Aguas de Ibiza Lifestyle & Spa Hotel ★★★★★

Ibiza – a party island of the highest calibre, playing host to world-class DJs and celebrities year in, year out. But for the pilgrims who travel to the hedonistic mecca each summer, it is so much more than simply a shell for letting loose. It is a portal to the unknown, a swirling mass of colour, activity, and heavy, rhythmic beats. It is an opportunity to delve into an enchanting world that’s completely separate to the monotonous routine of daily life. But, as I soon found out, Ibiza offers this outside of the thrumming bars, too. Are you as surprised as I was? You should be.

You see, whilst Ibiza has been painted with a party brush of incandescent colours and a heavy sprinkling of glitter, its stunning selection of beaches and the warm, turquoise waters that surround it often get overlooked. It is, after all, an island of the highest calibre, but not just in the form of DJs and clubs, as I was delighted to discover. While I fully expected to step off the plane and straight onto the throbbing sands of lively beaches rammed with partygoers, I instead found myself in a quiet haven, a million miles from the Ibiza I was anticipating. Because, tucked away on the east coast of the island, in the peaceful resort of Santa Eulalia, I had found the Hotel Aguas de Ibiza, a pocket of calm amongst the colourful storm.

Dedicated to rest and wellbeing, the Aguas de Ibiza is an oasis for reflection and recovery, which is echoed in the Feng Shui design of every room. The light airy suites, decked out in a Mediterranean style, are carefully laid out to seek and achieve harmony. Every element to the décor and architecture has been thoughtfully arranged, and it was this attention to detail that first tugged at my heartstrings. But, as is the nature of Ibiza – whether you’re a partygoer or, like me, searching for a little rest and recuperation – there were many other aspects to the island, and the hotel itself, that kept me falling in love with it over and over again during my stay.

If the fresh, contemporary rooms and their harmonious designs don’t put you at ease (which they will, I’m sure of it), then the extensive spa and wellness facilities will encourage you to relax beyond belief. Offering everything from traditional spa treatments to personalised health programmes, the Aguas de Ibiza will ensure you leave a less stressed and well-rested version of yourself. To indulge my new, carefree self, I made the most of the three pools that overlook the sparkling waters of the Mediterranean Sea, too. I’ll admit, the view itself is enough to make anyone unwind and feel at ease. I imagine the partygoers elsewhere on the island find themselves unwinding, too, but maybe in a different way. I was, however, very much content in the natural surroundings, being looked after by the attentive staff, and soaking up the glorious panoramas that greeted me every day.

So, I fell in love with the attention to detail, the dedication to wellbeing, the vistas and, then, the food. The Aguas de Ibiza houses a selection of luxury restaurants and boasts some of the top chefs on the island, who lovingly craft divine dishes based on local specialities. And if, like me, you enjoy a glass of wine with your meal – you’ll also fall in love with the vast selection of reds and whites from all over the world, including some from the shores of Ibiza itself.

I expected Ibiza to be a busy, party hotspot. What I didn’t expect was for it to be the perfect backdrop for a little ‘me’ time. The warm waters, the sprawling white sands, and the eternally blue skies all helped to create the calm, tranquil oasis that my small pocket of Ibiza came to be. I didn’t expect to fall head over heels in love with the island, but the Aguas de Ibiza and its peaceful setting helped me to not only fall in love with island, but it encouraged me to look at it, and myself, in a new way.