Now And Zen

A haven of peace and tranquillity away from the heady-beat hedonism south of the island, boutique retreat, Ca Na Xica hits the spot for rustic repose. Laura Henderson learns to relajar the Ibizan way

For White Isle newbies, life in the slow-lane may seem strangely out of character with the image of Ibiza as a hedonistic haven, but it’s very much part of a version of island life that’s surprisingly easy to encounter. While Ibiza Town and the throbbing coastline around Playa d’en Bossa and San Antonio deliver a steady drip-feed of Balearic beat highs, the region north east of Santa Gertrudis offers an altogether more chilled-out utopia experience.

There, you’ll find spotless whitewashed fincas, homey agro-tourism retreats playing peekaboo amidst olive, fig and lemon groves, with a healthy smattering of secluded villas up rutting tracks a safe distance from the posing pouch antics of the Blue Marlin party elite. Echoing Ibiza’s alternative reputation for spirituality and relaxation, it’s here that visitors fortunate enough to stay at Ca Na Xica, near the sleepy town of San Miguel, may well find a new meaning of life to ponder over.

Set in acres of sun-dappled countryside, just a 30-minute drive from Ibiza airport, the hotel is a veritable switch-off and recharge secret lair. With just 20 rooms, the property excels at peaceful.

Guests recline in luxurious indolence on over-sized day beds around the stunning turquoise saltwater pool, a glass of Ibizcus rosé on chilled standby. Orchards and olive groves shelter the property’s terracotta-clay grounds with towering cacti on high alert for do-not-disturb disruptions.

Pared-back luxury excels with similar ease indoors; pillar candles wafting Campos de Ibiza orange-blossom scent, gleaming white walls, oversized Batik cushions, and a gazebo chill out terrace lure guests outdoors for sundowners.

Dormir

Ca Na Xica boasts twenty rooms; four in the main house and two in annexed buildings, which are categorised as Double Rooms and Double Superior rooms; each displaying its own personality, with wide open terraces that overlook the trammelled red earth fields.

There are a further fourteen rooms, the Premier Suites, which are individual, spacious units housed in a series of contemporary white cuboids and offer a sense of total privacy. Rooms within the main house pay tribute to centuries-old architectural accents of an Ibizan finca (farmhouse) while the suites are named after symbolic places and traditions of Ibiza and sister-island Formentera.

Bathrooms are adjacent to terrarium gardens, separated by glass, giving the illusion of decadent bathing al fresco. Whichever accommodation you decide upon, the attention to detail, the focus on comfort and on quality guarantees you’ll return home reinvigorated from kaftan top to flip-flop toe.

Jugar

Leisure and pleasure amenities at Ca Na Xica are equally indulgent – with a glorious open-air restaurant, Zeninspired spa, and an artificial beach. A press for service bell by your sunlounger keeps guests well fed and watered with a tempting range of freshly prepared tapas and chilled refreshments provided by the main restaurant.

Nature provides a harmonious backdrop everywhere you look. Well-tended flower beds brim with glossy plants and exotic grasses. Vegetation is meticulously maintained and incorporated into the hotel’s maze-inspired design. Wildlife guests enjoy the verdant surrounds too, geckos sunbathe on the patio, and honey bees buzz between cactuses and their blooms.

Comer

A short stroll from the main house and open to the elements on three sides, is the hotel’s main restaurant Salvia. Its design is all about simplicity, natural light and glass; a seductive environment and perfectly suited to Bossa Nova fine-dining by candlelight and wine-pairing lunches. Chef Sergio Zubiadut, hailing from Galicia, has devised an extensive modern Mediterranean menu – based around the concept of slow cooking – taking all appetites and dietary requirements into consideration.

The menu focuses on fresh local produce; seafood – calamari and octopus jostle with tagliatelle of seasonal vegetables. Line-caught seabass, kataifi langoustines with mango chutney, mussels of kimchi and ginger, traditional chicken marinated with herbs and lemon, cooked in a traditional josper oven, and Iruki veal sirloin with a piquant pepper sauce.

Puddings include lemon cake with meringued milk ice cream and a sublime ‘Pina Colada’ consisting of sweet pineapple, topped with whipped coconut foam and chunks of garden mint flavoured ice.

Salvia also serves the hotel’s breakfast, the perfect setting to gently greet the blue-sky day, surrounded by olive trees. House specialities include cold-pressed juices and home-made yoghurt complete with toppings including bee pollen, chia seeds, and all manner of dried fruit. Delicious quiches, cheese platters, pan con tomate drizzled with balsamic oil, and a menu of egg-based classics will keep those looking to graze very content indeed.

Spa

The spa is bijou but well-proportioned. In addition to the sauna, steam room and ice-cold plunge pool, there’s a relaxation room and heated outdoor hydrotherapy pool. An a la carte menu of bespoke massage treatments from deep tissue to lymphatic drainage, oxygen and skin regeneration facials, and hand and body pick-me-up treats are available to residents and their guests ready to surrender to island pampering bliss. A few stolen days unwinding here and my recharge mission is well and truly accomplished.

www.canaxica.com