Reviewed by
Liz Simpson
“Hola!”, beams Santi, springing up from behind his desk. “Come in, come in, como esta?” Talking a mile to the dozen in excellent English, he leads us to the dining room and makes coffee, whilst chatting to other guests in French and Spanish, and tickling his daughter. This is life at Can Gall; bustling, personal and incredibly friendly.
The 200-year-old finca is set far back from the main road amongst breathtakingly beautiful grounds: neat lines of olive and almond trees interspersed by pretty white flowers; a 25m pool with loungers dotted around it; flowerbeds filled with fragrant lavender and pink geraniums, and a scattering of oversized ceramic pots. Inside, the rooms are a blend of restored wood and pure white: linen curtains, kingsize beds and plump goose-feather pillows. Overall the effect is tranquil - so much so that within an hour we were fast asleep and almost missed our dinner reservation. But this is what’s so attractive about Can Gall: the warm welcome makes you feel like you’re visiting an old friend and you instantly relax.
The 200-year-old finca is set far back from the main road amongst breathtakingly beautiful grounds: neat lines of olive and almond trees interspersed by pretty white flowers; a 25m pool with loungers dotted around it; flowerbeds filled with fragrant lavender and pink geraniums, and a scattering of oversized ceramic pots. Inside, the rooms are a blend of restored wood and pure white: linen curtains, kingsize beds and plump goose-feather pillows. Overall the effect is tranquil - so much so that within an hour we were fast asleep and almost missed our dinner reservation. But this is what’s so attractive about Can Gall: the warm welcome makes you feel like you’re visiting an old friend and you instantly relax.
Highs
- Fab, spacious bedrooms with loads of charm and all the mod cons
- A chance to see ‘the other side’ of Ibiza - rural, tranquil and stunning
- Santi and wife Anna go above and beyond, happily driving guests around, dishing out free drinks and making you feel super welcome
- Family friendly, with big grounds for kids to play in, two Family Suites and a beautiful pool
Lows
- Some rooms are quite dark; others have an uncurtained skylight above the bed, which takes its toll in the morning...
- There are no baths, but the pay off is a decadent walk-in hydro massage shower. Note that most bathrooms are open-plan to the bedroom so there's not much privacy
- Some might hear the cockerels on the nearby farm (800m away) in the morning
- In-room WiFi was pretty patchy when we last revisited
Best time to go
The most popular time to go to Ibiza is during the summer months, when it's warm enough to spend all day at the beach or by the pool. Hotels book up months in advance from May-Sept, so if you plan to come then, make your plans well in advance. However, there are definite advantages to visiting in the off-season months when things are quieter. In autumn the island is beautifully green and the days are often warm enough to go to the beach; in March, the almond trees are all in blossom and the countryside is stunning. The hotel is closed during November and December.
Our top tips
Visit the various pottery shops in trendy San Rafael, or call in at one of the many outlet stores and pick up beautiful ceramics to take home.