Fancy dancing til the sun comes up in Ibiza this summer? Then you better have pretty deep pockets, for the White Isle’s famous party spots come with increasingly eye-watering prices – where one small bottle of water costs around £12.
The Balearic Island, once famous for its idyllic hidden coves and laid-back boho vibes, is increasingly boujee, a tourist honeypot for those looking to splash the cash in swanky restaurants, hotels and bars – with outposts of five-star brands such as Nobu and The Standard moving in.
The 2024 clubbing season – marked by a series of ‘opening’ parties at the island’s biggest clubs last month – isn’t yet a month old but those who’ve partied already admit they’ve been left ‘broke’ by the price of just one night out at the likes of Amnesia, Pacha and Club Chinois, let alone a whole week.
The Balearic Island has long been a tourist hotspot for Brits…but prices on the White Isle – particularly in its famous clubs – have reached another level, say visitors, with £11-£12 now standard for a small bottle of water in clubs
Once a laid-back enclave in the Spanish Balearics, Ibiza has long been Europe’s party central, but prices have shot up significantly in more recent years . Pictured: Party hub San Antonio
The current star of the Ibiza club scene Ushuaïa, an outdoor poolside venue with a glitzy hotel attached, is among the nightspots where revellers are reporting some of the highest prices.
The club, which has big name resident DJs this summer, including Calvin Harris and David Guetta, currently charges €24 – roughly £20 – for a vodka and coke, with teetotallers facing a €14 – around £12 – charge for a 500ml bottle of water.
And that’s after you’ve coughed up for tickets to actually get in the venue.
At Amnesia, in the party hub of San Antonio, the cheapest entry this summer is €40 (£34) and the most expensive from €100 (£85) – although you do get one free drink if you get the club before 1:30am. After that, it’s €24 for a shot of spirit and a mixer, or €20 (£17) for a glass of wine.
Pacha, which opened in 1973, is one of the most famous clubs on the island, with Amnesia, O Beach and Ushuaïa all charging princely prices for drinks
Drink prices across the island’s major clubs – including Pacha, pictured – are now roughly the same price wherever you go, with water around £12 a bottle, a mixer and spirit coming in at £23 and glasses of wine around £17
Cafe Mambo, on the island’s west coast, has long been the place to go for a cocktail and a tangerine sunset – but dinner with a view isn’t cheap
Ibiza institution Cafe Mambo, which serves up casual food and stunning sunsets on the White Isle’s east coast, charges €100 (£85) per person for larger groups, with a burger and fries priced at €35 (around £30)
Meanwhile over at Pacha, which first opened its doors back in 1973, a ticket to Music On, a celebration of the ‘purest version of unadulterated techno house’ costs €100 a ticket.
Dining out? It’s a similar deal. Bag a table at Cafe Mambo, which now has outlets all over the world and is famous for its chilled out sunsets vibes and laid-back DJ sets, and there’s a €100 minimum spend per person for larger groups.
A Mambo burger and chips costs €35 (around £30), while grilled salmon and asparagus will set diners back €42 (£35). Drinks? Cocktails start from €19 (£16), while a bottle of Grey Goose vodka to share is priced at €250 (£212) – a bottle in Waitrose currently costs £35.
Celebrity fans and the impact of influencers have certainly helped club and venue owners to swell prices.
Gary Lineker’s brother Wayne’s O Beach day venue is packed out all summer long – not always to the liking of locals – with high profile names including Maya Jama, Lewis Capaldi and Jack Grealish all fans of the beach club.
Star power: Lewis Capaldi is one of the many celebrities to have visited Wayne Lineker’s O Beach bar – the club’s famous fans have made it hugely popular with party goers
Party time! Launched in 2012 by Wayne, the beach club has gone on to welcome thousands of revellers, including Manchester City star Jack Grealish
The world’s swankiest brands – including Nobu – have landed in recent years, cementing the island’s status as one of Europe’s most discerning party places
To hire a bed in the VIP section for ten people costs at the very minimum £1450, around £145per person per day to access the club’s famous pool parties.
Add in hotel costs across the island – which soar in the summer when families also descend – and the only good news for those hoping to pack their glowsticks this summer?
A raft of low cost airlines fly into the Spanish isle, and peak season prices, according to flight search aggregator Skyscanner, remain amongst some of the most reasonable in Spain, at around £100 return.
British writer Rebecca Barnes has had a flat on the island for many years. She says a ‘VIP culture’ in Ibiza has existed for ‘at least a decade’ but has intensified thanks to influencers.
Barnes told MailOnline: ‘Ibiza is increasingly seen as a playground for the rich, which has a knock on effect in the clubs, restaurants and bars.
Long-term visitor Rebecca Barnes, who has a flat on Ibiza, says many of the locals are now priced out of renting and buying homes, but there are still affordable places to go as a tourist if you step off the beaten track
‘It has never been the cheapest of destinations – when you consider that back in the 2000s you would be paying about 16 euros for a vodka lemonade and 8 euros for a bottle of water in some of the big nightclubs, you can see that the prices are only going to go one way.’
She says the downside of such popularity is locals not being able to afford to live there: ‘Rental property prices have skyrocketed, and even residents are being priced out due to sky high rents, especially during the summer season. It’s a huge problem, and is causing many long term residents and even people born on the island, to relocate.’
Can you still enjoy the island without burning a hole in your wallet? ‘Cafe Mambo?Those in the know take their shop-bought drinks onto the rocks and enjoy the experience for free! There are still places on the island that are great value, you just need to step away from the tourist trail.’