Having endured without doubt the worst British summer I can recall, nothing sounded more appealing than a trip to the world’s most iconic party island. Several days of first-class clubs, restaurants and chilling by the pool was just what the doctor ordered.
After arriving at Ibiza airport almost an hour behind schedule, the race was on to get to San Antonio in time to catch the Euros final. Luckily for us, our Hoppa airport transfer was waiting for us no sooner had we got through security.
With access to 1000’s of vehicle providers across the globe, Hoppa can find you the perfect car to meet your needs and has helped over 30m customers reach their destination since launching in 2004.
Our 10-seater car was more than adequate to transport us to our hotel, and our friendly driver got us to our hotel within half an hour. The newly refurbished Can Beia Boutique Hotel in the heart of San Antonio was perfect for our trip.
Fresh, modern and minimalist in design, and with a 24-hour manned reception, it felt much safer and more professionally run than many other hotels I’ve stayed at on the island. After chucking our luggage in our room, we rushed out to a local bar to see Spain thrash England in the final, which let’s be honest, was well deserved.
With little time to waste to get to our late-night booking at Pacha Restaurant, we were back in our next Hoppa and on our way. The journey was more than memorable, thanks to our driver’s excellent taste in music and the Spain fans who came to share their joy at winning as we stopped at some lights. Talk about rubbing it in.
Just like the last time I attended Pacha Restaurant back in 2012, the place did not disappoint. Eating here before a club night is a no-brainer too. It was either pay 80 Euros just to see Solomun, or spend a minimum of 140 Euros on food and drink and get into the club for free.
Sure, the food is incredibly overpriced (17 Euros for some side veg), but the food is delicious and it’s without doubt the sexiest restaurant I’ve laid eyes on. Our favourite dishes had to be the beef tenderloin and the miso black cod, both exceptional.
This was also my first time seeing Solomun live and he exceeded my expectations, raising the roof with some of the best music I’d heard in a long time. He even chucked a few unexpected guilty pleasures into the mix, with Kim Wilde’s Keep Me Hangin On raising the roof as the night drew to a close.
A few days later, we headed to Pikes to see if this legendary venue could live up to the hype. Kicking the evening off with an alfresco dinner, it soon became apparent why so many people had urged us to come.
Not only was it the best meal of the entire trip, but the cocktails were off the charts and the vibe was laidback, intimate and unpretentious. At times, it feels like you’ve come over to a friend’s house to hang out – a very rich friend at that, but you catch my drift.
One of the highlights of the evening was dancing in an oversized bathtub to TJR’s garage classic ‘Just Gets Better’, in a room that could barely fit 8 people in (along with the DJ and all his equipment). A spectacular place that should be high on your Ibiza bucket list.
The last few days of the trip were largely spent unwinding, whether it be down at the super-chilled Reggae Reggae Beach, or by the pool listening to music.The perfect end to a memorable holiday that ticked every single box and some.
By the time our final Hoppa arrived to take us to Ibiza airport, we were ready to go back home to indulge in those home comforts you just can’t get when you’re anywhere abroad. Besides another slight flight delay, the journey back was a smooth one. Ibiza, we’ll be back before you know it.
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Feature by Fletch.