Tell us how it was - Ibiza 2022

[Ibizajames1980]

Dates you were there: 26th-28th Sep. 2nd trip of the year

Where you stayed: 1 night Central City San Antonio, 1 night Isola PDB. Nice and simple, cheap. Wanted a night in two different places. CC basic and right near the Strip as we wanted the Golden Buddha and Space Bar. Isola in PDB we really liked and would stay there for longer

Club nights visited: Kevin and Perry Amnesia

Best night: just the one so KAP. I started my clubbing in 99 and worshipped the super clubs. I based my Ibiza trips around Cream and Judgement. So at 41 to hear some of my favourite Tunes again in that club was special. The 3 hours of Seb and Jules I loved. Slighty cheesy in parts but who gives a f***. I’m there to smile and enjoy myself. As was everyone in that club. It was brilliant

Worst night: none

Best bar: Had a few Beers in Space Eat and Dance at 11am Tuesday morning watching the Sea and it was lush

Best place to eat: Pizza in David’s was great and the mrs steak she said was very good. Also breakfast at Rita’s was ace

Best beach and/or beach club: was nice to sit outside Bora Bora for the afternoon popping in for Beers and Shots for one last time

Swam in the Sea at Calo Des Moro and the Little cove by Rita’s, the water at Playa Den Bossa was lovely and clear this time

Money spent: all in around £1000

Biggest regret: never any regrets

Going back?: next year with the mrs for a week split between Talamanca and Cala Tarida. And a short visit with the kids to San Antonio

Top tip: travel light so you can whizz straight out the airport in the Taxis

Observations and/or conclusion: it’s just an amazing island. I could be sat in a wet San Antonio and there is nowhere else I’d rather be. I enjoy the island for what it is and try not to think about what is was or how it’s changing. Now the excitement starts for next year

 

[Sassette]

Dates you were there: Mon 19/9 – Mon 26/9

Where you stayed: Jet Apartments, Playa D'en Bossa -> absolutely perfect for our group (file under music head/clubber). During July they offered a 20% discount on their website for long stays. Super-friendly staff (shout-out to the cleaning services!), great accommodation (4 single beds, 2 rooms, 2 bathrooms) with stunning sea-side view. We took the cheapest option but beware not all rooms come with a view so may be well worth looking into upgrades. Don't expect much from music at the pool (cheap tech house) or the kitchenette. Target audience are British youngsters. Not the place you want to take family or the missus to. The place gets relatively silent between 6 AM and 1 PM.

Club nights visited:
Mon 19/9 Circoloco
I already had my say in the review area and I stick by it. The San Josep noise restrictions made the subwoofer overkill more bearable this year, now they need to work on their so-called security staff, absolutely the worst control crew on the island. Mind I don't take it personal, it's a structural problem. Fantastic music all night long as expected. Entree was 60€ at the door.

Wed 21/9 Solomun@Port + Paradise
Solomun put the island on a slingshot into the night. A very versatile dj set. Sound system and graphics were spot on. Think I won't appreciate it as much in the club but he's definitely not a sell-out, and it was exactly what the bay area needed where all sorts of people gathered. Bars in the Calle de la Virgen were very lively. Around 3 AM we arrived at Amnesia and immediately we felt at home in the main room. Music selections weren't overwhelming, but if you want to fit in a tech house night this is the one. Subs taken to the max, a bopping crowd and lots of room to dance. One of the few venues on the island where modern tech house works imo. At the terrace Jones finished the night at the terrace with some decent records, but the main room won the plot that night.

Thu 22/9 Cosmic Pineapple + Underground
We were new to Pikes. Liked the art fair. Nice track selection at the balearic pool although volume was on the low end: some rock, some acid, some house towards the end like that Cassian remix of Owner Of A Lonely Heart. Dj on the sunset terrace was doing a fine job as well but we came for the club. Chabeli was ending her warm-up set. Uplifting house with tribal elements. She brought lots of positive energy to the table which suited the event. The blacklight decoration was nice, but the crowd wasn't really our thing. It was marketed as a festival so I guess you get more of a festival crowd; people having fun because they were supposed to have fun and fashionistas. Nightmares On Wax came on around midnight and he cut back drastically on the energy. The man wasn't a nightmare but for us a mood killer. To me he's not a headliner for this sort of event; he'd do a far better job at one of the outside stages early on. After a few records we left the place. Enter Underground where Nima Gorji was playing all night long. A fraction of the numbers compared to Pikes but musically this was on another level. He took it mind-boggling deep down the rabbit hole, an absolutely impeccable selection seamlessly mixed. We had a rough night before so didn't stay until the end but no doubt this was one of the best sets I ever heard on the island.

Fri 23/9 Sacro
At the entrance of Cova Santa a live flamenco band was playing. True musicians in an intimate setting, loved it. Then onto the main act: Mëstiza, they brought nice blend of deep house and flamenco. An astonishing amount of detail was put into the show. Top class acrobats and dancers, flamenco shoes equipped with microphones so you could hear tapping coming through the speakers, a castanets drum machine,... The interaction between dj's and dancers was superb, topped of by a contribution of the live flamenco band. A pleasure to both eyes and ears. The concept is definitely one of the best out there, very decent sound levels as well. After midnight things went on inside where a stripped-down club awaited. A female dj was playing some deep house which wasn't too bad, but when one of the warm-up dj's took over and wanted to create the same atmosphere as before it was over for us and left the place. We really had a great night and I can't think of a better venue for this concept, but if Cova Santa wants things to be carried on afterhours inside they definitely need to work on their club programme and indoor stage setting. Drink prices are slightly lower in the club than outside.

Sat 24/9 Luciano
The island had an off-night. I enjoyed his Vagabundos nights at Space so thought to give this a go. As soon as we got in we knew this wasn't a match. We were all on the same level with this. Before we know it we were back on the street, it could have been revolving door. Was it the setting? Was it the crowd? Did he change? Did I change? Probably all of the above. We enjoyed the rest of the night at the balcony. One of the good things of Jet is you can do whatever you want on whatever volume you want, and the pool parties stop at sunset. Some of the best music of the week was played on that balcony. JBL Flip 3 has been a life saver that week many a times.

