The transformation of the historic Es Cana campsite in Es Canar, in Santa Eulària des Riu, is already a reality on the ground. The works for its conversion into a high-class hotel have entered the active phase after the municipal approval of the project, a process that combines strong private investment and a growing environmental and neighborhood controversy.
With an estimated completion period of between a year and a year and a half, the project, initially promoted by Camping Ibiza SL, will culminate in a four-star establishment with around 120 rooms, according to sources linked to the sector.
The urban planning file dates back to 2020 and authorizes a substantial expansion of the complex, which goes from an existing buildable area of 597.76 square meters to a total of 3,947.65 square meters, with two floors plus basement and up to 238 places for tourist use, according to the document.
Sale of the land and smooth processing of the transaction
The former owner of the campsite – located in the middle of 12 acres of Mediterranean pines – formalized the sale of the site at the end of October 2025, at which point the project passed into the hands of the investor and the construction company responsible for carrying out the works. Sources close to the operation are “delighted” with the treatment received by the City Council and highlight the speed of the Urban Planning Department in processing the permits.
The municipal license imposed relevant conditions: the transfer to the City Council of 1,984 m² for use as a public road, the obligation to simultaneously carry out the urbanization of the surrounding area and the deposit of a bond of 27,000 euros to guarantee these actions. In addition, the developer had to pay 391,136 euros as 5% of the material execution budget corresponding to the authorized extension.
Work on the future hotel in Es Canar
Noise and tree felling complaints
However, the progress of the works has aroused a strong political and neighborhood protest. Unides Podem Santa Eulària has denounced on Wednesday the felling of ancient trees in the area of the old campsite and the existence of continuous noise, in some cases outside reasonable hours, which would be affecting the rest of the residents of the area.
The councilman of the formation, Alvaro de la Fuente, has called for greater municipal control and transparency, warning that “you can not talk about sustainability while allowing the felling of trees and tolerate constant noise that affect the quality of life”. The training calls for reinforced inspections, strict compliance with acoustic and environmental regulations and plans for the replacement of trees when their removal is unavoidable.
De la Fuente has been especially critical of the municipal government, accusing the Popular Party of “promoting the depredation of the territory and speculation” and assuring that the formation will oppose this development model head-on.
A hotel that brings an era to an end
According to La Voz de Ibiza, the future establishment will not respond to the massive hotel model, but to a concept “closely linked to nature, tranquility and environmental respect”, a line that, they assure, has been demanded by the City Council itself. The project aspires to be integrated into the landscape and to offer wellness tourism, although for many residents the impact of the works already contradicts this discourse.
The future operation of the complex will foreseeably fall to Hotel Es Canar Ibiza SL, a company incorporated in September 2025 and managed by José Tomás Merino Giménez and Álvaro Bañús Pallarés, created specifically for the management of tourist establishments.
The reconversion of the Es Canar campsite also means the end of one of the few historical campsites in Ibiza, a type of accommodation increasingly residual in the Balearic Islands compared to the weight of the hotel sector.
