Playa Bella Beach Apartments

My girls love Ibiza, and the hotel is part of the reason. Food and drinks are reasonably priced, and it’s clean. I feel like three stars doesn’t do the place justice. The one downside is the looky looky people by the beach near the entertainment area, hanging over the sides and pestering you to get your hair done or buy things.

We went in mid to late October with our 4- and 7-year-olds. The pool is lovely, though very cold. The kids were all shivering, but once you get in it isn’t too bad. I hardly went in and found the sea warmer. The beach was closed because of flooding before our visit, but there’s a nicer one about a five-minute walk away. We stayed on level 3 of block 2, overlooking the pool. It was a good spot because it wasn’t above the noisy bar where the entertainment happens. Over ten days, housekeeping came three times, but on the last change they left us with our old sheets, so that cost the place a star. The older English woman at reception was wonderful. Ask her about places to go and she can also give you an idea of costs. There are a couple of supermarkets within walking distance, and San Antonio is walkable too, though a taxi is only about €8 each way. People reserve pool loungers in the morning, so get there early if you want a good spot for the day. I’d come back, though ideally I’d want self-catering with an oven. Here there’s only a stove and microwave.

We ate at both restaurants and probably had some of our best meals in Ibiza there, especially as lots of other places had closed or were starting to close while we were visiting. The evening kids’ entertainment was great. The two women running it were full of energy and made it fun for the children. Our rooms were basic but exceptionally clean, and the apartments look out over the sea towards San Antonio. The pool was a bit chilly, but the kids still played in it. They were unfortunately sick while we were away, and the staff were really good with us.

The location worked well for us, with two to four supermarkets about a five-minute walk away, a taxi rank just up from the hotel, and a water taxi into San Antonio for 5 euros per person. It runs to the bay around every half hour. The bakery directly underneath is a hidden gem, and the abandoned hotel next door didn’t bother us at all. We had a sea view after emailing a week before to ask, and our one-bedroom apartment was roomy enough for the three of us. The balcony was a good size. The room was immaculate and very clean, though a little small. The air conditioning was really good, and the ceiling fans were decent too. Our room was cleaned twice during the week, which didn’t bother us. The pool was busy, but there were still plenty of loungers, and there weren’t any sunbed wars. There are two restaurants, both pleasantly decent, and nightly entertainment that finished at 11pm. The kids’ play area was excellent, with about four or five slides, and the pool itself was very good. Our flight wasn’t until about 8pm, so the luggage room and shower rooms came in handy. There are two showers in the luggage room and about half a dozen by reception. We had no faults with the place and will definitely return.