Today, we bring a conversation with Irene Ripoll Serrano, a new coliving owner who has just recently opened a small, curated, residential coliving in the heart of Palma de Mallorca.
Laberint Coliving is looking to become a place of those who want to explore Mallorca with a bit more depth and a bit more time.
It’s an intimate, spacious 4-bedroom coliving, perfect for those who need privacy and modern amenities, combined with the culture and history of the island.
Irene is an experienced traveler herself – she values community, wellbeing, and work-life balance. Her passion for this project is radiating and we’re so happy to have the opportunity to explore it up close this early.
Enjoy the read – and of course, don’t forget to check our last two catch-up interviews with Pitaya Coliving and Coliving 1907, to see what operators say today after years of operating and what’s different to when they jut opened like Laberint did.
Beginnings
“Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.”
-Carl Jung
1. Could you share more about yourself and the journey that led to the opening of Laberint Coliving in Palma de Mallorca?
Irene: I’m Irene, originally from Mallorca, and I have always felt deeply connected to the way places shape who we are, how we live, and how we relate to others. I grew up in an active family, surrounded by nature, sport, languages, learning, and friends. Many of those things stayed with me.
Today, trail running and long-distance running are an essential part of my life, as are balanced nutrition, time with friends, and moments of solitude to reconnect with myself.
I have also always carried a nomadic side. The Balearic Islands feel like my base camp, but I have never imagined life as something fixed in only one place.
When I was 15, I spent a full school year as an exchange student in Ohio, USA, with a wonderful family I still keep in touch with. That experience opened my mind in a way that is difficult to explain. It was not only about learning English; it was about discovering how many ways there are to live, think, connect and belong.
After that, I lived in different places in Spain, including Madrid, Barcelona and Menorca, and also spent time in Berlin and Coimbra, learning their languages and cultures. I love those small expressions you take with you from another language — words like saudade in Portuguese — because they remind you that every culture has its own emotional landscape.
Professionally, my background combines tourism, service management, project consulting and international experience. After several years working in consultancy, I took a sabbatical and travelled around the world. Before taking that one-way flight, I remember thinking: this cannot be just about travelling. It had to be a time to come back to myself. During that journey I realised that endless leisure is beautiful, but purpose is essential. I wanted to create something that brought together what I love most: hospitality, making people feel comfortable, sharing cultures, opening my home, and helping others discover the real beauty of a place without disturbing its authenticity.
Laberint was born from that intersection: my love for hospitality, interculturality, thoughtful living and meaningful connection. Coliving felt like the concept that could hold all of it — and the possibility of shaping it with my own Mediterranean sensitivity is something that genuinely excites me.
2. How would you describe the concept behind your space and experience?
Irene: Laberint is a curated coliving in the heart of Palma for professionals, remote workers and internationally minded people who are looking for more than just a room. The idea is to create a home between journeys — a place where global lives can feel local.
The concept is very connected to my own story. I wanted to create a space where work, physical wellbeing, emotional balance and human connection could coexist naturally. A place for people who may be in similar life stages — building, creating, transitioning, exploring — and who want to meet others in a genuine way. Sometimes we long to meet stimulating people, to have meaningful conversations, to expand our circle, but we do not always know where to find that. Laberint tries to create the conditions for that to happen.
The experience is built around three balances: privacy and community, productivity and rest, local life and an international mindset. Each person has their private room and personal space, while sharing common areas, daily rituals and moments of connection with a small community.
For me, Laberint is also a reminder of how important it is to care for the body, the mind and the essence of who we are. My hope is that people do not leave feeling that they simply visited Mallorca, but that they lived it — that, in some small way, they became part of it. We want to offer a more respectful and deeper alternative to superficial ways of consuming a destination, one that honours the place, its rhythm, its people and its culture.
3. While developing Laberint, were there specific influences or inspirations that shaped your approach and led to the creation of the space and experience you will offer?
Irene: The inspiration comes from several layers. One of them is clearly my own experience of living abroad and travelling. I know how meaningful it can be to arrive somewhere new and find people with whom you can share a conversation, a meal, a walk or a simple routine, without losing your independence.
Another important influence has been the coliving movement itself. I spent time researching many coliving projects in Spain and abroad, trying to understand the model beyond the surface. I also completed a strong coliving training programme where I had the chance to meet professionals in the sector whom I deeply admire. What inspired me most was discovering that many people in this field truly believe in coliving as something beyond real estate. Beyond bricks. There is a genuine desire to help people live better, feel less isolated, and create healthier ways of sharing space.
