July 11th 2024.
You may not know it by name, but Pikes is a place that has certainly made its mark. The question is, does knowing the name make it any more magical? If the answer is yes, then let's make sure we experience it. Pikes, a boutique hotel nestled in the San Antonio hills of Ibiza, has made magic an integral part of its management decisions. In fact, current owner Andy McKay believes that it is even more important than the bottom line.
This unique approach has solidified Pikes Hotel's legendary status as the go-to destination for dancing, drinking, dining, and staying on the White Isle. With a rich history of A-list guests spanning decades, including the likes of Grace Jones, Kylie, Liam Gallagher, and Freddie Mercury, this 26-room villa-esque hotel has become renowned not only for its juicy past but also for its Sunday roasts and A-list DJ sets.
But even if you've never heard of Pikes by name, chances are you've still heard of it. It's a place that exudes fun and sunshine, and there's enough to go around for everyone. Its first appearance in the public eye was back in 1983 when it served as the setting for Wham's iconic music video for "Club Tropicana." And with Freddie Mercury, a regular guest at the hotel, famously celebrating his 41st birthday there, complete with little people carrying trays of cocaine and 350 bottles of champagne, Pikes quickly became a hotspot for rock royalty.
Since then, the levels of debauchery may have been toned down, but Pikes has managed to maintain its hedonistic reputation. But how did it all start? Before Andy took over the 15th-century finca in 2011, Pikes was owned by British yachtsman Tony Pike, who arrived on the shores of Ibiza in 1978. Together with his partner Lyn, he transformed the rundown mansion into a small countryside hotel, where they could entertain friends and guests.
"Tony was a genius," Andy, who is also known for his infamous Manumission club nights in the 90s and 00s, tells us. "He created the first-ever boutique hotel, before the concept even existed." As the word spread and a certain music video was filmed, Pikes began to attract rock stars, and for almost two decades, it was the place to party. However, when the money eventually ran out in 1998, Tony was forced to put the hotel up for sale.
It wasn't until 13 years later that Andy stepped in. Already a prominent figure on Ibiza's club scene thanks to the success of his Ibiza Rocks Group, he also owned another well-known hotel, Ibiza Rocks, which he had designed to be the ultimate accommodation for a 21-year-old's first visit to the island. As part of this hotel's allure, Andy would put on live events featuring the hottest bands of the time, such as Arctic Monkeys, The Kaiser Chiefs, and Kasabian, but he needed somewhere to accommodate them.
That's when Pikes came into the picture. "I was always on the lookout for the perfect hotel for the acts, a place where rock stars would want to stay," Andy explains. "At the time, a Dutch company was planning to turn Pikes into a brothel. But after staying there myself, I realized it could be the perfect place." And so, in 2011, Andy struck a deal to rent Pikes from Tony for five years, with the option to eventually buy. "At the time, it seemed like a lot of money for what we were getting," Andy recalls. "But when we took over, the place was serving frozen pizzas and burgers, so we brought in our own chef, got new beds, and increased the staff numbers."
Tony was thrilled to see Pikes coming back to life, and part of the agreement was that he could stay there rent-free forever. Nowadays, Pikes has become famous not just for hosting rock stars, but also for its legendary club nights, which are open to both guests and visitors. It all started with after-parties in Freddie Mercury's room, known as the Marrakech Suite, with its white stone walls and Moroccan vibes. "We would turn a chest of drawers on its side to use as a DJ booth, set up a makeshift bar, and invite the acts and about 100 people. And it just grew from there," Andy recalls.
In 2016, when the rental agreement came to an end, Andy purchased Pikes, which by then had become a successful hotel in its own right, not just for rock stars. And Tony continued to stay there, mingling with guests until his passing in 2019. Today, the Marrakech Suite, fondly referred to as "Freddies," has evolved into a hub for some of the hottest DJs. This year alone, Goldie, Paul Oakenfold, and Gok Wan have graced the tiny booth. And if things get too crowded, there are plenty of other areas to hang out, from the Sunset Terrace and Bar 39 to the Plaza Mayor, the heart of the hotel, and the azure blue pool area.
But while Pikes may be chaotic and charged at night, during the day, it's a different story, as I discovered on my recent visit. Walking through the hotel's beautifully kept gardens, with the warm Ibiza sun on my back, I noticed a few well-cared-for cats roaming around. One of them, Romana, also known as the Queen of Pikes, sits regally in the reception area. Our hostess, Audrey, greets us at check-in and shows us to our room before leading us to the iconic pool area. We're told that all new arrivals receive a complimentary welcome cocktail from the bar, aptly named Club Tropicana, and we're handed a refreshing ice-cold paloma.
