Siamo Alessandra

About Siamo Alessandra

Siamo Alessandra is a three-star hotel in Sant Francesc Xavier, the capital of Formentera, and it suits travellers who want the village and the island's road network as a base rather than a resort strip. The market, the shops and the fortified church are a short walk away, the port at La Savina is 3.4 km off and Es Pujols is 3.3 km. Couples and families who plan to cycle or drive out each day fit the place well.

The hotel is a modestly scaled three-star property rather than a large complex. Its listed facilities include air conditioning, free wifi, free car parking, a garden, a lounge and a picnic area, with family rooms and non-smoking rooms among the options. Expect a simple base with outside space and parking, and plan to eat and spend your days elsewhere on Formentera. Confirm arrival times and anything extra you need directly with the property.

Location: Sant Francesc Xavier

Sant Francesc Xavier is the small capital of Formentera and the one place on the island that stays open through the year: a market, the island's shops and the fortified 18th-century church built as a refuge. Siamo Alessandra is in the village, with that church 0.1 km away in a straight line. It is an inland base, so the sea is a short trip rather than a walk from the door.

Distances are small. Sant Ferran de ses Roques is 2.7 km away, Es Pujols 3.3 km and the ferry port at La Savina 3.4 km, all straight-line figures. Walking to Sant Ferran is realistic for some; Es Pujols and La Savina are easier by bike, bus or taxi. In high summer the Consell de Formentera caps visitor vehicles, so check before bringing or hiring a car, and the signposted green routes make cycling the simplest way to move.

Rooms and facilities

What the hotel lists is practical rather than elaborate: air conditioning in the rooms, free wifi, a safe, non-smoking rooms and family rooms, plus housekeeping. Outside the room there is a garden, a lounge, a picnic area and a tanning studio, together with free car parking on site. For couples the draw is the village position and the parking; for families the family rooms and the picnic area do the work.

Some listed facilities need arranging rather than assuming. Canoe and diving appear among them, so ask Siamo Alessandra whether equipment is provided, whether an activity is organised with a local operator, or simply whether storage and help with bookings are offered. Late arrivals should confirm reception hours in advance, and anyone needing a particular room layout should check directly. The hotel can confirm what is included and what is charged separately.

Getting there

Formentera has no airport, so the route runs through Ibiza. Fly to Ibiza Airport (IBZ), about 7 km south-west of Ibiza Town, then cross to the port. Ferries to La Savina take about 30-35 minutes on the fast service and about an hour on the conventional one, with frequent sailings in season and fewer in winter. Check the operators for current timetables before fixing your arrival time at Siamo Alessandra.

From La Savina, Siamo Alessandra is 3.4 km away in a straight line, a short transfer by taxi or with a hire car collected at the port. On the island, bikes and the signposted green routes (circuits verds) cover most trips, scooters and buses fill the gaps, and taxis are limited in number in summer. The Consell de Formentera limits visitor vehicles in high season, so check the rules before booking a car for the crossing.

Beaches, sights and food nearby

Beaches mean a short drive or ride. Ses Illetes, on the sand spit in the Ses Salines Natural Park, has famously clear water and is best before the day boats arrive; Cala Saona, the island's one real cove, faces west under red cliffs; Platja de Migjorn runs long and open along the south coast behind dunes and juniper. From Siamo Alessandra, Es Pujols is 3.3 km away and holds the nearest village beach.

Sights sit close to the hotel: the fortified church at Sant Francesc is 0.1 km away, the lagoons where birds gather are 2.2 km off and the Estany des Peix, calm enough for a paddle, is 2.5 km. Ca na Costa, a megalithic tomb near Es Pujols about 4,000 years old, is the oldest known monument on the Pitiusas. Island food runs to peix sec, island salads and fresh fish, and the market in the capital supplies picnic fare for the garden at Siamo Alessandra.

A day from Siamo Alessandra

Start in Sant Francesc Xavier with the market and the fortified church, 0.1 km from Siamo Alessandra, then take a bike north-east towards the lagoons, 2.2 km away, to watch birds over the salt pans. Continue to the Estany des Peix, 2.5 km off, and paddle the calm water before the afternoon wind builds. A late lunch in the capital or in Es Pujols, 3.3 km away, fits the middle of the day.

Spend the afternoon on the water or at a beach: Ses Illetes early, or Cala Saona for a west-facing evening. Return through Sant Ferran de ses Roques, 2.7 km from Siamo Alessandra, and finish with dinner in Sant Francesc. Movement is simple: cycle the green routes, take a bus or taxi for the longer hops, or leave the car in the hotel's free parking. Keep the day loose in high summer and check return times.

Practical tips

The season shapes a stay at Siamo Alessandra: much of Formentera's tourism business closes roughly from November to April, so the hotel's own opening dates are worth checking before booking, and July and August bring the peak. Accommodation on the island charges the Balearic sustainable tourism tax (the ecotasa) per person per night, at rates that vary by category and season, with reductions in low season and for longer stays and exemption for children under 16. Check the Govern de les Illes Balears for current rates.

Questions about Siamo Alessandra