Fernando Al·lès Serra, former director of Hotel Ses Set Voltes, dies at 83

Fernando Al·lès Serra (1943–2026) passed away in Mallorca on 8 January, aged 83, and with him goes one of those discreet yet decisive figures who explain—better than any grand narrative—the history of tourism in Ciutadella and in Menorca.

He served as director of Hotel Ses Set Voltes, in Santandria, at a time when the town was beginning to welcome the first visitors who would transform the island’s social and economic landscape. But Al·lès was not just a desk man: at certain moments, he knew how to run the hotel kitchen and, when needed, stood behind the bar, with the ease of someone who understands service as a full craft. In the dining room, at the stove, or pouring freshly made coffee, he applied the same standards: order, pace, and respect for the guest.

He was old-school, shaped above all by experience—by long hours and by the details that never appear in manuals: knowing how to listen, solving the unexpected, and keeping the spirit of the house alive even on difficult days. That, too, is why his mark reached beyond the hotel itself.

Committed to the sector, he was one of the founders of ASHOME, Menorca’s hotel employers’ association, helping to give voice and structure to an industry growing at great speed. He spent the last years of his life in Mallorca, where he died. His legacy is that of a complete professional—craft and character—who made hospitality a way of welcoming.