Well, back 2 weeks and just getting around to the review 
Be warned this was going to be a quicky but has got longer and longer I love reading everyone elses so hopefully this is a chance to repay the favour......or send you to sleep 
First time on Ibiza since 2006, so we were very excited about making a return - albeit slightly nervous about 'feeling too old' Flights and hotel were very reasonable and we were under £250 each for the week - good start!
Flight on Tuesday evening was pretty straightforward, although 3 stag do's and a hen do meant it got a bit riotous and the fasten seat belts sign was switched on for about 45 minutes! Managed a couple of beers before the stock completely ran out, then we arrived 8) Easy and cheap transfer with Resort Hoppas to our apartments, El Coto, in San Antonio. The apartments were great - about a 15 min walk out of San An, close to Cala Gracio beach. Staff lovely - would definitely return.
Took a stroll into the town for a wander before bedtime - stopped at the bar beside Wips for some beer and people watching. On the way up the road we had our first experience of not being to buy take away beers late on
but a kind Chinese woman who was very keen to make some money did us an under the counter deal Back to apts for beer on the balcony and a relatively early night.
Got up to our first of 6 gorgeous sunny days 8) took a stroll down to Calo des Moro and onto the walkway for our first explore in the daylight. Interesting to see all the changes including the new decking down at Mambo, Del Mar etc. Had our lunch in David's - 2 huge Fisherman's salads and a couple of beers for around 25E yum yum. Today was England v Slovenia so we decided to catch the game and ended up in the Highlander thinking that it would be good not to be outnumbered anyway, not the best choice as we are never really fans of having the feeling of 'home away from home' when on holiday! But I did get nicely settled into the steady stream of half pints of Estrella, slightly staggered off my stool at full time and we headed back down towards the beach to enjoy some sun. Lovely cocktails at Golden Buddha and lounging on the sofas before heading to the Curry Club for dinner. Pre-dinner beers while we checked out the menu then lovely mango lassi's (can't remember if we had a starter!) with mutter paneer, lamb vindaloo, boiled rice and garlic naan. All very good, except for the vindaloo which tasted like it had too much vinegar in it. Slightly disappointing compared to previous visits, but would still consider returning. Oh! beautiful sunset this day - but how anyone is tempted to squeeze in down on the rocks or into the expensive sunset bars is beyond me. It's all about finding your own wee spot the rubbish that is left down there is just despicable....take it with you
Thursday we enjoyed time down on Cala Gracio beach. We had never been out here and it was a lovely find. Really chilled day down there swimming and sunbathing. Checked out the bar which we would visit again later. Begun to realise that you really can tan when on Ibiza - a piece of useful information that comes with getting older One of our favourite dinners this night - El Rincon de Pepe. It was busy when we got there, but managed to grab a stool at the bar and order a jug of sangria. Placed our order which was "one of everything" and then a table became free. The tapas was just fab - my mouth is watering at the thought! Hard to remember everything but amongst other things we had an aubergine/meat dish, a type of potato salad, roasted pepper/onion salad, meatballs, bread, olives etc. We finished off with 2 cafe con leche con brandy and rolled up the road for some Hierbas night caps
After having 2 days to ease into our holiday we were ready to travel a little bit further than the end of the road We got the bus over to PDB - made the mistake of heading around about lunchtime when it was hectic for the bus to get out of Ibiza Town - but made it if somewhat overheating! Spent the rest of the afternoon at the Aguamar - great fun for the big kid in you it did seem quite expensive initially, and especially when we saw that there is also a charge for a locker and for sunbeds, but turned out we only had a charge for the locker. There were plenty of beds free and pretty much no queue for any of the flumes so we felt we got our money's worth - great laugh Left the park when it closed and headed to Passion for some yummy fruit juices and even yummier potato wedges. From there a 6-pack of beer and down to the beach to roll around outside Bora Bora. Some things in Ibiza are expensive, but the people watching is FREE - hilarious When they closed off Bora Bora we headed back to the main street to a bar next door to Murphy's Irish Bar? Back on the lovely Estrella half pints (my new favourite way to drink in hot countries!) and watched Spain beat