Sun 25/9 Pikes On Sunday
We decided to give the place another try as we really liked the venue. This night was less hyped and we expected Real Gang Soundsystem would bring a different vibe to Freddies. It wasn't really the crowd I'd associate with RGS but a lot of people gave it their best and went with the flow.
Freddies was nice & dark. First hour their selection felt pretty flat, but the boys grew into the night. Mixing wasn't always tight but I appreciated they were taking risks with genre-crossing and being playful with the mixer. Insert pangean flutes and chopped-up vocals (e.g. Can you dance to my beat). They brought a proper clubbing vibe to the venue, proper heads down stuff, not the things you find with Shazam.

Best night: All except Saturday

Worst night: Luc on Sat. Actually the struggle already started during daytime. We headed for the beach at Nassau as I expected they would play not too shabby music with decent volumes during weekends. Music was definitely loud enough but unfortunately only childish tech house when we got there. How on earth do people think this kind of music fits daytime on a beach full of sunbeds??? Drowsy go-go dancers as well, but can't really fault them with that rubbage coming through the speakers. The place felt posh and cheap.

Best bar: Bamboo Bar, San Antonio -> nice reggae vibe, friendly service, excellent beer, perfect for sunset drinks. Combined it with a dinner at Golden Buddha which was superb as well (can recommend the falafel salad) and very affordable (bottle of cava 20€). This combo is the best option on the strip imo (also passed Space Eat & Dance but it was closed due to staff shortage).

Best place to eat: we lunched almost daily at Can Rosales (1 AM sharp when Jet's pool parties started). Anything on the menu is good, everything priced below 20€, no fuss. La Griferia is the place to go if you're looking for tapas in that neighborhood; absolutely delicious (pinxto eggs!) and very good cocktails as well.

Best beach and/or beach club: Tue 20/9 Sa Trinxa -> Another shout for Gael, fantastic dj that brings a more dark, chuggy vibe to the place. Something we shazamed during the afternoon. Towards the evening a bit more uplifting (an I Feel Love edit that wasn't bad). Closed down the place. One of the best dj's we heard that week.

Money spent: plenty

Biggest regret: We didn't make it to Akasha for several reasons. Not really a regret, more something we’ll have to do another time. I’ve never been in the club but would definitely be a match. It has my name written all over it. In combination with dinner at Bar Anita of course.

Going back?:

Top tip: Cut your losses. Leaving Thursday (Cosmic Pineapple), Friday (Cova Santa afterhours) and Saturday (Luciano) were the right choices in hindsight. When you're accustomed to the island you get to see through the bs. Then it's up to you to follow your guts and cut to the chase. It's not worth staying at a place just because you've paid entry fee. There are always other options in the surroundings that will suit you more.

Observations and/or conclusion:
- Sound systems were on point everywhere we came.
- Probably my last stay at Playa d’en Bossa. At night the entire area turns into a giant tourist trap; nothing like I’ve seen before. Can’t comment on Octan as they had already closed the week before. I’d opt for Figueretas and its lovely promenade in the future if wanting to stay next to the airport and the old town.

View attachment 14905

This is one hell of a trip review … bravo !

 

[The Sun God]

Dates you were there: Mon 19/9 – Mon 26/9

Where you stayed: Jet Apartments, Playa D'en Bossa -> absolutely perfect for our group (file under music head/clubber). During July they offered a 20% discount on their website for long stays. Super-friendly staff (shout-out to the cleaning services!), great accommodation (4 single beds, 2 rooms, 2 bathrooms) with stunning sea-side view. We took the cheapest option but beware not all rooms come with a view so may be well worth looking into upgrades. Don't expect much from music at the pool (cheap tech house) or the kitchenette. Target audience are British youngsters. Not the place you want to take family or the missus to. The place gets relatively silent between 6 AM and 1 PM.

Club nights visited:
Mon 19/9 Circoloco
I already had my say in the review area and I stick by it. The San Josep noise restrictions made the subwoofer overkill more bearable this year, now they need to work on their so-called security staff, absolutely the worst control crew on the island. Mind I don't take it personal, it's a structural problem. Fantastic music all night long as expected. Entree was 60€ at the door.

Wed 21/9 Solomun@Port + Paradise
Solomun put the island on a slingshot into the night. A very versatile dj set. Sound system and graphics were spot on. Think I won't appreciate it as much in the club but he's definitely not a sell-out, and it was exactly what the bay area needed where all sorts of people gathered. Bars in the Calle de la Virgen were very lively. Around 3 AM we arrived at Amnesia and immediately we felt at home in the main room. Music selections weren't overwhelming, but if you want to fit in a tech house night this is the one. Subs taken to the max, a bopping crowd and lots of room to dance. One of the few venues on the island where modern tech house works imo. At the terrace Jones finished the night with some decent records, but the main room won the plot that night.

Thu 22/9 Cosmic Pineapple + Underground
We were new to Pikes. Liked the art fair. Nice track selection at the balearic pool although volume was on the low end: some rock, some acid, some house towards the end like that Cassian remix of Owner Of A Lonely Heart. Dj on the sunset terrace was doing a fine job as well but we came for the club. Chabeli was ending her warm-up set. Uplifting house with tribal elements. She brought lots of positive energy to the table which suited the event. The blacklight decoration was nice, but the crowd wasn't really our thing. It was marketed as a festival so I guess you get more of a festival crowd; people having fun because they were supposed to have fun and fashionistas. Nightmares On Wax came on around midnight and he cut back drastically on the energy. The man wasn't a nightmare but for us a mood killer. To me he's not a headliner for this sort of event; he'd do a far better job at one of the outside stages early on. After a few records we left the place. Enter Underground where Nima Gorji was playing all night long. A fraction of the numbers compared to Pikes but musically this was on another level. He took it mind-boggling deep down the rabbit hole, an absolutely impeccable selection seamlessly mixed. We had a rough night before so didn't stay until the end but no doubt this was one of the best sets I ever heard on the island.