I am also inspired by the symbol of the labyrinth. For Laberint, a labyrinth is not about confusion; it is a path towards the centre, towards what is essential. That idea is very present in the brand: creating spaces that invite people to slow down, listen, connect and choose how they want to live.
And of course, the Balearic Islands inspire me deeply — Mallorca and Menorca — with their landscapes, silence, local culture, nature and sense of soul. Laberint Coliving starts in Palma, but it carries that wider Mediterranean sensitivity: respect for place, for rhythm, for authenticity and for the quiet beauty of everyday life.
4. Laberint is still at very early stage, but what are some of the biggest challenges of opening your own space that you came across so far?
Irene: One of the biggest challenges has been turning a very emotional idea into a solid and operational project. Coliving may look simple from the outside, but it actually requires a lot of clarity: legal structure, house rules, space design, communication, resident selection, services, daily operations and relationship with the local environment.
Another challenge has been finding the right balance between inspiring people and not overpromising. Laberint wants to offer community, but real community cannot be manufactured. You can design the conditions, care for the space and create the right atmosphere — then you have to leave room for people to connect naturally.
It has also been important to adapt the project to Palma and to a home inside a residential building. That makes us very conscious of silence, neighbours, respect and a more residential, non-touristic way of living.
And of course, entrepreneurship itself is a challenge in any field. There is a lot of uncertainty, decision-making, learning and resilience involved. But I also feel that this is part of the beauty of the process: building something step by step, with care, intention and trust.
Management
“When you give someone an opportunity, do not give them a script. An opportunity without autonomy is just another task.”
-Unknown
5. What is the management style or approach you will follow at Leberint?
Irene: The management style at Laberint will be warm, clear, and intentional. I don’t believe in rigid management, but I also don’t believe in leaving everything to chance. When people share a home, freedom works better when there is a simple and well-communicated framework.
Our approach is based on trust, but also on responsibility. There will be clear guidelines around coexistence, rest, guests, common areas, and care for the house. Not to control people, but to protect the atmosphere we want to create.
I like to think of Laberint as an accompanied community, not a directed one. The idea is to be present when needed, to listen, to solve small frictions early, and to care for the tone of the space. Each person should feel at home, while understanding that they are part of something shared.
The goal is to create a house that feels natural, but not improvised; human, but also professionally cared for.
7. To what extent will you as the owner be involved in the community and day-to-day activities in Laberint?
Irene: I think my role will be somewhere in between. I don’t want to be a distant figure managing everything from outside, but I also don’t want to invade the natural space of the colivers. Laberint needs a human presence, especially at the beginning, because the tone of a community is built through details.
I will be involved in the welcome, in listening to feedback, in improving the experience and in making sure the project remains true to its essence. I’m interested in understanding who arrives, what they are looking for, and whether the experience is aligned with what we promise.
I also genuinely enjoy sharing experiences and recommendations as a host — not in a hotel-like way, but in a human way. I love helping people discover places, small rituals, local corners and ways of experiencing the island that feel more authentic.
At the same time, my role is professional. It is not about creating dependency or organising people’s lives. It is about creating a safe, warm and well-cared-for framework where each person can live at their own rhythm, with both privacy and connection.
8. What types of activities are offered or encouraged to colivers during their stay at Laberint, and what is your approach to organizing them?
Irene: Activities at Laberint will be designed to accompany real life, not to fill it artificially. We want to encourage small, natural and low-pressure moments: shared dinners, walks, wellbeing sessions, conversations around meaningful topics, cultural plans, connection with the city and local experiences.
The approach I have in mind is very curated. For me, curated does not only mean what we do, but why we do it. It is not about doing more; it is about creating moments with quality, intention and meaning. As we get to know each coliver better, we can suggest plans that genuinely resonate with the group and with the island.
Participation will not be mandatory. Community does not mean being together all the time. It means that, when you do share, there is quality, respect and affinity. We also want many of the activities to happen outside the house, in contact with Mallorca, its culture, its food, its landscapes and its rhythm.
Another idea I love is encouraging colivers to share their own passions with the community. If someone loves photography, cooking, running, music, yoga, entrepreneurship or any other practice, we would like to help them create a moment around it. I believe this is one of the most beautiful ways to nourish each other: not only receiving an experience, but also contributing to it.
