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A year-round Ibiza sanctuary – Can Vistabella

There’s a secret hidden within the lush, forested hills of Benimussa near San Antonio. It’s a discreet and tranquil location scattered with luxury bungalows, comfy chill-outs, meandering stone pathways and a pristine swimming pool, where the murmur of gentle laughter and lyrical birdsong fill the air. This is Can Vistabella, one of Ibiza’s most serene and quietly luxurious places to stay all year round. With just 15 exquisite dwellings dotted across the property, its clever design makes you feel as though you are part of a private club and judging by the long list of guests who return time after time, it’s a secret that won’t stay under wraps for much longer.

Most of the abodes at Can Vistabella accommodate up to four guests, with two studios that are ideal for couples. Each of the spaces are unique, decorated using materials, colours, and textures inspired by the Ibiza landscape. Terracotta tiled floors, Sabina-beamed ceilings, and whitewashed walls pay homage to the traditional Ibiza farmhouse, while luxe linens, tasselled cushions, and mirrors sourced from Ibiza’s artisanal markets reflect the island’s artistic spirit. Kitchenettes for late-night snacking along with fireplaces and underfloor heating make the resort an inviting winter escape – sunny by day, and cosy by night.

Brimming with laid-back Ibiza soul, Can Vistabella is hidden among the Benimussa hills, where love, care and attention is at the core of every stay.

Developed under the meticulous and passionate eye of manager Zuzana FlorekovaCan Vistabella has grown from a campground to a luxury boutique hotel in just four years. Completely self-trained, the Slovakian-born hospitality expert possesses a natural affinity for creating exquisite spaces and delivering exemplary service and was struck by the site’s beauty and potential when she first laid eyes on it in 2019. “I remember standing in the middle of it, closing my eyes, and it just appeared to me,” Zuzana says. “I could envision the houses, imagine people chilling by the pool. I could see exactly what it was destined to become.”

Though not part of her original job spec, Zuzana was entrusted with the décor for each of the bungalows, taking her cues from the owners’ exceptional taste and innate sense of style. Working with her highly refined intuition, she envisaged each area at Can Vistabella as a sanctuary, leaving nothing to afterthought. “I put myself in the position of a guest, and wondered how I would use the space,” she explains. “Every room has its own story,” she says. “The owners and I were completely on the same page. We believed everything should be kept simple, but beautiful.” The rustic stonework, wood beams, and fresh style synonymous with Ibiza’s heritage are anathema to over-decoration, requiring a sense of natural order and effortlessness.

The pretty pool at Can Vistabella sits within a stone patio surrounded by the forest, while chill-outs and courtyards dotted among bougainvillea and hibiscus plants are perfect for seeking respite from the midday heat in summer or soaking up the mild rays of winter sunshine. Relax with a book in the hammocks beneath the wooden cabana, take a siesta on any one of the perfectly placed oversized cushions or wander the labyrinthine paths between the residences, immersing yourself in nature. “It’s the details that really make the difference,” Zuzana says, and she’s right – no element has been overlooked.

This ethos extends to every component of the Can Vistabella experience, something Zuzana takes great pride in. “I make myself available to guests whenever they need me,” she says. “We take a personal approach with everyone because all guests need something different. Some want everything booked in advance, others have kids to occupy, and special touches go a long way – we always take notice of what matters.” Clients often comment on the fact that Zuzana is never seen without a smile on her face and is always available for their requests. “That’s my number one rule,” she says.

Manager Zuzana Florekova is dedicated to ensuring each and every guest experiences the stay of a lifetime. This extends to designing and decorating each of the spaces, with an innate understanding of guests’ needs.

A complimentary concierge service is part and parcel of the Can Vistabella experience. No request is too big or small – from private transfers and restaurant reservations to daily excursions and activities, everything is taken care of. “Anything our guests need, we can arrange it,” Zuzana says. “The beauty of the hotel is that you have plenty of space and privacy, but if you need anything, you just have to ask.” Those wanting to take refuge away from the island’s hustle and bustle can take indulge in twice-daily yoga sessions, a massage and pampering area hidden among the trees, and twilight cinema screenings three times a week.

