Introducing Anne Semonin facials

Modern-day life is a challenge. Days are spent constantly running from place to place and the majority of people have a tendency to put others first – often to the detriment of their health and appearance. This is why it’s so important to occasionally allow yourself time for little luxuries. Those moments in which you can take precious time to stop, relax, and just be are essential, for both physical and mental wellbeing. In Ibiza, there’s nowhere better for this than Open Spa – the luxurious wellness centre within Ibiza’s only Five-Star Grand Luxe resort – where an Anne Semonin facial is the current buzzword on everyone’s lips, thanks to its beneficial properties for body and soul. Anne Semonin is a hugely successful, luxury skincare brand renowned internationally for its excellence. With a reputation for giving the best facials in the world, Ibiza Gran Hotel has scored a coup by becoming the only place in Ibiza where you can experience the mind-blowing array of treatments on offer. The secret of the brand’s success lies with eponymous founder, Anne Semonin, who has spent over three decades perfecting the products and technique behind the facials. The result is an incredibly healing range, developed to suit all manner of skin types – regardless of type, age, or condition.

The stresses and strains of everyday life ease into the ether as soon as you enter the elegant surrounds of Open Spa at Ibiza Gran Hotel. A sanctuary away from outside hustle and bustle, this is a space where time and thoughts are forgotten in favour of much-needed rest and recuperation. You’re greeted at the desk by a friendly member of staff and then guided to the relaxation room, where beds warmed to 20 degrees prepare you for the Open Aqua circuit. Here, there’s time to savour a stunning range of high-tech spa pools, steam rooms and a sauna, so once it’s time for your treatment, you’re already immersed in a state of complete relaxation. There’s an attention to detail that really stands out at this spa, too. Slippers are warmed before being placed on your feet, healthy snacks and mint-infused water are laid out for guests, and a lavender-infused pillow is placed on your neck – everything is done to make time here a luxury experience. This continues through to the treatment room, where calming music, warming light and a highly-trained therapist is there to guide you through a process that regenerates and boosts the skin, and along with it, your esteem.

The basis of all Anne Semonin treatments is a revolutionary combination of essential oils, trace minerals and marine active ingredients. Each step of the process is tailored to suit specific needs and skin type, but every facial follows the same regimen. With the Cryo Time Freeze facial, for example, the first step is to cleanse the face with a herb-infused botanical milk, which cleans the surface of the skin in preparation for the further steps to come. Next, a botanical toner is applied. Formulated with witch hazel, this product soothes and rebalances the skin. In the third stage, an exfoliating mask is gently applied, and by this point skin is already beginning to look and feel different. Infused with seaweed and kaolin, the mask removes dead skin cells and visibly brightens the complexion. The next step is where the therapist’s experience really shines. Firming IC and precious serum are applied, and then, using her extensive knowledge of the products and skin types, she combines the perfect mixture of essential oils and trace minerals for your skin. The rich elixir is then smoothed over the skin’s surface and applied using a unique Anne Semonin drainage massage, developed by Anne herself after years of experimenting with the technique. Pressure applied to the face ensures maximum absorption, and simultaneously stimulates other parts of the body, promoting lymph nodes to remove toxins. The mask is left to sit for 10 minutes, while the therapist conducts a relaxing reflexology session, to lull you further into a state of bliss.

Once the mask has been removed, Express Radiance ice cubes are applied to every part of the face. Made using Anne Semonin products and serums, they glide over the skin promoting deep healing of cells. To finish, a contour serum and anti-ageing cream are applied (all chosen to provide maximum results for each individual), and while this ensures healing continues long after the treatment, it’s of course recommended to invest in products and have a home face care plan of your own in order to see optimum results. Nevertheless, the results are instant – smoother, plumper, younger looking skin. You leave with a spring in your step, a renewed sense of confidence and the enjoyable feeling of knowing you’ve taken time out to care for yourself.

