Ibiza 2021 – The COVID Effect

Ibiza 2021 – The COVID Effect

 

This is small blog post to detail a recent trip to Spain (Barcelona and Ibiza) with my girlfriend, Chloe, in the beginning of August 2021.

 

First, I must give a little context so that you realise this is not a one-sided account based on my experience of a single trip, but rather my experience of trip number 7 to the island which has been, by far, the most extraordinary trip here so far, and for many reasons which we’ll cover in depth later in the article.

 

The reason for the trip is because we both live in the UAE, which at the time of writing this is still considered a ‘Red Zone’ country to the UK, which means there are travel restrictions in place. Without boring you to death, it means that for us for go back to the UK and avoid a £2250 (each) stay in a prison-like hotel near Heathrow airport, we would need to spend 10 nights in a green or amber list country. We still must self-isolate in one place for 10 days when we arrive back in the UK, but it will be up to us where we go.

 

We decided, after much deliberation, that we would go to Barcelona for 4 nights, and then Ibiza for 6. The other option which we considered was the Greek islands, but if you think Dubai and Ibiza are expensive, you should give Mykonos and Santorini a very wide berth. Besides, the point of these 10 days, which we had to keep reminding ourselves, was to get home to the UK, not absolutely lord it abroad for the sakes of it. This is not to say that we weren’t going to have a good time, but rather pick our battles so that we could get maximum enjoyment with minimal spend.

With the both of us being well versed in Ibiza, we thought this should be achievable without too much hassle. So, the decision was made, tickets booked, and off we fucked.

DXB – BCN – IBZ – LTN.

 

Barcelona

 

If you have never been to Barcelona, GO. Please. Do yourself a favour and take on this incredible city for little while. This was my 3^rd trip to the Barcelona, the first being in 2006, the second in 2018 and now. It gets better every time. We stayed in a beautiful hotel called Al Avenida Palace in the Gothic Quarter which was perfect. It was inexpensive but lovely with a beautiful roof-top pool that had uninterrupted views of La Sagrada de Familia to the North, the iconic W Hotel on Barceloneta to the East on the coast, Montjuic Park to the South and the mountain range the encircles Barcelona to the West.

There are a multitude of great hotels in the city, and I think we were lucky to have chosen this one. The key question is ‘would we stay here again?’ and the answer is a resounding ‘yes!’. Check out https://www.instagram.com/avpalace/ for more details.

We did plenty of walking around, getting a feel for the city underfoot. The highlight for me was the walking-tour of the Gothic Quarter, which is free, you tip the tour guide at the end according to what you thought the tour was worth. Check out www.thetouringpandas.com to book.

Another highlight was La Sagrada Familia. We have both seen it before from the outside but to go into Gaudi’s masterpiece was nothing other than spectacular. This architectural marvel is like nothing I have ever seen before. From the enormous pillars that support the roof to the stained-glass windows that cast magnificent colours on the white stone walls, to the geometrically precise placement of the features within the cathedral, it all combines to create something truly special that I couldn’t recommend more.

We also did the ‘Big Red Bus’ city tour. We did both routes in 1 day. It was excellent and if you’re there for a few days, do this at the beginning because you get a much better idea of where you want to explore in-depth later in your trip.

 

Couple of top tips for you…

1. The beach-front restaurants are expensive. A meal for 2 that would normally cost between 30-40 Euros will cost 80-90 on the beach front. (If the Padron Peppers are more than 4.50, walk away)
2. Sounds obvious but avoid the tourist traps. Try spot the restaurants that are full of locals or students, they are generally the best in terms of quality and price.
3. Go eat at La Xampanyeria (Carrer de la Reina Cristina, 7, 08003 Barcelona) – it was the best food experience we had in the 4 days we were there.
4. Keep your wits about on the beach and on La Rambla, Barcelona is full of petty crime.
5. Don’t be surprised if your pokey school-boy Spanish isn’t understood, Barcelona is in Catalunya, and they speak Catalan. They are very proud of that fact too.
6. The people of Catalunya celebrate St. Georges Day more than the British. Do some research and find out why!

 

 

Ibiza

 

Right then, let’s get to the nitty gritty.

 

So, first, there is currently a 01.00am curfew in place. That is hard and fast with venues facing enormous fines if they take the piss, so they all abide by the rules and they shut down at 01.00, often with last orders and music stopping at 00.00.

