Tagomago Private Island, Ibiza

Tagomago Private Island, Ibiza



Even
among wizened Ibiza
old-timers and locals, the off-shore outpost of Tagomago holds a
mysterious allure. In the days leading up to our stay on this
fabled private isle, whenever I mention my destination I get the same
raised eyebrow and hushed “really??” in response. And with good
reason. Other than an ill-fated branch of famed local restaurant
El Chiringuito, which used to cling to the rocks but
has since closed down, Tagomago is off-limits to everyone except
the odd researcher or student group – and of course, guests of the
sole villa that sits atop it.

After being picked up from the airport and driven far away from
the busy beaches and bar-lined streets of
Ibiza’s resort towns, we find our speedboat waiting for us at Cala
Mastella, a twinkly turquoise cove fringed with paint-peeling
boathouses and the location of the charming El Bigote restaurant. A
five-minute zoom across the waves later and we alight on the
surprisingly large Tagomago, where we follow the curious sound of
disco music to the billowing curtains and caster-sugar-white stone
of our villa. There’s an element of it’s all Gone Pete Tong to the
beefed-up ‘beefa interiors – think animal-skin rugs, long white
curtains and expensive artwork – that might not be to everyone’s
taste, but which we secretly love, relishing the chance to channel
our inner superstar DJ (fun fact: Justin Bieber and Liz Hurley have
both stayed here, although when we ask for Biebs’ bed we are met
with only a wry laugh). We spend many hours pretending to be
similarly A-list while soaking up the sunshine on one of the
numerous shuttered daybeds by the pool or on the roof and feasting
on fresh, delicious fare whipped up by the private chef.

However, the star feature here is the villa’s seclusion and its
proximity to nature. One afternoon we take a speedboat trip around
its rocky outcrops as the sun sets, painting the cliffs a shade of
perfect peach, before driving up to the 1909 lighthouse to witness
the sun sink behind the navy horizon, streaking the sky rose and
lilac. Unlike Ibiza mainland, nights are unbroken by the
caterwauling of drunken revellers (other than one impromptu burst
of The Lion King throughout the villa’s linked-up sound-system
after too much complimentary rioja) and the days start with a swim
in the clear waters at the bay. Diving and fishing expeditions can
also be arranged, as well as yoga, spa treatments and (we get the
feeling) almost anything else you care to mention.

Rooms

There are five bedrooms in total, four of which have
floor-to-ceiling views to the wide, glassy sea outside. The look is
almost identical – charcoal-tiled floors, all-white walls, fluffy
cushions – but with a different accent colour in each and variously
sized bathrooms. We stayed in the “red room” at the tip of the
villa, which had sliding doors on to the terrace and a huge
bathroom with Bulgari toiletries and the biggest towels we’ve ever
seen.

What’s for breakfast?

Whatever you want – the villa comes with a private chef who’ll
make anything from a simple bowl of granola to eggs benny or a
continental spread.

How about lunch and dinner?

Again, it’s completely up to you whether you want something
light and lean, a casual barbecue or a total blowout banquet.
Alternatively, we’d recommend at least one long, rosé-soaked
lunch at rustic waterfront
restaurant El Bigote on nearby Cala Mastella (if you can nab a
table, that is).

Is there a bar?

A stay comes complete with an unlimited selection of house wine,
beer, champagne and spirits, so the only challenge is knowing when
to say no. We went from champagne by the lighthouse to G&Ts by
the pool and wine at dinner (the line was probably somewhere around
the third glass of fizz).

Amenities

If all of the above isn’t enough for you, certain packages also
include the use of the island’s own 33-metre Mangusta yacht so you
can live out your hip-hop video fantasies.

Things I should know

If you want to party, it’s not impossible but does require a
little bit of planning to organise your boat (or helicopter if
you’re feeling particularly bling-y) to Ibiza proper. We’d probably
take advantage of the island location to completely zen out
post-hedonism.

Within a short walk I can find…

You’re in the middle of a nature reserve, so when you’ve had
your fill of high-octane glamour a sense of true tranquillity is
just a short stroll across the rocks away. There are also several
running trails for those who don’t want to let their normal routine
slide and you can organise trips by boat to the mainland or
Formentera (about a 30-minute trip).