If you’re planning to hike part or all of the GR221 Dry Stone Route in Mallorca, you’ll quickly come across the GR221 refuges; government-run hikers’ hostels dotted along the trail. They’re a brilliant way to keep costs down and enjoy a real mountain adventure, but it’s not always easy to find clear, practical information about what they’re actually like.
When I was planning my GR221 hiking with kids trip, I had plenty of questions: How basic are the refuges? What’s included? Will they be fine for families? If you’re wondering the same, this post will save you hours of digging.
Here’s what you’ll find inside:
- What GR221 refuges are really like (honestly!)
- How to book, and what’s included in your stay
- What you’ll need to bring (and what you can leave at home)
- Tips for staying with kids (and keeping it fun for everyone)
- When it might be worth booking a hotel instead
If you’re unsure whether the refuges are right for you, or just want to be properly prepared, you’re in the right place.
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What are GR221 refuges in Mallorca?
The GR221 refuges are a series of government-run hikers’ hostels dotted along the Dry Stone Route (also known as the GR221) in Mallorca’s Tramuntana mountains. They’re designed to give walkers a simple, affordable place to sleep, eat, and recharge at the end of each stage of the hike.
You’ll find the refuges spaced out along key sections of the GR221 trail. Some are tucked right into the mountains, far from the nearest town, while many are close to small villages or heritage sites like the Lluc Monastery.
In theory, the refuges are placed at the end of each official “stage” of the GR221. But those stages are often long, tough days with big elevation gains, and they’re not always child- or beginner-friendly. If you prefer a gentler pace, you’ll probably want to space out the refuge stays by mixing them with hotels or hostels in nearby towns. That way you can match your overnights to more manageable distances and elevation profiles and keep the whole trip feeling much more fun and relaxed.
In terms of comfort, GR221 refuges are basic but welcoming:
- The accommodation is in dormitory rooms
- The meals are basic and home-cooked – with no choice (apart from a vegetarian option)
- There are hot showers in shared bathrooms
- There is electricity & heating – there are some electric outlets for charging in the rooms
- Most refuges have Wi-Fi
- But this is not luxury or hotel-style service!
Refugio Can Boi
They’re clean, practical, and cheap and very much aimed at hikers who are happy with simple facilities in exchange for great value, the chance to get to know other hikers, and convenient (and often beautiful) locations. You’ll share rooms and bathrooms with other travellers, and you may need to bring a few extras to make your stay more comfortable (more on that below!).
If you’re looking for a bit more privacy or extra comfort, especially after a few nights in the GR221 refuges; it’s perfectly possible to mix in a few nights in hotels or hostels along the route. We did exactly that and found it a brilliant balance between mountain adventure and a bit more comfort, privacy and our own bathroom!
🗺️ Planning your GR221 trip?
Don’t miss these two helpful posts:
🥾 Our GR221 Mallorca Hiking Itinerary for Beginners or Families
🚍 Mallorca Without a Car: Hiking Parts of the GR221 Using Public Transport
Perfect if you’re working out logistics, distances, or want to see exactly how we tackled the trail with kids!
How to book GR221 refuges
Booking a GR221 refuge is simple once you know where to look!
All of the refuges along the Dry Stone Route are managed by the Consell de Mallorca, and you’ll need to book through their official website, not via platforms like Booking.com.
You can find the booking page here: Consell de Mallorca GR221 Refuges Booking
💡Tip: the site sometimes loads slowly and can be a little clunky. It’s much easier to use on a laptop than on a phone.
Refuge bookings open about 130 days (around four months) in advance, on a rolling basis.
It’s essential to book early (set a reminder for the date bookings open!) if you’re travelling during school holidays, Easter, or the spring and autumn hiking seasons. The most popular refuges, like Tossals Verds and Son Amer, often fill up months in advance.
When I booked for Easter 2025 in mid January, there weren’t a huge number of beds left, and it was lucky I was quite flexible with our dates. Once we got there, all the refuges we stayed in were fully booked the nights we were there.
It’s one thing finding one free bed, but if you’re looking for availability for three or more people, you’ll want to get your booking in as soon as possible!
💬 Top Tip for Booking GR221 Refuges:
After booking, check your email carefully for the confirmation—sometimes it ends up in your junk or spam folder. You may need to show your booking voucher at check-in (I wasn’t asked for this, but the instructions say you might need to), so make sure you save or screenshot it somewhere easy to find!
What’s included and what is the cost?
A bed in a dorm is a given; you choose which of the other options you want when you book!