 

Dancing is not allowed, at all, and you MUST wear your mask if walking around in a venue. This was not a major culture shock for us as apart from the curfew, Dubai is the same.

 

We stayed at INNSIDE by Melia in San Antonia Bay. The reason for the choice was we needed to find a place that had breakfast and a gym. Any dudes reading this will understand that breakfast is fucking KEY because to have it in the hotel eliminates a decision first thing in the morning and therefore a potentially stressful situation when your missus who claims not to be hungry, cannot decided where or what she wants to eat. Always stay somewhere where breakfast is included. The breakfast here is incredible. Definitely the best thing about the stay in the hotel. I’m talking cooked breakfasts, cheese and meats boards, pancakes, Bloody Mary’s, fruits, continental goodies and healthy treats like avocado and salmon.

Second, it has a gym. This wouldn’t normally be a key factor in Ibiza but knowing that we would be here for a while, I needed to maintain a degree of sanity and the gym is a holy place where stress is relived, equilibrium is restored and sins are released into the soft, white cotton, sweat towels.

Hotels go up in star ratings for the number of amenities they offer guests, so you’ll often find that when a hotel says they have a ‘fitness suite’, it is an old treadmill, a rusty bike and some mis-matched dumbbells.

In the case of INNSIDE by Melia, there was 1 treadmill, 2 bikes, 2 cross-trainers, dumbbells up to 14kgs, a chest press machine and a lat pull-down, plus some yoga mats. It was adequate but isn’t going to shape any record breakers.

I had done some research on the area when we were looking for hotels and couldn’t find a local gym BUT there is brilliant gym called RUMIS not more than 2 minutes from where we stayed which for 35 euros for the week, would have supplied a full array of goodness. From lifting platforms to cable machines, big boy dumbbells, barbells and plenty of cardio machines for the yoga pants wearing goddesses to display their peaches.

My recommendation if you’re staying in San Antonio Bay, forget about whether the hotel has a gym and workout here instead.

 

We had the option of standard room, partial sea view or full sea view. The opted for partial sea view. Fortunately, we were on the highest floor (5), so we landed up with a great view anyway. The room itself was very basic. It was actually a bit dirty when we arrived, with some hair behind the chair and grit on the floor. There was no kettle so a coffee on the balcony first thing in the morning was out the question. There was a small fridge and a Smart-TV which was workable. The biggest issue for us was the 2 single beds (on wheels) pushed together. Any canoodling, slap-and-tickle or hanky-panky would cause the beds to shift apart rapidly, exposing a crater that led straight to the depths of hell. It felt like a message from Jesus himself to say ‘Serves you right for considering any funny business before wedlock. Heathens!’

The hotel pools are good though, the rooftop infinity pool over-looks the bay with sunset strip directly opposite us over the water.

 

My biggest gripe with the hotel was the insane prices of things. For example, the hotel has bicycles to rent out to the guests at a rate of 20 euros for 2 hours. Read that again.

A can of coke on the rooftop is 4.5 euros, calamari 18 euros, beers 6 euros. It just felt excessively overpriced. Especially when across the road, you can pick up a full meal with a beer for 10 euros. And this is one of the mains points of this blog, pick your battles. The newer hotels are working on Miami prices when 10 meters across the road, the Spanish restaurants are working on Spain prices. A really great spot to check out in San An Bay is Cool Cat restaurant. All the food is homemade and delicious, and very well priced.

 

The key question as before, ‘Would I stay here again?’. The answer is ‘No’. I believe that there is much better value for money in San An for a similar experience, especially if you take into consideration the local amenities.

 

Enough on the hotel.

 

Getting around

 

We dropped a bollock. On the first day we got a quote for a top-of-the-range scooter for 6 days at 270 euros. We should have locked that off immediately. Instead, we hired an off-road buggy on the second day for 24 hours (100 Euros) which was great fun, and then got cabs for the rest of trip. We had originally intended to hire a Jeep for the duration but for 6 days it was well over 1000 Euros and couldn’t justify it.

Get the scooter.

Cabs here have got EXPENSIVE. We are sure it’s because tourism has slowed for obvious reasons, but taxis now are a joke. Around 20 Euros from San An Bay to Sunset Strip. It’s about a 7-minute journey.

 

So, like I mentioned before, the curfew is on, and the big clubs are closed. So, what now?!

