Late July Ibiza trip report

ollieSWLon

Active Member
Loooong time lurker here! I've been reading posts from Barbie and Stivi for years and have gained an awful lot from this forum so thank you all! Had a recent 9 night stay at Cas Gasi in the countryside just outside Santa Getrudis. It was my first time back in Ibiza after a 9 year break. Previously I had done a lot of clubbing and obviously this trip was different, but if anything even more enjoyable. Ibiza was everything we needed it to be. The restaurants and beach clubs that we went to were all buzzing and busy in sharp contrast to Playa den Bossa which we drove though which was totally dead. Basically the high end sector seems to be booming because people are less worried about quarantine as many can wfh anyway whereas package tourism and clubbers have been hit hard.

Friday - took an easy BA flight from LHR. A bit odd to wear masks but decent service had a few gin and tonics and felt very excited to be escaping London after 5 months. we bumped into some friends in the BA lounge who were also on our flight and we were meeting another couple in Ibiza so it promised to be a fun trip. Cas Gasi was just fantastic. Stunning country views, loads of space by the pool and great food. Maximum privacy - Emma Watson was staying at the time.
Friday night we went to Bottega del Buco in Santa Getrudis for a late dinner. Loved Santa Getrudis generally always busy and a great vibe. BdB was OK but service a bit chaotic and quite expenisve.

Saturday - lazed by the pool all day and then went into Ibiza town for dinner at Mariner. Was a bit stressful walking around Ibiza town with masks on as was very hot and the bar owners along the water front kept trying to drag us into their bars West Endy-style - really? Mariner was really delicious - we were concerned it might be a tourist trap given the location right on the harbour front, but not at all and totally full by around 2330. Afterwards we went to some bars in the gay area which was totally hopping with a nice mix of people. Everything closed at 2am though.

Sunday we went for lunch at Cala Bonita - really fantastic. Great views, service and food with a DJ playing in the background. Lots and lots of wine and fun with our friends. Parking a bit stressful on way in and out and the resturant totally full. That night late dinner at La Paloma. This place is very hyped and was packed but is indeed beautiful and quite magical - all lit up in the countryside with great service.

Monday - beach day at Es Cavallet. Easy parking and beautiful walk through the dunes. Real mix of families, gays, straight couples and about 50 percent naked with nobody batting an eyelid. Only in Ibiza and stunning clear sand and water. Felt very happy to be back. That night dinner in the hotel.

Tuesday - day by the pool. Felt v chilled out. Dinner at Finca La Plaza in Santa Getrudis. This one is amazing, beautiful garden and stunning food and wine.

Wednesday - we drove to Salinas around 10 am and got loungers at Jockey Club. Great service lots of drinks and then late lunch there. Music pumping and v busy. Much more see and be seen than Es Cavallet and lots of people showing off with champagne etc. Still a really fun day. Dinner at Macao Cafe in SG which is a real scene lots of Boho Notting Hill/Paris/Barcelona types having fun but somehow still relaxing and excellent spoiling service. We loved it.

Thursday - another pool day - it was perfect weather every day. Thurs evening we drove over to the 7pines for sunset and dinner. The set up there is quite nice with a DJ and stupendous views over Es Vedra. Food so so and extremely expensive but worth it for the views and atmosphere.

Friday - Took the ferry around 10am from Ibiza town to Formentera. WOW my first time there. Got a taxi to Juan Y Andrea on Illetes. The beach and water are seriously Maldives quality and the beach was busy but not packed. We had lunch at Juan Y Andrea which I can only recommend for the people watching. Otherwise it's a rip off joint for the vulgar rich coming off of the boats. 150E for a tiny piece of John Dory? Nein Danke. I want to go back and stay on Formentera it has such an amazing vibe and beauty I have not seen in Europe. Friday night back to Macao Cafe and bumped into people from London we know - fun night.

Saturday - 5 hours lunch and the best we had by far in Ibiza at Chiringuito Cala Gracioneta. So lovely in every way. A real slice of Ibiza perfection that could only exist on that island. Delightful staff. We told them we were thinking of heading over to Hostal La Torre for sunset and dinner and they called them and got us the absolute best spot on the rocks at the front. La Torre was magical with chilled beats to watch a perfect sunset.