A precision science

In the view of foodies all across the globe, Ibiza has become a gastronomic destination that’s simply not to be missed. A world-beating combination of innovative cuisine, Michelin-star chefs and outstanding service has secured this reputation, and nowhere excels more in all three of these categories than La Gaia at Ibiza Gran Hotel, the island’s flagship ‘Five-Star Grand Luxe’ property. Under the esteemed expertise of head chef, Óscar Molina, La Gaia has set the benchmark for a menu of genre-defying dishes that while defying categorisation, evoke instant adulation and praise. One element that really ushers the culinary offering at La Gaia to the very highest level is Chef Molina’s exclusive style of Nikkei cooking. A unique amalgamation of Japanese and Peruvian flavours, he takes the best elements from both styles of cooking and combines them with his own extraordinary creative flourish. Widely considered a trail-blazing master of his art, Óscar is particular to the nth degree, and consequently only employs highly-trained chefs with specialisms in one or the other styles of cuisine in his kitchen. The result is a selection of haute dishes, unrivalled anywhere on the island in both taste and style.

Chef Óscar has been influenced by flavours from all over the world during his career; in fact, he makes it his personal mission to travel in search of inspiration each and every winter, which is one of the many reasons he’s considered one of Spain’s leading chefs. He demands a similar level of immersion in food circles from his staff, and that means every dish is constructed with the same level of precision, love and flair as you would expect from an avant-garde restaurant. There is no room for error – a few seconds here or there can make all the difference between a perfect and an almost perfect dish. Take the broiled monkfish cheeks as an example. Served with black garlic sauce, sake and garlic scape confit, every step in preparing this dish is carried out with an extreme level of accuracy. First, the best cut of fish (the fish’s jowls – called kokotxa in Basque cooking) is vacuum packed. It’s then boiled for three minutes at exactly 60 degrees, before being opened and then broiled on both sides. Meanwhile, 20g of sake is brought to the boil to eke out its strong alcoholic flavour. It’s then combined with soy sauce and black garlic mayonnaise (homemade to the highest specification, naturally) and the monkfish, and placed back on the heat. The fish is then placed in a deep dish with a few dots of freshly-made black garlic gel and garlic scape confit and decorated with watercress.

The bonito tataki served with homemade kimchi and pickled tomatoes requires similarly intense levels of detailed preparation and execution, especially with three unique components to create the final, delicious dish. The kimchi includes exact amounts of Chinese cabbage, fine salt, hot paprika, oil, yellow chilli paste and cumin. The pickled tomatoes are made with soy sauce, mirin, icing sugar, fine salt and dashi – a kind of stock used in Japanese cooking. While the bonito is cured with sea salt and rice vinegar. All of these ingredients are then combined. So first, one-centimetre thick slices of tuna are placed on a plate, each one on top of a pillowy bed of kimchi. They’re then sprinkled with flax seeds and decorated with ice plant shoots. In a separate bowl, the pickled tomatoes are placed with a small amount of pickle juice and then combined with shallots and diced coriander. The two plates are then served side by side, and eaten together for the optimum mouthful.

Such definite instructions and measurements come from a combination of Óscar’s experience, skill-set and curiosity. To create recipes in which every ingredient sings while combining to make the perfect forkful of food is no mean feat. It takes years of practice and an innate awareness of flavours that can’t be taught, but rather, has to be felt. This is what you get at La Gaia – cuisine that you see, feel, and taste – delectation for all the senses.

Presenting a ‘Ronqueo’

With representatives of the esteemed Spanish fishery Balfegó, the assembled crowd were privy to a ronqueo. There is no direct English translation for ronqueo but in Spanish, the word denotes the sound of the knife as it cuts into the skin of a tuna fish. Using an assortment of six knives and a handful of other tools, the fish was ritualistically disassembled into its various edible parts. Representatives from Balfegó accompanied the rhythmic performance with running commentary while two chefs used delicacy, brawn and muscle to present the audience with some of the finest tuna in the world.

The Bluefin tuna is a magnificent looking fish. Built for speed and agility, its torpedo-shaped body is metallic blue on top and shimmering silver below. The average Bluefin grows to two metres in length and weighs around 250 kilos. Highly prized in Japanese cuisine, prices for a single fish can reach up to six figures. Their speed and power make them highly sought by sports fisherman – there’s a good reason why the ultimate fisherman, Ernest Hemingway, called them ‘the king of all fish’. The Mediterranean (specifically the Balearic Islands) is the most important Bluefin tuna fishery and spawning ground in the world. Balfegó is a fifth generation family-run enterprise that had its humble beginnings in the small seaside town of l’Ametla de Mar on the east coast of Spain. Cousins Manel and Pere-Vicent Balfegó still operate their own tuna fishing vessels as well as overseeing the transformation of their small company into a European powerhouse, employing over 180 people. The company mission is to capture, feed, study and trade in Bluefin tuna under a corporate and social responsibility program that ensures the protection and continuation of the species.

