Divine decadence at Ibiza Gran Hotel 5* Grand Luxe
Is the White Island really the right place for a calm reset and recharge? Co-founder of AudreyOnline Marina Gask went to find out . . .
Somehow Ibiza had passed me by. Too distracted by the maelstrom of career and parenthood to do the ‘90s Pascha hedonism trip, I never really got what the fuss was about. Then a semi-calamitous family holiday there a few years ago gave me teasing glimpses of pink sunset partying that demanded to be explored child-free. Most importantly, stress-free. Could a three-day sojourn at Ibiza Gran Hotel, right in the heart of the action, help me finally fall in love with La Isla Blanca?
Arriving feeling tightly wound, from the moment I set foot in the palm-tree studded haven hidden within the hotel’s welcoming walls, my whole mindset and body shifted to a different gear. I was on Ibiza time.
From the cool, dark, delectably scented lobby, festooned with arresting sculptures and paintings by local artists, to the huge array of top-notch dining options, to the beautifully renovated spa, Ibiza Gran Hotel is dedicated to ease and pleasure. While the surroundings are sophisticated, the informal, friendly staff seem to anticipate your next request before you’ve even thought about it. It’s easy to relax on Ibiza time.
My light and airy room, in soft neutral colours, with a magnificent bed and spacious balcony, offered breathtaking views of the island. Down below in the lush, green open-air inner-sanctum there’s a huge family pool, but for me it was the adult-only one, accessed via its own spiral staircase and surrounded by tempting day beds and exotic plants, with the scent of bougainvillea and distant beats from nearby clubs and bars, that’s the real gem.
Towering over it all, visible from pretty much anywhere in the hotel and seemingly following us around, like a benevolent version of the giant eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg that keep vigil over the bright young things in the Great Gatsby, is the glittering mountain-top fairytale splendour of Dalt Vila, Ibiza’s fortified old town.
Ibiza Gran Hotel is a gourmet’s treasure trove, with Michelin-starred La Gaia’s signature tasting menu offering up a love letter to Ibiza. Every dish created in a tiny kitchen by chef Óscar Molina is inspired by life on the White Isle, like Red Scorpion Fish Stew (Bullit de rotja) and Balearic Black Pork Royale (Royal de cerdo negro) and Ibicencan Cheesecake Fritter (Buñuelo de Flaó Ibicenco). And all paired with delicious wines from Ibiza and mainland Spain. No wonder this incredible restaurant draws guests from around the world.
The culinary options are a foodie’s dream. Zuma, the island’s top Japanese restaurant, with its dazzling rooftop setting and uber fresh sharing dishes of sushi and robata, is just a short glittery-heeled walk away across the marina (pausing to admire the superyachts), while Ibiza Gran Hotel also boasts Novikov, for the finest Pan-Asian dishes like glazed grilled Korean lamb and Asparagus Sweet Soy Sesame. At this hotel, they even start the day with a dazzling display, a buffet aptly named The Grand Breakfast. For the health-conscious there are exotic smoothies in shot glasses, granolas and nuts, and sweet watermelon, peaches and melon – fresh from the farms of Ibiza. For the hungover there’s an excellent Full English, pancakes with delicious fillings like banana and caramel, or freshly baked bread with cheeses and charcuterie to die for. Or croissants filled with pistachio cream and champagne with oysters for the divine decadence brigade. There’s even a chocolate fountain. And pastries. And cake. Food so tempting that every breakfast had to be two or three courses (oops).
Easy as it was to just indulge at the hotel for the whole trip, we did venture forth a couple of times, taking a luxury boat trip to the turquoise waters around Formentera with Charterinibiza.com, and a dip in the waves at Beach House Ibiza (beachouseibiza.com), pausing to pick up a few handmade pieces by Maria B. Ceramics (@mariab.ceramics). And not forgetting a 2am jaunt to the Casino de Ibiza and the incredible Club Chinois, from the creators of Park Chinois in Mayfair and reminiscent of louche Shanghai clubs from the 20s and 30s. Handily it’s staggering distance from the hotel, and with a mesmerising and trippy futuristic dancefloor, its electrifying atmosphere is not to be missed.
Nurturing options for mind, body and soul are abundant at the hotel’s Open Spa, with yoga, pilates, a great gym and an excellent array of beauty and health treatments. But the star is the incredible Aqua Spa, a complete water circuit featuring hydromassage pools with jets, waterfalls and swan necks for targeted therapy, as well as an ice lounge, hammam and sauna. Why bother with wandering round in a robe and thongs, rubbing ice into your limbs, when the sun is shining outside? I thought that too. But then I never knew I needed a salt-steam breathing room and aroma shower – and just try getting a sore sacroiliac soothed by powerful jets, and you’ll question no more.
A cell-boosting Timeless Prodigy facial, exclusive to Ibiza Gran Hotel’s spa, with melting gelatine made from actual French champagne, proved to be the ultimate in face-firming luxury. Pampered and plumped, my whole dermis purified, I left the spa glowing, with skin brightened and as soft as a baby’s bot (and it stayed that way for days). And so relaxed I could barely remember my own name. Not handy for passport control later that night.
But the highlight of this distinctly grown-up trip was hanging out in the private infinity pool of the sumptuous Gran Suite Dalt Vila, a spacious penthouse apartment. It was the perfect vantage point to watch the dipping sun paint blush tones across the sky over the picturesque old town. Unmoored from the boundaries of time, cocktail in hand, serene and revitalised, I hit peak divine decadence. How long had I been there? Three weeks? No idea. Ok, Ibiza, I get it now.