Booking restaurants
 

Booking restaurants

Do forum members tend to phone or email?

Is it ok to speak English or should i try Spanglish (last year we stayed in rural Spain, my Spanglish came on leaps and bounds)

How far in advance would members recommend in July? As we usually travel out of season booking restaurants is not usually an issue, i cant remember booking back in summer 2009 either but i think from what i have read that booking is mostly essential now?

We pretty much always book - just to avoid any chance of being disappointed.
I'm always amazed at how many people turn up in large parties without booking and seem surprised when they can't be accomodated.
In general we just go to the restaurant earlier in the day and book. When we were there in May Cellar La Parra was the only place that couldn't take a booking for that evening so we had to book a couple of days in advance.
I don't think any where in the port would have any difficulty in taking the booking in English - but if you're Spanish is upto the task then give it a go - it's always good to make the effort. :)

I would agree with Doogz, telephone bookings are pretty easy but some restaurants are not very good with emails, a quick visit earlier in the day is often all you need ;).

Have sent you a PM.

Little Italy
 

One exception is Little Italy where, in high season, for an outside table, you might need to book at least 3 days in advance!

I've experienced that myself on Celler La Parra. I went there one evening, and at that time the restaurant was empty of people, and they said that all the tables where reserved, not just for that day but 2-3 days ahead. I was quite shocked, because I'm not used to that. Unfortunately I was leaving the island two days later so I missed the chance to eat there on an evening.

Luckily I had lunch there a couple of days before and it was very good, although I felt like I was being a little left out sitting outside. The waiters didn't come out that often to see if everything was alright. But all in all it was a god visit, obviously enough for me to want to go there again.

I booked the Celler la Parra before I left England by email a week in advance and never had a problem.:)

Did you email them in English or Spanish?

Hi, It was in Spanish, but if you have a problem , there is a site called Bing translator (its free) , where you type in what you want to say and it translates it to Spanish. You then just copy and paste it to an email. Simples :)

we phone well in advance , and check that the suckling pig is on as it sells out pretty quick so we pre order that as well , sad i know , but you canny whack it !!

I would personally always book by phone or ideally in person (especially if your Spanish is like mine!) - we have had a couple of problems in the past with restaurants not checking emails regularly - even Stay, which is obviously a very professional set-up, told us that they didn't check emails on a daily basis. Mallorca has a way to go to catch up with the UK, where e-booking is now the norm - just think of how many PP restaurants still don't have websites.

Great advice pollensafan. Just emailed Stay (in Spanish) to book a table for the second night of our holiday (which happens to be my birthday).:)

No problem, and I'm an old you know what. If I can do it, anyone can.:)

The people from Stay replied to my email the very next day. Ironically, after all my efforts to email them in spanish, their reply came back in perfect English !
Oh well, at least I tried !!