Foodies, too, will relish the offerings at Essència Ibiza, the in-house restaurant at Can Vistabella – also open all year round to guests and visitors. Accomplished chef Francisco Moreno has curated an inspired menu, ranging from classic Spanish snacks such as traditional croquetas, sliced jamón, and more by day, to decadent dinner dishes that traverse global tastebuds by night. Starters include Korean lamb saam served in crispy lettuce leaves; flambéed mackerel with wakame seaweed and beetroot, almond and fennel hummus, while mains included hearty Thai yellow curry, presa Ibérica done Japanese-style; plus squid with Lebanese samke hara tahini sauce, white beans, sobrasada, and crispy tapioca. Families will be happy to note there’s a great kids’ menu too.

Highly accomplished chef Francisco Moreno spearheads Essènica Ibiza, the in-house restaurant at Can Vistabella that is also open to the public.

Thanks to Zuzana’s unwavering dedication to crafting a truly special island retreat, Can Vistabella is infused with heart and soul. “We want to make people feel so at home that when they leave, they’re immediately thinking about coming back,” she says. This commitment is evident in glowing feedback and an ever-growing list of loyal clients that includes a couple who visited for the first time in spring 2023 and returned four subsequent times throughout the summer. A peaceful haven in winter and summer alike, ideally located for exploring the best the island has to offer, Can Vistabella remains one of the island’s hidden gems but it won’t be long before the secret is out.

An exciting new path – Villa Mercedes

It’s no revelation to the world’s clued-up foodies that Ibiza’s well-earned status on the gastronomic map is now cemented — the white isle is home to some of the most innovative restaurants and forward-thinking chefs on the planet. And yet, one area of the island that’s been gastronomically bubbling away without too much fanfare is San Antonio, the pretty seaside town that’s most renowned for spectacular sunsets. Fortunately, restaurants like Villa Mercedes are readdressing the balance by enlisting talented new executive chef Iván Acquistato push the culinary boundaries and prove that there’s more to this west coast enclave than just mesmerising skies.

That’s not to say that Villa Mercedes hasn’t always been a beacon of great food and excellent dining experiences. Beloved by the island’s born and bred, and always adored by visitors, the restaurant has maintained the kind of low-key but still luxurious atmosphere that appeals to one and all. Boasting a beautiful alfresco terrace and garden dining area right next to the harbour, the whitewashed restaurant building is something of a local icon in itself, built in 1901 and converted into a restaurant by the famous Mambo Group in 1999. Dinners here are sound-tracked by live music and local DJs, not to mention the tinkering of yacht sails in the distance.

While the original essence of Villa Mercedes remains unchanged, a new era is dawning at the restaurant, thanks to the creative vision of executive chef, Iván Acquista. Born in Argentina and with a standout career that’s seen him helm the kitchens of Heart Ibiza, W Verbier, Ocean Drive, Belmond, and alongside his much-revered mentor Rafa Zafra at Casa Jondal, this creative and ambitious young talent has now decided to go his own way. This summer, he has reinvigorated the menu at Villa Mercedes through his use of impeccable local products (treated minimally so natural flavours shine), a touch of local tradition and a side of culinary flair. “You’ll see be a big leap in quality,” he says. “People have known Villa Mercedes for a long time, but now we want to elevate its name again and bring people back to San Antonio for great dining experiences.”

Those grand aspirations are backed by both skill and prowess, and after years of honing his craft, Iván is ready to strike out and create a menu that embodies his own interpretation of fantastic food. “Our new menu at Villa Mercedes is based on contemporary Mediterranean food, with a few tributes to Ibiza’s traditional cuisine,” he says. “We want it to have a very local identity.” Much inspiration has been taken from San Antonio harbour, which almost laps the restaurant’s doorstep – for example, almost all of the fresh fish is sourced from local suppliers and guilds – although there are also a few obvious (and delicious) nods to Iván’s homeland across the menu too.