Fri 23/9 Sacro
At the entrance of Cova Santa a live flamenco band was playing. True musicians in an intimate setting, loved it. Then onto the main act: Mëstiza, they brought nice blend of deep house and flamenco. An astonishing amount of detail was put into the show. Top class acrobats and dancers, flamenco shoes equipped with microphones so you could hear tapping coming through the speakers, a castanets drum machine,... The interaction between dj's and dancers was superb, topped of by a contribution of the live flamenco band. A pleasure to both eyes and ears. The concept is definitely one of the best out there, very decent sound levels as well. After midnight things went on inside where a stripped-down club awaited. A female dj was playing some deep house which wasn't too bad, but when one of the warm-up dj's took over and wanted to create the same atmosphere as before it was over for us and left the place. We really had a great night and I can't think of a better venue for this concept, but if Cova Santa wants things to be carried on afterhours inside they definitely need to work on their club programme and indoor stage setting. Drink prices are slightly lower in the club than outside.

Sat 24/9 Luciano
The island had an off-night. I enjoyed his Vagabundos nights at Space so thought to give this a go. As soon as we got in we knew this wasn't a match. We were all on the same level with this. Before we know it we were back on the street, it could have been revolving door. Was it the setting? Was it the crowd? Did he change? Did I change? Probably all of the above. We enjoyed the rest of the night at the balcony. One of the good things of Jet is you can do whatever you want on whatever volume you want, and the pool parties stop at sunset. Some of the best music of the week was played on that balcony. JBL Flip 3 has been a life saver that week many a times.

Sun 25/9 Pikes On Sunday
We decided to give the place another try as we really liked the venue. This night was less hyped and we expected Real Gang Soundsystem would bring a different vibe to Freddies. It wasn't really the crowd I'd associate with RGS but a lot of people gave it their best and went with the flow.
Freddies was nice & dark. First hour their selection felt pretty flat, but the boys grew into the night. Mixing wasn't always tight but I appreciated they were taking risks with genre-crossing and being playful with the mixer. Insert pangean flutes and chopped-up vocals (e.g. Can you dance to my beat). They brought a proper clubbing vibe to the venue, proper heads down stuff, not the things you find with Shazam.

Best night: All except Saturday

Worst night: Luc on Sat. Actually the struggle already started during daytime. We headed for the beach at Nassau as I expected they would play not too shabby music with decent volumes during weekends. Music was definitely loud enough but unfortunately only childish tech house when we got there. How on earth do people think this kind of music fits daytime on a beach full of sunbeds??? Drowsy go-go dancers as well, but can't really fault them with that rubbage coming through the speakers. The place felt posh and cheap.

Best bar: Bamboo Bar, San Antonio -> nice reggae vibe, friendly service, excellent beer, perfect for sunset drinks. Combined it with a dinner at Golden Buddha which was superb as well (can recommend the falafel salad) and very affordable (bottle of cava 20€). This combo is the best option on the strip imo (also passed Space Eat & Dance but it was closed due to staff shortage).

Best place to eat: we lunched almost daily at Can Rosales (1 AM sharp when Jet's pool parties started). Anything on the menu is good, everything priced below 20€, no fuss. La Griferia is the place to go if you're looking for tapas in that neighborhood; absolutely delicious (pinxto eggs!) and very good cocktails as well.

Best beach and/or beach club: Tue 20/9 Sa Trinxa -> Another shout for Gael, fantastic dj that brings a more dark, chuggy vibe to the place. Something we shazamed during the afternoon. Towards the evening a bit more uplifting (an I Feel Love edit that wasn't bad). Closed down the place. One of the best dj's we heard that week.

Money spent: plenty

Biggest regret: We didn't make it to Akasha for several reasons. Not really a regret, more something we’ll have to do another time. I’ve never been in the club but would definitely be a match. It has my name written all over it. In combination with dinner at Bar Anita of course.

Going back?:

Top tip: Cut your losses. Leaving Thursday (Cosmic Pineapple), Friday (Cova Santa afterhours) and Saturday (Luciano) were the right choices in hindsight. When you're accustomed to the island you get to see through the bs. Then it's up to you to follow your guts and cut to the chase. It's not worth staying at a place just because you've paid entry fee. There are always other options in the surroundings that will suit you more.

Observations and/or conclusion:
- Sound systems were on point everywhere we came.
- Probably my last stay at Playa d’en Bossa. At night the entire area turns into a giant tourist trap; nothing like I’ve seen before. Can’t comment on Octan as they had already closed the week before. I’d opt for Figueretas and its lovely promenade in the future if wanting to stay next to the airport and the old town.

View attachment 14905

outstanding review

 

[The Sun God]

*in fairness to George Evelyn (Nightmares on Wax) he can mix it up very well but I find it does depend on his mood. When he goes all noodly I lose interest.

 

[Believe in the Bear]

I go black coffee on Saturday I am worried it won't be a good time, I may just stay in damian lazarus room most of the night

We went last Saturday for BC and Marco Carola. It was just too busy. No chance of getting anywhere on the dancefloor. The Wild Corner was a roadblock as well.

 

[cunninghamali]

We went last Saturday for BC and Marco Carola. It was just too busy. No chance of getting anywhere on the dancefloor. The Wild Corner was a roadblock as well.

Thanks for the feedback! yes, i think it will be super busy this week too! Damian lazarus room it is

 

[TazLondon]

Top tip: Cut your losses. Leaving Thursday (Cosmic Pineapple), Friday (Cova Santa afterhours) and Saturday (Luciano) were the right choices in hindsight. When you're accustomed to the island you get to see through the bs. Then it's up to you to follow your guts and cut to the chase. It's not worth staying at a place just because you've paid entry fee. There are always other options in the surroundings that will suit you more.

 

[ComingHome]

Dates you were there – 14st - 21st September

Where you stayed: Hotel S’Espanyol – a decent enough hotel in San Antonio Bay and reasonably priced. I would recommend paying the extra for a sea-view front if you do not want to wake up at the sight of chickens & derelict buildings. You do feel as if you are in the ‘run-down’ next door neighbour hotel as all the facilities are door next in the San Remo hotel. The food wasn’t great quality, so we decided to eat out some nights, however; the entertainment during the day of beer pong and bingo was a good excuse to start on the beers after a heavy night.

