Words by Anna Myers
Nestled between Caló de s’Oli and Cala de Bou, in the heart of Ibiza’s lively San Antonio Bay, Paradiso is a unique mix between a Wes Anderson fever dream and an Instagram filter come to life.
A Concept Group creation, Paradiso is an Art Hotel, so art and style take centre stage everywhere you look. From the dramatic Art Deco design, the neon lights and the bold colours, to the chilled and entirely welcoming atmosphere that envelops you as soon as you walk through the lobby door, a stay at Paradiso is like stepping into a movie. And it’s one you won’t regret watching.
Hotel
With curved lines, bold and kitsch 70s décor, neon lights and pastel pink everything, style is everything at Paradiso. A true sight for sore eyes straight from the funkiest design magazine, the elements mix together well and with lots of character, without ever feeling too heavy or too much like a movie set. The candy floss pools (seriously Instagrammable) come with shaded cabanas and sunbeds to sleep off the night before, or sip on a refreshing cocktail to keep the fun going.
Room
With suites of different sizes for up to four people, each room features a balcony or terrace, a Smeg fridge and a Marshall radio, bright pink neon lights and rimmed mirrors in true 80s Miami kitsch décor. Every room is named after an international contemporary artist, and its walls are decorated with original works donated by the artists. The walls are really thin, when people a floor above me showered, it felt as if they were in the room with me! But then again, you’re not likely to spend a lot of time in the room, as the pool area is so inviting and the heart of San Antonio is right there for you to explore.
Then, there’s the Zero Suite, an entirely unique and ‘not for the faint of heart’ experience as warned by Paradiso itself. If you’re up for spending the night in a room with completely transparent glass walls, situated in the middle of the hotel lobby, you can do it for free! The Zero Suite is also available to rent for art performances, radio broadcasts, DJ sets, and any installation your heart desires, at one condition: you must be ready to be at the centre of attention!
Food
Breakfast is buffet-style and served by the pool, but depending on your room size and price, it might be included or you might have to pay an additional £15. It serves traditional and hearty foods like eggs, tortillas, beans on toast, sausages, and hash browns, as well as simple jams, honeys, cereals, cheese and fruit. Service is not anything to write home about, but everything ran smoothly while I was there.
The hotel’s flagship food joint, Andy’s, directly overlooks the pool area and serves both as a breakfast hub and a lunch spot. It offers smoothies and detox juices for the healthier among us, or sangria, bubbles, and delicious cocktails – both alcoholic and not – for more party-inclined guests. And, of course, the food is as hungover-proof as it could be: you can choose between burgers, protein bowls, nachos, pasta, pad Thai, or sharing platters for bigger groups.
I tried the soft shell crab served on a bao bun with mango, pomegranate and kimchi mayo, which was one of the best baos I’ve ever had and went down just perfectly with the hot sun on my face and my feet in the cool water. Last orders are at 4.30pm, though, so you’ll have to head elsewhere for dinner. As the hotel is near a main road, you’ll only need to walk a few minutes and you’ll find plenty of restaurants, bars and beach-style Chiquito’s nearby.
A quick insider tip: try to visit Kumharas, a beach bar just a few minutes away from Paradiso, to watch the sunset and mingle with the locals, you won’t regret it.
Art
Art also plays a big part at Paradiso, with a dedicated gallery, customised lounge playlists and resident DJs firing up the pool area turned dance floor. The art on display at the Paradiso gallery is curated by ADDA GALLERY PARIS and frequently swapped out, so that return customers can always delight in a new offering. When I was there in September, the walls featured pieces by new wave urban artists Berni Pug, Galleta Maria, Kamil Escruela, Nicasio Torres, and Majuelos among others.
You can even get some ink art done to remember your Paradiso stay. Coyote’s is the only tattoo studio inside a hotel on the island, and should you want to get an Ibiza-stamped reminder, you can always book an appointment to see Paul, Coyote’s ‘private ink master’.
In a nutshell
Paradiso Ibiza Art Hotel is a truly unique concept and a really well executed one, at that. Step into your wildest pastel fantasies and get ready to give your Instagram grid a real makeover, because everywhere you’ll look, you’ll be tempted to take some incredible pictures and fall in love with style and design as if you were on a movie set.
Factbox
Getting there: Paradiso Ibiza Art Hotel is located in the heart of San Antonio Bay, only a 25 minute car ride to Ibiza airport and a 20 minute one to the heart of the island’s old town, near the Castell d’Eivissa.
Rooms can be booked from £88 pppn, with a 5% discount if you book through the official website.
Address: Es Caló, 70, 76, 07829 Sant Josep de sa Talaia, Balearic Islands, Spain
Phone: +34 871 53 25 97 97
Website: paradisoibiza.com
Photography courtesy of Paradiso Ibiza Art Hotel