The evening must begin with a bespoke Villa Mercedes cocktail. The Golden Mercedes is a heady blend of Jack Daniels, amaro, honey syrup, lime, ginger and sage while the Tanit Moon celebrates its namesake goddess with G-vine infused butterfly pea tea flower, lime, and orange. Follow up cocktails with a bottle from the thoughtfully curated cellar of Spanish, Balearic and international drops before considering some of Iván’s favourite dishes. “The caviar empanaditais one of the dishes you really have to order,” says Iván, speaking about his culinary homage to Argentina. “It brings together the flavours of the sea with memories from my birthplace. It’s a dish that reminds me of my mother, because there were always empanadas at home.” A richly layered combination of quality caviar with golden-tinted pastry that boasts just the right amount of crisp, it’s the perfect blend of luxury and nostalgia, and a symbol of what’s to come.

Must-try light bites at Villa Mercedes include perfectly plump oysters, and acorn-fed Iberian ham — two classics reimagined and the rest of the starters follow the same tantalising path — all the favourites are there but with a twist. Think creamy mushroom and blue cheese croquettes; juicy Marinara mussels with homemade sauce and parsley; and red prawn carpaccio (made from the famously sweet and delicious prawns from the island) served with caramelised onion purée and toast. There’s also roasted aubergine carpaccio with Ibiza honey, caramelised pine nuts and fresh cream; Gallega clams with green salsa; and in a twist on Ibiza tradition, broken eggs with sobrasada, local honey and mushroom.

Seafood serves as the stimulus behind many of the main dishes at Villa Mercedes. “I always recommend our fresh fish cooked on the Josper grill,” Iván says. “John Dory, sea bass, sole — we make all our stocks with the residual juices and serve the fish with a Bilbao-style sauce.” Other options are equally mouth-watering. There’s Ibizan crayfish accompanied by fried potatoes and peppers; lavish king crab leg and warm Rocoto (a Peruvian red pepper) foam; and in a tribute to Iván’s mentor Rafa Zafra, fried scorpion fish tacos with corn tortillas and other toppings. And for something truly traditional, don’t miss the Villa Mercedes speciality, a hearty red prawn rice to share.

Prime cuts of meat – like the luxe Black Angus tenderloin, a tender Angus Picaña, and the oh-so-flavoursome Japanese Wagyu – are imbied with a subtle smokiness, courtesy of the Villa Mercedes Josper grill. Meanwhile, boneless chicken thighs are marinated in 30 different spices, and luscious lamb chops (“In Ibiza the lamb is so good!” adds Iván) served with frita Ibicenco – fried potatoes, red peppers and local herbs. Choose your favourite main and load up your table with plenty of tasty sides, including sweet potato chips; candied and grilled piquillo peppers with a Bilbaína sauce; and grilled asparagus, which also gets the Josper grill treatment, and is served with Rocoto Hollandaise sauce.

Finish proceedings with a dreamy dessert like fluffy matcha cheesecake; roasted pineapple and coconut carpaccio; indulgent flan with cream and dulce de leche; and the sweetest strawberries with cream and chocolate. Evenings at Villa Mercedes are designed to be lingered over so there’s no rush here – be sure to take time to enjoy the live music, convivial vibe, great company, and incredible sea views, all fundamental pillars in San Antonio’s resurgence as a foodie destination.

Alongside Villa Mercedes manager Jorge – a San Antonio local who is passionate about the culinary revival of the area – and experienced hostess Marta, Iván is confident that his vision for raising the reputation of this renowned island dining destination is in sight. “San Antonio is on an exciting path,” he concludes. “And Villa Mercedes is at the heart of it.”