Chile. By this time the PR people were out in force and we had free wristbands for the Panorama/Berghain night at Space - ah well it would be rude not to! Grabbed a tasty pizza somewhere else along that road for dinner and started on the vodkas! My memory of getting into Space is a bit patchy but I know we enjoyed a couple of drinks in the old terrace - my other half finding it hysterical that when I came back from a trip to the loo was completely unable to relocate where we were sitting, cue lots of wandering around like a rabbit in the headlights while he rolled around laughing! Music was good and we also had our first club drink price experience of the trip - vodka limons 12E, tequilas 6E. We left Space fully intending to take the bus back, but I think when my other half realised that when I thought I was being funny by dancing with a tree that he really should grab me in a headlock and get me in a taxi to save him further embarrassment - 25E well spent
Wee after party to ourselves meant that Saturday was a bit of a write off and we just stayed local in the day, enjoying the pool area at the apartments and tanning time on the balcony. Had a paella in the evening at one of the restaurants down near the fountains - not our best idea, it was o.k, but not great - ah you live and learn! Attempted to go for cocktails on the 'love seats' at the bar, I think next door to Kanya, but after having a not so great customer service experience, then being offered a cold seat in the dark we decided just to head to our own balcony for drinks and have a quiet one ahead of my birthday the next day...
Was woken up to cards and presents which had been brought over for me and the sun streaming in the window - where else would you wish to celebrate On the Saturday night the hotel receptionist had also very kindly helped out my friends from work by arranging for a birthday cake and bottle of pink cava to be popped in our fridge! She had also left a note on the fridge door "Open Me Please" - it was fantastic I was treated to a massage from the lady down on Cala Gracio beach - she was wonderful and we both got more than the 20 mins we had paid for. Had a nice light lunch at the beach bar down there then back to the apartments to get ready for my next surprise at 4pm. A taxi arrived to take us to Benirras, Ibiza Yoga. I love yoga and teach a couple of classes a week, so this was an amazing surprise I had never been in the north of the Island so it was great to see some more of Ibiza. We had a wonderful 3 hours on a rooftop yoga deck with a nice gentle practice looking out towards the sea....absolute bliss. We did however, forego the vegetarian dinner and I was treated even more with a lovely seafood dinner and drinks at restaurant 2000 - bread and olives, calamari and sole main courses, brandy coffees, ice creams and bottle of wine for around 50E. We wandered over the beach and joined the party, watching the fire displays and hippy drummers while drinking 1E iced cold beers until about 12, when we headed back to 2000 for a final drink and they called us a taxi. We did our good deed for the day and took a skint Greek guy back down to San An with us The night then went slightly downhill standards wise, but great fun and lots of laughs - perhaps at the expense of others What I will say is that we dipped our toes in the West End for 6 drinks for 5E, had a giggle at some unfortunate England fans (but were also understanding and consoling!), saw a very large man shuggie in a bin, had a change of outfit and laughed at some rather dippy (and rude!) English girls who thought I was Spanish (I have blonde hair and blue eyes!). My fabulous birthday was rounded off by enjoying the cava and cake with the night porter of the apartments
Monday - last full day
how does it happen, the week passes so quickly! Slow start to the day, but decided the best way to recover was a swim in the sea and some food. We took a walk around to Calo des Moro, dropped our things on a rock and had a swim out to sea until the hangover began to subside! Off to Kasbah for a burger - they really are big, homemade and very very tasty. They were doing a deal that you got burger, chips and drink for 8E. Spent the day sunbathing, then a wee siesta as that night we were booked into Pacha restaurant. Headed over to Ibiza Town on a bus around 8. The restaurant was lovely - we had a great little table in the corner on nice comfy seats, very romantic Mojitos while we checked out the menu then we ordered sushi Jo (if I remember rightly!) to share for starters, then duck leg and red tuna for mains, with a tasty bottle of white wine. We had more cafe con leche con brandy (the waitress in here told us the right name, can anyone help?), and enjoyed another cocktail and beer before settling the bill ready to check out Swedish House Mafia - bill including tip was 186E.
