Magic exists – Es Cucons
This rural escape in the Santa Inés valley blends history, beauty and magic with gastronomy, wellness and authentic Ibiza style.
So much of children’s literature and film is set in places where magical influences come together to create a dream world, where everyday concerns melt away to reveal the truth: that life is meant to be lived in beauty. There’s no doubt that adults reading this will identify with the desire to escape, although few believe such a place exists – but here in Ibiza, it does. Ambling down the path towards Es Cucons, a rural hotel in Santa Inés, is akin to stepping through the wardrobe door to Narnia, crossing the stone threshold into The Secret Garden or flying on a sprinkle of pixie dust into Neverland. Here, magic is most definitely real.
This dreamy collection of dwellings was built around 1654 and once made up the largest estate in Santa Inés, supplying not only farm-fresh produce to the locals but also employment, making it a focal point for everyone living in the area and a place to celebrate baptisms, weddings and festival days. The land once stretched from the top of the mountain all the way to the sea and while the property was passed from hand to hand over the centuries, even once rumoured to have been won in a card game gone terribly wrong, it was eventually divvied up into parcels. Es Cucons now sits on one of those spectacular parcels: five hectares of farmland backed up by a dense pine forest climbing up the mountain behind.
Originally from Barcelona with strong connections to the island due to annual family holidays here, sisters María and Bárbara Rodríguez and the latter’s partner, Jaime Gonzalez, first came across the property in 1997. “It was a total ruin,” says Jaime. “We found huge rocks buried everywhere. There was no water, no electricity and not even a proper road – just a stony path.” When they found out enormous electricity cables were to be installed across the valley, they set to work convincing the engineers to preserve the natural beauty of the area and reroute the plans to run behind Es Cucons instead. “We were young and full of energy back then!” María laughs.
Over a period of three years, the trio, along with the support of a fourth investor, painstakingly restored the property’s various structures. “It was the start of a new era in Ibiza,” says María. “Rural hotels were just beginning to be recognised and there were only a few on the island. We were one of the first.” Today, Es Cucons boasts 15 luxurious rooms and suites plus a sparkling swimming pool, canopied yoga deck, three treatment cabins for massages, a sauna with a view and plunge pool, stunning restaurant and dining room, pétanque pitch and an unending selection of shady patios, garden hideaways and comfy lounges.
The main house opens to a magnificent high-ceilinged room where a grand arch made from local Mares stone bends over the reception and boutique. The Es Cucons kitchen and restaurant stem from this ancient space, opening to a shaded patio where guests congregate for delicious meals. María’s husband, Ibrahim Fares, heads up the kitchen, wielding his Mediterranean cooking skills with aplomb and style. The restaurant is open to non-guests – even for breakfast if you call in advance – and is quite possibly one of the most beautiful places to dine on the island. The day starts with a full buffet breakfast, plus local eggs cooked any way, served on a sun-dappled patio before segueing into alfresco lunches and candlelit dinners.
“We call it cocina mercado – a market kitchen,” says María. “The menu focuses on organic seasonal produce and around a philosophy of simple, nourishing dishes, although we can prepare anything the guests desire, from lobster to tagines.” Juicy tomatoes, plump aubergines, chunky courgettes, ripe figs, fresh herbs and so much more are plucked straight from the Es Cucons vegetable garden in the morning, then served up on diners’ plate that very same day. “Every year we expand the vegetable garden to be able to supply more to the kitchen,” says María. “Whatever we can’t grow here, we source from the island wherever possible.”
Guests at Es Cucons can indulge in bespoke massages in one of three treatment cabins while others might partake in a yoga class on the dedicated deck followed by a spell in the sauna and plunge pool, a game of pétanque or table tennis or simply choosing to flop by the pool with a good book and the chance to nap. Nearby walking routes can be done alone or with a guide and lead to mountaintop vistas, hidden coves and the magnificent Las Puertas del Cielo (The Gates of Heaven) – one of the island’s most breathtaking views. The hotel’s close relationship with a previous owner of the property has resulted in private outings on his boat that include a touch of island history, fresh-caught seafood and swims in secret spots known only to locals.
María ensures a buzzing social life for guests and locals alike hosting frequent artisanal wine tastings, soirées with live music and a wildly popular Halloween party that includes a traditional castañada – an autumn ritual roasting of chestnuts accompanied by sweets and wine. Throughout the year, multiple well-known practitioners host retreats at Es Cucons taking advantage of the beautiful location and expertise of the staff.
There are few words that can truly describe the beauty of Es Cucons. It’s a place where the island’s heritage has been exquisitely preserved and reimagined, a dreamscape of ancient stone and fragrant pine, where holidays drift between rest and adventure. As if lifted directly from the pages of a storybook, Es Cucons transports guests to a land where magic is real and simply part of everyday life.
Housed within the beloved Santa Inés hotel of the same name, this romantic Ibiza restaurant serves up Mediterranean cuisine and rustic charm in equal measures.
An historic, family run Ibiza country hotel that exudes rustic and romantic charm while embracing contemporary wellness and gastronomy in a lush Sant Inés valley.