The essence of eating

As the global movement towards sustainability gathers force, and the world’s very best chefs embrace foraging, growing and sourcing locally, there is a quiet but very definite food revolution happening in Ibiza, and it’s taking place where you might least expect it. The combination of affordable locales, Insta-obsessed travellers and a discerning clientele in the busy tourist town of San Antonio has created a responsive restaurant scene covering all tastes and dietary requirements, from health food cafes and zero-waste stores to high-end vegan options and locally inspired dining experiences. And at the heart of it all is Villa Mercedes

Set in the very heart of the recently revamped San Antonio marina, the much-loved restaurant proudly occupies a grand old villa and gardens that were originally built in 1901. Step inside the grand entrance gates and you’ll find a space that honours its past while also looking to the future – Villa Mercedes is an intimate and friendly dining haven with modern tastes in cuisine. From the terrace, you can look out over the bobbing boats of the harbour, while swaying palms and a trickling water fountain evoke a colonial vibe. Traditional formal service has given way to divine sharing plates that celebrate the very essence of eating, with fresh new dishes made with local produce, and tapas plates that incorporate vegan, gluten-free and vegetarian options alike. Everyone goes home happy.

Any fun Ibiza evening begins with cocktails, and as befits one of the flagship venues of the renowned Mambo Group, the cocktail menu at Villa Mercedes is up-to-the-minute, impeccably on-trend and guaranteed to get you extra likes on Instagram. Take a seat at the bar and order the Indiana Jones inspired Chilled Monkey Brains, served in a carved-out coconut complete with a monkey-face and topped with iced and dripping strawberry sorbet, or the palate-cleansing Herb Garden, blending gin with fresh sage, oregano, mint and thyme in a natural bamboo jar. If you’re looking for something with a little more bite, the Netflix and Chill comes in a brightly decorated serving box filled with frozen grapefruit, lime and mezcal, topped up with chilli-popcorn to really draw out the tangy flavours.

Discovering and sharing the joy of eating is the main event at Villa Mercedes, and the recently upgraded menu is a delightful exploration of local favourites and flavours. The starters have been created with sharing in mind, and the portions are large enough to split around the table – no food envy in sight. Standouts include the delicate Aubergine tempura, drizzled with local honey and toasted Wasabi sesame seeds – the very definition of finger licking good; an homage to Ibiza’s endangered seagrass, Posidonia, includes octopus, tuna and local red prawns nested around salty samphire, plus crispy calamari prepared in chickpea flour for the gluten-intolerants and served with a spicy home-made tartar sauce. Another indulgent must-try is the steaming dish of garlic prawns, which come with a fried egg cooked in the same sizzling oil with chunks of crusty rustic bread for delicious dunking.

Of course, when a restaurant boasts the kind of heritage that Villa Mercedes is known for, it’s impossible to leave out the classics, and here, the restaurant truly excels. Fabulous Galician fillet steaks and grilled wild seabass are still some of the bestsellers on the menu, served with local patatas Ibicencas, padron peppers and this year with a wide and varied choice of sides. From superfood salads or heritage carrots to locally grown green beans, there are plenty of options to add some colour to your plate. The famed Wagyu burger comes with a blend of cheeses to enhance its natural flavours while the grilled octopus has been tenderised to the point of melt-in-your-mouth before being served with purple potato mash. The biggest problem at Villa Mercedes? You’re spoiled for choice.

Catering to consumer demand is key for a restaurant at the top of its game like Villa Mercedes, so when a Valencian paella chef joined the team earlier this year, it was only fitting that some considerations were taken into account. An impressive Lobster paella swiftly made its way onto the menu, served mellow or juicy, in homage to the San Antonio traditional style, and it’s become a hit with island regulars, and born and bred locals alike. At the same time, a vegetarian paella was introduced, meaning no customer need ever feel left out when it comes to ordering. With vegan and vegetarian guests on the increase, the selection of options on the Villa Mercedes menu prove that taste need never be sacrificed when it comes to lifestyle choices.

If there’s room for dessert – and you should definitely try to save some – then favourites such as red berry cheesecake or a classic and tart lemon meringue should satisfy the sweet-toothed among your group. But for a perfectly guilt-free treat, the signature Villa Mercedes Villa Orange simply cannot be missed. A simple fresh orange is peeled and marinated for 24 hours with a hint of cinnamon and a dash of Cointreau, then served chilled with caramelised orange shavings scattered across the top plus a scoop of tangerine sorbet on the side to add some fresh citrus vibes. It sounds (and looks) incredibly sinful, but in fact, it’s refreshingly innocent.

