THE HOTEL: The first Hard Rock Hotel to open in Europe (back in 2014) this fun, glamorous resort hotel is at the smarter end of Ibiza’s famous party beach, Playa d’en Bossa, a six-minute drive from Ibiza Town and the same from the island’s airport (don’t worry, there’s good sound insulation in the bedrooms to drown out any noise from both). Like other Hard Rock hotels, there’s a strong music theme with rock memorabilia displayed throughout (eg. Elvis’ bathrobe, Madonna’s dress) and you can even rent a Fender Guitar (with headphones) to rock out in your bedroom.
THE CHECK-IN: We took a late flight from Gatwick so arrived close to midnight but the grand, sparkly lobby, in rich reds, silver and gold, was still lively with people coming and going. This was Ibiza after all! Instead of a room key we were given a wristband with a chip inside which we simply held close to the door handle for entry – much easier than fumbling around in your bag/pockets for the room key.
THE ROOMS: There are 493 rooms and suites, most with balconies. They range from standard doubles in the main eight-storey tower to swim-up rooms with a terrace opening onto a pool shared between a small number of rooms. Mine was a Studio Suite Gold, somewhere in the middle, with a fabulous Jacuzzi bath with a floor-to-ceiling window. The view was best at night when the resort below was neon-lit. Nice touches included an Ipod dock and oversized mini bar.
THE FACILITIES: With the choice of six restaurants, seven bars, a beach club (get there early to secure a bed), two enormous pools, a separate spa pool, spa, well-equipped gym, and daily live music events (even during the buffet breakfast), it’s tempting never to leave the hotel. Our beach club lunch was a highlight, both for the fresh, exquisitely presented seafood and for the fabulous people-watching. The breakfast was amazing too, with a juice bar where you can pick your fruit combination and watch as it goes through the juicer.
THE BUSINESS: For meetings and events there’s 1000m2 of space, including the 600 m2 Conventions Centre. But most event organisers will want to make use of the thousands of metres of outdoor space, including Ibiza’s highest rooftop terrace. State-of-the-art meetings tech and high-speed Wi-Fi add to the hotel’s business credentials.
THE VERDICT: The perfect spot for incentives and high-end product launches, this rock-themed hotel could, on paper, sound tacky but it’s not. Service was tip top too.
THE DETAILS: Platja d’en Bossa, s/n, 07817 Sant Jordi de ses Salines, Ibiza, +34 971 92 76 91, hardrockhotels.com/ibiza/ Deluxe Silver rooms from £134.
Bev Fearis
