Balansat Resort
Balansat Resort is a family aparthotel on the quiet north coast of Ibiza, in the Balearic Islands, built among pine woods beside the sheltered sandy bay of Port de Sant Miquel. Families come for the calm, shallow beach a minute from the door, three pools with a children's splash area and a compact low-rise layout where the pool, restaurant, play area and sand are all in sight of each other.
On this page
Is it worth it?
The quick read before the detail: who Balansat suits, who it doesn't and the facts to skim first.
Balansat Resort suits families who want a contained, low-key holiday: a sheltered bay and a splash pool for the children, an adults-only pool for a quiet hour and no need to leave the gate. It sits on Ibiza's pine-covered north coast, well away from the island's club scene, and there's very little to walk to in the evenings beyond an Irish pub next door and a fish restaurant on the beach. The beach is calm and clear but small. The resort rates itself four-star, though several booking aggregators list it as three-star; either way, it sits in the comfortable mid-market rather than the luxury bracket. If you'd trade island exploring and a big waterpark for calm water, a short flat walk to everything and a quiet setting, it does that very well for the youngest children.
Best for
You want a calm beach-and-pool week with young children, a sheltered shallow bay right outside and everything a short flat walk apart.
Maybe not for
You want lively evenings out, a big resort with a waterpark or reliable WiFi for working.
Best ages
Babies and toddlers upwards. There's a splash area and a Kids' Club from age three, but no crèche for under-threes.
What stands out
A quiet pine-backed bay, a sheltered beach a minute from the rooms and staff families single out for being helpful.
What to check
The evening entertainment runs late and can carry to nearby rooms, and only the Family Apartment has two bedrooms for a family of five or six.
Where is it?
Port de Sant Miquel on the north coast of Ibiza, about 19 miles (30 km) from Ibiza airport.
Quick facts for families
What the resort is like
Where Balansat sits, how it's laid out and what that means for getting around with young children.
Balansat Resort sits at the bottom of the road into Port de Sant Miquel, a small port on the north coast of Ibiza in the Balearic Islands, in the municipality of Sant Joan de Labritja, at Av. Balansat 2, 07815 Port de Sant Miquel. The bay sits between pine-covered limestone cliffs, and the north coast overall is greener and more wooded than the busy south. The resort is built among pine trees right next to the beach, low-rise and spread across gardens. The resort describes its own grounds as completely private. It's a compact site: the main pool sits at the heart of it, in sight of the buffet restaurant, the poolside kiosk, the sports pitch and the children's play area, so there are no long walks between facilities with a toddler in tow. There are around 125 apartments across several low blocks.
Garden paths link everything and the beach is a short flat walk from the rooms, which keeps a pushchair manageable. The resort describes itself as disability-friendly; check any specific needs with reception when you book. Ibiza Town and its nightlife are about half an hour away by car and have no presence here. For more on the island, its beaches and when to go, see our Ibiza guide.
Every restaurant and bar
The one main restaurant, the poolside kiosk, the two independent places next door and what the board options cover.
There's one main restaurant on site, a poolside kiosk and two independent places right next to the resort. The board options are all-inclusive, half-board, room and breakfast or accommodation only.
The buffet restaurant is the main place to eat, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. There's a show-cooking station where the chef grills meat or fish to order, a cold and salad section, a pasta corner, pizza and a wide spread of desserts and ice cream, with themed nights through the week. High chairs are available, and the staff ask about any allergies or intolerances and cater for them. There's a dress code: no swimwear, bare feet or wet clothes, with smarter clothing expected in the evening. Families rate the choice and the breakfast highly. One reviewer paying per meal rated it standard three-star food rather than special, and another that it was occasionally served lukewarm, so treat it as good board-basis eating rather than a reason in itself to come.
The poolside kiosk, the Chiringuito, serves drinks from 08:00 to 23:00 and snacks from 11:00 to 18:00: hot dogs, sandwiches, chips, burgers, toasties and fresh fruit. It's the handy stop between meals for children.
