First look at Soho Farmhouse Ibiza
Hi everyone,
Happy Friday. If you are reading this from some beach in Europe and have managed to avoid Keinemusik and crowds of people overly influenced by TikTok trends, congratulations.
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My DM’s were blowing up after I published the podcast episode on Wednesday with Jeff Klein, hotelier behind Sunset Tower Hotel and San Vicente Bungalows. Thank you everyone for listening and for your support. I’m so happy that you found it both enjoyable and valuable, which is what I strive to do with this media platform.
In today’s newsletter: Soho Farmhouse Ibiza, Is Bernard Arnault moving to Italy?, what does the future of fashion hold?, and more…
I had the pleasure of staying at the new Soho Farmhouse in Ibiza this week during its preopening phase.
Something that few people know about me is that I’ve been coming to Ibiza since my uni days in London, and this island may be my favorite place in the world. One of my barometers for how popular a particular destination has become is the presence of American accents. I remember when it was quite rare to hear American accents in Ibiza, and post pandemic, they’re more present than ever. I suppose the “secret” of the magic of Ibiza is out, and Americans, fueled by credit cards and white collar salaries, are more than willing to shell out a lot of money for the full Ibiza experience.
When I heard that Soho House was coming to Ibiza, my initial thoughts were: why did it take so long, given the presence of Londoners and UK expats here, and how would Soho House change the rustic essence of Ibiza?
The new Soho Farmhouse occupies the site of the former Cas Gasí hotel (the directional signs on the road still say “Cas Gasí”). It’s located very strategically in Santa Gertrudis, which is an intimate community of expats in the middle of the island lovingly called “Santa G”. It was formerly the family home of the owner of Cas Gasí - a German woman named Margaret von Korff, who married a Spanish man and raised two kids on the property. According to the website, she ran the agroturismo style boutique hotel for more than 25 years, and apparently Soho House had been courting her for 8 before they reached a deal to pass the baton. The hotel has just 18 keys, two of which are villas for families. I’m told that Margaret has since moved to the South of France.
Pedro, the membership director, told me that unlike other spots on the island, this club will be open year round. Currently there are a few founding memberships reserved for local residents, and Every House members will be required to make a booking in advance before visiting. Given it’s in Santa Gertrudis, near expats, young families, and overall a hub of people that would already be members of Soho House, the thesis makes sense to me for this particular location.
As for the hotel experience, the rooms themselves satisfy your needs for a comfortable stay. When you return from the beach in the late afternoon, there is a beverage cart serving complimentary spritzes. There is even a separate kid-friendly pool, and the wellness suite includes infrared and traditional saunas, cold plunges, an onsen-style hot tub, and treatments using Omorovicza products. The fruit popsicles in the freezers are a thoughtful touch to cool down from the heat, and yes, there are complimentary cookies in the treat jars (an essential part of staying at any Soho House). As for F&B, there is a focus on local ingredients and “farm-to-table” style dining. It’s a reliable hotel F&B operation in the sense that you know what you can expect. Currently, booking is only open to members.
If you’re staying there this season, I’d love to know your thoughts - feel free to DM / email me.
