This week's hotel feature is especially for those of you independant visitors who love the city streets and like a touch of culture with your Ibiza visit.
The perfect destination? We recommend the Montesol Hotel - a genuine piece of Ibiza history ladies and gents. This rather grand looking historic building, presiding over the busy, picturesque port and the central plaza of Vara del Rey is a great option, particularly for a weekend break when the city centre is at its most vibrant.
Iconic
With its imposing colonial style facade, The Montesol Hotel has the distinction of being Ibiza's first ever purpose built hotel and unsurprisingly, has been officially declared a building of special historical interest. Many of its 55 exterior facing rooms feature stunning views of the World Heritage site of Dalt Vila with its 16th century Gothic cathedral and charming, narrow, cobbled lanes. Whilst certainly not a luxury hotel, it is a truly an iconic Ibiza building with an intriguing air of the glamour of yesteryear, perhaps one reason it was chosen to feature in the famous Pacha poster by Toni Riera that celebrated this World famous Ibiza club's 38th anniversary back in 2005.
Café culture
First opened in 1933 with construction presided over by renowned master builder Joan Gómez Ripoll, The Montesol Hotel is smack in the heart of Ibiza Town. It's an unbeatable location - surrounded by an eclectic array of cool bars, gorgeous restaurants and the perfect spot to enjoy a bit of the Montesol's classically Mediterranean café culture. The hotel's famous café provides a wonderful vantage point to while away lazy Balearic hours, sitting around on the sunshine terrace, sipping a drink, reading the paper or chatting with friends whilst contentedly watching the world go by.
Lively
Naturally, Ibiza Town, particularly at the weekends is alive and buzzing with things to do all year round. Take your pick of a surprisingly wide array of museums and galleries that explore the island's rich cultural heritage, from the Archeological Museum to the Museum of Contemporary Art and many more.
It's easy too, to spend many hours wandering around the quaint, winding streets of Sa Peña and La Marina. Shops galore full of quirky, original creations surround this legendary Ibiza hotel and browsing around is a pleasure, as is pausing for leisurely lunches with the locals, gazing up at the remarkable architecture, knowing that every piece of stone is drenched in history.
For those who love dancing and nightlife, then of course Pacha is open weekends throughout the winter. Or if you fancy something a tad more underground, then Veto Social Club, on the same road as Pacha - open at weekends from 11pm-5am with free entrance and an amazing interior - is a great option too. Plus, 10 minutes up the road in San Rafael this Saturday night, November 22nd and sure to be rammed, sees this season's closing party of club Underground.
And if that's not enough and you fancy going a little bit further afield, a day trip to Formentera is easy, with Aquabus operating an Ibiza-Formentera return trip each Sunday, all year round, from right outside your doorstep. Convenient, huh?
The deal
A stay at the Montesol Hotel dear reader, will cost you either €65 for a double room, or €35 for a single. At current rates of exchange according to xe.com, that's a perfectly affordable £28 GBP for a private single room, or £26 GBP each if you're sharing a double.
For more info, photos or a quick online booking, just click here.
This special offer is only available until 20th December 2014.
WORDS | Jane Charilaou PHOTOS | Hotel Montesol and Toni Riera