- A bed (in a shared dormitory); €14 per adult, €9 per child under 16
Optional:
- Dinner (one dish, basic but hearty, vegetarian option available) €9.50
- Breakfast (simple but enough to get you started) €5.50
- Packed lunch (2 sandwiches, apple or orange, bottle of water) €8.00
- Bed sheet rental €4.50 per person
- Towel rental €2.00 per person
Note that there’s no free cancellation. So once you’ve made the booking (which you pay for straight away to confirm it), there are no refunds or changes allowed.
If you’re booking your refuges ahead of time, it’s also the perfect moment to sort out a few key pieces of lightweight kit. A silk sleeping bag liner, a quick-dry pack towel, and a portable power bank can make a huge difference to your stay.
Sleeping: Dorms & bedding
Don’t expect luxury, but do expect a warm bed, a roof, and often a good view. GR221 refuges are very much hikers’ hostels, which means you’ll usually be sleeping in shared dormitory rooms with bunk beds. Most rooms sleep 4 to 10 people, though this varies depending on the refuge.
The dorms are basic but clean. If you order the bed sheet rental, you’ll be given top and bottom sheets and a pillow case (you make the beds yourselves). There’s a shelf in each dorm with warm duvets; take one each and use it on top of the top sheet (a hygiene requirement). If you bring your own sleeping bag liner this replaces the top and bottom sheet (though personally I find it less comfortable!).
- Smaller dorm at Can Boi refuge
- Large dorm at Tossals Verds refuge
You won’t find many extras in the rooms: there are no wardrobes or lockable storage, and you’ll likely be keeping your backpack at the foot of the bed or next to your bunk. There are some hooks for clothes. Earplugs are a very good idea, especially if you’re a light sleeper or happen to be sharing with someone who snores. A small torch or headlamp is also handy if you need to find your way to the loo in the night.
Eating
Food at the GR221 refuges is basic but filling; definitely more fuel than feast. Dinner is included if you book with half board (which I’d recommend), and usually consists of a set one course meal. Expect simple fare like one pot oven baked fish with potatoes, stews, a bit of salad, and a piece of fruit. There’s no menu, and very little in the way of choice—though there is a vegetarian option available if you select it when booking. The food varies a bit between refuges, but in general it’s hearty and warm.
Breakfast is also quite minimal. Just brown bread, some ham and cheese, jam, butter, and coffee or juice. If you’re like me and prefer a bit of protein in the morning, it’s worth packing a few extras snacks, or even sachets of porridge.
The food was fine for me, but it’s not particularly child-friendly, especially if your child is even a bit fussy. There’s no guarantee of plain pasta, or options without sauce, and for us, having a backup was essential. I had brought along a couple of Decathlon expedition meals and my Jetboil stove, which turned out to be a great call—there’s nowhere else to eat once you’re at the refuges, and I would have worried about getting enough fuel into them otherwise.
I also packed some Decathlon muesli packets, which helped hugely to top up the refuge’s breakfast (which is usually just bread, some cheese and ham, jam, and coffee). They were quick to make just with cold water and added some much-needed bulk to the start of the day.
Dinner – Ragu at Tossals Verds- Breakfast at Can Boi Refuge
- Second breakfast on the trail
- Jetboil exped meals for the kids at Tossals Verds
You can pre-order picnic lunches when you book, which is handy if you’re planning a long remote stage the next day, or you’re leaving a town before shops open. It’s typically two (slightly stale!) sandwiches, with tomato and ham or cheese, a piece of fruit, and a bottle of water; not wildly exciting, but convenient if you don’t want to carry your own food.
Facilities: Bathrooms, showers & charging
Facilities are basic but functional. Each refuge has shared toilets and hot showers, usually a couple per gender. Bring your own quick-dry pack towel (or rent one – add this to your booking when you book) and toiletries as nothing is provided.
There were some plug sockets in the bedrooms and in shared areas like the dining room. Charging your phone or power bank overnight isn’t always an option, especially if sockets are already in use or in awkward locations, although you should be able to get a charge in at some point. I highly recommend bringing a reliable portable power bank, ideally one that can charge multiple devices if you’re travelling as a family.
🔋 This is the one I use: Anker Nano power bank
How GR221 refuges compare to Alpine huts
If you’ve stayed in mountain huts in the Alps, the GR221 refuges will feel broadly familiar in some ways; dorm accommodation, shared bathrooms, and the take-your-boots-off-at-the-door rule all apply here too. But there are a few important differences to be aware of.
Firstly, most refuges only offer shared dorms, with the exception of a couple of double rooms at Tossals Verds, which you can only book by emailing: xarxaderefugis@conselldemallorca.net.
Food is much more limited in Mallorca. You won’t get the same hearty à la carte meals or daily specials you often find in Alpine huts. Dinner is a set menu, and breakfast is very basic – usually just bread, jam, ham, cheese and coffee. There was no lunch service during the day, and while you can buy soft drinks, beer and wine, you won’t find the typical “sit on the terrace with a plate of chips” vibe you get in the Alps.