Restaurant Port Balansat is an independent family-run fish restaurant on the beach, going since 1971. Like Casey's it's next door rather than inside the resort, with its own booking and prices, and isn't part of the all-inclusive. The kitchen specialises in Ibizan seafood cooking: bullit de peix, the traditional Ibizan fish stew, alongside paella, a brothy lobster rice and fideuà, the noodle version of paella. Whole wild fish such as grouper, dentex, john dory and sea bass are grilled to order, and the menu changes with the catch. Starters range from garlic prawns, squid and octopus to croquettes and charcuterie, and there's grilled meat, including ribeye, sirloin, lamb shoulder and chicken, for anyone who doesn't want fish, plus a children's menu. Tables sit on a terrace facing the sea, with an indoor room as well, and the atmosphere is casual and local. It's the local choice for a proper meal out without leaving the bay.
Casey's Irish Pub is next door to the resort rather than inside it, independently run and open in the evenings with drinks and live sport on the screens. The resort promotes it as one of its amenities, but it's a separate business.
What all-inclusive covers
All-inclusive includes every meal at the buffet restaurant plus drinks and snacks at the kiosk during its opening hours: soft drinks, beer, wine, coffee and more. It doesn't cover Restaurant Port Balansat, which is booked and paid for separately, or extras such as the room safe and beach hire. If premium spirits matter to you, check what's included when you book.
Rooms and apartments
Every room type with its official size, the three pools and splash area and the sheltered beach outside.
There are five room types, from a 25 m² room up to a 50 m² two-bedroom apartment. All have a private terrace, air conditioning, free WiFi, a fridge, kettle, satellite TV, a phone, a safe (chargeable), a card lock and a hairdryer, with a laundry service for a charge. The table below is the full line-up with the official sizes; which one suits a family is set out underneath.
| Room | Size | Sleeps | Layout | Bathroom | Kitchen |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upgraded Room | 25 m² | 3 | 1 bedroom (double or twin) plus a single sofa bed | 1, shower | Fridge, kettle, microwave; no kitchenette |
| Junior Suite | 35 m² | 4 | Separate bedroom (double or twin) plus sofa bed | 1, shower | Fridge, kettle, microwave; no kitchenette |
| Superior Apartment | 40 m² | 4 | Separate bedroom (double or twin) plus sofa bed | 1, shower | Kitchenette |
| Premium Apartment | 45 m² | 4 | Double plus sofa bed in the living room; sea views | 1, bath and shower | Kitchenette |
| Family Apartment | 50 m² | 6 | 2 bedrooms (each double or twin) plus sofa bed | 2 showers, one en-suite | Kitchenette |
For a family with a baby or toddler, the Family Apartment is the one to look at: at 50 m² it has two bedrooms and two shower bathrooms (one en-suite), a kitchenette and room for a travel cot, and it's the only type that sleeps up to six. The Superior Apartment (40 m²) is a step down, with a separate bedroom you can close on a sleeping child and a kitchenette. The Premium Apartment (45 m²) adds sea views, a large terrace with hammocks and the only bath in the resort, which is worth having if you'd rather bath a baby than shower one, and comes with a bottle of cava waiting on arrival.
The 25 m² Upgraded Room is tight for three: its sofa bed is for one person, so it works for a couple with one small child rather than a family of three in comfort, and it has no kitchenette, only a fridge, kettle and microwave. A kitchenette with a hob comes only with the Superior, Premium and Family apartments; the Junior Suite and Upgraded Room have the fridge, kettle and microwave but no hob. Most types offer a double or a twin bed in the main bedroom, so ask for the setup you want when you book.
If you're self-catering, keep expectations low on the kitchen kit: guests report very basic utensils and no in-room high chair, so the buffet is the easier option with young children. In some units the kitchenette is a microwave and a two-ring hob rather than a full cooker, so check what's actually fitted if cooking properly for a baby or toddler matters to you. Several families also flag sound between apartments, as the walls are thin, so you may hear neighbours through them. One reviewer found the air conditioning struggled to keep the bedroom cool on a hot night, though it's an isolated report the others don't raise.
