Funny thing about those beach clubs on Ibiza. On the one hand, they strike me as totally trendy and inviting, but then… do you really need that booming bass to go with the delicious seabass? Well, if you don’t go, you’ll never know. So, we went, and here you have the result: our Ibiza beach club ranking.
6. Elements Ibiza
A remote beach club in the island’s north near Cala Benirras which lies north of San Miguel.
The advertised seclusion of Elements Ibiza takes nothing away from its parking lot. The traveler paying an off-season visit can’t help wonder what all the giant but empty expanses of parking spaces some distance from the beach signify. And that they charge a 3-euro parking fee on top of it. Gradually it sinks in: they must have a hell of a traffic jam here in the summer…
From a distance, the Elements Ibiza Beach Club looks a bit scruffy. Close-up, it turns out the furniture is merely weathered. But with design pretentions, no less! You’re never quite sure if the faded colors stem from a creative urge or the raspy ocean breeze.
The restaurant with its Mediterranean cuisine comes with a fresh juice bar. The fruit press may make a devilish noise, but the juices come across as heavenly health-wise. That they don’t taste good may have something to do with the healthy ingredients…they can’t help it, I suppose. But then their carpaccio of seabass is that much better for it.
Let it also be noted that madam can book a massage or do some boutique shopping here. In Ibiza, little shops are de rigueur for just about every establishment it seems. Restaurants and beach clubs are no exception. Oh, well, while you’re waiting, at least you can loll on the beach and languidly draw on a cigar. Or something.
And on we go, heading south now…
5. Nikki Beach
- Nikki Beach is a phenomenon.
- A concept.
- Everybody knows it now.
- That’s because it’s everywhere!
Just east of Santa Eulària, Nikki Beach rears up before you like a fortress. No more dilapidation or beach shackdom; this is design with a capital D.
Sun lounges, pool, lounges, bar, and restaurant are staged along the sandy shore. As we set foot into the club on a Monday afternoon in the off-season, it is practically empty of people and therefore perfect for our purpose – to serenely sip a flavorful cortado!
And we would have, if the DJane hadn’t made all hell break loose.
We wait what seems like an eternity for the young gent in white shorts and suntanned sporty calves, but eventually we do get to slurp our “premium coffee.” Bottoms up!
4. Blue Marlin
Location: West of Eivissa, i.e., Ibiza Town in the local lingo. Logic would have it situated on a beach as well. Because barring that, it wouldn’t be a beach club, now would it? Indeed, we found it located on Cala Jondal.
Wall-to-wall glitterati. Pounding basses already in the parking lot. Maserati everywhere. Noble ambiance, beautiful people, much Champagne, really much! Lots of sunglasses, too. A bit too much testosterone and silicone, too, in any case.
Shrill and spectacular! Must see and worth seeing just for that!
But we make our getaway before too long. It’s a tad too loud and crowded for a hot Saturday afternoon. It’s probably the warm-up for the closing romp later that evening…because at the end of September this island shuts down. Or at least the party clubs do. And with that, the airline connections also dwindle.
But now it’s on to our Top 3 beach clubs:
3. Cotton Beach Club Ibiza
We’re sunning ourselves on Cala Tarida, a beach in the southwestern part of the island.
The location on an oceanside cliff will blow you away! So will the legendary Ibiza sound – it’s LOUD. We can hardly hear ourselves speak. But the locals, unperturbed, are talking into their smartphones while gesticulating wildly. Or maybe they’re putting on a show. I mean, how can anyone understand them? It’s all Spanish to us…
The staff strikes us as borderline arrogant, probably because the place is REALLY well-frequented. They give us a rather pitying look when we let on that we showed up without lunch reservations.
They try to keep us in a good mood with freshly pressed fruit juices at the bar. Easy does it, we have time, it’s only 3 p.m. and the restaurant is only slowly filling up.
Rescued! We do manage to snag some good service. And a table to go with it. We opt for more fish, this time a fish soup of perch with shrimp and scallop.Top flight fare!
And the cortado naturally also is of the best. But that’s normalcy in Spain. They definitely have a knack for it.
2. Atzaró Beach
Let’s head diagonally across the island now. That brings us to Cala Nova beach in Ibiza’s northeast.
To visit Atzaró Beach means diving into a very relaxed atmosphere, slightly elevated above the bordering beach.
- Pleasant (cute) server
- Hot pants
- Cool sounds
- Hot snacks
- And a boutique. Natch!
Once more with feeling!
Goes without saying, that the cortado here, too, was out of this world…
And now on to our Top Pick, far and away our favorite!
1. Amante Ibiza Beach Club
Point your rental car toward the island’s mideast to Cala Longa…
The Amante Restaurant belongs to the beach club of the same name. Despite or maybe because here, too, the beautiful and the rich are present in superior numbers, the restaurant integrates style and elegance.
The fish plates are delicious and attractively presented. Absolutely try the sea bass (lubina) from the grill!
The service is classy. If you skip making a reservation (online is fine, too) you can wait in the noble lounge with ocean view and while away the moments doing much seeing and being seen.
The restaurant may feel very small, but it actually occupies several levels on the steep shore. The waiters expertly balance the dishes on their huge trays up and down the white wooden stairs.
Down on the beach, they also have a live band playing, or you can just throw yourself into one of the fatboys lying around and catch some outdoor cinema. Or hang on the beach. Whatever suits.
It doesn’t get any better!
And they tell us there are even more beach clubs in Ibiza! Have a find to share?
