El Puerto Ibiza Hotel Spa

True to its two-pearl rating, El Puerto feels a bit like a city motel, from its entrance directly of the street and its large front desk, to the travertine stairwells and the tourist literature in the dark, mostly ignored lobby. This hotel was built in the ‘80s and it shows. Though the property is clean, rooms and public spaces are dated and the hotel's obvious age and old-fashioned decor keep it from feeling fresh. However, the low rates and basic rooms deliver for El Puerto's average 20-something guests who prioritize location and price over style, and the 2014-renovated Premium Rooms offer a good alternative to the dated guest rooms and apartments. During the week, most guests are one-nighters who want to stay close to the ferry port, while weekenders tend to stay three or four days, using the hotel as their base between parties and clubs.  

Though the outside street noise can be quite loud, the hotel’s center-located pool area manages to keep a peaceful vibe. Still, on the whole, this is a party hotel that can get loud due to the thin walls and ample street noise. Note that the hotel is closed during December and January. 

El Puerto Hotel Apartments has an enviable location in the center of Ibiza town. The hotel is just one block from the ferry ports and walking distance to a plethora of restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and shops. An expensive public parking lot is around the corner and there's a taxi stand a five-minute walk away. 

• Six-minute walk to Port of Ibiza
• 11-minute walk to Dalt Vila
• Six-minute drive to Talamanca 
• 12-minute drive to Ibiza Airport
• 12-minute drive to Playa D'en Bossa
• 15-minute drive to Es Cavallet Beach
• 19-minute drive to Santa Eulalia
• 22-minute drive to San Antonio 

In 2014, several of the hotel's tired and outdated Standard Rooms were given new life as Premium Rooms. The full revamp replaced exhausted linens, pillows, and mattresses with stylish fittings; brought in sleek bathroom and light fixtures; and updated the rooms with a modern color palette of purple, white, and gray. Even the plastic terrace furniture was replaced. Unlike the drab and well-worn (though clean) Standard Rooms, these rooms feel fresh and bright. All Premium Rooms are doubles with two single beds (that can be pushed together, but sheeted separately) and have furnished balconies overlooking the street. Note that they have glass-walled rainfall showers open to the bedrooms, which can cause privacy issues for some.

Standard Rooms come with two or three single beds (always pushed together and sheeted separately) and feature orange tile floors, dated and worn wicker furniture, old metal safes, and small wall-mounted flat-screen TVs. Bathrooms have visible wear and tear on the shower/tub combos, wall-attached hairdryers, bidets, and vanity sinks. Apartments have the same outdated decor as the Standard Rooms, but they're more spacious, featuring separate living room areas with floor-level sofa beds and kitchenettes. Kitchenettes are basic -- lacking microwaves and ovens -- but they include electric two-burner hobs (one built-in and one portable), plates and glassware for up to four, large mini-fridges, and pots and pans.

All 93 rooms have AC and free Wi-Fi, though there are reports that signal drops frequently or is absent all together in the rooms. Standard Triples do not have balconies and Standard Doubles have balconies without furniture. 

During our visit we were informed that a revamp of the remaining Standard Rooms and Apartments is scheduled for 2018.

For a value property, El Puerto keeps itself surprisingly loaded with features, though like their non-renovated rooms, these can be a bit rundown or lackluster. The hotel's best feature is its outdoor terrace pool. Although it overlooks a vacant lot, it's the quietest place in the hotel and gives guests a chance to grab some sunshine and serenity. A handful of padded loungers surround the pool, but during our visit we noticed they were starting to show their age. There are also a small raised whirlpool, outdoor gym with dated cardio machines, and a sauna (broken during our visit) on the pool deck. During high season, guests can book poolside massages given behind a bamboo divider on a somewhat dingy massage table. 

Other than the pool area, the only other public lounging space is at the front of the hotel off either side of the entrance. To the left of the front desk there's a dark and mostly unused lobby area labeled "Wi-Fi Zone" that's stocked with a TV and tour binders; to the right, there's a bar and cafe that serves up sandwiches and ice cream, booze, and coffees from early until late. This is also a popular spot for smokers to hang out as the rest of the hotel is non-smoking. A free breakfast buffet that receives mixed reviews is served each morning in the adjacent dining area and features hot and cold continental items.