The pools
There are three freshwater pools, all unheated. The main pool is large and open to all ages, with inflatables allowed and the animation team running water games through the day; it can get busy at the height of summer. A separate adults-only pool, for over-sixteens, has water jets and sits near reception, which gives grown-ups a quiet corner while the children are occupied. For the youngest there's a children's area designed like a shallow beach, with slides, waterfalls, statues, sprinklers and fountains; smoking isn't allowed there. There's no indoor pool.
The beach
Puerto de San Miguel beach is right outside the resort, about 20 m from the door, so it's a minute on foot. It's a compact beach by Ibiza standards, around 110 m long and 70 m wide, with fine-to-medium sand at the shoreline and a rockier, seagrass bottom further out. The bay faces north-northwest and is sheltered on both sides by high limestone cliffs, so the water stays calm and shallow a long way out and comes in clear, which is what you want with small children; there's a lifeguard on duty.
Sunbeds and umbrellas are for hire, cash only, and there's an ATM in the hotel. You can also hire kayaks and pedalos, cash only as well, some with a slide, and children's life jackets are available. Snorkelling is good around the rocky sides of the bay, with clear visibility, though jellyfish turn up occasionally in season. A coastal path leads from just outside the resort to neighbouring coves including Caló des Moltons. The beach is calm and clear rather than large, and families who want a longer or more dramatic stretch of sand head elsewhere on the island for the day.
Babies and toddlers
Cots, the Kids' Club and the gaps to know about, plus everything that fills a day and the trips beyond the gate.
Cots are free on request for children under two, but they're subject to availability and need arranging before you arrive, so ask when you book rather than on the day.
The Kids' Club is for children aged three and over; under-threes need to stay with an adult, and there's no crèche for babies. With prior permission you can drop older children off for games and creative and physical activities. The hours and any cost are on request from the resort. No upper age is published, but family reviews describe the club and its activities working best for younger children, roughly up to seven or eight. There's no dedicated programme for teenagers, and older children are better served by the splash area, the main pool and the daytime poolside activities than by the club itself.
There are no baby changing facilities anywhere on site, so nappy changes happen in your room; the beach is only 20 m away, so a portable changing mat is worth packing. The on-site supermarket sells swimming nappies, and there's a larger Spar down the road for the rest. Bring your own steriliser or bottle warmer.
One thing to weigh with a baby or toddler is the evening entertainment. The mini disco and shows run from about 20:30 to 23:00, and a family with very young children found it loud enough to make settling difficult, especially in rooms near the entertainment area. If early bedtimes matter, it's worth requesting a room away from it when you book.
Around the pool and after darkThings to do
Through the day the animation team runs poolside games and small tournaments, and families single them out as hardworking and good with children. On offer are water polo, volleyball, table tennis, football, darts, air hockey, billiards and pool tables. There's a gym for over-sixteens with a cross trainer, treadmill, spin bike, a weight bench and a weight training machine.
In the evening there's a daily mini disco for the children, live music, karaoke, bingo, game nights and fire dancers who are a regular highlight. The programme repeats through the week, which is fine over a week but can feel samey over a fortnight. The crowd skews to families with older children and parents in their forties and fifties, so the entertainment is pitched that way; one detailed guest review noted the karaoke nights didn't land well with this crowd, worth bearing in mind if you're weighing up how the evening programme fits with very young children. Cars and motorbikes can be hired through reception if you want to get out and about.
Beyond the bayThe area and days out
Port de Sant Miquel is a small, quiet port, and there's very little to walk to in the evening: a shop next to the hotel, a Spar down the road, Casey's Irish Pub, the beach fish restaurant and a handful of small bars. Can Tothom, about five minutes' walk, serves European food. This suits families who want a contained beach-and-pool holiday rather than evenings out exploring.
