Pikes Hotel Ibiza The Iconic Retreat
Listed as one of the ‘Top 100 Hotels in the world’ by Sunday Times Travel and winner of ‘Best Boutique Hotel’ by the prestigious White Ibiza Awards for three years running, Pikes hotel is set around sprawling fairytale gardens with a famous aquamarine pool that exudes a friendly house party-vibe. The world-renowned hotel was lovingly restored in 2011 by new owners Andy McKay and Dawn Hindle, founders of the world-famous Ibiza Rocks brand and Manumission, the biggest and most famous club night in the world that launched in 1993, redefining nightclubbing.
In 2016 the prolific duo secured partnership with global hoteliers Melia Hotels, kick-starting the regeneration of San Antonio Bay to an improved customer profile. Today, Pikes is one of the few places that still represents the authentic, carefree, Balearic spirit of the island. Combine this calming atmosphere with an up-to-the-minute new-wave of edgy millennial style and you have the ultimate Ibiza destination where anything goes. The hotel was originally created in the late 1970’s by the legendary Tony Pike and for the last few decades, Pikes has been a playground for the music and cultural elite with regular guests including artists such as Grace Jones, Tony Curtis, Spandau Ballet, Bon Jovi, George Michael and Freddie Mercury.
Accommodation-wise, there are 25 comfortable and spacious rooms and junior suites to the gorgeous vast apartment ‘La Residencia’, with walls hung with stunning photographic images by Victor Spinelli and other artists. True to the hotel exterior and grounds, each room has a whimsical character and rustic Balearic feel, with décor that gives a nod to the hotel’s rock’n’roll roots, with added extras such as one room with a vintage record player or a sunken bathtub inside another. The rooms are dotted around the property, linked by a web of paths and gardens where you might spot a snoozing cat poolside.
New for Summer 2017 is a collaboration with interiors style leaders Rockett St George. Both the onsite nightclub ‘Freddie’s’ and Room 9 at Pikes have had a complete makeover. Dawn Hindle Creative Director of Pikes says ‘We’ve gone over to the dark side at Pikes by painting the walls in Rockett St George signature black paint and adding their famously quirky touch to the decor using wall mounted Zebras, neon signage and unique furniture. Guests who book the room will be able to sample Rockett St George at it’s very best. Think pure Rock’n’ Roll meets kitsch with a seductive, tropical twist’.
Guests to Room 9 will be able to relax in style on their porch, sat upon their very own giant Peacock Chairs, surrounded by a faux tropical oasis of palm trees and bird of paradise plants. Drinks can be served from the mid-century modern cocktail trolley with a signature cocktail kit, exclusively designed for Pikes Hotel. Admire the walls adorned with specially commissioned artwork, a giant canvas and cheeky ‘KISS ME’ neon sign. Twinkling monkey and typewriter lights add the signature Rockett St George Style and finishing touch to the room, along with cowhide covered floors and beds draped with beautiful Moroccan style blankets, for a bit of bohemian all back to mine ‘after-party’ deluxe.
As part of this ‘Grotto-fabulous’ revamp, Freddie’s nightclub has been decked out with beautiful tropical Palm Tree floor lights and bespoke Velvet Cocktail chairs featuring the famous Tony Pikes Portraits which hang on the walls at the hotel. The historic print has also been made into a quirky wallpaper featured alongside shiny new tin-tile cladding. There will be plenty of quirky items displayed around the hotel from the collection, which are all available to purchase through the Rockett St George website.
If sport and spa-ing is your vice, there’s an iconic neon pink tennis court, whirlpool tub, and a variety of massages, fitness and yoga classes offered in the ‘Rockovery’ tent day to night. The foodie credentials at Pikes act as yet another magnet to the discerning traveller and has recently been hailed as ‘Five-Star Delicious’ by ES Magazine. Head chef Lee Milne (who has worked at award-winning restaurants including ‘Restaurant Gordon Ramsay’ and ‘The Vineyard at Stockcross’) established Pike’s in house eatery ‘Pikes Restaurant’ as one of the best restaurants in Ibiza, with daily mouth-watering ‘House specials’ along with an extensive menu and sublime individually chosen wine list.
Saturday Flamenco nights at Pikes are proving super-popular with Ibiza-foodies for the new Sharing Plate menu. During the season Island legend Paco Fernandez plays beautiful Balearic Flamenco every Saturday at Pikes poolside during dinner where you can linger, graze and take time over sharing delicious locally sourced food. Hero dishes include the 11-Spice Cauliflower, the rich Pork secreto , the 39 day fillet of Argentinian Beef and the mouth-watering nine hour slow roasted Octopus. It’s clear the dream team of Lee Milne and Food and Beverage Manager Steve Hughes have established ‘Room 39’ firmly on the map as one of the most exciting restaurants to watch this year in Ibiza.