After decades of overfishing, the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation has recently announced that Mediterranean Bluefin tuna has been brought back from the brink of extinction and stocks have returned to a healthy level. Not only has Balfegó’s commitment to sustainable practices helped bring about this shift, it is also the first company to develop an electronic system to track individual fish from capture to the kitchens of the world’s best restaurants ensuring quality from sea to plate. The collaboration between La Gaia and Balfegó provides a way to offer this delectable fish while remaining conscious of ethical practices. Balfegó’s commitment to sustainable fishing, aquaculture and research and development means diners at La Gaia can be assured their enjoyment is virtuous, while Óscar Molina and his team get to work with the best quality fish on the market.

There is an alchemical process that occurs within the psyche of chefs when they get to work with quality ingredients. Molina and his team stirred, chopped and tweezered until the aroma of haute cuisine wafted through the air. The sparkle in the chef’s eye belied his cool deportment as he prepared several dishes from scratch, all the while explaining in a calm baritone the various ingredients, flavour combinations and preparations – not only showing the expertise of his world class kitchen, but also advising on how to cook perfect tuna at home. Of the dishes presented, the Anticucho de Atún Balfegó appears on the La Gaia menu. In keeping with the restaurant’s concept, the flavours of this delicate dish combine Japanese and Peruvian traditions. Akami is the cut from the top of the back of the fish. Deep red in colour with very little fat and a firm texture, the meat is thinly sliced and marinated in ají panca, a Peruvian red pepper with a fruity flavour and mild heat. Skewered and seared, the fish is served over a bed of mashed sweet potato with honey. It’s a beautiful presentation of this quality fish and when enjoyed in the dining room of La Gaia it becomes a work of art.

Ethical Elemis treatments at Open Spa

Housed within the five-star Grand Luxe surrounds of Ibiza Gran Hotel, the soothing and naturally-lit treatment cabins set the perfect pitch for a rejuvenating experience using the latest in pioneering products and processes, including exquisite ethical skincare by ELEMIS. Open Spa chooses the ELEMIS range for a series of full body treatments, all carefully designed to install an overall feeling of wellness and restore balance and vitality to the skin, face and body. At the forefront of skincare technology, ELEMIS have been creating award-winning products for over 25 years and in 2017, were crowned winners at the CEW awards (also known as the Oscars of the Beauty Industry) so you know you’re in the best of hands.

The first stage of each the treatment is arriving to the beautiful welcome and changing areas of Open Spa, where you pampering and preening is second nature to the team of highly experienced therapists. All Open Spa guests are invited to arrive at least an hour before the appointment itself, leaving plenty of time to relax, unwind, change into a plush bathrobe and enjoy a delectable dip into the water, in the hydrotherapy centre just located next to the treatment rooms. Once feeling suitable mellow, your dedicated therapist guides you into the airy and aesthetically calming private cabin to begin your 80-minute treatment. The ELEMIS philosophy subscribes to a dialogue-centric approach to each individual clients personal skincare needs. By understanding your lifestyle, then using facial mapping technology, your therapist can personally prescribe and fulfil your unique and individual skincare requirements, which are changing constantly along with life’s demands.

The Face & Body Sensation therapy uses hot stones for a deeper than deep tissue massage, both invigorating and relaxing – the ergonomic Balinese stones sending warm waves through the most stubborn of muscle aches and pains whilst the skin is intensely moisturised with ELEMIS Frangipani Monoi Body Oil. This is combined with a luxurious facial massage and anti-ageing treatment to fight against wrinkles, improve the softness of the skin and restore its former youthful radiance. The Garden of England Rose Restore begins with a full body exfoliation, using the advanced bio-technology of the ELEMIS range matched to your skin type. Afterwards, your therapist applies a nourishing body wrap with a unique trio of fragrant and therapeutic rose, camellia and poppy seed oils to hydrate the skin and increase its elasticity all over leaving it deliciously scented and exquisitely supple. Absolutely heavenly. One of the signature ELEMIS treatments is the Couture Touch – a reinvigorating experience for face and body that combines a completely personalised facial treatment with an anti-stress back massage, ideal for achieving balance and feeling revitalised. While your body unwinds, your skin springs back to life thanks to an advanced bio-tech technology facial, using high-performance formulas that pass the strictest of ELEMIS testing procedures before being released to market.