Club nights visited:

Paradise @ Amnesia: I haven’t set foot in an Ibiza club for three years so probably had a few too many drinks on the flight in preparation for the evening. The sound system in Amnesia is second to none, and with Capriati on the line up, the place was heaving. I opted to purchase the Balcony tickets months ago before the price doubled which was worth every penny as we had space to dance up there. Patrick Topping played a great set on the terrace a mix between house, tech and a few classics. Capriati b2b Jones was decent but felt they probably would have been better on their own and it didn’t quite click for me. Amnesia is still my favourite club on the island, Paradise works well there & I think they will continue their success next year.

Shine Closing @ Eden – Musically the night for me as I am a trance/techno man, persuaded my girlfriend to come ahead of her beloved Solid Grooves but we all must compromise at times. Caught the end of Aly & Fila’s set who played a slower BPM/Afterlife sound trance, then PVD came on as the noise levels went up a few notches. After dabbling, my girlfriend admitted she enjoyed it more than she thought but maybe that was the narcotics talking. PVD dropped all the classics such as For an Angel/Café Del Mar as well as his new album material. The place was busy but room to dance and people were really having a good time, I love trance and I hope it’s place on the island will be cemented in the years to come as there is a place for it.

Music On @ Pacha – What a night – walked in around 2am to Ilario Alicante playing a tech-heavy set you would hear at Resistance over Music On which was to my liking. We stayed on the balcony between 2-5am as downstairs looked uncomfortably busy. You can find good spaces on the balcony and the roof terrace is a great area for relaxation to re-group & get a drink. Marco Carola came on and after listening to his Music On Festival sets I was apprehensive but he played really well, dark at points and dropped a few classics such as ‘Finder – Ninetoes’ – my girlfriend had never been to Pacha before and she loved it as one of the best clubs on the island. We were meant to leave at 5am but still found ourselves on the dancefloor at 6am right near the booth where the lighting and sound was incredible. Proper Ibiza clubbing. Pacha can be too busy at times but if you find somewhere comfortable enough to dance, it is an amazing night.

Ants @ Ushuaia – After only a few hours’ sleep, it was up & ready to go for the fourth day in a row, what a disaster the opening two hours turned out to be. As soon as we walked into Ants, we were in the middle of a torrential downpour & hailstones causing Ushuaia to flood. I pre-ordered some drink package tokens & ordered a drink to drown my sorrows, but the barwomen indicated they needed to be printed on the other side of the venue. I left my girlfriend with my drink and trekked across in the rain, only for the printer to be broken when I got there and many others in the same situation as me. In the end, the barman scanned my voucher and allowed my girlfriend to have the drink so I don’t know why they couldn’t have done this at first? We were stuck there for at least an hour before the printer was fixed – morale of the story: do not buy club package tickets if you can’t print.

When the music finally re-started about 6.30pm, Alan Fitzpatrick played a good tech set to get the night started followed by Andrea Olivia who played the classic tech-house Ants sound. The crowd was mostly British tech-house brigade wearing least clothes as possible and it was interesting to see their reaction as Artbat come on playing a melodic tech sound. I personally loved it but not sure how it went down with the rest of the crowd. Ushuaia is a great venue and Ants is a good vibe, we were tempted to head over to Claptone but decided to call it night and save ourselves for Sunday.

Glitterbox @ Hi – I was gutted to miss Solomun @ Pacha but as my girlfriend had come to trance, I had to compromise, and it was an enjoyable night to end the holiday. Mousse T opened the Theatre room with club classics & the crowd was a good mix between old/young ravers. I must say I do not like the Theatre room at Hi, it is too narrow and being off your box looking to the right or left and seeing VIP staring at you is not a good experience. However, the club room was brilliant as Bob Sinclair played a great mix of club classics with the sound & lighting on point and room to manoeuvre. We went back into the Theatre to catch the end of Roger Sanchez who was slightly disappointing and predictable, so we decided to call it a night at 5am. Glitterbox is a real good vibe and would re-visit even though I would prefer the night to change venue.

Best Bar: We went for drinks in Itaca & Rio which were both nice in their own respects. Itaca is a full-blown club in the evening, Rio is a nice rooftop bar playing house music and good quality food. We tried the famous Ibiza Rocks pitta which lived up the hype.

Best Beach: The beach on Espalmador is beautiful clear blue sea and white sand, felt like a honeymoon spot. The Formentera beach was also nice but a little too busy for our liking.

Best Places to Eat: We made sure we arrived at Kumrahas once it opened at 6pm and that was the right decision as we enjoyed a table right on the seafront and perfect view of the sunset. The street food was amazing, I recommend the burritos! We also eat in Café Mambo; the food quality was good but expensive for what it is (30 euros for calamari) – the sunset and music make for a magical night, but we probably wouldn’t do it again.

Money Spent: Around 2k for flights, hotel, club tickets & spending money

Biggest Regret: Not going to DC10 on Monday night but after 5 days raving, we made time to visit Formentera & Es Vedra on Monday which was the right decision.

Going back? Of course, I cannot say no so next year I will be on the island at some point. Probably for a long weekend as we are looking to move next year.

Top Tip: If looking for a taxi, do not queue the near the Egg roundabout, if you walk up to outside the Pieces hotel, taxis coming into San An will see you there first and there is no queue.

Observations and/or Conclusion: This was my first Ibiza trip with my girlfriend but loved very minute of it. With the lads’ things can sometimes get a bit too messy but we kept it on a good level. The boat trip to Formentera/Es Vedra was 120 euros but worth every penny sinking the bar! Ibiza is still as amazing as it was before the pandemic, I cannot wait to return!

 

[Snowy]

Where you stayed: Hotel S’Espanyol – a decent enough hotel in San Antonio Bay and reasonably priced. I would recommend paying the extra for a sea-view front if you do not want to wake up at the sight of chickens & derelict buildings. You do feel as if you are in the ‘run-down’ next door neighbour hotel as all the facilities are door next in the San Remo hotel. The food wasn’t great quality, so we decided to eat out some nights, however; the entertainment during the day of beer pong and bingo was a good excuse to start on the beers after a heavy night.

Exactly my experience too.