Sunday - home. Checked in next to Thandi Newton (beautiful) and an easy flight back to London City and unfortunately into quarantine. We would still have travelled had we known about it. We will be back to Ibiza asap. The countryside was beautiful with real peace and serenity just 15 minutes from Ibiza town. Definitely not just a place for clubbers and I can see myself going back well into middle and hopefully old age :)
 
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I always book the Mrs and kids apart on the return journey... just for some me time ?
 
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Loooong time lurker here! I've been reading posts from Barbie and Stivi for years and have gained an awful lot from this forum so thank you all! Had a recent 9 night stay at Cas Gasi in the countryside just outside Santa Getrudis. It was my first time back in Ibiza after a 9 year break. Previously I had done a lot of clubbing and obviously this trip was different, but if anything even more enjoyable. Ibiza was everything we needed it to be. The restaurants and beach clubs that we went to were all buzzing and busy in sharp contrast to Playa den Bossa which we drove though which was totally dead. Basically the high end sector seems to be booming because people are less worried about quarantine as many can wfh anyway whereas package tourism and clubbers have been hit hard.

Friday - took an easy BA flight from LHR. A bit odd to wear masks but decent service had a few gin and tonics and felt very excited to be escaping London after 5 months. we bumped into some friends in the BA lounge who were also on our flight and we were meeting another couple in Ibiza so it promised to be a fun trip. Cas Gasi was just fantastic. Stunning country views, loads of space by the pool and great food. Maximum privacy - Emma Watson was staying at the time.
Friday night we went to Bottega del Buco in Santa Getrudis for a late dinner. Loved Santa Getrudis generally always busy and a great vibe. BdB was OK but service a bit chaotic and quite expenisve.

Saturday - lazed by the pool all day and then went into Ibiza town for dinner at Mariner. Was a bit stressful walking around Ibiza town with masks on as was very hot and the bar owners along the water front kept trying to drag us into their bars West Endy-style - really? Mariner was really delicious - we were concerned it might be a tourist trap given the location right on the harbour front, but not at all and totally full by around 2330. Afterwards we went to some bars in the gay area which was totally hopping with a nice mix of people. Everything closed at 2am though.

Sunday we went for lunch at Cala Bonita - really fantastic. Great views, service and food with a DJ playing in the background. Lots and lots of wine and fun with our friends. Parking a bit stressful on way in and out and the resturant totally full. That night late dinner at La Paloma. This place is very hyped and was packed but is indeed beautiful and quite magical - all lit up in the countryside with great service.

Monday - beach day at Es Cavallet. Easy parking and beautiful walk through the dunes. Real mix of families, gays, straight couples and about 50 percent naked with nobody batting an eyelid. Only in Ibiza and stunning clear sand and water. Felt very happy to be back. That night dinner in the hotel.

Tuesday - day by the pool. Felt v chilled out. Dinner at Finca La Plaza in Santa Getrudis. This one is amazing, beautiful garden and stunning food and wine.

Wednesday - we drove to Salinas around 10 am and got loungers at Jockey Club. Great service lots of drinks and then late lunch there. Music pumping and v busy. Much more see and be seen than Es Cavallet and lots of people showing off with champagne etc. Still a really fun day. Dinner at Macao Cafe in SG which is a real scene lots of Boho Notting Hill/Paris/Barcelona types having fun but somehow still relaxing and excellent spoiling service. We loved it.

Thursday - another pool day - it was perfect weather every day. Thurs evening we drove over to the 7pines for sunset and dinner. The set up there is quite nice with a DJ and stupendous views over Es Vedra. Food so so and extremely expensive but worth it for the views and atmosphere.

Friday - Took the ferry around 10am from Ibiza town to Formentera. WOW my first time there. Got a taxi to Juan Y Andrea on Illetes. The beach and water are seriously Maldives quality and the beach was busy but not packed. We had lunch at Juan Y Andrea which I can only recommend for the people watching. Otherwise it's a rip off joint for the vulgar rich coming off of the boats. 150E for a tiny piece of John Dory? Nein Danke. I want to go back and stay on Formentera it has such an amazing vibe and beauty I have not seen in Europe. Friday night back to Macao Cafe and bumped into people from London we know - fun night.

