Piedra Chalet

About Piedra Chalet

Piedra Chalet suits families and small groups who want a base in the Formentera countryside rather than a resort strip. The three-star villa sits on a quiet scattered rural address outside the main settlements, with a garden, a salt water pool and parking, so days can start slowly and end with a swim. Couples travelling with children, and two households sharing, get space that a hotel room does not give. A car helps here, since the nearest cove and the capital are a few kilometres off.

It is a self-catering stay: an apartment or villa with kitchen, kitchenette and dishwasher rather than a hotel with a dining room. The listing shows three stars, which in practice means a straightforward, well-equipped house rather than a serviced one. The facilities include wifi, air conditioning, a washing machine, a cot and high chairs, so a week of family routine works. Confirm arrival arrangements and what is stocked on the first night with the property before booking.

Location: Formentera

Piedra Chalet stands in the countryside outside Formentera's main resort areas, on a scattered rural address that puts the island's quieter side within reach. This is flat, open farming country, with Formentera's one real cove, Cala Saona, 2.8 km away in a straight line. Sant Francesc Xavier, the small capital with its fortified 18th-century church and market, is 4.9 km off. Little is on the doorstep, so the setting rewards guests who want stillness and do not mind driving for bread and dinner.

Moving around needs wheels, since walking from the villa reaches little: a hire car, the island buses or a taxi cover the gaps. La Savina port, where every ferry arrives beside the Estany des Peix lagoon, is 7.5 km away in a straight line. Platja de Migjorn, the long south-coast beach backed by dunes and juniper, is 6.4 km off. In high summer the Consell de Formentera caps visitor vehicles, so check before bringing or hiring a car, and the signposted green routes and bike hire make an easier option.

Rooms and facilities

Facilities at Piedra Chalet are listed for self-catering: a kitchen and kitchenette with oven, microwave, toaster, refrigerator and dishwasher, plus a washing machine, iron and board, hairdryer and toiletries. Outside there is a garden, a patio and a terrace beside the salt water outdoor pool. Air conditioning, wifi and a TV cover the practical side, and cots, high chairs and family rooms make the house workable for couples with young children. Parking is free and on site, with wheelchair access listed.

Late arrivals should agree the handover in advance, since a countryside address away from the villages makes an unannounced evening arrival awkward; ask the property about arrival times, where to collect keys and whether a shop stop on the way in is sensible. Confirm too what the kitchen holds at the start, whether pool towels are provided, and how the security features and the non-smoking rule apply. The three-star grading signals a simple, well-kept house rather than hotel service.

Getting there

Formentera has no airport, so the route to Piedra Chalet runs through Ibiza. Fly to Ibiza Airport (IBZ), about 7 km south-west of Ibiza Town, then reach the port in Ibiza Town and board a ferry for La Savina: fast crossings take about 30-35 minutes and conventional ferries about an hour, with frequent sailings in season and fewer in winter. Check operators for current timetables. From La Savina the villa is 7.5 km away in a straight line, best covered by road transport arranged ahead.

On the island, hire bikes and follow the signposted green routes (circuits verds), or take a scooter, the buses or a taxi. The Consell de Formentera caps visitor vehicles in high season, so check the rules before bringing a car on the ferry or hiring one at La Savina. Guests at Piedra Chalet who plan to drive can keep beach runs short: Cala Saona is 2.8 km off, Sant Francesc Xavier 4.9 km, Platja de Migjorn 6.4 km.

Beaches, sights and food nearby

Cala Saona, the island's one real cove, with red cliffs and a west-facing sunset, is 2.8 km from Piedra Chalet in a straight line, and the Cap de Barbaria lighthouse on the bare southern cape is 3.4 km off, a sunset spot in its own right. The capital, Sant Francesc Xavier, is 4.9 km away, its fortified 18th-century church 4.8 km. Platja de Migjorn, the long dune-backed south-coast beach, lies 6.4 km from the villa.

Further north, the Ses Salines Natural Park holds the Estany Pudent and Estany des Peix lagoons, salt pans and birdlife, and the Espalmador islet is reached by boat on calm days; both lie well beyond the villa's own few kilometres and need a car. La Savina, the port village beside the Estany des Peix, is 7.5 km away. Food on Formentera is plain and good: peix sec (dried fish), island salads and fresh fish. A kitchen at Piedra Chalet makes an early lunch straightforward before the beaches fill.

A day from Piedra Chalet

Start with a swim in the salt water pool at Piedra Chalet, then drive the 2.8 km to Cala Saona for a morning on Formentera's one real cove, with red cliffs above and the sea clear over the shallows. Carry water and shade, as the cliffs give little. Lunch back at the villa from the kitchen, then an hour in the garden. In the afternoon take the 4.9 km road to Sant Francesc Xavier for the fortified church, the market and shops.

Late afternoon belongs to the south-west: the Cap de Barbaria lighthouse is 3.4 km from the villa, a bare cape that faces the sunset, and the Cala Saona cliffs are 2.8 km off, so one evening can take in both. Keep the driving short after dark. If the mood is a longer beach, Platja de Migjorn is 6.4 km away, dune-backed and open, good for a late swim before returning for dinner cooked at Piedra Chalet.

Practical tips

Piedra Chalet is a seasonal booking in most years, as much of Formentera's tourism business closes roughly from November to April; the main towns stay open and flights and ferries thin out. Check the villa's own opening dates before fixing travel, and note that Cala Saona, 2.8 km away, fills early in high summer. Guests at Piedra Chalet pay the Balearic sustainable tourism tax per person per night through the accommodation, at rates set by property type and season, reduced for longer stays, with under-16s exempt; check the Govern de les Illes Balears for current rates.

Questions about Piedra Chalet