 

The ‘New Ibiza’ itinerary

 

Ibiza is known for the debauchery, and we are no strangers to it, often coming-to after a heavy session to find your head is actually on upside down and back to front.

We made the decision early to explore. To see parts of the island that we’ve heard about but not managed to get to in the previous trips before the party cycle began.

 

What we managed to see (In order):

1. Walk to Cala Bassa. We walked from San An Bay to Cala Bassa, hugging the shoreline and the cliffs until we arrived. It was spectacular. The walk took us around 2.5/3 hours (with a quick beer at Alma Beach) and we handrailed huge cliffs with sheer drops, scrambled through over-grown paths and soaked up some amazing scenes that will make you realise why this island became famous before the nightclubs here were a thing.
2. We stopped at Cala Bassa Beach Club for a bite to eat and a few drinks. The Cava Sangria was exceptional but the service and the staff attitudes were STINKING.
3. Mambos/Café Del Mare. Is it even a trip to Ibiza if you don’t go watch a sunset at on sunset strip? This year was empty in comparison to what we have seen before. We tried to book at mambos which would have been 100 euros each minimum spend so we sacked that off and we managed to get a table at Café Del Mar instead without a booking on the day (a testament to how quiet it is compared to normal).
4. The Abandoned Club (Festival Club). A short drive out of San Antonio, this is a cool little trip. This enormous venue was only open for 2 years in the 70’s and after it closed, it never re-opened. Instead, the elements have had their wicked ways with it and torn it apart. The concrete structures, the graffiti and the immense mountainous backdrops make it a great place to visit for a couple hours.
5. The ‘Lost City of Atlantis’. First, it’s not that, it’s a very very old quarry they used to fetch that stones that build the Dalt Vila in the Old Town. Still, it’s a great trip. It requires a 20-minute hike down a steep mountain face to reach the bottom where you can chill out, swim, cliff jump and relax. Top tip, take a lot of liquid with you and some sturdy trainers, and if you have the space in your backpack, those horrible looking rock-shoes for swimming! Remember, you need to walk back up the mountain when you’re done so make sure you have enough energy and fluids with you.
6. Cala d’Hort. A beautiful beach with uninterrupted views of the majestic Es Vedra mountain. There is an excellent restaurant down there called El Carmen. It was super cool to see the restaurant almost completely shut down for the staff to have dinner together (paella and wine!) before the evening service commenced, with only a few staff looking after the floor and then rotating through when they had the chance.
7. Sunset at Es Vedra. Back up to the ‘Atlantis’ car park, you follow the track straight instead of veering left to the top of the mountain path that leads you down the bottom. Instead, you pop out at the end of the path in a rocking clearing which gets really crowed just before sunset to witness the sun going down over the sea’s horizon, with Es Vedra providing an imposing and majestic presence to the scene.
8. Paradiso Art Hotel. One of the new concept hotels from the Concept Hotel Group that have popped up in Ibiza over the past few years. This particular hotel has super funky Miami vibes with art-deco architecture, boasts two swimming pools and a tattoo studio! Situated in San Antonio Bay, you can pop in for a drink and soak it up if you want to kill off a couple hours. https://www.instagram.com/paradiso_ibiza/
9. WikiWoo Hotel and Bar.One of Ibiza’s new favourite spots. Situated even further along the coastline than sunset strip, this is one of THE new spots for sunset and further into the night for shenanigans. Their cocktails are sublime and the pastel lime green and pink combination, disco balls and hanging pink and white plants make this gaff a true pleasure to be in. Part owned by one of the giants that owns O-Beach, Tony Truman, and managed by hospitality king, Hugo Carvalho, it is only going to thrive on the island! Keep an eye on WikiWoo as their immanent expansion plans will see this gaff take over this part of San An in the near future. Check out https://www.instagram.com/wikiwoo_ibiza/
10. Romeos ‘Motel and Diner’ Hotel. Another one of the Concept Hotel Groups hotels. This time, as the name suggests, an American motel and diner theme. Very cool spot in San An Bay, you can expect rock classics to be played around the pool during the day and night and weekly live rock bands. The pool is the main feature out the back but that’s not to forget the wedding chapel! Red and white and rockabilly themed, this is something the island needed in my opinion. Check out https://www.instagram.com/romeos_ibiza/
11. Benirras Beach (Drummers). We took the trip down to Benirras Beach to visit the hippy market and watch the sunset in a hypnotic trance caused by the famous drummers. Tragically for us, the drummers were told not to come by the police because of the crowds they attract on Sundays. Remember what I was saying about cabs? This trip cost us over 100 Euros in total for the round trip. GET THE MOPED.
12. Cubanitos Hotel. The last of the Concept Group Hotels that we visited for a drink. This Little Havana style hotel is as far North of San Antonio as you can go. Green and white and jungly is the theme, with a small pool. Our least favourite of the 3 but still quirky enough to warrant a visit. Check out https://www.instagram.com/cubanito_ibiza/
13. Dalt Vila. I cannot believe I have never been here before. Dalt Vila sits within the ancient castle walls above Ibiza Old Town and is a fully inhabited town, with residents still living above the restaurants and shops. It is a truly beautiful place to visit with cobbled streets, castle facades mixed with white Spanish villa walls, narrow streets and some even more narrow buildings. Book in advance to secure a place at one of the many gorgeous restaurants there. If you aim to go before sunset, you’ll see the town transition into darkness and come alive with the night lights. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

