Es Cucons

Laidback and romantic finca in the heart of rural Ibiza, with 15 shabby-chic bedrooms and a cosy restaurant. A great base for walking and cycling

Drive out of San Antoni and head up and up, around hairpin bends and through glorious pine forests. The vistas are staggering, the lush foliage amazing, in what you imagine to be a fairly arid country. Abruptly you plunge down into a valley - but this too is beautiful: craggy rocks, deep red earth and almond trees planted in meticulous rows. You feel worlds apart from San Antoni's clubs and crowds yet, unbelievably, you're only 7km away.

Set back from the road and deep in this valley lies the charming Es Cucons. A carefully restored 1650s finca, the 15-room hotel is cosy and very colourful. It's run by two Spanish sisters (Maria and Barbara) and their respective husbands (Pasi and Jaime), and it exudes their own warmth: this is the fulfilment of a family dream. The grounds are spacious, teeming with lavender, geraniums, cacti and palm trees. Inside, the rooms are beautifully decorated, each with its own distinct design. Come with your partner and go hiking and cycling through the valley, then unwind with a specialist massage.

Highs

• Deep, claw-footed bathtubs and walk-in rain showers – plus aromatic products to pamper yourself with
• Your hosts: super friendly, devoting time to chat to each and every guest
• Wonderful food, served in a snug dining room in autumn, and alfresco on the terrace in summer
• The art exhibition in reception – vast canvases of block colour
• An awesome honeymoon suite, set high on a hill above the hotel with a to-die-for-view from its hot tub

Lows

• Some rooms are quite dark in autumn
• You definitely need to hire a car to get here
• Intermittent internet access