It's been a while since I have been in Pacha and my other half had never been so it was good to have a nosey around and truly begin to understand what everyone means about it now being taken over by VIP areas music in the main room was o.k to begin with, but then they announced the guest.......Tinie Tempah :x our idea of hell, so we scurried upstairs to the roof terrace and enjoyed a few drinks. We decided that we would head back over to San An - it was now around 4am and we'd enjoyed the experience BUT when we headed back in the Funky room has some nice tunes and small crowd dancing so we joined in we then began to head for the door but when we hit the main room it was MUCH better - needless to say that was us there until the last daft punk singalong at 7am would I go back to SHM? Probably not - we did have a great couple of hours of pure singalong party tunes - with the odd fluffy trance number, when I popped to the loo I didn't expect anything else, so it was a great happy party to end the week on, having good fun with people from lots of different places. I would probably have preferred the music at Cocoon, but it was great to try something different and have the dinner etc as part of it. Drinks were around the same price as Space at 12E vodka limon. As is always the case we wished we had another night as we really could have carried on - but it was bus back to San An at 8am, an espresso down by the harbour then our lovely hotel receptionist came to the rescue again by letting us keep our room until we were collected at 7.45pm. We just had time for a lovely lasagne in the hotel restaurant and big goodbyes before we were Scotland bound.
What a wonderful week - definitely one of the best I can be a bit of a planning freak, but threw that out the window this time and definitely reaped the benefits. Ibiza is a place with such a wonderful atmosphere and way of life, like all of you I'm sure we didn't want to come home!
Is it expensive? Yes, more so than it used to be, but I think that's all to do with exchange rates, so we just looked at everything as pounds, then got a pleasant surprise when we checked out the spends when we came home As for drinks, we all gasp at the 12E vodkas, but they really are comparable to home. In Pacha and Space the measures were huge - if you think that they contain around 4 measures and you get a full glass bottle of mixer, just think what you would pay in a nice bar here - it didn't seem so bad to think that way!
Will I go back? definitely - so many places in the world I want to see, but as you all know Ibiza gets into your heart and mind and there's no shaking that so I will be back at some point for sure
Be warned this was going to be a quicky but has got longer and longer I love reading everyone elses so hopefully this is a chance to repay the favour......or send you to sleep First time on Ibiza since 2006, so we were very excited about making a return - albeit slightly nervous about 'feeling too old'
Flights and hotel were very reasonable and we were under £250 each for the week - good start!Flight on Tuesday evening was pretty straightforward, although 3 stag do's and a hen do meant it got a bit riotous and the fasten seat belts sign was switched on for about 45 minutes! Managed a couple of beers before the stock completely ran out, then we arrived 8) Easy and cheap transfer with Resort Hoppas to our apartments, El Coto, in San Antonio. The apartments were great - about a 15 min walk out of San An, close to Cala Gracio beach. Staff lovely - would definitely return.
Took a stroll into the town for a wander before bedtime - stopped at the bar beside Wips for some beer and people watching. On the way up the road we had our first experience of not being to buy take away beers late on
but a kind Chinese woman who was very keen to make some money did us an under the counter deal Back to apts for beer on the balcony and a relatively early night.Got up to our first of 6 gorgeous sunny days 8) took a stroll down to Calo des Moro and onto the walkway for our first explore in the daylight. Interesting to see all the changes including the new decking down at Mambo, Del Mar etc. Had our lunch in David's - 2 huge Fisherman's salads and a couple of beers for around 25E yum yum. Today was England v Slovenia so we decided to catch the game and ended up in the Highlander thinking that it would be good not to be outnumbered
