#28- Time to Burn
It’s fair to say that in most places in the world, having time to kill either before check in or after check out can be a nightmare. Because what it usually results in is extra hours spent at the airport, twiddling thumbs, eating bad food and buying Toblerones for every member of your family. But not so in Ibiza, oh no. On this frisky little island there’s plenty of mischief-making to be done in a short window, and one mustn’t let the small deterrent of time stand in one’s way. In Ibiza, every minute counts — even when you’re on your way to the airport.
The same can be said, of course, when you arrive at Ibiza airport at 8am and you’re not allowed to check in to your hotel or villa before 3pm. You might be jaded from the extremely early start, you might want to unpack your suitcase before you make your way to the beach, or you might want to get to the hotel early, just in case they’re feeling generous and your room becomes available. But all of these things would be a mistake, because why sit in a hotel lobby when you can make your way to the nearest beach club and be drinking a mojito by midday? Only a madman would choose the former.
That being said, let’s look at some of the options.
First up, there’s the legendary Blue Marlin Ibiza. Tucked away on the south coast on a pebbly beach called Cala Jondal, this venue is the ultimate party destination. Full to the brim with beautiful people, magnums of champagne, and delicious food, this is where the clued up come to party till the moon rises. And the best bit? It’s only 10 minutes from the airport. Not only that, but these guys have thought of everything. There’s luggage storage available, and if you’re savvy, you’ll have hired a sun bed for the entire day so you can rock up, throw on your swimmers and dive straight in.
Then there’s the internationally acclaimed Nobu Ibiza Bay. Set on Talamanca, a long stretch of sand lined by restaurants near Ibiza town (around 15 minutes away from the airport), this place has absolutely everything you need to ease yourself into holiday mode gently, especially if you’ve got kids. For a start there’s valet parking, so there’s no need to worry about leaving the hire car. And there’s luggage storage and shower facilities, so you can freshen up after that dawn flight. And then there are a whole host of things to keep you entertained for an entire day. You can reserve a sun lounger or a Bali bed looking out onto the Med, you can kick back with a cocktail while the little ones splash around in the kids’ pool, and then you can finish off the day at one of the hotel’s world-class restaurants. Sounds like first day perfection to us.
Our final pick is the one and only El Chiringuito Es Cavallet, a beach club so classy that even the geckos demand sun loungers*. Located just a 10-minute drive from the airport among the spectacular salt flats of Ses Salines, this venue is perched right on the sands, and boasts the kind of laid-back atmosphere that you’ll need both pre and post Ibiza holiday. There are showers available for that all-important freshen up, but most importantly, they serve absolutely delicious food here throughout the day, so you can grab breakfast, lunch, or dinner before moving on to the next destination — hotel or home, wherever it might be. There’s also a kids’ play area if you want to score a final few hours of peace before heading to the airport (no one would blame you).
So there you have it, three top notch ideas for squeezing as much joy as possible out of your holiday. It’s also worth remembering that for an added dose of luxury, you can book a luxury private hire transfer, which makes going to and from the airport, wherever you are, just that little bit more seamless — the first and last holiday present you can gift yourselves.
*this is not confirmed