The Pure House Ibiza story
Once upon a time, Caroline Foraz had a dream. Her dream was to create a small paradise close to Ibiza, where she could bring an old finca to life for others to enjoy and create memories in. A dream that turned into reality with Pure House Ibiza.
The concept was simple: to create a beautiful haven immersed in nature, with a home away from home ambience for guests to relax within. When Caroline found the original finca back in 2010, her joy was immense. It was a place where her eye for design, her passion for interesting art and accessories and her love of nature could come together, like a love letter to the world she had travelled many times over.
“I travelled far and wide before finding the peace, the lifestyle and the incredible mix of people here in Ibiza” says Caroline, who hails from Lyon in France. In the city, she’d worked as a photographer for a big studio, shooting furniture and décor for seven years, followed by a period working as a photography agent and in real estate. She credits her sense of style and eye for decoration to her time working at one of the world’s biggest photographic libraries, but it is the island of Ibiza that continues to inspire her. “This is the only place in the world I have ever wanted to come back to. When I sold my business, Ibiza was calling me.”
The choice of the word PURE for the name of her new venture was easy for Caroline. From the minute she began the finca reformations in Ibiza, the surrounding nature seemed to guide every move in terms of build and design. It felt obvious to her that the spaces should be decorated in a simple way, as the natural environment was so significant. At Pure House Ibiza, the quiet is truly omnipresent.
There was never any question in Caroline’s mind about painting the place in different colours because to her, the colours of nature could never be improved on. From the finca’s terrace, guests are greeted with the view of the bright blue sky, the endless sea of different greens in the garden, with the juxtaposition of the vibrant pink of bougainvillea – the beautiful flower that has become synonymous with Ibiza. There was no need to compete with this, and so she chose cool, neutral and peaceful shades that would sit harmoniously and encourage relaxation.
Caroline named the place HOUSE rather than ‘hotel’ because, being a little bit different to a classic hotel, the space that she shares with her guests is one of Ibiza’s ancient fincas. These old houses have been standing on Ibiza’s sun-swept shores and dotted across the rolling green hills for hundreds of years. They have been here so long they feel like a piece of the island’s furniture, and are certainly the foundations of many happy homes. It has evolved into an Agroturismo, with a boutique hotel feeling, filled with art and handmade craft pieces that are also for sale.
In 2012, work began to introduce the olive groves that sit behind the finca, in addition to the plantation of orange trees, towering palms and other tropical and Mediterranean foliage that came together to create Caroline’s dream garden. Walking through the garden is a journey for the senses, from the scent of orange blossoms and other blooms to the sounds of the leaves rustling in the wind, the birds tweeting in the trees and cicadas singing in the distance.
At this point, Caroline applied for an Agroturismo license. After two and a half years of patiently waiting for it to be granted, she finally opened the doors to Pure House Ibiza, an official Agroturismo, to guests in 2015. With just four charming double rooms, each with a private bathroom, terrace and entrance for a discreet and relaxing stay, the finca had become a very special space indeed – an intimate sanctuary for just a handful of guests from all over the world to gently unwind in peace and amongst nature.
Pure House Ibiza has organically evolved to include additional spaces under Caroline’s creative eye, including a beautiful poolside dining area, a blissful space for yoga practice, workouts and massages and a private chill-out area amongst the tropical gardens. The olive groves have been lovingly nurtured and now, with each new harvest, a batch of olive oil is made. In 2020, saffron was added to the property’s garden and will be used in future dishes created in the restaurant.
“My life blooms here,” says Caroline on reflection. “The hotel fuels my passions: decoration, travel and interacting with other cultures, through contact with guests and my annual travels in the off-season when I look for the things other people don’t find, to collect inspiration and create new memories.” Her goal is to always maintain the purity and authenticity of her original dream – it wouldn’t be Pure House Ibiza without it. “I love the contact with new people from different cultures,” she says. “But while my team and I are always here as familiar faces, we like to give you the peace you came for.”