Whichever treatment you choose from the ELEMIS range at Open Spa, you can feel confident that the combination of natural ingredients and the latest technology and techniques come together perfectly. Powerful marine and plant actives coupled with intricately-blended aromatics form the foundations for all ELEMIS products, all of which are ethically sourced and extracted, making the treatments as good for the environment as they are for your skin. Once your treatment is over, the restful space of the Open Spa is yours once again to recline, relax and recover in your own time. Enjoy the hydrotherapy circuit followed by a luxurious shower, before finally relaxing with a cup of herbal tea in the plush lounges of the welcome area. Your ELEMIS experience doesn’t necessarily have to be over when you leave Open Spa, with an extensive range of skincare products also available to purchase over the counter. Your therapist can recommend the perfect products to suit your skin types and need, meaning the results of your treatment will continue to glow long after you’ve left the spa.

A magician at work

This is one of the many reasons it continues to draw international talent from all fields, and why it remains a haven for top creative minds, particularly those of the culinary persuasion. Never has this been more true than in the case of the much famed Óscar Molina, a trailblazing Catalonian chef who has made his home on the island, and at La Gaia, the ground-breaking Japeruvian restaurant housed within the Ibiza Gran Hotel. Having travelled the world honing his craft for over 30 years – and winning multiple awards along the way – Óscar became involved in the opening of the Ibiza Gran Hotel in 2008, when he was asked to head up a team of 43 dedicated professionals and to initiate brand new gastronomic concepts across all of the group’s restaurants, including La Gaia, the Ibiza Gran Hotel’s most sophisticated offering of haute cuisine, art, and design. Now, thanks to Óscar’s pioneering techniques and prowess in the kitchen, La Gaia is critically acclaimed; a restaurant with a reputation that precedes it in Ibiza and around the world.

What’s made La Gaia such an unmitigated success can all be laid at the feet of Óscar, of course, and that’s no surprise when you recognise he’s considered one of Spain’s leading chefs and a respected voice among his industry. Having fostered an interest in fusion cooking when he worked with the legendary Mey Hoffman at the Arts Hotel in Barcelona, he went on to perfect his own abilities by approaching food with unrivalled passion and spirit, something he continues to do this day. “I admire chefs who reinvent themselves, who create new concepts and set trends,” he says, and this approach is clear in everything he does. It also goes someway to explaining why this past winter, in spite of his already refined expertise, he embarked on a 40-day culinary journey in Peru, one in which he immersed himself in local culture while plying his trade at internationally renowned restaurants including Astrid & Gaston, considered among the world’s top 50 eateries. Always keen to learn and improve, Óscar says it gave him a new understanding of Peruvian food. “I didn’t go with the idea of mastering the cuisine of a country, as that would be impossible,” he explains. “But what we can learn from trips like this is something about the history of a place and their approach to cooking.”

He carries these newly-learnt methods into his own kitchen, where using a bespoke fusion of Japanese and Peruvian techniques, he shuns traditional ideas of starters, mains and desserts, and instead focuses on single-plate dishes that are packed full of colour and flavour: “Peru is not just about ceviches and tiraditos, just as Japan is not just about sushi,” he says. “We have discovered things that have opened our minds to a new creativity.” This is visible on the five-star La Gaia menu, which promises a journey through two worlds, via the Mediterranean. Dishes include Japeruvian spring chicken roasted with yakiniku sauce, shiitake mushrooms and corn, and Nikkei Parihuela stew with Chilean sea bass, shrimp, octopus, Peruvian stew, yuzu and lime. The contrasting culinary techniques are there for all to see and taste – Óscar approaches each dish with meticulous detail, always intent on immersing the diner in the unique world he aims to forge on the plate. Even the cocktail menu features pisco and sake alongside each other. Try the Chilcano for a combination of Pisco 1615, lime juice, ginger beer and bitters, or the Sake Mate for Macallan Amber, Umeshu Japanese liquor, mate, lime juice and bitters.