Villa Mercedes is open nightly, with a varied soundtrack created by an ever-changing roster of local DJs and musicians across the week giving you all the more reason to visit. On Thursdays, island legend Paco Fernandez regales diners with his Flamenco guitar, and Saturdays play host to Royal Bliss, as the restaurant offers a four-course pairing menu with live instrumental music. Regular pop-up appearances from DJ Buda and Tony French mean the eclectic range of music on offer is always of the highest quality. In fact, whatever your tastes, whatever your diet, whatever your desires, this is one restaurant that is sure to have exactly what you need on the menu.

Visit the White Ibiza restaurants guide to read more and enquire with Villa Mercedes
Where the curious are indulged

Such is the legend surrounding Pikes Ibiza that it’s begun to defy definition. A place that shamelessly indulges the esoteric while simultaneously inspiring wild, madcap fantasies; a utopia rooted in physicality of sorts – in this case, the bucolic rolling hills of San Antonio, where it sits atop a makeshift throne casting unshakable spells over its incumbents. Always evolving and forever inviting guests to venture further into its enchanted rabbit hole, this summer the famed hotel has added another string to its bow in the form of the Curiosity Shop in Room 39, a louche hangout where the curious are indulged and the indulged are curious. Once known as the upper level of the Pikes Ibiza restaurant, Room 39 has undergone an exquisite transformation in which a selection of the world’s most peculiar objets d’arts have been collected, curated and presented within the walls of what’s now known as the Curiosity Shop. Part late-night lounge bar, part musical hub, part meeting place of the eccentrically minded, it’s also home to a trailblazing range of cocktails inspired by each trinket that’s journeyed around the globe before coming to settle (temporarily, for each object is for sale) on its shelves.

The mastermind behind the bar’s magnificent cocktail menu is mixologist, Tanja Mašić, whose mother was also in the serious business of mixing spirits. She passed on the intuitive baton for intriguing combinations to her daughter and Tanja traversed the globe honing her skills, before eventually turning her hand to the job of bar manager at Pikes, where her peerless knowledge and dedication to the cause has resulted in the most inventive cocktail list on the island. Inspired by the bits and bobs collected by Pikes owner, Dawn Hindle, she takes us on a journey through flavour, but only for as long as the object remains unsold – once it’s found a permanent home, its accompanying cocktail is taken off the menu and replaced by another new creation.

As a result, there’s only a limited time to sample drinks like the Legless Indian, named after a teapot because it fuses gin, lemon juice and hibiscus green tea, or the bright pink Crystal Dildo, which includes mezcal, blood orange, coconut puree, lime and agave, and the Captain of the Night, so named by Pikes frontman Mika Jarosz who was asked: “If you were a cocktail, what would you be?” The result is a combination of mezcal, sweet sherry and tobacco syrup. The recipes may sound simple but of course, their true nature is shrouded in secrecy, with Tanja often scribbling down creations when she least expects it.

So take a pew in the newly-decorated space that’s alive with the depths of petrol blue and sleek, gold-rimmed chairs, and it wont be long before you’re making your way through every cocktail, getting lost in a world that’s been woven by new taste sensations. Then, if you’re feeling peckish, you can dig into the gastro-inspired recently upgraded menu, which is laden with options for every culinary leaning. From vegan to vegetarian to meat-loving, there’s something for everyone, and under the guidance of head chef Lee Milne, a guarantee that every plate is gastronomic bombshell.

Music is the final piece of this pleasing riddle. Described by Dawn as mirroring “sleazy, late night Berlin sounds”, each Pikes resident DJ has curated a playlist that will float through the bar and into the Balearic darkness until the magic hour of 4am. Nevertheless, we expect time isn’t something you’ll be paying much attention to here. ’How long is forever?’ asks Alice to the White Rabbit in Lewis Carrol’s Alice in Wonderland. ‘Sometimes, just one second,’ he replies.

Visit the White Ibiza hotels guide to read more and contact Pikes Ibiza