husband, Benoît Pellegrini. They finished their studies together in Bordeaux before moving to start work in Paris. Benedicta worked as a Commercial Manager in fashion and Benoît in International banking. At the time of the financial crisis in 2008, Benoît took the opportunity to set up his own investment fund and the couple moved to London where they still live today.
In 2017 they took the decision to make a long-term investment in Menorca and bought two fincas with tourist licences. Working together they have transformed the properties into luxury country hotels, Es Bec d’Aguila near Es Migjorn Gran, and Son Blanc Farmhouse close to Torre Soli Nou. We met up with Benedicta at Son Blanc Farmhouse, where they have created the most exquisite country property in a magical setting. Set high on a hill, the property overlooks two barrancs (ravines) and their own oak forests which create the middle ground to spectacular views of the sea.
Tell me why you chose these two rural properties in particular
Benoît is from a small village in France and we both reached an age where we had a yearning to return to the countryside and spend time there with our family. Eight years ago, there were many properties falling to pieces on Menorca, with not much interest from buyers. We were attracted to the two properties for very different reasons. Es Bec d’Aguila is an 1890’s merchant house with noble features and tiled floors. We put in plans and had a great time doing up the property. It has 11 double bedrooms with ensuites, and we rent it out as a complete house, but we can also enjoy time there with our families and friends. Son Blanc Farmhouse was a much bigger undertaking.
We chose it because of the position and outlook but there was little left of the house with only cows and goats roaming the land.
ou have rebuilt Son Blanc to have the least possible environmental impact
Yes, with Son Blanc Farmhouse we wanted to be more Eco Conscious and to build a sustainable hotel with the smallest possible carbon footprint. We have children of 14, 11 and 8 and we wanted to ‘do it right’ for their future. The building was restored according to bioclimatic architecture. We used Atelier du Pont Studio architects from Paris, Nando Pons from ARU Arquitectura in Mahon, and Spanish and French engineers but we were ultimately responsible for the project management ourselves.
The original house was virtually in ruins and we were able to preserve the original structure and enhance the existing arches and vaults. The walls were rebuilt using marés stone with cork inside for insulation. The organic and newly built staircase forms a link with the contemporary bedrooms.
We did not want any air conditioning machines in the Farmhouse and we found a company with a ‘copyright’ passive/active energy system which uses heating/cooling ceiling panels. We have 9 geothermic wells within the grounds and they regulate the temperature in the rooms using a combination of underfloor heating and a centralised inertia system.
We employed the only specialised engineer on the island to design the grey and black water filtering system and the rain harvesting system. Rainwater is collected from the roof and the runoff from the terraces is channelled into underground collection tanks through gaps in the stone slabs.
We have a zero waste and zero plastic policy; no single use packaging or tableware and our food is sourced from our own grounds whenever possible. We also employ a state-of-the art composting system called GRETA. All our waste food is fed into the machine and a live culture transforms it into compost in 24 hours and this is returned to enrich the land. Our aim is to be carbon neutral by 2030.
From where did you find the inspiration for your hotels?
My mother ran a villa rental company in Menorca with Ann Branton. They had some great villas but furnished with the most basic furniture and ‘buzzy’ fridges. At Es Bec d’Aguila I thought it would be wonderful to create a property where visitors could appreciate the charm of the island and fall in love with it for what it is. The French have a lot of good taste and we wanted to meet the highest of expectations in terms of comfort and wellbeing.
At Son Blanc, our travels, values and passions inspired us. Decoration and design are our hobbies. At Es Bec d’Aguila, Benoît and I sourced everything ourselves. At Son Blanc, the studio Atelier du Pont did the large part of designing and sourcing furniture and the bespoke pieces. We commissioned artists in Menorca, Catalunya and France. For example, Isaac Femenias from Mahon handmade our ceramics and the wall hangings are made from macramé by Mariona Canadas and Pedro Murua.
My brother followed my father into the carpentry business. He wasn’t too keen to start with, but he then discovered a more artistic side to his work at Carpintería Gavila and excelled. He has created many of the beautiful bespoke tables and chairs throughout the house and made doors from wood sourced by Benoît from the old buildings. He also worked to install the beautiful beams in the ceiling of the restaurant which is located in the Farmhouse’s former boyera (cowshed).
You opened in April this year. Looking back has it been a difficult
project?
We bought the property with an Agrotourism licence, but it was very hard to meet all the requirements. It took much longer than expected to get our ideas through the planning process. There were many aspects to consider: renovating the houses abandoned years ago, recovering the non-existent agricultural activity and looking for ways to reduce as much as possible the ecological footprint of the tourist activity. For example, we wanted to move the swimming pool to a more discreet location. On the plans it was situated directly in front of the Farmhouse, but we wanted to move it to a lower level to maintain an unspoilt view of the countryside. It took 3 years to get permission and before we could start the construction.
It took 7 years of hard work with us moving on site to push for the finish. However, it is now very rewarding to see guests enjoying the result. We
have 14 guest rooms spread across the main house and some of the outbuildings. We are operating as a hotel in the summer months of July and August but only rent the house as a whole during the other months of the year. We have a wonderful team led by Laura and Alejo from Quitapenas. We have 3 hosts who welcome the clients and 4 chefs working in the restaurant in the evenings, plus Gustavo who is based at the pool bar where he is an expert on the charcoal grill.
You have featured in many prestigious publications. Have you been pleased with your first season so far?
Yes, we have been delighted with the articles in the Sunday Times, Le Monde, and magazines such as Condé Nast Traveller and Spanish Vogue. We lovingly created a website and social media pages but you are never sure if your potential customers will find these. Of course, in Menorca, word of mouth can count for a great deal.
Images Courtesy Son Blanc Farmhouse Menorca, Maria Missaglia, Karel Balas.
We have been particularly busy in the restaurant where we are delighted to welcome non-residents as well as our hotel guests. Our concept is a farmhouse table with a season-inspired set meal. For us, the products from our farm are the main event. Our menu is devised from the olive and almond trees, the chickens and sheep and the garden of medicinal, aromatic and fruit plants, which are cultivated in permaculture. Our neighbour can provide us with Wagyu beef when required but for environmental reasons it is important for us to limit the amount of meat on the menu. We can hold events for up to 90 guests provided all the food is prepared on site.
You offer Yoga Experiences and other Activities
Yes, we want to foster the connection with nature and give local people the opportunity to experience the holistic healing properties of Son Blanc. We are worried that the younger generation are not experiencing these connections. We have a varied programme of daily Yoga classes taking place in the indoor studio or on the outdoor yoga platform, surrounded by our orchards and woods. These are complimentary for guests and nonresidents are also welcome to join at a cost of 20€. The experience of Forest Bathing is a mindful walk through our grounds with Emily, opening all your senses to the surrounding nature. The more energetic can run wild with Tom on a Cross Country Fitness course combining fast hiking, running and exercises to leave them feeling empowered and dynamic. We also offer watercolour and pottery workshops in the early evenings. On weekends in September and October you can combine a morning yoga class with a nutritious lunch in our restaurant.
If you would like to visit Son Blanc Farmhouse for an experience or one of the special dining events there is a programme published each week on the website https://sonblancmenorca.com/experiences-events/
contact @sonblancmenorca.com (+34) 624 171 408
