A Day to Remember
Last Thursday, 4 September, Sant Llorenç des Cardassar witnessed one of those rare, unforgettable moments. At the Auditori Sa Màniga in Cala Millor, the municipality officially named Juan Llull, founder of Hipotels, as an Honorary Citizen, in recognition of his human, entrepreneurial and social legacy.
The intimate yet heartfelt ceremony brought together family, staff, neighbours and local authorities. Also in attendance were leading figures from Mallorca’s tourism industry and institutions, including Balearic Islands President Marga Prohens, Consell President Llorenç Galmés, and tennis icon Rafa Nadal, who is also an Honorary Citizen of the town. It was a tribute full of soul, emotion and genuine respect.
More Than a Title, a Shared Journey
Some honours are well deserved; others feel simply inevitable. Juan Llull’s appointment was not just an official gesture, but a profound thank-you from a community he helped shape. With each hotel, each decision, and each job created, he has contributed to making Sant Llorenç what it is today: a place where hospitality is lived, not staged.
Llull didn’t speak from a place of success, but from memory. With sincerity, he recalled how he built his first hotel on land he purchased from the then-mayor, Tomàs Rosselló. He spoke with the humility of someone who knows true greatness means staying grounded:
“I am deeply grateful. I have a very special connection with this town. This is where it all began.”
Words from the Heart
Mayor Jaume Soler captured the emotions of all in attendance:
“Thank you for always placing people at the heart of everything you do. Today, with pride and emotion, we grant you this title as a symbol of the admiration, respect and affection of the entire town.”
President Marga Prohens closed the ceremony by honouring the values that define Llull’s legacy:
“Juan Llull belongs to a generation that learned from a young age that nothing is given, everything is earned through effort, perseverance and sacrifice. He has reached the top without ever forgetting where he comes from.”
A Toast Full of Gratitude
After the ceremony, guests gathered at the nearby Hipotels Flamenco Hotel, where a light reception was held in a warm and heartfelt atmosphere. More than a toast, it was a shared moment of recognition, an exchange of glances filled with respect and appreciation.
Because this tribute cannot be measured in speeches or numbers, although both were present. It is measured in what goes unseen: the pride of a community, the emotion of a family, the gratitude of those who found opportunity in his vision.
Juan Llull didn’t just shape tourism in Mallorca, he shaped a way of doing things: with respect, with perseverance, with soul. A way of life that, without needing words, continues to inspire those who believe that building the future also means caring for the present.
