The Spanish holiday hotspot with Love Island-style resorts and £27 flights
“MOVE your body,” booms repeatedly from the speaker nearby.
The words feel more like a command than the lyrics to a dance track as people stomp their feet and pump their fists in time to the beat.
It was 3am and I was in Hï, recently voted the best club in the world, on the east coast of Ibiza.
The White Isle is definitely back in full swing after its Covid clubbing hiatus.
In fact, it is thriving with a flurry of stylish new restaurants, sleek beach clubs and swanky resorts opening up.
I was staying at the Ryans Lola’s in San Antonio, which opened only last month and is already attracting hordes of visitors to its colourful poolside bedrooms.
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Unlike many nearby resorts, where the party continues all through the day and well into the night, the rock-music-themed Ryans Lola’s knows when to ramp things up and, more importantly for a no-longer-20-something like me, when to wind them down.
The atmosphere felt vibrant yet mellow with guests on bean bags sipping cocktails while a DJ played soft dance tunes.
It reminded me of the Love Island villa, only with a little less “cracking on”.
Our studio room was ultra-modern with a kitchen area, sofa and terrace with two deck chairs. Its stand-out features were its icy temperature and efficient blackout curtains for when you want to sleep in after dancing all night.
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After our heavy night of partying, the devilishly good food from Ryans’ 666 restaurant was the perfect antidote. We ordered from a crucifix-shaped menu featuring American-style grub including fries served in skull cups, juicy burgers and spicy margaritas.
When you fancy something more indulgent, Ibiza is not short of excellent restaurants.
The newly opened OKU, a ten-minute drive away, feels world’s away from the party side.
It’s a hotel first and foremost, but the restaurant is open to all and is exceptional, serving sophisticated Japanese dishes, including the best prawn toast you will ever try.
If you can’t decide what you want, order the chef’s Omakase tasting menu. It’s €150pp but, wowzers, you’ll be well fed.
Superstar model
For classic Spanish flavours, on the same side of the island is Villa Mercedes. Its new chef has mastered the classic prawns pil pil recipe. The place is beautiful, too, a renovated 123-year-old villa overlooking the harbour.
My friend Megan and I had timed our dinner here to coincide with that day’s boat trip so we could hop off the sea and walk straight into the restaurant.
We’d booked a motorboat with SamBoat which took us on a beach crawl of beautiful bays. There are boat options for every budget and experience, from £30pp for a full day on board a four-person motorboat to £721 for our larger one with a skipper.
I recommend forking out for a skipper if you can. Our guy, Mario, knew every fascinating detail about the island, including where we could pick up a boat-side mojito and the best place for a snorkel.
Sailing past the rocky beaches, he pointed towards a giant banana-coloured villa, perched solo at the top of a craggy cliff and overlooking a huge yacht.
“This home belongs to superstar model Naomi Campbell,” he said.
It was no surprise to me that she chose this southern end of Ibiza for her holiday home, with nothing but the crystal-clear sea to look out over.
If you prefer to soak up the sea views from dry land, the White Isle has incredible beach clubs which are also a great way to dip your toes into the party scene without diving head first into a super club.
The new Playa Soleil is THE place to do just that. Visitors spill out on to the beach sat across cushioned beds during the day, then the music is ramped up for the evening with beats blasting from a freshly refurbed dance space overlooking the sand.
Or, walk a little further along the shoreline to the .
It’s a great spot for spending your final day if you’re catching a late flight as it’s just a seven-minute drive from the airport and has luggage storage, outdoor showers and changing rooms to freshen up in.
Daily yoga classes are also hosted here on the beach. After stretching our limbs, we spent the afternoon sprawled on a sun-bed slurping palomas and tucking into the best prawn tacos I’ve ever eaten.
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Got children? Drop them off at the “” play area round the back that’s monitored by staff who host arts and crafts sessions and kiddy yoga classes so parents can join in the fun and knock back a few lunchtime wines if they wish.
Just don’t forget to pick up the kids before you leave . . .
GO: IBIZA
GETTING THERE: Easyjet flies from Luton to Ibiza from £26.99 each way. See .
STAYING THERE: One night’s B&B at Ryans Lola’s costs from €220 (£195), based on two people sharing. See .
OUT & ABOUT: A Crowline motorboat costs from £80pp to hire for the day, based on nine people sailing and including skipper and paddleboard equipment. See .