Much like the island on which he lives, Óscar continues to reinvent himself, each summer bringing new ideas and creations to his kitchen that keep it innovative, fresh, and unlike anywhere else on the island. His devotion to the Spanish concept of ‘kilometre 0’ also means that only the finest local ingredients reach your plate. “Development and knowledge are an essential element in gastronomy,” he explains, and that’s why when you dine at La Gaia, you can expect a harmonious blend of texture, elegance and knowledge on your plate. Want to witness Óscar working his Peruvian culinary magic? Click here to view his latest artistic creation, a video delving beyond his kitchen and inside his imagination.

Patyka – Exclusive to Open Spa

Eating organic and avoiding highly processed foods has become second nature to many of us in recent years. We understand the benefits and thus take extra care with the products that go into our shopping baskets and onto our tables – you are what you eat has become somewhat of a mantra. These days however, it seems good skin health goes beyond what we ingest and also includes the products we apply topically. It makes sense then, to treat our faces and bodies with organic goodness, and here in Ibiza, the luxurious Open Spa at Ibiza Gran Hotel has introduced a new range of vegan-friendly products and treatments designed with exactly this in mind. Patyka is a luxurious, innovative range of organic skincare products – 100-percent natural and free from synthetic and toxic chemicals. The pioneering Parisian beauty brand is the first in history to be declared ECOCERT organic, the most highly regarded organic certification in Europe. Being declared organic no longer needs to be associated with the pungent scent of patchouli oil or incense and the Patyka range offers a scientifically proven fusion of pure and potent organic botanicals, refined using advanced biotechnology techniques and then given a significant dose French elegance.

Taking the name from the Hungarian word for ‘Apothecary’, the Patyka story dates back to Paris during the roaring 20s. History tells the tale of a young pharmacist who was so inspired by his love for an alluring French beauty that he formulated an illuminating skin elixir from rare plant oils and extracts. He named the youth serum ‘Huile Absolute’ and his lover was so enamoured of its results, she shared it with her inner circle of friemds, who just so happened to be the Parisian elite. It’s this coveted, age-defying recipe that was discovered decades later, and recreated by Patyka’s top scientific experts and is at the heart of each and every product within the range. As the first French brand to offer luxury skincare that is also certified organic, Patyka continues to bring the genuine Huile Absolute experience to life via innovative biotechnologies that heighten the active characteristics of its ingredients. The result is more luxurious, high-performance formulas that bring visible results. Today, the brand is no longer limited to the inner circles of Parisian socialites and has extended its reach to Ibiza’s one and only ‘grand luxe’ hotel, where Ibiza Gran Hotel guests and Open Spa clients alike are invited to step into the world of Patyka…

A unique menu of skin-pampering Patyka treatments has been created exclusively for Open Spa: pure sensorial experiences that are as luxurious and elegant as they are effective. The 80-minute Youth Remodelling Facial is an anti-aging treatment designed to smooth the skin and recover suppleness, firmness and radiance. By gradually layering on essential organic ingredients and immersing the skin in the most divine textures and essences, the skin truly benefits from the ritual, inspiring health and wellbeing. Even the deepest wrinkles are diminished, ensuring you float out of your treatment cabin looking younger, instantly… The 50-minute Balancing Radiant Facial is the perfect treatment to help restore balance to normal or combination skin, strengthening its capacity for self-defence. The skin is moisturised and balanced with pores visibly reduced, whilst the delicate lightweight lotions and silky sensuous oils are silicone-free and mineral-oil free for the epitome of luxury. Treatments are not simply limited to the face, with the Patyka Precious Wood Sublime Beauty Massage using a unique blend of four Amazonian tropical wood essences to refine, stimulate and nourish the skin with flowing, smooth movements, while the heady fragrance invigorates the mind and senses at the same time – a must-try treatment.

