“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.
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 rooms for families
The ideal accommodation for guests with children are the two Family Suites in the garden, which consist of a double bedroom, twin bedroom and a large terrace, to which a baby cot can be added. A baby cot in the Small Doubles is also possible. One extra bed or baby cot can be added to all Double Rooms (with terraces) - of these the Double Deluxe rooms to the right of the dining room have their own private corridor and a shared courtyard as well.
Parents should know...
The pool isn't fenced so keep an eye on toddlers.
- Baby cots
- Baby bedding
- High chair
- Night light
- Bottle warming
Some equipment may need to be requested in advance
Babysitting is available by arrangement with local childcare agency
Baby listening/monitors available on request. They work throughout the finca
Although the kitchen is seasonal, they assure us that families can be fed at all times of the day here, with special mealtimes and menus for tots. There's a café within walking distance and you can use the hotel's blender and microwave if necessary
- 25m heated pool with shallow end
- Toys
- A huge garden to run around and play in
- Farm animals nearby (farm 800m away)
- Plenty of beaches, including Es Figueral for sandcastles and tide pools and Calla Mastrella for swimming
- Hire bicycles to explore locally
- Go karting
- Tennis, swimming, horse riding
- Cova de ses Llegostes, a natural cave aquarium
- Boutique Hotel
- 11 rooms
- Breakfast + other meals on request (restaurants nearby)
- Children aged 8 and over are welcome
- Closed: October-February
- Outdoor Pool
- Spa Treatments
- Beach Nearby
- Babysitting
- Creche / Kids Club
- Car recommended
- Parking
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
- Concierge Service
Rooms
The 11 rooms are traditional and tranquil, with sabina wood beamed ceilings and furniture, stone floors, exposed stone walls and shuttered windows. The emphasis is very much on white - the walls, bedspread, armchair, soft towels - in fact, the only splash of colour in our large Double Deluxe with Terrace came from a large painted wooden duck and a vase of fresh lavender. The only real difference between rooms is the size, though the Small Double (obviously being the smallest) lacks a terrace.
To fit with the hotel's eco-friendly ethos, there are no bathtubs - instead, each room has a hydro massage shower, which we found fantastic. In fact, we probably used up more water than a bath would have done, because it was so nice. The bathrooms are ensuite, separated from the bedrooms by a curtain, and have a small room with the toilet and bidet in. Damana toiletries add to the luxury element - orange blossom body lotion, juniper shampoo and white nettle conditioner.
You'll find a CD player, free WiFi access, a flatscreen TV and a coffee machine (ask in the kitchen for freshly ground coffee beans and milk). The beds are comfy and warm and there are armchairs or sofas to snuggle up in. They are a bit dark by day, but the small windows are traditional finca style, and keep the room cool in the summer heat. And the upside is that tiny windows plus thick walls keeps out noise.
Outside, all rooms (except the Small Double) have a small private terrace and flowerbed, with a wrought iron table and chairs. The majority of these overlook the garden, and it's a great place to have an early evening glass of wine and watch the sun set.
There are 2 newer Family Suites set in the garden, which offer additional space in the form of a double bedroom, a twin bedroom and a little terrace with tables and chairs. Families may also like to stay in the Double Deluxe with Terrace rooms to the right of the dining room, which have their own private corridor and a shared courtyard.
Features include:
- In-room treatments available
- Minibar
- Safe box
- WiFi
Eating
Although the hotel has a great little kitchen, it only operates full-time in high season. In spring and autumn, the chef can provide picnic spreads (cold meats, cheeses, bruschetta and olives) or whip you up whatever you fancy, but we felt a bit embarrassed to put a chef to all that trouble and opted to go out. Santi booked a table for us at Es Pins 3km down the road. This was a charming place - fairly simple but popular with families - and the vast platters of roasted halibut with chips and salad were fantastic.
When the kitchen is open, much of the produce comes from the neighbouring farm - chickens, vegetables, fruits etc. There's a large terrace and gnarled wood pergola with fantastic views if you want to dine alfresco, and in the winter months, guests all eat together around a big sabine pine table in the dining room. We did this for breakfast, chatting to the other guests and Santi and Anna in a warm, family atmosphere.
It's also common for Santi to throw a BBQ when the weather's good, and he'll invite all the guests to take part and mix a sociable punch to bond people.
The breakfast itself was good: a spread of Spanish cheeses and hams, homemade bread and croissants, home-grown OJ, fruit platters and yoghurts. There was also a choice of hot meals, ranging from scrambled eggs with jamon to crepes.
Features include:
- Bar
- Breakfast
- Coffee maker
- Communal dining
- Dinner by arrangement
- Kids' meals
- Lunch by arrangement
- Organic produce
- Room service
- Vegetarian options
Activities
- Laze around the pool, helping yourself to drinks from the honesty bar, or borrow a bike and explore the countryside
- Hit the beach: family friendly Es Figueral is a short drive away and this has a large flat area that's great for building sandcastles and playing in the tide pools. The sea itself is pretty rough though, so if you want to swim, head to the beautiful calm inlet Calla Mastrella
- Drive to the west of the island and visit Cova de ses Llegostes, a natural cave aquarium that's filled with sealife
- Play golf and tennis, go sailing, diving or riding, or take a yoga class then have an in-room massage - Santi can organise various excursions and activities
- Spend a day in Eivissa, Ibiza's beautiful capital (17km away). Stroll through the narrow streets of the Old Town up to the Cathedral, which has stunning panoramic views of the island
- Head to the south of the island and visit the Ses Salines salt plains, then chill out on the beach with the same name
- Get shopping: the hippy markets at Es Canar (Wednesdays) and Sant Carlos (Saturdays) are great: handmade jewellery, fab leather goods, lovely clothes and various forms of art
- Stroll around the the orange, olive and almond groves
- Arrange a visit to the nearby farm to see the chickens!
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Cycling
- Fishing
- Golf
- Hiking
- Horse riding
- Sailing
- Scuba diving
- Shopping / markets
- Snorkelling
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Yoga
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.
Location
Agro Can Gall is situated in Sant Joan, inland in northeast Ibiza. It’s a 35-minute drive from the airport, 25 minutes from Eivissa and 25 minutes from San Antoni.
By Air:
Ibiza (20km). Click on the links below for a list of airlines serving this.
From the Airport
The hotel can sometimes provide a transfer service – please enquire when booking. If not, there are loads of taxis at the airport.
By Car:
We’d highly recommend hiring a car when you’re in Ibiza as it’s by far the easiest way to get about. The roads are relatively quiet, and you soon get to know the main routes around the island. It also means you can reach the secluded beaches and more rural areas, all of which are beautiful. See our car rental recommendations and park for free at the hotel.
Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.
More on getting to Ibiza and getting around
Airports:
- Ibiza 18.0 km IBZ
Other:
- Beach 10.0 km
- Shops 0.2 km
- Restaurant 0.2 km
Our guests' ratings...
Based on 2 independent reviews from i-escape guests
Feedback is only from guests who have booked and stayed through i-escape