Saturday - 5 hours lunch and the best we had by far in Ibiza at Chiringuito Cala Gracioneta. So lovely in every way. A real slice of Ibiza perfection that could only exist on that island. Delightful staff. We told them we were thinking of heading over to Hostal La Torre for sunset and dinner and they called them and got us the absolute best spot on the rocks at the front. La Torre was magical with chilled beats to watch a perfect sunset.

Sunday - home. Checked in next to Thandi Newton (beautiful) and an easy flight back to London City and unfortunately into quarantine. We would still have travelled had we known about it. We will be back to Ibiza asap. The countryside was beautiful with real peace and serenity just 15 minutes from Ibiza town. Definitely not just a place for clubbers and I can see myself going back well into middle and hopefully old age :)
Brilliant review! Sounds like a fantastic week and you clearly made the best of no clubs being open.
 
Loooong time lurker here! I've been reading posts from Barbie and Stivi for years and have gained an awful lot from this forum so thank you all! Had a recent 9 night stay at Cas Gasi in the countryside just outside Santa Getrudis. It was my first time back in Ibiza after a 9 year break. Previously I had done a lot of clubbing and obviously this trip was different, but if anything even more enjoyable. Ibiza was everything we needed it to be. The restaurants and beach clubs that we went to were all buzzing and busy in sharp contrast to Playa den Bossa which we drove though which was totally dead. Basically the high end sector seems to be booming because people are less worried about quarantine as many can wfh anyway whereas package tourism and clubbers have been hit hard.

Friday - took an easy BA flight from LHR. A bit odd to wear masks but decent service had a few gin and tonics and felt very excited to be escaping London after 5 months. we bumped into some friends in the BA lounge who were also on our flight and we were meeting another couple in Ibiza so it promised to be a fun trip. Cas Gasi was just fantastic. Stunning country views, loads of space by the pool and great food. Maximum privacy - Emma Watson was staying at the time.
Friday night we went to Bottega del Buco in Santa Getrudis for a late dinner. Loved Santa Getrudis generally always busy and a great vibe. BdB was OK but service a bit chaotic and quite expenisve.

Saturday - lazed by the pool all day and then went into Ibiza town for dinner at Mariner. Was a bit stressful walking around Ibiza town with masks on as was very hot and the bar owners along the water front kept trying to drag us into their bars West Endy-style - really? Mariner was really delicious - we were concerned it might be a tourist trap given the location right on the harbour front, but not at all and totally full by around 2330. Afterwards we went to some bars in the gay area which was totally hopping with a nice mix of people. Everything closed at 2am though.

Sunday we went for lunch at Cala Bonita - really fantastic. Great views, service and food with a DJ playing in the background. Lots and lots of wine and fun with our friends. Parking a bit stressful on way in and out and the resturant totally full. That night late dinner at La Paloma. This place is very hyped and was packed but is indeed beautiful and quite magical - all lit up in the countryside with great service.

Monday - beach day at Es Cavallet. Easy parking and beautiful walk through the dunes. Real mix of families, gays, straight couples and about 50 percent naked with nobody batting an eyelid. Only in Ibiza and stunning clear sand and water. Felt very happy to be back. That night dinner in the hotel.

Tuesday - day by the pool. Felt v chilled out. Dinner at Finca La Plaza in Santa Getrudis. This one is amazing, beautiful garden and stunning food and wine.

Wednesday - we drove to Salinas around 10 am and got loungers at Jockey Club. Great service lots of drinks and then late lunch there. Music pumping and v busy. Much more see and be seen than Es Cavallet and lots of people showing off with champagne etc. Still a really fun day. Dinner at Macao Cafe in SG which is a real scene lots of Boho Notting Hill/Paris/Barcelona types having fun but somehow still relaxing and excellent spoiling service. We loved it.