8. What is your opinion about coworking being a crucial component of coliving?
Irene: For Laberint’s profile, coworking is essential, but I don’t see it only as a desk and a good internet connection. That is the minimum. What really matters is creating an environment that helps people work with focus, while also helping them not to live trapped inside work.
Coworking is also a symbol of what differentiates coliving from other types of shared living. It shows that the space is designed for people who are in a productive stage of life — people who need to work, concentrate, create and organise their days while living somewhere for a season. It is not a holiday space; it is a place to live and work with intention.
Many remote professionals have freedom, but they also need structure: a comfortable place, silence, routines, good light, reliable connection and the possibility of mentally separating work from rest. In that sense, coworking within a coliving adds a very important layer of affinity.
But coliving should not be simply “bedroom plus desk”. For me, the value is in the full rhythm: working well, resting better, moving, cooking, talking, going out into the city and returning to a home where people understand your lifestyle.
Visitors
“Values are not just what we preach; they are what we live. When our business values align with our customers’ beliefs, it forms an invisible bond that is impossible to break.”
-Unknown
9. Who do you expect to be your ideal coliver profile (habits, occupation, hobbies, etc.)?
Irene: The ideal Laberint coliver is someone aligned with the values of the project: a person who wants to connect with others, with the island and with local culture in a genuine way. Someone who is not looking for a superficial experience or the standard routes, but for a deeper way of living a place.
They will probably work remotely, run their own project, work in a digital or creative field, or have a flexible professional life. But beyond occupation, what matters most is attitude. We are looking for adults who are independent, respectful, curious, and open to meeting people from different cultures and backgrounds.
They may enjoy nature, movement, walking, running, hiking, discovering local places, trying new activities or simply having good conversations at home after a focused workday. They are active, but they also respect rest, silence and the needs of others.
Laberint is not designed for those looking for parties, noise, or a quick tourist experience. It is for people who want to live more intentionally, find their rhythm and share a home with others who are also in a stage of work, creation, transition or discovery.
9. What do you think is the ideal length of stay to fully emerge in the community and experience at your place?
Irene: I believe one month is the minimum to start understanding the rhythm of the house and the city, but the experience becomes much richer after two or three months. The first month is usually about arrival: getting to know the space, adapting, finding routines, understanding the group and discovering Palma.
After that, something more interesting appears. You begin to have your own places, your own rhythm, your conversations, your small rituals. Community stops being an idea and becomes part of everyday life.
So, while Laberint can welcome monthly stays, the ideal stay is one that allows people to live without rushing. Coliving works best when there is enough time for trust to appear, relationships to mature, and the person to feel that they have not only visited Mallorca, but truly inhabited a part of it.
10. Do you offer some special offers/discounts? (For longer stays, group bookings, couples, etc.)
Irene: In this opening phase, we want to take special care of the first people who become part of Laberint. That is why we have Founding Member spots, created as a recognition for those who take the first step and help build the community from the beginning.
Beyond that, we prefer not to build the project around aggressive discounts. Laberint should not be chosen only because of price, but because of fit, quality of the space, community and lifestyle. We can consider specific conditions for longer stays or authorised double occupancy, when it makes sense for the room, the house and the balance of the community.
What matters to us is that the proposal is clear, fair and sustainable. People should understand what is included, what they can expect and why Laberint offers something different from a conventional rental. The value is not only in the space itself, but in the care, the rhythm, the community and the feeling of arriving somewhere that has been designed with intention.
About the Future
“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson
11. Lastly, how do you see Leberint developing in the next few years? Do you have a vision of what it will grow into or some aspirations and goals that you’ve set for it?
Irene: I see Laberint growing slowly, but with a lot of intention. The first goal is to consolidate this first space in Palma: to learn, listen, refine the model and create a small, beautiful and well-cared-for community. For me, growth does not mean opening many doors quickly. It means proving that the model works without losing its essence.
In the long term, I would love Laberint to be recognised as a very Mediterranean and human way of understanding coliving: spaces with soul, community by affinity, balance between life and work, and real connection with the local environment.
If the project grows into other locations — whether in Mallorca, Menorca or beyond — I would like each Laberint to have its own personality while sharing the same philosophy. A crucial thread for us will always be respect for the authenticity of each place: its culture, its customs, its people and its natural rhythm.
The aspiration is to create spaces that help people live with more presence, work with more balance and feel part of a community that accompanies without invading.
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