 

[Janesy]

Dates you were there:
21 Sept - 24 Sept

Where you stayed:
Ibiza Rocks Hotel. I booked it as a B&B package because this was my first solo trip to the island and was really anxious about everything from forgetting my flight to getting kidnapped. Don’t ask. Anyway, I really enjoyed my stay. I’m 51 so I felt ancient among such a young crowd but the vibe was fun and chilled and nobody made me feel out of place. The staff were helpful and reassuring and the room was great but because it looked over the street could be noisy (luckily I always travel with ear plugs). I’d have no prob staying there again but would probably chose differently next time just to be closer to the water.

Club nights visited:
Two Ibiza Rocks Hotel day parties and Defected at Eden.

The day parties were part of the stay’s package which is why I tried them. The vibe was fine but the sounds not entirely my thing and it all felt a bit hen/ stag (nothing wrong with that, obvs, but not what I wanted from this trip). They felt a bit My First Club Night by Fisher Price and I wanted more than what I could randomly hear if I watched an MTV channel.

Defected was fantastic though. More of my tribe and my music with an amazing vibe where I didn’t feel as if I stood out for being solo or older. I danced myself into enough of a state that didn’t know if my legs would get me back to the hotel. It was a joy to be where the music mattered waaaay more than the Insta-ready look of the IRH day parties.

Best night:
Defected. By. A. Mile

Worst night:
There wasn’t one. After the day parties I wandered and chilled in San An And it was all good.

Best bar: Didn’t go to one but did check out the sunset on the rocks between Mambo/ CdM. Great beats, obvs, but on this occasion I took my own pop and crisps.

Best place to eat:
Rita’s Cantina. Ate there twice and I bloody loved it. Cracking goats cheese salad for 8 euros! It felt authentic, chilled and friendly and I’m making a beeline for it when I next go to San An.

Money spent:
Hotel package was approx £600 and what I spent after that is anyone’s guess. This trip was a big step for me, for reasons I won’t bore you with, so I just did what I needed to feel safe and have fun.

Biggest regret:
That I was so scared of travelling alone in the run-up that I forgot to look forward to it. Oh, and I got COVID (which didn’t transpire until the day after getting home) but that won’t stop me doing it all again.

Going back?:
I‘m already planning the first trip of 2023, possibly PDB or Ibiza Town depending on what residencies I fancy in 2023.

Top tip:
Only travel with hand luggage. So much easier!

Observations and/or conclusion:
I loved San An because I felt so safe there, and it helped me build my lone-clubbing confidence. The whole trip was just good for my soul though. In fact, I cried when the plane left Ibiza for Bristol, not just because I was sad to leave but because the island had done such an amazing job of holding my hand.

 

[fhmsparkle]

Dates you were there:
24 Sept - 1 Oct

Where you stayed:
Palladium Palmyra, San Antonio. I stayed here when I visited in July and was quite impressed so was already glad I'd booked this hotel for my September visit. However I had a room which was above the speaker for the daytime entertainment which did nothing for trying to catch up with my sleep after partying. I also had some noisy neighbours arrive Wednesday. The walls there are pretty thin, but for the amount of time I actually spent in my room it didn't matter too much. Not sure I'd stay there again though as I'm happier up towards the Cafe Mambo end of town.

Club nights visited:
Ibiza Rocks for a couple of hours for Roger Sanchez on the Monday. Wandered in to Livin' Joy singing their hits, I was sold! I enjoyed it a heck of a lot more than I expected I would to be honest, and the random bunch of solo travellers I'd joined also made the afternoon for me. I think due to the line up the crowd was very mixed and not too "insta". Left about 7ish where I'm told Roger Sanchez went full on trance for an hour but I had to head back to my hotel to get ready for the next part of the night which was...................

Harvey @ Pikes - it was good to meet up with Anselmi, Bucko and his missus I finally got to see the pool area and we all had a good natter. Then it was on to Freddies for Harvey. I was expecting more of a disco type vibe and wasn't really getting on with what he was playing, so I ended up chatting to several random people and got to join a bit of a "side party" in one of the rooms and spent some time chatting away outside. Ended up back in Freddies just before the end where I caught up with team spotlight where we stayed dancing until the end.

Kevin & Perry @ Amnesia - got together with a group of solo Ibiza travellers for this one and what a night it was there were 10 or so of us who had pretty much just come for this night. I couldn't believe how busy the trance room was - never seen it like that before. It was a bit off putting especially as we'd put ourselves at the back and I was constantly being jostled about. A couple of drinks in I got some confidence and joined one of the others and we worked our way to the front which was 100% worth it! Loved the tunes, the people there were far better and it was pretty easy to move to the toilet or the side bar. Ended up staying until just before 6 but it was still really packed and the crowd were still going strong.

One more time - 25 years of Trance Classics @ Eden - I was feeling a bit jaded by this point after staying out Wednesday night drinking on the west end but was determined to push on. A few of us from the group that went to Kevin & Perry went to this so that was enough to make sure I went. I found this night was definitely more "harder" trance than the Tuesday but managed to keep stomping all the way through until Dave Pearce finished. It was a big difference from the last time I saw Dave play in Ibiza where he was in Es Paradis and the place was almost empty. Eden was nicely busy and my watch did a brilliant gps scribble of my movements on the dancefloor I was ready to leave around 4.30 but it was pouring with rain so hung on til 5 where it was walkable back to the hotel.

Best night:
Kevin & Perry

Worst night:
There was no worst night - even though the music at Harvey didn't really do it for me I still enjoyed the Pikes experience.

Best bar: Ibiza Rocks bar did an amazing strawberry daquiri.

Best place to eat:
Got to be Rita's for me, followed closely by Bondi by the fountains.

Money spent:
Not counted and don't really want to.

Biggest regret:
Not getting the right charger to charge my phone in the hire car so I spent far too much time worrying about if it would run out of battery and I'd get lost.

Going back?:
I will be back, but I'm going to try staying a few days in Ibiza town side next time.

Top tip:
Try to push through the pain of hangovers/too much partying to go exploring. I did that on Friday and loved seeing the old town at night.

Observations and/or conclusion:
September is far better than July. I'm also so glad I hired a car and finally went up to the north! Booking it for my first full day there after a late flight over was a good idea as it was easy to just grab some dinner quickly and get some sleep to feel fresh the next day and be totally clear to drive.