The Open Spa experience doesn’t stop when the timer is up on your Patyka treatment at Ibiza Gran Hotel; rather, it’s time to move onto the next stage of relaxation. Your therapist will lead you into the warm embrace of a low-lit waiting room, where tranquil music floats over the airwaves and heated lavender pads are applied on your shoulders to keep you in a constant state of bliss. Fruit and herbal teas are on offer, and when you’re feeling revived and ready, the refreshing water circuits of Open Aqua await next door – a series of hydrotherapy showers, hammams, saunas, baths and pools in a light-filled, tranquil space that is pretty much as close to heaven as one can get! For those who fall in love with the textures, scents and most importantly, the results of Patyka products during their experience, Open Spa also offers a select range of skincare solutions to purchase after your treatment, or to stock up your beauty cabinet at any time. ‘Going organic’ has never felt so good…

Akwaterra Massage

In 2017, the art of massage is taken to the next level at Ibiza’s most premium day spa, Open Spa at Ibiza Gran Hotel, with the addition of Akwaterra massages to the extensive treatment menu. Akwaterra is a new massage concept devised in the south of France, using a specially designed kit of massage tools that allow your therapist to deliver an even deeper, more relaxing and revitalising treatment than ever before. After being awarded the prestigious Prix H. Pierantoni award for innovation in 2015 at the International Beauty and Spa Congress, the brand was instantly in high demand among the world’s leading spas and wellness centres. Here in Ibiza, it is available exclusively at Open Spa.

As with every treatment at Open Spa, the experience is so much more than the heavenly 90-minutes spent on the plush massage table. Your Open Spa appointment starts in the tranquil, low-lit relaxation room, where your feet are tucked into comfy slippers and a soothing heated lavender pillow is applied to your neck as you wait for your therapist to lead you to the treatment pod. It’s the little touches like these that help bring you to total relaxation. The full-body Akwaterra massage experience could be described as otherworldly. Rather than using hands to apply pressure, your therapist takes matching pairs of ceramic ergonomic Akwaterra tools – there are four different varieties, each with a function specific to its shape – and uses them, in conjunction with essential oils, simultaneously via deep, rhythmic stroking motions that are completely fluid. The tools, which are filled with hot water and then kept at just the right temperature in a bespoke heating device, are compatible with a variety of massage techniques and just like any massage, pressure can be tailored to suit your needs and preferences.

The first of the four tools is dubbed ‘Kinsey’ – a large, circular tool with smaller knobs on the bottom, designed to improve blood circulation, drain toxins, reduce water retention and tighten the skin. ‘Kaya’ is a large triangular shaped tool, custom made to ease tendons and ligaments via working deeply in precise points across the body. A completely smooth, round device named ‘Satinka’ helps relieve muscle tension and offers an incredibly relaxing sensation as it glides effortlessly across the body, exuding warmth at the same time. Finally, ‘Ishka’ is another smooth and round tool, however on a smaller scale, that improves micro circulation and tightens the skin – this can also be used on the face or for a more thorough, deeper massage across the body.

Deftly wielding the tools along your muscles with even pressure, the therapist maintains a continuous energy flow over the body for the duration of the treatment, their hands at one with the tools. The diffusing heat of the Akwaterra kit is at once comforting and healing, opening the pores and allowing the body to receive the healing benefits of the essential oils used in the treatment. Ultra-relaxing and completely revitalising, an Akwaterra massage relieves any discomfort in the body and removes knots in the muscles caused by stress and tension. Quite simply, it’s as close to heaven as you can get! At the end of the treatment, you’ll be invited to float back down the hallway in your plush white robe and return to the relaxation room and given another lavender pillow to help you remain in your deeply relaxed state for as long as possible. Sip on herbal tea, snack on nuts, fresh fruit or even indulge in some chocolate – but whatever happens, you won’t need to lift a finger as Open Spa’s intuitive team are on hand to serve up whatever your heart desires. All spa guests are invited to use the Open Water facility in the space next door after their treatments – healing water circuits designed to help you achieve total wellbeing. Combined with the state of relaxation achieved from the Akwaterra massage, this is an all-new level of bliss and an absolute must-try experience in Ibiza for 2017.