So if you’re used to relying on well placed alpine huts for food on the fly (guilty!), you’ll need to be more self-sufficient on the GR221. Either carry your own snacks or make sure to pre-order picnic lunches and book half board in advance.
Also worth noting: no indoor hut shoes are provided, so unlike in Austria or the Dolomites, you’ll need to bring your own indoor shoes or sandals for evenings.
Finally, the refuges in Mallorca are much more spaced out—you’ll generally only reach one at the end of a long day’s hike. You won’t stumble across one conveniently at lunchtime like you might in the Alps, so again, planning ahead is key.
We found mixing the refuges with the odd hotel night worked brilliantly for us and gave everyone (kids included) a little breather between more rustic stays.
🧭 What to Pack to Fill the Gaps
- Trail snacks – there’s no food available during the day at refuges – trail mix (homemade) is a good catch all!
- Flip flops or indoor shoes (I use these – a bit bulky, but light to carry and warm paired with socks) – not provided, but essential for evenings
- Eco friendly resealable bags – great if you’re pre-ordering packed lunches (which can get rather greasy!)
- Reusable water bottle or bladder – no bottled water sold at some refuges
Homemade trail mix
Tips for staying at the GR221 refuges with kids
Staying in shared dorms with kids is a bit of an adventure in itself, but with the right mindset, it can be a lot of fun. The key is preparing them for the shared sleeping and the more limited facilities.
We made sure to bring a couple of simple games, a deck of cards, and a kindle kids e-reader each to keep them entertained during quieter evenings. We love these because they’re lightweight, can hold a load of different books, and they also play audiobooks (great for journeys) – you’ll need some blue tooth headphones – I recommend these ones for bigger kids, they’re sturdy and foldable, with volume limitation and are noise cancelling too.
Earplugs might be necessary, as you might be unlucky enough to be in a dorm with a snorer, and although my kids sleep like the dead, it gave me peace of mind to know they wouldn’t be disturbed.
Try to keep bedtime routines fairly normal, but also be flexible; it’s not always peaceful or private. We packed lightweight sleep masks too, which helped block out light from early risers.
When a hotel or hostel might be a better option
There were a few nights on our route where we chose a small hotel or hostel instead of a refuge, and it was a good call. While there are refuges in most of the key GR221 locations which will be the cheapest option, you’ll also find a wide selection of alternative accommodation in many of the towns and villages along the way.
In fact, the only place where there’s no alternative to the refuge is Tossals Verds, which is deep in the mountains with nothing else nearby. At the other end of the scale, Deià is full of boutique hotels and stylish stays, all of which were completely out of our budget!
Everywhere else, though, like Palma, Sóller, and Port de Pollença, you’ll have plenty of choice, from hostels and guesthouses to family-friendly hotels.
- Breakfast on the terrace at Sol Port Sóller
- Arriving at Hostel Sóller
- Lluc monastery entrance
- Shared terrace at Pensión Bellavista
If you or your kids need a better night’s sleep, a private bathroom, or just a break from the bunk beds and shared showers, booking a hotel for a night or two makes all the difference. We found it gave everyone a reset, and made the refuge stays feel more enjoyable too.
It also means you are free to eat wherever you like, so no concerns about kids not liking the set meal!
We stayed in a self-check-in room in Palma, a private room in a hostel in Sóller, a budget hotel near the beach in Port de Sóller, and a converted monastic cell (huge!) in the monastery at Lluc. We also booked a couple of nights in a simple hotel at the end of the trail in Port de Pollença, which made a great reward after the hiking was over.
🏨 Check out our tried and tested hotels in:
- Palma – Regina Smart Rooms
- Port de Sóller – Sol Port Sóller
- Sóller – Hostel Sóller
- Lluc – Santuari de Lluc
- Port de Pollença – Pensión Bellavista
GR221 refuges: Our honest verdict
Staying in the GR221 refuges was one of the highlights of our trip. There’s something really special about reaching a remote mountain hostel on foot, settling in for a hearty dinner, and chatting with other hikers from around the world.
Mixing refuges with the occasional hotel worked brilliantly. We had the satisfaction of walking stage by stage, but also the comfort and rest that made it all feel manageable. If you’re planning your own trip, I’d absolutely recommend giving the refuges a go – just be prepared, manage your expectations, intersperse them with a more comfortable hotel or two, and you’ll have a brilliant time.
🗺️ Planning your GR221 trip?
Don’t miss these other helpful posts:
🥾 Our GR221 Mallorca Hiking Itinerary for Beginners or Families
🚍 Mallorca Without a Car: Hiking Parts of the GR221 Using Public Transport
Perfect if you’re working out logistics, distances, or want to see exactly how we tackled the trail with kids!