 

Restaurants

 

1. Tapas. Traditional Spanish cuisine in San Antonio. After eating tapas for nearly 10 days, this place stood out as one of the best for sure. 100% get the signature dish called Popeye. Check out https://www.instagram.com/tapasibiza/
2. El Carmen. As mentioned before, this restaurant at Cala d’Hort is absolutely stunning with uninterrupted views of the magnificent Es Vedra. Check out https://www.instagram.com/elcarmencaladhort/
3. El Olivio Mio. This beautiful restaurant in the heart of Dalt Vila was perfect to round off the day and the holiday. I have been craving an Entrecote steak all holiday and finally got one here. I was not disappointed! It is picture perfect too, right at the bottom of a steep and narrow street, as the street opens into a piazza and surrounded by tall buildings. Check out https://www.instagram.com/elolivomioibiza/

 Getting Back

Getting back was not the most complicated of tasks but if we have gone this far, I may as well explain quickly the process.

1. We are both double vaccinated so we were not required to do a 90 Euro PCR test, instead we could do a 30 Euro Antigen test. Most of the hotels offer a discounted service for both where a medical professional will visit the hotel at a certain time on a particular day. If not, there are walk-in testing centres in San An and San An Bay.
2. Next, you need to fill out the gov.uk 'Passenger Locator Form'. This is simple enough but in order to complete the form you must have proof of your day 2 and day 8 home test kits.
3. Day 2 + 8 testing kits. There are many suppliers of these. We picked Randox after being recommended it by a friend. The day 2 and 8 bundle comes in at £96. FML. Google "Randox Discount Code" and there are many available which will give you £10 off.
4. If you don't want to wait the full 10 days in quarantine, you can buy a day 5 test-to-release kit for another £46.

 

So, after all is said and done, you need to spend another £170 just to get home.

This IS NOT the case if you are vaccinated in the UK.

Remember, this is also only accurate at the time of writing the article.

 

The 'So what?' of it all

 

If you are going to Ibiza year, do not expect the norm. I’ll be honest, the party is still around if you look for it. Villa parties are happening if you are tapped into the right source, starting at 100 euros entry for guys and 60 euros entry for girls, generally with a free drink thrown in. Cheers easy. The beach clubs are still going on too, you just can’t dance, UNLESS, and wait for this, you are in water that is over waist deep (I kid you not).

 

Would I have changed the trip? Absolutely not, it was brilliant. Actually, seeing the island instead of the inside of a club and the back of my skull has been truly excellent. If I was to do this trip again, I would stay at Paradiso or Romeos, use the local gym (RUMIS) in San An Bay and would have hired a moped/scooter (unless I found a proper bike) for the duration.

 

You are still getting the perfect weather, the sunsets, the visuals (even more so than normal because you’ll go see them), the energy of the island, the cervesas, the copious amounts of bare titties on the beach.

 

We hope this helps if you are thinking of going to Ibiza this year. Chances are, by the time of publishing this blog, circumstances will have changed. If you do decide to go, then we hope this will help to shape your trip.

 

Send us a DM if you found this useful or if you have any feedback.

 

Stay dangerous, mu’fuckers.

 

• Ross