anyway, not the best choice as we are never really fans of having the feeling of 'home away from home' when on holiday! But I did get nicely settled into the steady stream of half pints of Estrella, slightly staggered off my stool at full time and we headed back down towards the beach to enjoy some sun. Lovely cocktails at Golden Buddha and lounging on the sofas before heading to the Curry Club for dinner. Pre-dinner beers while we checked out the menu then lovely mango lassi's (can't remember if we had a starter!) with mutter paneer, lamb vindaloo, boiled rice and garlic naan. All very good, except for the vindaloo which tasted like it had too much vinegar in it. Slightly disappointing compared to previous visits, but would still consider returning. Oh! beautiful sunset this day - but how anyone is tempted to squeeze in down on the rocks or into the expensive sunset bars is beyond me. It's all about finding your own wee spot the rubbish that is left down there is just despicable....take it with you Thursday we enjoyed time down on Cala Gracio beach. We had never been out here and it was a lovely find. Really chilled day down there swimming and sunbathing. Checked out the bar which we would visit again later. Begun to realise that you really can tan when on Ibiza - a piece of useful information that comes with getting older
One of our favourite dinners this night - El Rincon de Pepe. It was busy when we got there, but managed to grab a stool at the bar and order a jug of sangria. Placed our order which was "one of everything" and then a table became free. The tapas was just fab - my mouth is watering at the thought! Hard to remember everything but amongst other things we had an aubergine/meat dish, a type of potato salad, roasted pepper/onion salad, meatballs, bread, olives etc. We finished off with 2 cafe con leche con brandy and rolled up the road for some Hierbas night caps After having 2 days to ease into our holiday we were ready to travel a little bit further than the end of the road
We got the bus over to PDB - made the mistake of heading around about lunchtime when it was hectic for the bus to get out of Ibiza Town - but made it if somewhat overheating! Spent the rest of the afternoon at the Aguamar - great fun for the big kid in you it did seem quite expensive initially, and especially when we saw that there is also a charge for a locker and for sunbeds, but turned out we only had a charge for the locker. There were plenty of beds free and pretty much no queue for any of the flumes so we felt we got our money's worth - great laugh Left the park when it closed and headed to Passion for some yummy fruit juices and even yummier potato wedges. From there a 6-pack of beer and down to the beach to roll around outside Bora Bora. Some things in Ibiza are expensive, but the people watching is FREE - hilarious When they closed off Bora Bora we headed back to the main street to a bar next door to Murphy's Irish Bar? Back on the lovely Estrella half pints (my new favourite way to drink in hot countries!) and watched Spain beat Chile. By this time the PR people were out in force and we had free wristbands for the Panorama/Berghain night at Space - ah well it would be rude not to! Grabbed a tasty pizza somewhere else along that road for dinner and started on the vodkas! My memory of getting into Space is a bit patchy but I know we enjoyed a couple of drinks in the old terrace - my other half finding it hysterical that when I came back from a trip to the loo was completely unable to relocate where we were sitting, cue lots of wandering around like a rabbit in the headlights while he rolled around laughing! Music was good and we also had our first club drink price experience of the trip - vodka limons 12E, tequilas 6E. We left Space fully intending to take the bus back, but I think when my other half realised that when I thought I was being funny by dancing with a tree that he really should grab me in a headlock and get me in a taxi to save him further embarrassment - 25E well spent Wee after party to ourselves meant that Saturday was a bit of a write off and we just stayed local in the day, enjoying the pool area at the apartments and tanning time on the balcony. Had a paella in the evening at one of the restaurants down near the fountains - not our best idea, it was o.k, but not great - ah you live and learn! Attempted to go for cocktails on the 'love seats' at the bar, I think next door to Kanya, but after having a not so great customer service experience, then being offered a cold seat in the dark we decided just to head to our own balcony for drinks and have a quiet one ahead of my birthday the next day...
