Shangri la

About Shangri la

Shangri la suits travellers who want a base in Santa Eulària des Riu rather than a resort strip. The hotel stands on Calle Las Dalias, 1.4 km from the town in a straight line, with Cala Llonga 2.6 km away and Es Canar 5.5 km. Couples who plan to drive and families who need room to spread out both fit: the listed facilities include free car parking, a garden, a terrace and both a swimming pool and an outdoor pool.

Shangri la is a four-star hotel rather than a large holiday village, so days tend to revolve around the pool, the garden and trips out by car. Rooms are listed with air conditioning, a balcony, a safe and a bath, and non-smoking rooms are available. Self-catering equipment also appears in the facilities, which changes the rhythm of a stay: a kitchen, microwave, oven, toaster and dishwasher are all listed.

Location: Santa Eulària des Riu

Santa Eulària des Riu is a river town on Ibiza's east coast, with a promenade, a marina and slower evenings than the club resorts of the south. Shangri la sits 1.4 km from the town in a straight line, so the promenade and the marina are a short drive or a walk away. The town stays open through the year, which matters if you travel outside the main season and want a choice of places to eat.

Beyond the town, a car makes the east coast simple. Cala Llonga is 2.6 km from Shangri la in a straight line and Es Canar 5.5 km, and road distances run longer than both figures. Buses run in summer and thin out in winter, so check the island bus operator. In July and August the coast road fills up; in May, June, September and October the same trips are easier, and the water is typically about 18-19 °C in May and 23-25 °C in September.

Rooms and facilities

Couples often use Shangri la as a driving base, with a balcony for the evening and air conditioning for the warmest weeks. Families get more from the listed kitchen equipment, which includes a microwave, oven, toaster, dishwasher and washing machine, plus cots, high chairs, an iron and board and a safe. Late arrivals should contact Shangri la before travelling to agree how arrival and keys are handled, since that is best fixed in advance.

Two entries in the facilities list are worth confirming before booking. The list includes both internet access and free wifi, and a separate entry for sea, so ask what that covers for the room type you choose. Shangri la also lists a patio, a fireplace, a DVD player and a radio, fittings that suit longer stays. Confirm cots and high chairs when booking, and ask about parking in high season.

Getting there

Ibiza Airport (IBZ) lies 17.6 km from Shangri la in a straight line, in the municipality of Sant Josep. A taxi is the simplest option with luggage, and a hire car works well because the hotel lists free car parking. Buses link the airport with Ibiza Town, Sant Antoni, Santa Eulària and the south beaches, with more lines in summer; ask Shangri la which service suits your arrival time, since timetables change through the year.

Ibiza Town port is 10.4 km from Shangri la in a straight line, useful if you arrive from Formentera, Palma, Barcelona, Valencia or Dénia. Fast ferries from La Savina take about 30-35 minutes. From the port, a taxi or a hire car covers the run to Santa Eulària des Riu, which is itself 1.4 km from the hotel. Flights and ferries are fewer in winter, so check operators and Shangri la before a late-season arrival.

Beaches, sights and food nearby

Swimming is a short drive from Shangri la rather than a step off the terrace. Cala Llonga, a long sheltered inlet with shallow water, is 2.6 km away in a straight line, and Es Canar, a sheltered family beach with the Punta Arabí hippy market on market days in season, is 5.5 km; the market itself sits 6 km from the hotel. Santa Eulària des Riu, 1.4 km away, has the promenade and marina for an evening.

Inland, the Las Dalias market at Sant Carles de Peralta is 5.2 km from Shangri la in a straight line, and the walls of Dalt Vila in Ibiza Town are 11 km away, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site listed in 1999, with the cathedral at the top. East-coast cooking is built on fish: bullit de peix and arròs a banda, the island fish stew served in two courses, appear on many menus in Santa Eulària. Ask at the hotel which markets run on your dates.

A day from Shangri la

Start the morning at Cala Llonga, 2.6 km from Shangri la in a straight line, where the inlet keeps the water shallow. Drive the coast to Es Canar, 5.5 km from the hotel, for a later swim and, on a market day, the Punta Arabí stalls 6 km away. Return to Santa Eulària des Riu, 1.4 km from the hotel, for a late lunch of arròs a banda near the promenade.

Spend the second half of the day inland. The Las Dalias market at Sant Carles de Peralta is 5.2 km from Shangri la in a straight line, and the walls of Dalt Vila are 11 km away, with the cathedral at the top and the Phoenician-Punic necropolis of Puig des Molins in the same UNESCO listing. Finish with an evening at the marina in Santa Eulària, then a 1.4 km run back to the hotel and the garden.

Practical tips

Book Shangri la with the season in mind: much of Ibiza's tourist business, including many hotels, beach bars and seasonal buses, closes roughly from November to April, while July and August are the peak and need booking well ahead. Confirm Shangri la's own opening dates before fixing flights. The Balearic sustainable tourism tax is charged per person per night by the accommodation, with rates that vary by category and season and exemptions for children under 16; check current rates with the Govern de les Illes Balears.

Questions about Shangri la