All you need is love

Enter the sophisticated and stylish Ibiza Gran Hotel… With all the hallmarks of a classic and contemporary wedding venue – think professional gastronomic catering, stylish seating, a dedicated indoor and outdoor event space and an in-house planning team – the hotel also boasts stunning views across the Mediterranean to Dalt Vila, is conveniently located near to all the island action and five-star luxury service. As a matter of fact, it’s more than five-star, as Ibiza Gran Hotel is the only resort in Ibiza to have been categorised by governing officials as ‘Grand Luxe’. It seems when you choose Ibiza Gran Hotel as your Ibiza wedding venue, all you need to bring is love!

The beauty of staging your wedding in such a spacious and professional setting is that you needn’t worry about dashing around the island on your wedding day for hair and make-up or organising transport in between ceremonies and receptions. Ibiza Gran Hotel also offers special rates for your guests’ accommodation, in addition to a complimentary suite for the bride and groom. With an onsite spa for relaxing massages or face and body treatments in the lead up to the big day, plus fabulous facilities and dining options, easing into your wedding week here should be a breeze for one and all. All wedding packages at Ibiza Gran Hotel are extensive, including menus, seating plans and guest list, floral arrangements, decorative chair covers, free parking (for 10 vehicles), the wedding cake and so much more (conditions apply). Every last detail is thought out for you, so all you need to do is select the little extras that matter most for your event. Photographers, childcare, limos and luxury cars, DJs and more can be arranged – the in-house event planning team are dedicated to making your wedding dreams come true.

After seeing the bride and groom say ‘I do’ and kiss, it could be fair to say many guests are then looking forward to tucking into the food at an Ibiza wedding, and the Ibiza Gran Kitchen have a variety of wedding menu feasts to choose from. A tasting session for up to six people is included in the package price – and the hardest part is choosing which option to take as each and every menu is mouth-wateringly delicious, with kids’ menus, plus vegetarian and gluten-free dishes also available. The options are endless, and the quality unrivalled. With six formal menus, all with an international twist, to choose from – all including snacks served at the table, hot and cold bites, main meals, wedding cake (seven different flavours to choose from), white and red wine, sparkling wine or champagne plus coffee and tea – you’re spoilt for choice. Specialist food stations can also be added on to your package, such as typically Spanish, with hand-cut Bellota cured ham, paella and lobster rice or sushi and fresh oysters, or alternatively, thematic corners can be created to add a fun ambience to the event – choose from Japeruvian, oriental, Mexican or sweets.

Toasting the newlyweds is a time-honoured tradition and Ibiza Gran Hotel’s extensive drink menus ensure there will be plenty of cheers throughout the day and night alike. With open bar options – standard, premium and extra premium – available at an hourly rate, your guests will be sipping on beer, wine, sparkling, aperitifs, brandy and spirits, not to mention water and soft drinks to keep them hydrated in between! Lovers of Gin will be pleased to see that a ‘Gin Club’ can be added to your package, with a selection of the world’s finest gins, plus high-end tonic mixers being served up by a professional barman. There’s also the option to add a cocktail bar, with a huge list of beautifully presented drinks to choose from or the opportunity to create a bespoke selection based on your tastes. Expect glasses tinkling all night long!

The wedding team at Ibiza Gran Hotel ensure you don’t need to lift a finger on your wedding day – apart from the aforementioned cheers, of course! Sophistication, good taste, elegance and romance are their specialties – combined with the stunning location, top quality gastronomy and the flexibility to design the wedding of your dreams, Ibiza Gran Hotel is without a doubt one of the island’s most revered wedding venues. The high quality service continues from Ibiza Gran Hotel, long after you’ve bade farewell to your final guest. On their first morning as Mr & Mrs, the newlyweds receive a special breakfast delivered to their suite plus two access passes to the famous Open Aqua water circuit at Open Spa to help them ease into married life! One full year later, they’ll also be gifted accommodation in the suite (with spa access again) to celebrate their first anniversary and relive the happy memories back where it all began. It’s the Ibiza wedding venue that keeps on giving…

Romance and relaxation

However delve a little deeper and the white isle will always provide – beyond the big names, brands and overcrowded venues are plenty of amazing places to indulge in some intimate bonding time with your loved one – the very best of them being Open Spa, the island’s most prestigious modern-day healing and wellness centre. Set within the luxurious surrounds of Ibiza’s only ‘Five-Star Grand Luxe’ resort, Ibiza Gran Hotel in the exclusive Marina Botafoch area, Open Spa boasts a specially designed, lavish Romantic Suite, where professionally trained, expert therapists devote their time to giving you and your partner side-by-side treatments. Whether you’re here on a romantic getaway, or simply wish to whisk your lover away from a busy group itinerary for a few treasured hours, this is the perfect place to be enveloped in positive, loving energy and be treated to luxurious pampering rituals.

