Arenal

About Arenal

Arenal suits travellers who want a straightforward base in Sant Antoni de Portmany, on Ibiza's west coast, without paying for extras they will not use. The address on Avinguda Del Doctor Fleming puts the bay, the town centre and the sunset strip within a short walk, so evenings need no planning. Couples who drive out to the coves by day, and friends who come for the west coast sunsets, both fit the same profile here.

Arenal is a three-star hotel with a guest score of 4.3 out of 5 from 561 reviews. It is a town hotel rather than a resort: under ten floors, lifts, a 24 hour front desk and a car park. The outdoor pool, kids pool and pool bar give the day a shape, and the sauna, lounge and arcade cover the quieter hours. Expect a practical, well-used building rather than a design statement.

Location: Sant Antoni de Portmany

Arenal sits in Sant Antoni de Portmany, 0.7 km from the town centre on a straight line, on Ibiza's west coast. The bay faces due west and the north shore is the sunset strip, so the evening light is the main event of the area. The town has year-round life: shops, a working port and a promenade. It is a busier, more built-up base than the island's northern villages.

The centre is walkable from Avinguda Del Doctor Fleming, and the address works for anyone who wants dinner without driving. Everything else needs wheels: Cala Salada and Cala Saladeta are 3.7 km away, Cala Comte 7.4 km, Cala d'Hort 12.1 km and Ibiza Town port 13.5 km. Buses and taxis cover the main runs, and a hire car makes cove-hopping easier. Traffic on the west coast road builds in high summer; the shoulder months are calmer.

Rooms and facilities

Rooms are listed with free wifi, internet access and a safe, and breakfast is available in the hotel. Families tend to value the kids pool and the arcade, which keep younger guests busy between trips out, while the bars and lounge suit guests who want a drink before walking into town. Lifts serve a building under ten floors, and the 24 hour front desk helps late arrivals.

Ask the property directly about check-in and check-out times, which vary between seasons, and about which rooms face the pool or the street. Confirm how free self parking works in high summer, when demand on the west coast peaks. Guests arriving on a late flight should check that the front desk is staffed overnight, and families should ask about cots and extra beds before booking.

Getting there

Ibiza Airport (IBZ) is 12.7 km from Arenal on a straight line, in the municipality of Sant Josep. Taxis and hire cars cover the run, and seasonal buses connect the airport with Sant Antoni de Portmany, with timetables that change through the year and the island bus operator publishing them. With luggage, a taxi is the simplest option, and a hire car collected at the airport makes the coves easier.

The port at Ibiza Town is 13.5 km away, useful for arrivals from Formentera, Palma, Barcelona, Valencia and Dénia. Sant Antoni de Portmany is 0.7 km from Arenal, and its own harbour has some mainland routes in season. Flights and ferries are fewer in winter, so check operators before a late-season booking. Formentera is reached from Ibiza Town port; the fast ferry to La Savina takes about 30-35 minutes.

Beaches, sights and food nearby

Cala Salada and Cala Saladeta are the closest swimming, 3.7 km from Arenal, on a road that fills early. Cala Comte, 7.4 km away, has shallow clear water and islets offshore, and is the usual sunset stop on this coast. Cala d'Hort, 12.1 km, looks across to Es Vedrà, a limestone islet inside the Cala d'Hort, Cap Llentrisca and Sa Talaia natural park. All three need a car, seasonal bus or taxi.

Inland, the climb to Sa Talaia, the highest point on Ibiza at about 475 m, begins 6.5 km from Arenal. On the plate, the west coast runs on fish: bullit de peix and arròs a banda, the island stew served in two courses, are the dishes to look for in Sant Antoni de Portmany, 0.7 km away. Portions suit sharing. Kitchens in the resorts fill later in the evening, so families often eat early.

A day from Arenal

Start early and drive to Cala Salada and Cala Saladeta, 3.7 km from Arenal, before the road and the small car parks fill. Swim, then move on to Cala Comte, 7.4 km from the hotel, where the water is shallow and clear and islets break the swell offshore. Lunch back in Sant Antoni de Portmany, 0.7 km from Arenal, leaves the afternoon open.

In the afternoon, settle by the outdoor pool at Arenal or drive 6.5 km towards the start of the Sa Talaia path for the climb to the island's highest point, about 475 m. Return to Cala Comte, 7.4 km away, for sunset, then eat in Sant Antoni de Portmany, 0.7 km from the hotel. A hire car makes this loop simple; buses and taxis cover a shorter version.

Practical tips

Arenal is best used between roughly May and October. Many hotels, beach bars, boat trips and seasonal buses on Ibiza's west coast close roughly from November to April, so confirm the hotel's own opening dates before booking a winter stay, and expect the west coast to be at its busiest in July and August. A tourist tax, the Balearic sustainable tourism tax, is charged per person per night by the accommodation; rates vary with season and length of stay, children under 16 are exempt, and the Govern de les Illes Balears publishes the current rules.

Questions about Arenal