Can Planells

About Can Planells

Can Planells suits travellers who want the north of Ibiza rather than the resort strips. The hotel sits outside the main resort areas near Sant Miquel de Balansat, a village in the green, pine-covered centre-north of the island. Couples looking for quiet evenings, walkers and families with a car all fit here, because the beaches and markets of the north are within easy reach and the island's busier towns are a short drive south.

Can Planells is a four-star hotel with a guest score of 4.9/5 from 145 reviews. It is a garden-and-pool kind of stay rather than a beachfront one: the coast is a drive away, and the day tends to be built around the terrace, the solarium and the outdoor pool. The address is Venda De Rubio 2, on the edge of Sant Miquel de Balansat, and the setting is rural rather than residential.

Location: Sant Joan de Labritja

Sant Miquel de Balansat is a small village in the north of Ibiza, in the hills inland from the coast, and Can Planells stands just outside it on Venda De Rubio 2. This is the quiet side of the island: pine woods, whitewashed village churches and lanes that lead down to small calas. It is not a resort, so evenings are spent at the hotel or in the village rather than on a promenade. Portinatx, on the north coast, is 10.5 km away in a straight line.

A car makes the most of the position. Santa Eulària des Riu is 12 km away in a straight line and Sant Antoni de Portmany 12.9 km, both across the island's middle rather than along the coast. Ibiza Town port is 15.5 km. Buses reach the village but are thin outside summer, so check times with the hotel or the island bus operator. In July and August the coast roads fill up after mid-morning; in May, June and late September the same drive is easy and the calas are half empty.

Rooms and facilities

Guest rooms at Can Planells are listed with air conditioning, wifi, a bath and a hairdryer, and a sink appears among the features. Family rooms, cots and sofa beds are all listed, so a family can ask about fitting into one room rather than two. Non-smoking rooms are listed as well. Couples tend to prefer the quieter side of a small hotel; mention at booking if you would rather be further from the pool terrace.

Outside the room, the outdoor pool and the solarium carry the afternoons, and the garden and terrace give shade when the sun is at its height. A bar is listed, which matters in a village with few evening options. Massage is listed, luggage storage helps if you arrive before your room is ready, and parking is listed for guests travelling by car. Confirm pool opening times, whether the bar runs all season, and parking arrangements when you book.

Getting there

Ibiza Airport (IBZ) is 20.2 km away in a straight line, which is a straightforward drive north if you pick up a hire car at the terminal; Can Planells lists a car rental service, which saves a detour on arrival. Taxis wait outside the terminal and the run takes you through the middle of the island. Buses link the airport with Ibiza Town and the main towns, and you would change for Sant Miquel de Balansat. Check the island bus operator for current lines.

From Ibiza Town port, 15.5 km away, the drive heads north through the middle of the island. Santa Eulària des Riu lies 12 km from Can Planells and Sant Antoni de Portmany 12.9 km, so either town works as a stop on the way. Arrivals by ferry from Formentera land at La Savina and cross to Ibiza Town first. Flights and ferries thin out from November to April, so a winter arrival can mean fewer sailings; book the crossing and the car ahead and tell Can Planells your arrival time.

Beaches, sights and food nearby

The nearest coves are a short drive. Kayaking on the north coast calas is 11.4 km away, and Cala Salada with Cala Saladeta, on the west coast, is 12.5 km. Portinatx, 10.5 km to the north, has the closest cluster of bays and a sheltered family beach. Inland, the Las Dalias market at Sant Carles is 12 km away, held on Saturdays in season; check current days, since they change. Cala d'Hort, facing Es Vedrà, is a longer run down the west coast.

Food in the north is the island's own. Bullit de peix and arròs a banda, the fish stew served in two courses, appear on menus along this coast, and fresh fish and rice dishes are what to order. Village cooking is plain and good: grilled fish, rice, greens, local wine. Dinner is usually a short drive away, in Sant Miquel de Balansat or one of the coastal villages, so ask at Can Planells which kitchens stay open out of season, when many close.

A day from Can Planells

Start early and drive north to Portinatx, 10.5 km away, for a swim before the wind picks up. From there the north coast calas, 11.4 km from Can Planells, are the morning's work if you want to kayak: go with a licensed operator and check conditions first. Back at the hotel, the pool, the solarium and the garden fill the hot middle of the day. Lunch is a plate of rice or grilled fish on the way back.

Late afternoon suits the west. Cala Salada and Cala Saladeta are 12.5 km away, and the light there lasts. Alternatively, drive 12 km to the Las Dalias market at Sant Carles on a market day for an hour of stalls, then return for a swim at the hotel before dinner. Evening means a short drive to Sant Miquel de Balansat or a coastal village. A car makes this day simple; without one, plan around the seasonal buses and ask Can Planells for times.

Practical tips

Much of Ibiza's tourism business closes roughly from November to April, and Can Planells may keep its own calendar, so confirm opening dates before booking. July and August are the peak: roads are busy, calas fill early, and the pool terrace is the best place at midday. May, June and late September are calmer. The Balearic sustainable tourism tax, the ecotasa, is charged by Can Planells per person per night; it varies with season, length of stay and the hotel's category, and the Govern de les Illes Balears publishes current rates.

Questions about Can Planells