Was woken up to cards and presents which had been brought over for me and the sun streaming in the window - where else would you wish to celebrate
On the Saturday night the hotel receptionist had also very kindly helped out my friends from work by arranging for a birthday cake and bottle of pink cava to be popped in our fridge! She had also left a note on the fridge door "Open Me Please" - it was fantastic I was treated to a massage from the lady down on Cala Gracio beach - she was wonderful and we both got more than the 20 mins we had paid for. Had a nice light lunch at the beach bar down there then back to the apartments to get ready for my next surprise at 4pm. A taxi arrived to take us to Benirras, Ibiza Yoga. I love yoga and teach a couple of classes a week, so this was an amazing surprise I had never been in the north of the Island so it was great to see some more of Ibiza. We had a wonderful 3 hours on a rooftop yoga deck with a nice gentle practice looking out towards the sea....absolute bliss. We did however, forego the vegetarian dinner and I was treated even more with a lovely seafood dinner and drinks at restaurant 2000 - bread and olives, calamari and sole main courses, brandy coffees, ice creams and bottle of wine for around 50E. We wandered over the beach and joined the party, watching the fire displays and hippy drummers while drinking 1E iced cold beers until about 12, when we headed back to 2000 for a final drink and they called us a taxi. We did our good deed for the day and took a skint Greek guy back down to San An with us The night then went slightly downhill standards wise, but great fun and lots of laughs - perhaps at the expense of others What I will say is that we dipped our toes in the West End for 6 drinks for 5E, had a giggle at some unfortunate England fans (but were also understanding and consoling!), saw a very large man shuggie in a bin, had a change of outfit and laughed at some rather dippy (and rude!) English girls who thought I was Spanish (I have blonde hair and blue eyes!). My fabulous birthday was rounded off by enjoying the cava and cake with the night porter of the apartments Monday - last full day
how does it happen, the week passes so quickly! Slow start to the day, but decided the best way to recover was a swim in the sea and some food. We took a walk around to Calo des Moro, dropped our things on a rock and had a swim out to sea until the hangover began to subside! Off to Kasbah for a burger - they really are big, homemade and very very tasty. They were doing a deal that you got burger, chips and drink for 8E. Spent the day sunbathing, then a wee siesta as that night we were booked into Pacha restaurant. Headed over to Ibiza Town on a bus around 8. The restaurant was lovely - we had a great little table in the corner on nice comfy seats, very romantic Mojitos while we checked out the menu then we ordered sushi Jo (if I remember rightly!) to share for starters, then duck leg and red tuna for mains, with a tasty bottle of white wine. We had more cafe con leche con brandy (the waitress in here told us the right name, can anyone help?), and enjoyed another cocktail and beer before settling the bill ready to check out Swedish House Mafia - bill including tip was 186E. It's been a while since I have been in Pacha and my other half had never been so it was good to have a nosey around and truly begin to understand what everyone means about it now being taken over by VIP areas
music in the main room was o.k to begin with, but then they announced the guest.......Tinie Tempah :x our idea of hell, so we scurried upstairs to the roof terrace and enjoyed a few drinks. We decided that we would head back over to San An - it was now around 4am and we'd enjoyed the experience BUT when we headed back in the Funky room has some nice tunes and small crowd dancing so we joined in we then began to head for the door but when we hit the main room it was MUCH better - needless to say that was us there until the last daft punk singalong at 7am would I go back to SHM? Probably not - we did have a great couple of hours of pure singalong party tunes - with the odd fluffy trance number, when I popped to the loo I didn't expect anything else, so it was a great happy party to end the week on, having good fun with people from lots of different places. I would probably have preferred the music at Cocoon, but it was great to try something different and have the dinner etc as part of it. Drinks were around the same price as Space at 12E vodka limon. As is always the case we wished we had another night as we really could have carried on - but it was bus back to San An at 8am, an espresso down by the harbour then our lovely hotel receptionist came to the rescue again by letting us keep our room until we were collected at 7.45pm. We just had time for a lovely lasagne in the hotel restaurant and big goodbyes before we were Scotland bound.What a wonderful week - definitely one of the best
I can be a bit of a planning freak, but threw that out the window this time and definitely reaped the benefits. Ibiza is a place with such a wonderful atmosphere and way of life, like all of you I'm sure we didn't want to come home!Is it expensive? Yes, more so than it used to be, but I think that's all to do with exchange rates, so we just looked at everything as pounds, then got a pleasant surprise when we checked out the spends when we came home
As for drinks, we all gasp at the 12E vodkas, but they really are comparable to home. In Pacha and Space the measures were huge - if you think that they contain around 4 measures and you get a full glass bottle of mixer, just think what you would pay in a nice bar here - it didn't seem so bad to think that way!Will I go back? definitely - so many places in the world I want to see, but as you all know Ibiza gets into your heart and mind and there's no shaking that so I will be back at some point for sure