 

[TazLondon]

Dates you were there

30 Sep - 2 Oct (Trip #4 of 2023)

Where you stayed

Migjorn - I've reviewed this a fair bit. This used to be my favourite hotel on the island. It is now Oku. No families + kids made it better this time round, but the vibe around the pool is largely gone, and we spent no time there. We mainly stay here due to location being good for us, and the prices being good if you're a repeat visitor

Club nights visited

Summarians at Blue Marlin - we got told about this by a friend who was working the event; popped by after landing, it was pretty good, although it got a bit weird for the last hour, both musically and the crowd. It's basically a smaller Storytellers vibe at Blue Marlin

Elrow Closing - we had guestlist for both Black Coffee at Hi and Claptone at Pacha, but decided to buy tickets to this instead, mainly due to the collaboration with Ron English; the missus is a fan. Having been to Elrow a number of times and having had a great time, we roughly knew what to expect... however, this was shocking. 1.5 hour queue to get in, and they just kept selling more and more tickets on the door. We can handle busy clubs - we did Space closing 2016, and the big Privilege closing with Solomun / Tale of Us, which were both very busy - but this was just grim. Maybe it was us, perhaps we are older and less tolerant of the shoving now

Best night

The hotel after leaving Elrow around 5 AM

Worst night

Elrow Closing. Just don't got to the opening or closing of this event, unless you have AAA, or a table - save yourself the aggro.

Best bar

We went to the rooftop at the hotel Aquas de Ibiza as a friend works there; it was lovely. Beautiful views, all the staff absolutely brilliant, we had a good laugh and the cocktails are well made

Best place to eat

We had lunch at Beach House and it was very good - service, food, atmosphere

Best beach and/or beach club

Sa Trinxa on Sunday. The last time we went in July there was some issue and they had the music turned down / appeared to be playing CDs. Back to normal now, with a nicer crowd than July

Money spent

Too much as usual

Biggest regret

Choosing Elrow closing over the other events

Going back?

We have a tripped booked for June 2023 but may go in May

Top tip

The tip to rent a car still stands. The taxi situation is still silly, and really needs to be resolved if Ibiza wants to market itself properly; unless they want people to to drive while intoxicated. We did not do this, nor do we recommend it, but you can see why people would end up doing it

Observations and/or conclusion

Bit of a disappointment after the absolutely brilliant trips in May and August (July was a family trip and is never as much fun)

The clubs are back to overselling to dangerous levels - did they ever stop? It felt like they did

This trip was mainly about catching up with friends that live or work out in Ibiza, and we certainly ticked that box

 

[Pittley]

The tip to rent a car still stands. The taxi situation is still silly, and really needs to be resolved if Ibiza wants to market itself properly; unless they want people to to drive while intoxicated. We did not do this, nor do we recommend it, but you can see why people would end up doing it

IQUIDATION OF SENTENCE, practiced by the Judicial Notary Mr. xxxx in compliance with the previous resolution, issued in
Orders of Execution No. xxx / 2022 regarding the convict DON PATRICK xxxx
for a crime against traffic safety.
PENALTY, A crime art 379 c. criminal: 8 months and 2 days of deprivation of
right to drive motor vehicles and
mopeds.
Subscription: 0 days
Remaining to be fulfilled: 242 days
Start date: September 12, 2022
Compliance date: May 11, 2023
In EIVISSA, on September twenty-eighth, two thousand and twenty-two
THE LAWYER OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE

Require the prisoner to pay the FINE imposed amounting to 600 euros. Regarding the sentence of 8 months of deprivation of the right to drive motor vehicles and mopeds, being required to be convicted of said prohibition and not being your Spanish driving license, proceed to the practice of the corresponding liquidation of sentence and, verified, contact the General Directorate of Traffic and the Public Prosecutor in order to report.

 

[The Fog]

Dates you were there:
24 Sept - 1 Oct

Where you stayed:
Palladium Palmyra, San Antonio. I stayed here when I visited in July and was quite impressed so was already glad I'd booked this hotel for my September visit. However I had a room which was above the speaker for the daytime entertainment which did nothing for trying to catch up with my sleep after partying. I also had some noisy neighbours arrive Wednesday. The walls there are pretty thin, but for the amount of time I actually spent in my room it didn't matter too much. Not sure I'd stay there again though as I'm happier up towards the Cafe Mambo end of town.

Club nights visited:
Ibiza Rocks for a couple of hours for Roger Sanchez on the Monday. Wandered in to Livin' Joy singing their hits, I was sold! I enjoyed it a heck of a lot more than I expected I would to be honest, and the random bunch of solo travellers I'd joined also made the afternoon for me. I think due to the line up the crowd was very mixed and not too "insta". Left about 7ish where I'm told Roger Sanchez went full on trance for an hour but I had to head back to my hotel to get ready for the next part of the night which was...................

Harvey @ Pikes - it was good to meet up with Anselmi, Bucko and his missus I finally got to see the pool area and we all had a good natter. Then it was on to Freddies for Harvey. I was expecting more of a disco type vibe and wasn't really getting on with what he was playing, so I ended up chatting to several random people and got to join a bit of a "side party" in one of the rooms and spent some time chatting away outside. Ended up back in Freddies just before the end where I caught up with team spotlight where we stayed dancing until the end.

Kevin & Perry @ Amnesia - got together with a group of solo Ibiza travellers for this one and what a night it was there were 10 or so of us who had pretty much just come for this night. I couldn't believe how busy the trance room was - never seen it like that before. It was a bit off putting especially as we'd put ourselves at the back and I was constantly being jostled about. A couple of drinks in I got some confidence and joined one of the others and we worked our way to the front which was 100% worth it! Loved the tunes, the people there were far better and it was pretty easy to move to the toilet or the side bar. Ended up staying until just before 6 but it was still really packed and the crowd were still going strong.

One more time - 25 years of Trance Classics @ Eden - I was feeling a bit jaded by this point after staying out Wednesday night drinking on the west end but was determined to push on. A few of us from the group that went to Kevin & Perry went to this so that was enough to make sure I went. I found this night was definitely more "harder" trance than the Tuesday but managed to keep stomping all the way through until Dave Pearce finished. It was a big difference from the last time I saw Dave play in Ibiza where he was in Es Paradis and the place was almost empty. Eden was nicely busy and my watch did a brilliant gps scribble of my movements on the dancefloor I was ready to leave around 4.30 but it was pouring with rain so hung on til 5 where it was walkable back to the hotel.

