TRAVELLING in large groups can be stressful, especially if it is down to you to organise the itinerary to the hedonistic isle of Ibiza. But as I discovered, the party capital of Europe has so much to offer that no one would be left disappointed.
After touching down in the Balearics and checking in to the Hard Rock Hotel Ibiza on the south-west coast, we made like celebs and jumped aboard private yachts to sister island, Formentera.
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Actors Matt Damon and Chris Hemsworth were pictured with their wives on boats on the very same weekend — although sadly our paths didn’t cross. I’d feared a day at sea would be a hassle to organise and too expensive but Boats Ibiza made sure we were taken care of.
Ibiza can be pricey, but with drinks and snorkel gear included in our deal, we were able to kickback and quaff cava without the worry of a hefty bill at the end of the day.
For our group of 15 we needed two boats but these run in tandem for the entire day, which made the experience even more fun. Best of all, it cost us less per person than it would have to spend the day at one of the White Isle’s many beach clubs. So far, so good.
With our first night upon us, we made our way across the island to San Antonio hotspot Eden to dance at one of Ibiza’s oldest parties, Defected. The “no frills, just house” night is committed to affordable clubbing prices (tickets start at just £19 this season).
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This was music to our ears — pardon the pun — considering that most tickets range from £40-£90. We eventually dragged our tired legs back to the hotel as the sun was rising for some much-needed kip.
There is no better way to nurse a hangover than a long lunch at the nearby Bagatelle, one of many beach clubs dotted all around the island.
Bagatelle is famed for its lively atmosphere where diners celebrating a special occasion are invited to raid the costume cupboard. They are then hoisted into the air and carried back to the table by waiters with champagne and sparklers.
Incredible food, plus a significant amount of sangria, teed us up nicely for a day party at Ushuaia. The 417-room hotel is one of Europe’s best outdoor music venues, with capacity for 4,000 ravers.
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Calvin Harris, Martin Garrix and David Guetta are just some of the DJs who boast residencies there for 2019. We arrived late afternoon for its Ants party as thousands of clubbers saw out the sunshine to the sounds of Erick Morillo and Andrea Oliva.
When it ended at 11pm, the earlybirds of our crew wandered back to the hotel while the night owls followed the crowd across the road to Hi. Formerly known as Space, it is one of the biggest and best superclubs on the island.
From chill-out tipis in the garden to DJs in the toilets, it is a must-visit. We partied at Glitterbox, an unforgettable night filled with dancers, drag queens, disco balls, headliner Roger Sanchez on the decks as well as a live performance by Sister Sledge singer Kathy Sledge belting out disco classics.
As our third and final day approached and group morale started to wane, a trip to Blowout Ibiza was just the ticket. A one-stop shop for everything beauty, we brought ourselves back to life with hair treatments, face masks and makeovers. They even offer vitamin B12 drips for the ultimate energy boost, although we weren’t brave enough to try them.
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Our final hours were spent at upmarket Nassau Beach Club, on a more secluded part of Playa d’en Bossa. We relaxed on stylish day-beds and tucked into a menu of Mediterranean and Asian-inspired foods including delicious salmon poke bowls.
I had been apprehensive about organising a trip for so many people, all with varying tastes and totally different ideas of the perfect holiday, but it turned out Ibiza can cater for everyone.
I’m only sad that I hadn’t rounded up my nearest and dearest sooner for a weekend of island hopping and disco balls.
Go: Ibiza Formentera
OUT AND ABOUT: A half-day charter boat including one hour of fuel and drinks is from £70.97pp based on seven sharing. See boatsibiza.com.
MORE INFO: For beauty needs see blowoutibiza.com. To book Hard Rock Hotel Ibiza, see hrhibiza.com.