The Can Marçà caves are a short walk away, with a 40-minute guided tour built around a waterfall light-and-music show. There are steps in and out, so it isn't buggy-accessible. It's open through the summer, roughly 10:30 to 19:30, with a charge to go in. The San Miguel tourist train leaves from the taxi stand right outside the resort on Mondays and Fridays at 10:30, running from around May to October. The three-and-a-half-hour trip goes through Sant Joan to Portinatx.
By car, Cala Benirrás is about ten minutes away, Cala Xarraca around 5 km and the Portinatx beaches about 8 km. Ibiza Town is about half an hour's drive, with Santa Eulalia and San Antonio around 25 minutes each. A bus to Ibiza Town stops near the resort and costs a couple of euros each way. For a day trip further afield, the island of Formentera is a ferry from Ibiza Town or Santa Eulalia.
Loves and gripes
What families rate and what they flag, how it compares to other Ibiza family resorts, the journey in and the weather by month.
What families love
- The quiet, sheltered bay and the calm, clear water.
- Friendly, accommodating staff, especially over food and dietary needs.
- Spotless rooms and grounds, cleaned daily.
- The variety at the buffet and the breakfast in particular.
- The animation team, good with children through the day.
- The children's splash area and the adults-only pool.
- The compact, walkable size, with no long treks to the pool or beach.
Common gripes
- WiFi is very poor across the site, though the mobile signal is strong.
- Thin walls, so you can hear neighbours between apartments.
- Evening entertainment runs late and carries to some rooms.
- The main pool gets crowded at peak season.
- Self-catering kitchens are basically equipped.
- One reviewer mentions the buffet served lukewarm, against otherwise strongly positive food reviews.
- Little to do outside the resort in the evenings.
- The beach is small, at around 110 m.
- Extras to budget for: safe hire, a pool-towel deposit and cash-only beach hire and activities.
- The entertainment programme repeats over a longer stay.
Across the review sites the resort scores consistently well: around four out of five on TripAdvisor (from close to 1,200 reviews), 4.1 out of five on Google (from over 700) and about 7.8 out of ten on Booking.com. Mumsnet names it its best apartments pick for Ibiza, and KiddieHolidays ranks it top of its Ibiza baby and toddler list. One first-hand reviewer found the check-in staff a little brisk on arrival but rated the rest of the stay highly, so don't read too much into first impressions.
Against other Ibiza family resortsHow it compares
Ibiza has a handful of family resorts, and Balansat is the small, quiet, north-coast option. Holiday Village Seaview is much larger, with a full waterpark, a crèche for the under-threes and a bigger beach, but its transfer runs to about 50 minutes against Balansat's 30; Balansat is more intimate and better for the very youngest, who can be overwhelmed at a big resort. TUI Blue Aura is the island's strongest choice for the under-threes, with a dedicated Baby and Tots crèche for ages 0 to 36 months and a sensory room that Balansat can't match, but Balansat is quieter and less branded. Invisa Figueral has a large waterpark and three pools if water play is the priority, while Balansat's water offering is more modest but its beach more sheltered. Tropic Garden, in Santa Eulalia, puts shops and restaurants within walking distance and has a larger pool, so if Balansat's isolation puts you off, that's the one to compare; Balansat's beach, though, is right on the doorstep.
Flights, transfers and timingGetting there and when to go
Ibiza airport is about 19 miles (30 km) from the resort, roughly 30 minutes by taxi, hire car or a transfer booked with your package. There's no direct airport bus; the public route means a change in Ibiza Town and takes around two hours, so a taxi or transfer is the practical choice with children. Flights from the UK take about two to two and a half hours, with Jet2, TUI, easyJet, Ryanair and British Airways all flying to Ibiza. There's no parking on site, but there's free parking nearby and paid parking about 100 m away in high season.
The resort is open from around May to October; confirm the exact dates when you book. For young children, late May, June and September have lighter crowds and warmth that stays short of the July and August peak. July and August are the hottest and busiest.