There are also some unique taste-experience events planned throughout the summer, including Thursday Pop Up nights. Each week Pikes Restaurant will be an ‘open kitchen’ where guest chefs are invited to takeover and host pop up kitchens as well as Music Supper Club nights to raise funds for the homeless in Ibiza.
Come the 21st September ‘17, another culinary collaboration is set to take Pikes by storm! Popular London street food caterer, the ‘Vietvan’ is bringing its authentic high quality, fresh and flavorsome Vietnamese dishes to the white islands. Having travelled extensively across South East Asia, owners Nick and Tracy discovered a passion for Asian cuisine. Trained by street food chefs and enrolling on local cooking courses within Asia, they took the knowledge they gained back to the UK and are now regulars on the popular London market scene including the renowned Brick Lane.
As private caterers, the duo work with leading brands such as London Fashion Week, Kate Moss Agency and Boxpark by providing bespoke Vietnamese cuisine at events in and around the capital. Catering for all food types and offering delicious dishes to delight every palette, the traditional menu is set to consist of dishes including caramelized chicken, lemongrass pork and chilli and pepper tofu.
In addition to Pikes hotel becoming known as ‘the’ place to go on the island for a sublime Ibizan dining experience this summer, the hotel is already legendary for the best parties, poolside cocktails and bathtub karaoke (in sequins) with a wonderful warm house-party vibe. August 2017 announcements include Pike’s own appointed Cultural Attache the legendary DJ Harvey’s ‘Mercury Rising’ playing all night long sets’ between 7 Aug and 27 September. DJ Harvey will also be launching record label Pikes Records later this year.
In other party news, this summer marks the 30 year anniversary of Paul Oakenfold’s famed trip to the White Isle; a seminal week in music history that witnessed the birth of club and festival culture as we now know it, and the emergence of one of the greatest DJs of our time. As part of the Generations World tour across six continents, Paul Oakenfold has chosen to call Pikes his home in Ibiza, every Wednesday for 4 weeks from 2nd – 23rd August. Plus just announced is a very special one-off live show at Pikes from British rock royalty Primal Scream on 29th August. The Glasgow-born band boast a career spanning 3 decades and a back catalogue of huge hits from 11 studio albums including the ground-breaking Screamadelica (1991).
From music to art and photography, Pikes constantly brings ground breaking A-list artists to their hallowed hotel. This summer, Pikes is proud to announce the upcoming exhibition of celebrity portrait photographer Diana Gomez opening with a VIP party on August 24th 2017 and running until the end of September. FREE WOMEN is a feminist-driven and auto-biographical show consisting of life-size portraits and outdoor installations inspired by Diana’s charismatic, colourful and passionate world.
Taking over the grounds, swimming pool and terrace of the Pikes Hotel, FREE WOMEN is an ode to freedom of expression, to be comfortable in your own skin. The exhibition will include some of Diana’s most famous celebrity portraits, including Taylor Swift, Jade Jager, Courtney Love, Chelsea Tyler, Caroline Vreeland, Rihanna, Portia Freeman, Yasmin Mills, Selena Gomez, Pips Taylor, Laura Pradelska, Sshh, Rosario Dawson, Zara Martin, Shingai Shoniwa, Caroline Flack, Ana Matronic, Jamie Winstone, Daisy Lowe, Gizzi Erskine, amongst others. Pikes Hotel has an evocative history as the playground for the music elite providing a beautifully reflective and thought- provoking setting for Diana Gomez powerful and upbeat work.
“I am so excited to be collaborating with Diana on this amazing exhibition at Pikes. Ibiza has a community of strong creative women and ‘Free Women’ represents this perfectly. Pikes is way more than just a hotel, it’s become a cultural hub and is the perfect setting to exhibit Diana’s work” Dawn Hindle, Creative Director of Pikes.
FREE WOMEN will run alongside a series of events hosted at Pikes Hotel including Primal Scream’s live gig on August 29th, celebrity hairstylist Lyndell Mansfield’s pop-up hair salon and Diana Gomez’ live photo shoot on August 27th. The exhibition is curated by Mia Pfeifer and produced by Dominique Aizpurua, with guests to FREE WOMEN including top VIP clients, celebrities, stylists and models
For reservations and more information about Pikes Hotel and events this year, visit www.pikesibiza.com