Best night:
Kevin & Perry

Worst night:
There was no worst night - even though the music at Harvey didn't really do it for me I still enjoyed the Pikes experience.

Best bar: Ibiza Rocks bar did an amazing strawberry daquiri.

Best place to eat:
Got to be Rita's for me, followed closely by Bondi by the fountains.

Money spent:
Not counted and don't really want to.

Biggest regret:
Not getting the right charger to charge my phone in the hire car so I spent far too much time worrying about if it would run out of battery and I'd get lost.

Going back?:
I will be back, but I'm going to try staying a few days in Ibiza town side next time.

Top tip:
Try to push through the pain of hangovers/too much partying to go exploring. I did that on Friday and loved seeing the old town at night.

Observations and/or conclusion:
September is far better than July. I'm also so glad I hired a car and finally went up to the north! Booking it for my first full day there after a late flight over was a good idea as it was easy to just grab some dinner quickly and get some sleep to feel fresh the next day and be totally clear to drive.

Getting 17+ likes for a report speaks for itself dear …

 

[The Fog]

Dates you were there

30 Sep - 2 Oct (Trip #4 of 2023)

Where you stayed

Migjorn - I've reviewed this a fair bit. This used to be my favourite hotel on the island. It is now Oku. No families + kids made it better this time round, but the vibe around the pool is largely gone, and we spent no time there. We mainly stay here due to location being good for us, and the prices being good if you're a repeat visitor

Club nights visited

Summarians at Blue Marlin - we got told about this by a friend who was working the event; popped by after landing, it was pretty good, although it got a bit weird for the last hour, both musically and the crowd. It's basically a smaller Storytellers vibe at Blue Marlin

Elrow Closing - we had guestlist for both Black Coffee at Hi and Claptone at Pacha, but decided to buy tickets to this instead, mainly due to the collaboration with Ron English; the missus is a fan. Having been to Elrow a number of times and having had a great time, we roughly knew what to expect... however, this was shocking. 1.5 hour queue to get in, and they just kept selling more and more tickets on the door. We can handle busy clubs - we did Space closing 2016, and the big Privilege closing with Solomun / Tale of Us, which were both very busy - but this was just grim. Maybe it was us, perhaps we are older and less tolerant of the shoving now

Best night

The hotel after leaving Elrow around 5 AM

Worst night

Elrow Closing. Just don't got to the opening or closing of this event, unless you have AAA, or a table - save yourself the aggro.

Best bar

We went to the rooftop at the hotel Aquas de Ibiza as a friend works there; it was lovely. Beautiful views, all the staff absolutely brilliant, we had a good laugh and the cocktails are well made

Best place to eat

We had lunch at Beach House and it was very good - service, food, atmosphere

Best beach and/or beach club

Sa Trinxa on Sunday. The last time we went in July there was some issue and they had the music turned down / appeared to be playing CDs. Back to normal now, with a nicer crowd than July

Money spent

Too much as usual

Biggest regret

Choosing Elrow closing over the other events

Going back?

We have a tripped booked for June 2023 but may go in May

Top tip

The tip to rent a car still stands. The taxi situation is still silly, and really needs to be resolved if Ibiza wants to market itself properly; unless they want people to to drive while intoxicated. We did not do this, nor do we recommend it, but you can see why people would end up doing it

Observations and/or conclusion

Bit of a disappointment after the absolutely brilliant trips in May and August (July was a family trip and is never as much fun)

The clubs are back to overselling to dangerous levels - did they ever stop? It felt like they did

This trip was mainly about catching up with friends that live or work out in Ibiza, and we certainly ticked that box

Agree about elrow 100% … we had VIP Balcony and couldn’t have been more happy about it. It was dangerously overcrowded.

 

[TazLondon]

Agree about elrow 100% … we had VIP Balcony and couldn’t have been more happy about it. It was dangerously overcrowded.

We had the option of buying these but didn't for some reason... stupid.

We had these for Pyramid and didn't end up going upstairs, and our friends had them for the previous week's Elrow party and didn't end up going upstairs as it was fine... but, I should have listened to my inner voice.

 

[feynman]

Agree about elrow 100% … we had VIP Balcony and couldn’t have been more happy about it. It was dangerously overcrowded.

And its october ...
Since a couple of years , I hear arguments why its impossible to have a longer season in Ibz. Planes , ADE , weather and so on ...
I have only one Argument: Money. If someone earns money , someone will do it. Not every club , not every day. But we will see a open Hi or Pacha until November at 2 or 3 days/week. Maybe
If its not too expensive with the running costs

 

[GeordieCE]

Dates you were there:

26/09/22 - 1/10/22



Where you stayed:

Port Des Torrent - Occidental Ibiza



Restaurant Food - Ok nothing special always something to fill up on.

Snack Bar - Nachos were lush with cheese sauce and guacamole. Especially after all nighter in Amnesia! Amstel beer on tap along with sangria.

Pools - Nice, this time of year is the best because no sunbed wars or kids.

Rooms - Clean and comfortable with nice decor. We had pool and sea view room which was amazing, could have sat on that balcony all my life.

Vibe - Good vibe, nice mixture of people all ages.



Club nights visited:



Pikes for Mercury Rising DJ Harvey

Amnesia for Kevin and Perry



Best night:



Amnesia - Biblical





Worst night:



All were good.



Best bar:



Not sure what the bar is called but, it’s the one that plays live reggae music within the hippie market at Es Canna. The Rasta band that was playing had the place rocking with the Bob Marley classics, it was a fantastic vibe and great to experience it. Bless up.



Best place to eat:



We had meals at Rita’s Cantina, Cafeteria Venecia and Restaurante Chino Ling Nam.



Venecia 4 out of 5. Lush pizzas.



Chino Ling Nam 3 out of 5. Chinese restaurant so you know the dance there.



Rita’s Cantina 2 out of 5. Portions are tiny for what you will pay.





Best beach and/or beach club:



Portinatx beach is just paradise, as is Ses Salines.



Money spent:



Enough.



Biggest regret:



Paying for PCR test, never got checked once!



Going back?:



Be back next year i think.