A few practical points. Check-in is from 14:00 and check-out by 12:00, with late check-out available for a fee. The euro is the currency, there's an ATM in the hotel and beach hire is cash only. Reception speaks Spanish and English. Pets aren't allowed, and smoking is limited to outdoor terraces. There's no medical facility on site; the nearest services are in Sant Miquel village a few kilometres inland. UK visitors need a passport issued less than ten years before the day they arrive and valid for at least three months after the day they plan to leave; children need their own passport too. No visa is needed for stays up to 90 days in any 180. Carry a GHIC or EHIC card for state healthcare alongside travel insurance, and check the current FCDO advice at gov.uk before you travel, as Spain is a well-established, low-risk destination but the guidance can change.
Month by monthWeather
Ibiza is a small island, so the north coast shares the same climate as the rest of it. The resort's season runs from around May to October, and the table below covers those months. July and August are the hottest and most reliable, and the sea stays at its warmest from July through to September, at 24 to 26°C; June is sunny with a slightly cooler sea, around 21°C; May and early October are quieter and cheaper, with cooler water still. For young children, late May into June and September are warm enough to swim but stay short of the summer peak.
| Month | Daytime high | Overnight low | Rain | Wet days | Sea temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May | 23° | 14.5° | 20 mm | 2 | 19° |
| June | 27.5° | 18.5° | 7 mm | 1 | 23° |
| July | 30° | 21.5° | 4 mm | 0 | 26° |
| August | 30.5° | 22.5° | 21 mm | 2 | 28° |
| September | 27.5° | 20° | 68 mm | 4 | 26° |
| October | 24.5° | 16.5° | 52 mm | 5 | 24° |
Typical monthly averages from weather-station records. Sea temperature is the open-water figure, so a sheltered bay can feel a degree or two warmer. The resort is open from around May to October; confirm the exact dates when you book.
Questions
The things families ask most, a couple of useful links and when this guide was last refreshed.
Is there a crèche for babies?
No. The Kids' Club starts at three, so a baby or younger toddler stays with you for the trip. What that age has instead is the splash area and the shallow bay, which is where the youngest guests spend the day.
Where do we change a nappy?
In your room. There's no dedicated changing space at the pool, beach or restaurant, so pack a fold-out mat. The on-site shop sells swimming nappies if you run short.
Will the evening entertainment keep the baby awake?
Possibly. Poolside shows can reach a light sleeper, so a room away from the entertainment area is the one thing worth asking your operator for. Children who sleep through most things tend not to stir.
What does all-inclusive actually include?
Every meal at the buffet and drinks and snacks at the poolside kiosk within its opening hours. The two places next door, the beach fish restaurant and Casey's Irish pub, aren't included, so you pay for those yourself even though the resort promotes them as amenities.
Which room suits a family of five or six?
The Family Apartment, the only type with two bedrooms and the only one rated for six. Every other room sleeps four at most, so five or six people really have the one choice here.
Can we work from the resort?
Not on the WiFi, which barely works across the site. The mobile network is the dependable option, so a decent data allowance or a roaming SIM covers anything that has to get done.
Do we need a visa?
No, not for a UK passport for stays up to 90 days in any 180. Do check your passport was issued within the last ten years and has at least three months left after the day you plan to leave.
What are the check-in and check-out times?
Check-in is from 14:00 and check-out by 12:00. Late check-out is available for a fee, which is handy if you have an evening flight.
Is there anything to do without hiring a car?
Yes. The tourist train leaves from right outside on Mondays and Fridays, the beach and coastal path are on the doorstep and a bus runs to Ibiza Town. For beaches further round the coast you will want a car or a taxi.
Is there parking at the resort?
Not on site, but there is free parking nearby and paid parking about 100 m away in high season, so a hire car is workable if you want one.
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Useful links
- Balansat Resort: the resort's own site for rooms, board options and the children's club. Its address is balansatresort.com; balansat.com and balansat.es belong to an unrelated Spanish weighing-scales company, and the separate, lower-rated Apartamentos Balansat nearby is a different property entirely.
- GOV.UK Spain travel advice: entry rules and safety updates before you travel.
- Ibiza with little ones: our guide to the island, its beaches and when to go.
Last updated 12 July 2026.