Thursday - another pool day - it was perfect weather every day. Thurs evening we drove over to the 7pines for sunset and dinner. The set up there is quite nice with a DJ and stupendous views over Es Vedra. Food so so and extremely expensive but worth it for the views and atmosphere.

Friday - Took the ferry around 10am from Ibiza town to Formentera. WOW my first time there. Got a taxi to Juan Y Andrea on Illetes. The beach and water are seriously Maldives quality and the beach was busy but not packed. We had lunch at Juan Y Andrea which I can only recommend for the people watching. Otherwise it's a rip off joint for the vulgar rich coming off of the boats. 150E for a tiny piece of John Dory? Nein Danke. I want to go back and stay on Formentera it has such an amazing vibe and beauty I have not seen in Europe. Friday night back to Macao Cafe and bumped into people from London we know - fun night.

Saturday - 5 hours lunch and the best we had by far in Ibiza at Chiringuito Cala Gracioneta. So lovely in every way. A real slice of Ibiza perfection that could only exist on that island. Delightful staff. We told them we were thinking of heading over to Hostal La Torre for sunset and dinner and they called them and got us the absolute best spot on the rocks at the front. La Torre was magical with chilled beats to watch a perfect sunset.

Sunday - home. Checked in next to Thandi Newton (beautiful) and an easy flight back to London City and unfortunately into quarantine. We would still have travelled had we known about it. We will be back to Ibiza asap. The countryside was beautiful with real peace and serenity just 15 minutes from Ibiza town. Definitely not just a place for clubbers and I can see myself going back well into middle and hopefully old age :)
Interesting review.

Quite amusing that we stayed very close to each other (we had a villa in San Miguel de Balansat, just a touch north of Santa Gertrudis), did many of the same things (we also even flew BA; we always do), yet had vastly different experiences. What's amusing is that you seem also live in SW London, based on your username - as do we.

We tend to go to Ibiza 2-3 times every year for a mixture of either family or party holidays (sometimes both).

We were quite sad to miss La Paloma as we haven't been there yet - how was the food?

7Pines is also supposed to be amazing; so it sounds like you basically had a quite high end holiday.

As I said in another post, you should definitely try to stay in Formentera the next time you go, although, once again, staying somewhere nice would be fairly expensive. I am happy to provide some recommendations if you'd like / that's not too presumptious.

We rented a yacht for our last day which was great - but throughout the holiday, we did keep asking ourselves, what separated this trip from being on an island in Greece, the coast of Croatia, or anywhere else in the Med, other than the cost? Obviously Ibiza needs to maximise the income from the tourists that ARE going, but other places seem to be achieving this by reducing costs and increasing numbers.

We were also going to stay out and work there, but have ended up coming home and are looking to perhaps go and work from Crete, where you get many of the same things you currently get in Ibiza, and far superior accommodation, all at a fraction of the cost.

We may still go back to Ibiza in around 10 days as our friends have a house free (right by Cala Conta) and have kindly offered us the opportunity to house sit for a few weeks - this would obviously reduce the costs substantially.

It sounds like you might be the new target market for Ibiza, based on the places you visited; while we also like luxury, we found the attitude from many people we spoke to towards people that can't afford those luxuries a touch condescending and borderline offensive.

Looking down at someone because they are a clubber, or don't have money, is a bit crass.
 
I almost feel like we need to go back and have a redo, as in 25-30 trips, this one was the only one where I didn't feel sad leaving.

We must have done something wrong. :(
 
I almost feel like we need to go back and have a redo, as in 25-30 trips, this one was the only one where I didn't feel sad leaving.

We must have done something wrong. :(
Don't think you done anything wrong mate.. I think because you didn't have any Out Out nights probably made it easier leaving than wishing you were just arriving ..
 
Interesting review.

Quite amusing that we stayed very close to each other (we had a villa in San Miguel de Balansat, just a touch north of Santa Gertrudis), did many of the same things (we also even flew BA; we always do), yet had vastly different experiences. What's amusing is that you seem also live in SW London, based on your username - as do we.

We tend to go to Ibiza 2-3 times every year for a mixture of either family or party holidays (sometimes both).