In 2016, Open Spa introduce the all-new Romantic Massage – a deluxe couples’ massage experience offered within the romantic and well-appointed cabin – giving you all the more reason to indulge in some much-needed ‘us time’. A soothing atmosphere is created by soft candlelight while the air is perfumed with the essence of rosewood to awaken your senses while two plush massage beds lay side-by-side awaiting you and your partner to sink in, relax and let go of anything that enters your minds. The mini luxury lovers’ retreat begins with a welcome ritual where expert hands use gentle pressure and scented wipes to induce you into the utmost tranquil and serene state. The massage uses natural, organic essential oils of camelia and frangipani to encourage total wellbeing, while the physical movements relieve stress, tone aching muscles and bring you both into deeper relaxation. The massage is therapeutic and restorative and tends to your entire body, leaving no fatigued muscle behind.

Finally, the experience is completed with a farewell ritual, uplifting, invigorating and encouraging healthy blood flow throughout your extremities, leaving you feeling relaxed yet completely revitalised. Following the treatment, couples are invited to plunge into the therapeutic waters of Open Aqua and experience the healing powers of the water circuit, an ancient practice known to relax, detoxify and replenish. Together you’ll leave Open Spa with restored health, calm minds and relaxed bodies plus a very special experience carved into your Ibiza holiday memories to remember for years to come.

Best face forward

From the dryness in the aeroplane during transit and climate change to the differences in diet and sleep patterns, it’s not easy to look and feel our best. Thankfully, options for restoring and revitalising the appearances are plentiful at the glossy Open Spa situated in the Ibiza Gran Hotel. The sleek modern surrounds of Open Spa have been custom designed to create a pure and bliss like environment where clients can replenish and revitalise at the hands of a professional team of therapists. Partnering exclusively with UK luxury beauty brand Elemis to develop an array of exclusive and indulgent Elemis facials designed to help you put your best face forward at all times. Elemis was born from the concept of fusing the power of nature and science to truly transform skin’s condition and appearance, through deep cleansing, hydration and nourishment. When having an Elemis facial, you can trust that your facial therapist is specially trained in all aspects of skincare and all products used on your face consist of the highest grade of environmentally friendly ingredients. Let’s face it (no pun intended!), shouldn’t we only be allowing top shelf, high-quality and trusted ingredients onto our delicate skin? After all, you only have one face!

Open Spa at Ibiza Gran Hotel offer three exclusive Elemis facials: Elemis Herbal Lavender: Lie back on the treatment bed in your private, open-air cabin as you close your eyes and surrender to the healing energy Open Spa offers each client. Defy the signs of congestion and treat blemish prone skin to the therapeutic effects of lavender as the aromatic facial purifies, soothes and rebalances the skin, leaving a long-lasting calming effect. Perfect for those with sensitive skin, that may be feeling the effects from lazy days spent out in the sun or clogging due to environmental change. Your skin instantly feels clean, balanced and hydrated with its vibrancy restored. Visible Brilliance Facial: The perfect treatment for anyone who feels their skin is in need of some serious TLC. Tired skin is rejuvenated while light and radiance are deposited back through the specialised micro-circulatory massage combined with two amino acid masks that support dehydration and enhance the natural beauty of the skin. Perhaps you’ve had a long haul flight across the globe, and are looking for a ‘pick me up’ treatment as you begin your holiday, or maybe you want to complete your time spent on the island with a facial before you return to your reality. Relax knowing your skin is in good hands. Pro-Collagen Quartz Life Facial: Look as good as you feel when in Ibiza and defy any signs of ageing through clinically proven anti-wrinkle, radiance and resurfacing facials for instant results. Any signs of ageing or loose skin are instantly improved through a fabulous lifting massage with marine extracts and Padina Pavonica, an exotic brown algae found at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea which helps regenerate cellular communication and rejuvenates your skin. After the relaxing treatment leave in a blissful state looking firmer and younger than when you arrived!