Top tip:



Rent a car, we had it for 5 days and got to go everywhere we wanted because of it. Ses Salines, Portinatx, Es Vedra viewpoint, The Bay, Sant Antonio, Pikes, Bossa, Es Cana, Aguas Blancas. Really opens up what the island has to offer.



Observations and/or conclusion:



Best holiday we’ve had over there yet. Can’t wait to go again.

 

[GeordieCE]

Dates you were there:
24 Sept - 1 Oct

Where you stayed:
Palladium Palmyra, San Antonio. I stayed here when I visited in July and was quite impressed so was already glad I'd booked this hotel for my September visit. However I had a room which was above the speaker for the daytime entertainment which did nothing for trying to catch up with my sleep after partying. I also had some noisy neighbours arrive Wednesday. The walls there are pretty thin, but for the amount of time I actually spent in my room it didn't matter too much. Not sure I'd stay there again though as I'm happier up towards the Cafe Mambo end of town.

Club nights visited:
Ibiza Rocks for a couple of hours for Roger Sanchez on the Monday. Wandered in to Livin' Joy singing their hits, I was sold! I enjoyed it a heck of a lot more than I expected I would to be honest, and the random bunch of solo travellers I'd joined also made the afternoon for me. I think due to the line up the crowd was very mixed and not too "insta". Left about 7ish where I'm told Roger Sanchez went full on trance for an hour but I had to head back to my hotel to get ready for the next part of the night which was...................

Harvey @ Pikes - it was good to meet up with Anselmi, Bucko and his missus I finally got to see the pool area and we all had a good natter. Then it was on to Freddies for Harvey. I was expecting more of a disco type vibe and wasn't really getting on with what he was playing, so I ended up chatting to several random people and got to join a bit of a "side party" in one of the rooms and spent some time chatting away outside. Ended up back in Freddies just before the end where I caught up with team spotlight where we stayed dancing until the end.

Kevin & Perry @ Amnesia - got together with a group of solo Ibiza travellers for this one and what a night it was there were 10 or so of us who had pretty much just come for this night. I couldn't believe how busy the trance room was - never seen it like that before. It was a bit off putting especially as we'd put ourselves at the back and I was constantly being jostled about. A couple of drinks in I got some confidence and joined one of the others and we worked our way to the front which was 100% worth it! Loved the tunes, the people there were far better and it was pretty easy to move to the toilet or the side bar. Ended up staying until just before 6 but it was still really packed and the crowd were still going strong.

One more time - 25 years of Trance Classics @ Eden - I was feeling a bit jaded by this point after staying out Wednesday night drinking on the west end but was determined to push on. A few of us from the group that went to Kevin & Perry went to this so that was enough to make sure I went. I found this night was definitely more "harder" trance than the Tuesday but managed to keep stomping all the way through until Dave Pearce finished. It was a big difference from the last time I saw Dave play in Ibiza where he was in Es Paradis and the place was almost empty. Eden was nicely busy and my watch did a brilliant gps scribble of my movements on the dancefloor I was ready to leave around 4.30 but it was pouring with rain so hung on til 5 where it was walkable back to the hotel.

Best night:
Kevin & Perry

Worst night:
There was no worst night - even though the music at Harvey didn't really do it for me I still enjoyed the Pikes experience.

Best bar: Ibiza Rocks bar did an amazing strawberry daquiri.

Best place to eat:
Got to be Rita's for me, followed closely by Bondi by the fountains.

Money spent:
Not counted and don't really want to.

Biggest regret:
Not getting the right charger to charge my phone in the hire car so I spent far too much time worrying about if it would run out of battery and I'd get lost.

Going back?:
I will be back, but I'm going to try staying a few days in Ibiza town side next time.

Top tip:
Try to push through the pain of hangovers/too much partying to go exploring. I did that on Friday and loved seeing the old town at night.

Observations and/or conclusion:
September is far better than July. I'm also so glad I hired a car and finally went up to the north! Booking it for my first full day there after a late flight over was a good idea as it was easy to just grab some dinner quickly and get some sleep to feel fresh the next day and be totally clear to drive.

From reading this our paths must have crossed on more than one occasion!

 

[W_I_C]

Dates you were there:

26/09/22 - 1/10/22



Where you stayed:

Port Des Torrent - Occidental Ibiza



Restaurant Food - Ok nothing special always something to fill up on.

Snack Bar - Nachos were lush with cheese sauce and guacamole. Especially after all nighter in Amnesia! Amstel beer on tap along with sangria.

Pools - Nice, this time of year is the best because no sunbed wars or kids.

Rooms - Clean and comfortable with nice decor. We had pool and sea view room which was amazing, could have sat on that balcony all my life.

Vibe - Good vibe, nice mixture of people all ages.



Club nights visited:



Pikes for Mercury Rising DJ Harvey

Amnesia for Kevin and Perry



Best night:



Amnesia - Biblical





Worst night:



All were good.



Best bar:



Not sure what the bar is called but, it’s the one that plays live reggae music within the hippie market at Es Canna. The Rasta band that was playing had the place rocking with the Bob Marley classics, it was a fantastic vibe and great to experience it. Bless up.



Best place to eat:



We had meals at Rita’s Cantina, Cafeteria Venecia and Restaurante Chino Ling Nam.



Venecia 4 out of 5. Lush pizzas.



Chino Ling Nam 3 out of 5. Chinese restaurant so you know the dance there.



Rita’s Cantina 2 out of 5. Portions are tiny for what you will pay.





Best beach and/or beach club:



Portinatx beach is just paradise, as is Ses Salines.



Money spent:



Enough.



Biggest regret:



Paying for PCR test, never got checked once!



Going back?:



Be back next year i think.



Top tip:



Rent a car, we had it for 5 days and got to go everywhere we wanted because of it. Ses Salines, Portinatx, Es Vedra viewpoint, The Bay, Sant Antonio, Pikes, Bossa, Es Cana, Aguas Blancas. Really opens up what the island has to offer.



Observations and/or conclusion:



Best holiday we’ve had over there yet. Can’t wait to go again.

Good review, but Rita's Cantina... yes the portion sizes aren't the biggest, i agree, but it's also about 60% cheaper than any of those other establishments along that strip. You can get a coffee and bocadillo for well under €5