We were quite sad to miss La Paloma as we haven't been there yet - how was the food?

7Pines is also supposed to be amazing; so it sounds like you basically had a quite high end holiday.

As I said in another post, you should definitely try to stay in Formentera the next time you go, although, once again, staying somewhere nice would be fairly expensive. I am happy to provide some recommendations if you'd like / that's not too presumptious.

We rented a yacht for our last day which was great - but throughout the holiday, we did keep asking ourselves, what separated this trip from being on an island in Greece, the coast of Croatia, or anywhere else in the Med, other than the cost? Obviously Ibiza needs to maximise the income from the tourists that ARE going, but other places seem to be achieving this by reducing costs and increasing numbers.

We were also going to stay out and work there, but have ended up coming home and are looking to perhaps go and work from Crete, where you get many of the same things you currently get in Ibiza, and far superior accommodation, all at a fraction of the cost.

We may still go back to Ibiza in around 10 days as our friends have a house free (right by Cala Conta) and have kindly offered us the opportunity to house sit for a few weeks - this would obviously reduce the costs substantially.

It sounds like you might be the new target market for Ibiza, based on the places you visited; while we also like luxury, we found the attitude from many people we spoke to towards people that can't afford those luxuries a touch condescending and borderline offensive.

Looking down at someone because they are a clubber, or don't have money, is a bit crass.

I guess that I have less recent experience to compare to in Ibiza which might explain why I wasn't disappointed. We definitely did find the prices high, but after months being stuck at home not spending much money we were probably less sensitive to it . I completely agree that other places in the Med offer more in terms of luxury for less money (although let's not talk about Mykonos or St Tropez which are insane). What I did find in a lot of the places that we went to was a real 'Ibiza' feeling that was for me unique. Generally the crowd was interesting, diverse and somehow cooler than you'd find elsewhere - I could imagine a lot of them going wild on a night out! I found the locals super friendly and didn't hear any derogatory comments about clubbers or people who aren't wealthy (for the avoidance of doubt I hope I didn't give that impression either, not my intention).

I'd love to hear your recommendations for Formentera I loved everything about it (apart from Juan Y Andrea!).

7Pines was good for the view and the sunset. I'm not sure I'd stay, it's very resort-y like somewhere in Asia - no real sense of place - and for some reason seemed to take ages to get to. The taxi situation there was bad too.

La Paloma is very special I think you should try it. Food was great and service very friendly plus superb people watching.

Have you been to Ca Na Xica near to your villa? Looks nice too.

Yes SW London here :)
 
This is a lovely review. I had Juan Y Andrea on my list but I might scribble it off now. Last time I went to Formentera we did Beso and it was very good and loads of fun!

so glad you had a good time - everything sounded pretty amazing
 
Wednesday - we drove to Salinas around 10 am and got loungers at Jockey Club. Great service lots of drinks and then late lunch there. Music pumping and v busy. Much more see and be seen than Es Cavallet and lots of people showing off with champagne etc. Still a really fun day.
My bro Felix Da FUNK on decks on wednesday , i didnt go as ,no one was in along mates/contacts , but postponed for end september
Good house Tech House for sure .
 
This is a lovely review. I had Juan Y Andrea on my list but I might scribble it off now. Last time I went to Formentera we did Beso and it was very good and loads of fun!

so glad you had a good time - everything sounded pretty amazing

Beso was actually our first choice but was full.

Juan Y Andrea is not just crazily expensive (tuna tartare 36 euros, french fries 16 euros, bread and olives 10 euros....) but the waiters will try to push you to order more - definitely avoid it.

Loving your updates too.
 
Beso was actually our first choice but was full.

Juan Y Andrea is not just crazily expensive (tuna tartare 36 euros, french fries 16 euros, bread and olives 10 euros....) but the waiters will try to push you to order more - definitely avoid it.

Loving your updates too.

juan y andrea - an institution yeah, but everyone knows it's stupidly expensive and full of rich and famous. sort of a must do for anyone with a name.

lately I hear lots and lots of good feedback from es moli de sal. not a beach club, but simply a restaurant on the beach that apparently does a lot of things right.
 
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