Grupotel Imperio Playa

About Grupotel Imperio Playa

Grupotel Imperio Playa suits travellers who want Ibiza's north coast rather than the club-driven south. The hotel stands at Cala Sant Vicent, a deep sandy bay closed in by green hills, with the sand about 0.2 km away on a straight line. Couples who build their days around swimming and short drives, and families who prefer calm evenings, fit here well. A hire car helps, because the northern coves are spread out and the island's larger resorts lie well to the south.

Grupotel Imperio Playa is a four-star hotel with a guest score of 3.9 out of 5 from 389 reviews. It is a practical holiday base rather than a design property: an outdoor pool, a tennis court, a buffet restaurant and bars, with free wifi and air conditioning through the building. Rooms have balconies. Days here tend to be slow, built around the pool, the cala and one drive out in the late afternoon.

Location: Cala Sant Vicent

Cala Sant Vicent is a deep bay closed in by green hills, on Ibiza's quiet northern coast. Sand sits at the head of the inlet, with pines and low scrub on the slopes above rather than a built-up seafront. Grupotel Imperio Playa stands 0.2 km from the cala on a straight line, so the beach is a short walk from the door. Evenings are calm here; the sunset strip and Playa d'en Bossa lie far to the west and south.

The small settlement around Cala Sant Vicent covers the basics on foot, and the sand is walkable from Grupotel Imperio Playa. Anything further needs wheels: Portinatx is 7.4 km away on a straight line, Es Canar 8.4 km, and Ibiza Town port 22.4 km. Buses serve the north thinly outside summer, so a hire car, a taxi or the car rental service listed among the hotel's facilities covers the gaps. July and August fill the bay; May, June and September stay far quieter.

Rooms and facilities

Rooms at Grupotel Imperio Playa are listed with air conditioning, a balcony, a bath, a TV, a telephone, a safe, a desk and a hairdryer, which covers the practical side of a beach holiday. Families can ask about family rooms and cots. The 24-hour front desk and the concierge matter if you land on a late flight into Ibiza Airport, 29.3 km away, and reach the cala after dark. Lifts serve the floors and non-smoking rooms are listed.

Confirm the details that shape a stay when you book: the board basis, how the family rooms are laid out, and whether the balcony faces the sea or the hills. Grupotel Imperio Playa lists special diets among its services, so say in advance if you need them. The pool is an outdoor one; ask the hotel how it runs across the season. Housekeeping, cleaning and a laundry service are all listed, and there is a first aid point on site.

Getting there

Ibiza Airport (IBZ) lies 29.3 km from Grupotel Imperio Playa on a straight line, in Sant Josep south-west of Ibiza Town. The road route runs longer than that figure suggests, because the north is reached by minor roads. A taxi, or a hire car collected at the airport, is the simplest way up; buses link the airport with Ibiza Town and continue north, with more lines in summer. Check the island bus operator for current times.

From Ibiza Town port, 22.4 km away on a straight line, the drive to Cala Sant Vicent crosses the middle of the island. The port is where ferries arrive from Formentera (La Savina), Palma, Barcelona, Valencia and Dénia; check the operators for timetables. Flights and ferries thin out in winter and seasonal buses are reduced, so confirm your arrival time with Grupotel Imperio Playa before booking a late-season trip.

Beaches, sights and food nearby

The cala itself is the closest beach: Grupotel Imperio Playa is 0.2 km from Cala Sant Vicent on a straight line, and kayaking along the north coast calas starts about 3.5 km away. Portinatx, another pine-ringed bay, is 7.4 km off, while Es Canar and its family beach sit 8.4 km away. Es Canar also holds the Punta Arabí hippy market on Wednesdays in season; check current days before driving over.

Las Dalias market at Sant Carles de Peralta is 7.3 km from Grupotel Imperio Playa, on Saturdays, though the day is worth checking before setting out. The lanes south of the cala lead towards Santa Eulària des Riu and the inland villages of the north. Ibiza food runs to bullit de peix and arròs a banda, the fish stew served in two courses, plus fresh fish and rice dishes, best tried away from the busiest stretches of coast.

A day from Grupotel Imperio Playa

Start with a swim at Cala Sant Vicent, 0.2 km from Grupotel Imperio Playa, before the bay fills in high summer. Late morning, drive the 3.5 km to the kayak launch points on the north coast calas and paddle below the cliffs. Return for the buffet and the pool in the early afternoon, then take the car 7.4 km to Portinatx for a change of beach and a walk out along the rocks.

On a Wednesday in season, drive 8.4 km to Es Canar for the Punta Arabí hippy market and loop back through the lanes. On a Saturday, Las Dalias at Sant Carles is 7.3 km from Grupotel Imperio Playa. Finish with dinner at the hotel and a drink on the terrace. For a longer outing, Ibiza Town port is 22.4 km away, for the Renaissance walls of Dalt Vila and the cathedral at the top.

Practical tips

Much of Ibiza's tourism business closes roughly from November to April, and Cala Sant Vicent is a seasonal bay, so check Grupotel Imperio Playa's opening dates before booking a winter stay. July and August are the peak, when the cala and the pool are busiest. The Balearic sustainable tourism tax, the ecotasa, is charged per person per night by the accommodation; rates depend on category and season, are lower in low season and on longer stays, and children under 16 are exempt. Check the Govern de les Illes Balears for current rates.

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