Against the backdrop of headline-grabbing superlatives (The world’s first hyper club! Chicken nuggets topped with Caviar! A helicopter service to connect Ibiza and Formentera!), the Balearic Islands’ sleepy, natural charm can still be found in hidden pockets of the island. You just have to know where to look for them. And for those wanting to unwind and disconnect during their next visit to the White Island, a stay at a traditional Ibiza agroturismo might just be the ticket.
Shrouded behind fragrant orange groves and a smattering of majestic palm trees lies Can Sastre, an Ibiza agroturismo and boutique hotel that invites its guests to embrace a slower pace of island life. Situated at the geographical heart of Ibiza, the traditional country estate is within easy reach of most of the island’s major attractions – but offers a welcome respite for when the hustle and bustle of summer becomes too much.
While the exact ‘year built’ is unknown, Can Sastre is a historically preserved estate believed to be centuries-old. A former tailor’s home, it has been lovingly restored and converted with a lot of respect and care for the traditional architecture and original features.
With only six suites, a small oasis-like pool surrounded by comfortable daybeds and lush greenery, and many cosy corners to get comfy in with a good book or a glass of wine, it’s the idyllic hideaway many of us crave.
Checking in for a weekend stay, we turn onto a narrow ‘camino de campo’ opposite the hippodrome just outside of San Rafael.
The dusty road that leads up to the property betrays the verdant oasis we are about to enter, and as soon as we step through the arched wooden doorway in the dry stone wall surrounding Can Sastre, a sense of peace befalls us. With the golden afternoon light streaming through the trees, it feels nothing short of magical.
Before we reach the informal reception area in the welcoming rustic kitchen, we are enthusiastically greeted by owners Lodewijk and Leontine’s two gorgeous dachshunds, Koosje and Kareltje. They are followed by a beaming Leontine, who has been awaiting our arrival and promptly shows us to our home for the night.
We enter our suite on the ground floor but, to our surprise, we are led up a small staircase that opens into a beautifully styled bedroom with views onto the garden. As we admire the plush bed framed by Mediterranean-chic straw lamps, a hanging chair in the corner and the cosy upholstered bench perfect for reading by the window, my eye is caught by a curtain that separates the room from…
Wait, there’s more?
You know those gleeful moments when you throw your hands up to your face and silently scream with delight? This is one of them.
Behind the sheer cotton sheet awaits a huge living room complete with a ginormous sofa, spacious fitted wardrobes, a real woodburner and a cute Romeo & Juliet style balconette.
The adjacent bathroom has an equally well-sized bath tub, walk-in shower and ample sink space. In total, our suite is probably as big as my entire apartment – and, as I say to my companion, “I think we’ll feel right at home here.”
Without further ado, we get changed into our swimwear and take our complimentary bottle of bubbles down to the pool. We perch on a sizable daybed with orange and lemon trees behind us, and discover Lodewijk and Leontine’s homegrown vegetable patch – the Balearic countryside dream brought to life at this Ibiza agroturismo.
“It sounds like a cliche, but we actually start our day by picking lemons,” Leontine laughs. “And we are thinking about starting to make our own orange marmalade so all the fruit doesn’t go to waste.”
After a refreshing dip, Can Sastre’s friendly interns, Lotte and Sterre, bring us the poolside menu. From breakfast through to the evening, all the food is prepared by Leontine herself as she loves to cook. And for dinner time, our hosts have kindly left us a list with their restaurant recommendations (and other favourite places) in the room.
We order a burrata and tomato salad as well as gyoza dumplings. Served with organic olive oil from local farm Can Rich and the iconic Sal de Ibiza, it’s the perfect poolside snack.
As the last sunrays bathe the gardens in that inimitable golden light, we also can’t resist an expertly mixed Paloma cocktail.
We chat with Leontine by the poolside, who tells us more about how she and Lodewijk became proud owners of Can Sastre and countryside hoteliers extraordinaire.
“Five years ago, we stayed at Can Sastre as guests and said to each other, ‘This could be something special one day.’ We never imagined we’d be back as its owners. When the property came onto the market, it felt like the right place at the right time. It was a big step, but a very natural one,” she says.
“From the beginning, we wanted Can Sastre to feel like our home while preserving the character and soul that was already here. Our vision is simple: everyone is welcome. Whether you want complete privacy or to spend time by the pool, there’s space for both.
“We fell in love with Ibiza because there isn’t just one side to the island. It’s beautiful, diverse and full of places to discover. We want Can Sastre to be a place where people can slow down, reconnect and experience a calmer side of Ibiza.”
Indeed, while the boutique hotel is the perfect choice for a romantic getaway, during our stay we are sharing this secluded oasis with two families. And its many secluded corners mean that everyone has plenty of space to maintain their privacy should they so desire.
Before heading back to our suite to get changed for an evening outing to nearby San Rafael – just a five-minute drive, if that – we stop by the kitchen to admire the beautiful paper lamps that have been artfully installed above the huge table where wooden fruit bowls are filled with fresh local produce such as apples, tomatoes, ginger roots and lemons.
The traditionally Ibicencan white wall shelves are filled with sculptures, coffee table books and the most gorgeous selection of handmade jewellery by Dutch designer I Am Jai. It takes all of my willpower to not go wild and stock up on the colourful beaded necklaces with golden charms and stone-carved trinkets.
After leaving our countryside bubble for a few hours to go for dinner in the cute village of San Rafael – Ibiza Town, Santa Gertrudis and San Antonio are all reachable in under 20 minutes from Can Sastre – we are more than happy to return to our Ibiza agroturismo and enjoy a night cap on the gigantic sofa in our suite before finally passing out.
The next morning, we are woken up by bird song and the soft morning light streaming in through the curtains. A life-restoring Cafe de Ibiza from our in-room espresso machine later, we head down for breakfast by the pool.
Starting in late May, the Ibiza agroturismo will also offer weekly wellness classes to its guests including Vinyasa Flow morning yoga and Body Sculpt.
Shaded by the ivy-covered structure of the poolside honesty bar, we start with a zesty ginger shot while perusing the menu of breakfast classics such as avocado on toast and eggs made to order. Lured by the smell of our bacon on fluffy scrambled eggs, one of the cute dachshunds hops on my lap.
“Who doesn’t love a sausage for breakfast,” I joke.
Afterwards, we lie down on one of the daybeds to spend a few more minutes in the tranquil gardens – but before long, duty calls and we have to return to reality. Our 24 hours at Can Sastre may have been short, but they have definitely been sweet. We could most definitely get used to the Ibiza agroturismo life.
As Leontine sees us through the gate, she concludes, “The greatest gift is seeing people happy. When guests leave with a smile and ask when they can come back, that’s what makes it all worthwhile.”
And both, we do.
For more information on Can Sastre and to book visit cansastre.com and follow on Instagram at @hotelcansastre.