As the birds chirp in the trees and the poolside DJ starts to play, it's impossible to ignore the fact that Pikes is a world away from the massive hotels and sunbed hoggers that have taken over the island.
You may not have heard the name Pikes before, but chances are, you're already familiar with this magical place. The idea of combining magic and holidays may seem like a no-brainer, but for one boutique hotel in the San Antonio hills of Ibiza, it's more than just a concept - it's a key part of their decision-making process. According to current owner, Andy McKay, the hotel's atmosphere and vibe are "way more important than any bottom line."
This unique ethos is what has helped Pikes Hotel maintain its legendary status as the go-to destination for dancing, drinking, dining, and staying on the White Isle. With a mix of A-list guests spanning decades - from Grace Jones and Kylie to Liam Gallagher and Freddie Mercury - this 26-room villa-esque hotel has become just as well-known for its Sunday roast and A-list DJ sets as it is for its juicy history.
But even if you've never heard of Pikes by name, chances are you already know about it. Fun and sunshine are in abundance here, making it the perfect place for everyone. The hotel first burst onto the scene in 1983 when it was featured in Wham's iconic "Club Tropicana" music video. And it was no coincidence that Freddie Mercury, a regular at the hotel, chose to celebrate his infamous 41st birthday party at Pikes - complete with little people walking around with trays of cocaine and guests guzzling 350 bottles of champagne.
Since then, while the level of debauchery may have toned down a bit, Pikes has managed to hold onto its hedonistic reputation. But let's take a step back and see how it all started. In 2011, Andy took over the 15th-century finca and turned it into what it is today. Before that, Pikes belonged to Tony Pike, a yachtsman from Hertfordshire who arrived in Ibiza in 1978. Together with his partner Lyn, he purchased the rundown mansion and transformed it into a small countryside hotel for entertaining friends and guests.
"Tony was a genius," Andy tells us as he reflects on the hotel's history. "He came up with the idea of a boutique hotel before it was even a thing." As word of mouth spread and a certain music video was released, Pikes became the place to be for rock royalty, and it continued to thrive for almost two decades. However, when the money eventually ran out in 1998, Tony was forced to put the hotel up for sale.
It wasn't until 13 years later that Andy came into the picture. Already a staple on Ibiza's club scene thanks to the success of his Ibiza Rocks Group, he was the proud owner of another famous hotel, Ibiza Rocks. But he needed a place to accommodate the hottest bands of the time, such as Arctic Monkeys, The Kaiser Chiefs, and Kasabian. And that's when he stumbled upon Pikes.
"At the time, a Dutch company was looking to turn Pikes into a brothel," he recalls. "I had stayed there before and realized it could be the perfect place." And so, Andy struck up a deal with Tony to rent Pikes for five years, with the option to eventually buy. "It seemed like silly money at the time for what we were getting," he remembers. "But when we took it over, the place was serving frozen pizzas and burgers. So we brought in our own chef, got new beds, and increased the staff numbers."
Tony was thrilled to see Pikes come back to life, and as part of their agreement, he could stay there rent-free forever. The club nights that Pikes is now famous for - whether you're a guest at the hotel or just visiting for the night - initially started as after-parties. Andy would transform Freddie Mercury's room, known as the Marrakech Suite, with its white stone walls and Moroccan vibe, into a space for people to hang out and dance.
"We'd turn a chest of drawers on its side for the decks, create a makeshift bar, and invite the acts and about 100 people. It just went from there," he recalls. By the time the rental agreement was up in 2016, Andy had agreed to buy Pikes - by then a successful hotel not just for rock stars - and Tony continued to stay there until his passing in 2019.
Today, the Marrakech Suite has evolved into a hub for the hottest DJs, affectionately known as "Freddies." This year alone, Goldie, Paul Oakenfold, and Gok Wan have graced the tiny booth. And while it may be small, there's plenty of space for partygoers to spill out onto, from the Sunset Terrace and Bar 39 to the Plaza Mayor, the heart of the hotel that leads to the stunning blue pool area.
But as chaotic as Pikes may seem after dark, during the day, it's a different story - something I experienced firsthand during my recent visit. As I walked through the beautifully kept gardens, basking in the hot Ibiza sun, I couldn't help but notice the well-looked-after cats roaming around. One of them, Romana, also known as the Queen of Pikes, sat regally in the reception area.
Upon check-in, we were greeted by our hostess Audrey, who showed us to our room and then to the iconic poolside area. We were told that all new arrivals receive a complimentary welcome cocktail from the bar, aptly named Club Tropicana, and were handed a refreshing ice-cold paloma. As birds chirped in the trees and the poolside DJ began to play, it was clear that this place was worlds apart from the massive hotels - and sunbed hoggers - that have taken over the island.
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