Ses Oliveres

About Ses Oliveres

Ses Oliveres suits travellers who want Formentera's countryside rather than a resort strip: couples who plan to drive to a different cove each day, walkers following the signposted green routes, and families who value a garden, a kitchen and free parking. The hotel holds four stars and stands outside the main resort areas, so evenings are quiet and the island's beaches are a few kilometres away.

Rooms at Ses Oliveres are listed with air conditioning, a safe and a television, and several include a kitchen or kitchenette with a washing machine, which makes the hotel a practical base for a week or more rather than a single night. It is a four-star countryside hotel, so expect a calm, self-catering rhythm: mornings out, a beach in the afternoon, dinner in Sant Francesc Xavier or cooked at the table.

Location: Formentera

Ses Oliveres sits in open Formentera countryside, south of the island's small capital and away from the resort villages. There is no town on the doorstep: the nearest beach, Cala Saona, is 2.7 km away in a straight line, Sant Francesc Xavier is 3.3 km, and the long south-coast beach at Platja de Migjorn is 5 km off. Expect fields, low walls and dry-stone plots rather than a promenade.

Walking from Ses Oliveres is for the lanes and green routes rather than for errands: the distances to Cala Saona and Sant Francesc Xavier suit a bicycle or a car, and bus coverage on Formentera is thin away from the main routes, so plan on driving, cycling or taking a taxi. In July and August the lanes are busiest in the middle of the day; in May, June, September and October the same roads feel empty and the light is softer.

Rooms and facilities

The listed facilities at Ses Oliveres point to a self-contained stay: air conditioning, internet access and free wifi, a safe, a hairdryer and a television, plus a garden and a terrace for the cooler hours. Couples can keep it simple; families and longer stays gain from the kitchen or kitchenette, the washing machine and the free car parking. Non-smoking rooms are listed, and diving and fishing also appear among the facilities.

Because room types differ, ask Ses Oliveres directly which categories include the kitchenette and the washing machine, and whether the diving and fishing facilities are arranged on site or with local operators. Late arrivals should confirm arrival hours in advance, since the hotel sits in the countryside rather than beside the port at La Savina. Check the parking arrangement for a second vehicle, and ask about the wifi signal in the garden.

Getting there

Formentera has no airport, so reaching Ses Oliveres means a flight into Ibiza Airport (IBZ), set about 7 km south-west of Ibiza Town, followed by the transfer to Ibiza Town port. There the ferry crosses to La Savina: fast services take about 30-35 minutes and conventional ferries about an hour, with frequent sailings in season and fewer in winter, so check the operators. The onward run from La Savina to the hotel is 6.2 km in a straight line.

From La Savina, a hire car, a taxi or a bike covers the 6.2 km to Ses Oliveres; the hotel lists free car parking, which matters because the Consell de Formentera caps visitor vehicles in high season, so check the rules before bringing a car over or hiring one. Bikes and the signposted green routes (circuits verds) are the easiest way to reach Cala Saona, 2.7 km away, and the lanes around Sant Francesc Xavier.

Beaches, sights and food nearby

Cala Saona is the closest swim, 2.7 km in a straight line, a cove of red cliffs that faces the sunset; Platja de Migjorn, 5 km away, is the long open south-coast beach backed by dunes and juniper, good for a whole afternoon. Sant Francesc Xavier, 3.3 km off, is Formentera's small capital, with its fortified 18th-century church, a market and the island's shops. Cap de Barbaria, the bare southern cape with a lighthouse, lies 4.9 km from Ses Oliveres and is a sunset spot.

Food on Formentera keeps close to the water: peix sec (dried fish), island salads and fresh fish appear on most menus, and the dry fields around Ses Oliveres set the tone for a countryside stay. The fortified church at Sant Francesc Xavier stands 3.2 km away, at the heart of the small capital, and the sunset at Cala Saona, 2.7 km from the hotel, is the simplest evening outing. Cap de Barbaria, 4.9 km off, gives a second option when the mood is for a bare cape.

A day from Ses Oliveres

Start early with the 2.7 km run to Cala Saona, before the cove fills, and swim off the red cliffs; the hotel's kitchen or kitchenette makes a late breakfast easy back at Ses Oliveres. Mid-morning suits Sant Francesc Xavier, 3.3 km away, for the fortified church, the market and the shops. Back at the hotel, the garden and terrace carry the hottest hours, and the drive to Platja de Migjorn, 5 km, is short enough for an afternoon on the dunes.

Evening belongs to the west: the sunset at Cala Saona, 2.7 km from Ses Oliveres, or the bare cape at Cap de Barbaria, 4.9 km away, which looks over the southern tip of the island. Plan the order so the return is short after dark, since buses thin out in the evening; a car or a booked taxi keeps it simple. Dinner can be cooked in the kitchenette or taken in Sant Francesc Xavier, 3.3 km off.

Practical tips

Much of Formentera's tourism business closes roughly from November to April, so confirm the opening dates of Ses Oliveres before booking. July and August are the peak, when visitor vehicles are capped, while May, June, September and October are quieter. The Balearic sustainable tourism tax (the ecotasa) is charged per person per night by the accommodation; rates vary with the type of stay and the season, are lower in low season and for longer stays, and children under 16 are exempt, so check the Govern de les Illes Balears for the current rules.

Questions about Ses Oliveres