We will be 4 seniors staying on Menorca for a week this May. We have accommodations near Ciutadella and a car reserved. We would like to maximize our time there and wish to take a guidebook with us with up-to-date info on sights, restaurants and day hikes. Can anyone suggest a really good guidebook? There are a number of them available (Lindsay Bennett's, Time Out, Rough Guide, Marco Polo, Berlitz, DK, Essential), but it would be really great to know if someone has had good luck with one in particular and could recommend it. There is also a Discovery Guide, Walk! Menorca, that looks good. Has anyone used that one and found it to be worthwhile taking? Thanks so much for any tips you could pass to us.
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This may not be so helpful, but we spent a few days on Mallorca a couple of years ago. We didn't do our research and ended up in a hotel that was a party hotel for young Europeans. We changed hotels to a much nicer one the next day. We used some of the free/cheap books on Kindle and skimmed over them for things to do, but it was much more helpful to speak to people once we were out and about. At least on Mallorca, there were a number of English speakers (although we both speak Spanish). Having a car is a great idea to get to places that might be off the beaten track. Have a great trip. After our first impression of Mallorca (which was not good), we found that the island was incredible after changing our perspective (and hotel room!).
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Check this out http://www.buggl.com/search?location=Spain&activity= . Just a very basic guide on some of the things to do around Spain!! It would be a unique, undoubtedly a constant learning experience, a remarkable challenge and an overall brilliant adventure and with this guide you are going to explore so much of what it has to offer.
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Not sure you are already back or not...
I do totally agree on doing some research and planning a bit your trip before departure. However, one of the biggest mistakes we make is planning way too much and with much detail, even with timetables, etc. What I would suggest is creating a list of things you would like to do, places you would like to visit, etc, and then adjust these during your visit, keeping in mind there will be much other things you will want to do once you are there. I visit Menorca twice per year or so and there's always something new to do or some place I hadn't been before, so I guess if it's the first time you are visiting it, might get even stressed because of everything you want to do!
One of the mistakes people often make is not reserving their car and hoping there will be enough car rental offices at the airport, or even enough cars (I think it was three years ago, during summer you couldn't find a rental with cars available, imagine!). Needing to wait to get your car might take way too long (I've even read about people waiting in a queue for over an hour just to get the car!), so knowing that the best option is having it already reserved. I would suggest doing so in a local company, as they will probably be able to give you better advice about the island than others... that's the case with the company where I do always hire mine (just in case you are interested: http://nuracar.es/en/menorca.html), have never had a problem with them!
On accommodations... in my opinion, if you can move around, it's not such a big matter, as the island isn't that big. In an hour and maybe a bit more you can arrive from anywhere to any other place!
About the guidebooks... I think I saw some edited and made from people in Menorca, so although these you mention might be really complete, imagine having one from somebody who lives there... probably you will get much better advice and recommendations!
Anyway... have a great time! Can't wait to go back!