For the rich and famous looking to tap into some high-end Ibiza magic, there’s only one number worth having on speed dial. Serena Cook is the original island fixer, having founded her concierge business Deliciously Sorted over 20 years ago while working as a chef for her friend Jade Jagger. It was chatting to the likes of the Rolling Stones and Primal Scream in the kitchen that inspired the former Clapham restaurateur to take the plunge – and she’s never looked back, going on to launch the Fincadelica collection of luxury retreats.
“Everyone kept asking me for recommendations on my favorite restaurants, where to book a yacht, and if I could help them when they crashed their car because I spoke Spanish,” she recalls. “It was long before anyone was talking about concierge services and I remember telling Jade, ‘I’m going to try and set this up.’ My business cards said, ‘Deliciously Sorted – Fix and Eat.’ I was young and just thought, why not?”
That was in 2002. “That’s how Ibiza went,” she says, pointing to the sky. “It was a classic case of being in the right place at the right time.”
Today, Cook and her team cater to high profile guests such as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and have been instrumental in throwing some of the most celebrated parties in Ibiza’s recent history, sending Cara Delevingne down the rabbit hole at her Alice in Wonderland-themed 30th anniversary, hosted Alicia Vikander and Michael Fassbender’s wedding, and juggled an Oscar-worthy guest list of Hollywood A-listers (including Kanye West, Jessica Chastain, and Kim Kardashian) for Givenchy designer Riccardo Tisci’s 40th birthday celebration in 2014. It was a game-changer when it came to introducing American celebrities to the Balearic wildness.
“That was really significant for Ibizan’s trajectory and also for the company; I’ve never seen such a concentration of big stars in one match, and it was a lot to process. I remember Orlando Bloom not being allowed in because he had a fight [with one of the guests] in Cipriani the night before. I made my poor event girl tell him because I didn’t want to,” she says.
Times have changed since 1997, when Cook first camped at Moon Beach in the island’s rustic north. “I do miss the raw Ibiza,” she admits. “When I first came here, there were no direct winter flights and you felt a bit like a pioneer. It was very cheap and there were some creatives. What happened post-Covid is that some people who came for a few weeks are now coming for a few months and working via Zoom.”
She emphasises that there are still hidden gems to be found in the north of the island, mentioning the restaurants on the beach of Benirras, where the sun sets to the rhythm of a hippie.
“In 2001, when Jade [Jagger] invited me to come and work for her, I had never been to Pacha before and I remember the glamour, the dancers and the fun; it was just amazing, and it still is,” she says. “You can still find the best parties you will ever go to all over the world. It’s magical, it’s just more expensive.”
I have experienced the different versions of the island, from the bohemian era to the messy Ibiza discovered era (a television show that followed the 18-30 year olds and holidaymakers who caused chaos in the island’s West End, San Antonio), to this day, Cook is working on bringing back some old-school glamour with her next project. She has teamed up with her business partner, Mati Rachminov, to launch the Fincadelica Collection, which offers luxury and service to clients willing to spend £120,000 a week on a villa in peak season.
Their latest property is Xarraca: a nine-bed seaside resort with a history to match (the photo was taken by high-society photographer Slim Aarons while visiting his girlfriend, Countess Jacqueline de Ribes). The international fashion icon and society darling – dubbed “the last queen of Paris” by fashion designer Valentin – was known for entertaining royalty, world leaders and aristocrats, and created a scene on Ibiza’s northern coast after falling in love with the place in 1968.
Tucked away on a tranquil northern coastline opposite the Six Senses resort, the 100-year-old finca has undergone a seedy, 70s-style transformation overseen by Carmen Straatsma of Studio C Ibiza. She apparently drove builders crazy by insisting on smoothing out all the sharp corners to give it a chic, sandcastle aesthetic, before blowing the budget on opulent Loro Piana upholstery and mod cons.
“Privacy and exclusivity are what people pay for,” says Cook. “With Xarraca and its sister company, Fincadelica San Lorenzo, we’re creating ‘soulful luxury’. We wanted to create worlds within worlds and what we’ve found is that people are cancelling all their plans to stay and play in the villas. Since Covid, there’s been a shift towards slower tourism, spending precious time with your group of friends or family. That’s where I think luxury is going.”
“It’s possible to have privacy in Ibiza,” says Cook. “We looked after Johnny Depp and put him up in David Guetta’s Titanium mansion when his divorce from Amber Heard got messy. The paps were going crazy in LA, but in the 81 days he was on the island, he wasn’t photographed once.”
To unwind from the demands of her clientele, Cook still dances at her favorite club, DC-10, on Monday nights. “It was the end of an era when Space closed,” she sighs. “I remember Carl Cox playing the last song at noon and I started crying. But for me, it made me think back to my time on the island over the past 20 years and all I’d accomplished since my first night sleeping in a tent on Moon Beach. I’ve created an amazing life – and one I never expected.”
Serena Cook’s Favorite Spots in Ibiza
Favorite swimming spot
Moon Beach has not changed in the 27 years since I first camped there. There are no houses built because it is protected. It is hidden away on a dirt road so not many people go there, even in July and August. If you walk out to the rocks they look like craters on the moon and you can sit in these pools.
Favorite beach
Benirras is still so authentic. There is such a mix of people, it is a great place for sunset – and the drummers add to the atmosphere. It is really special.
Favorite restaurants
My favorite Italian restaurant in the world I think is Macao cafe (0034 9711 97 835) in Santa Gertrudis. Juntos (0034 69972 89 72) is a farm-to-table dining next to the church of Sant Mateu; it has great food and is a fun place.
Sa Capella (0034 971 34 00 57) is a beautiful old church that has been taken over by the Mambo group. They do great meat and everything on the grill. I also like El Chiringuito on Es Cavallet (0034 971395 355) as it is the best Ibizan beach spot for eating and drinking rosé during the day.
Favorite club
DC-10 (0034 971932013) is my all time favourite club. It opens at 6pm so I know I can get there early and be gone before 1am. You don’t want to be there when it’s late and everyone inside is hot and sweaty. It’s my Monday therapy, I just dance. I also love Pacha (0034 971 31 36 00) for its old school glamour. It’s still great.
Favorite spa
Six Senses (0034 87100 88 75) has a world-class spa, but the gardens at the Atzaro Agroturismo (0034 971 3388 38) spa are a special place to relax. It was a historic farmhouse that has been transformed and serves food produced on the land.
Favorite bar
The Standard (0034 871 02 79 06) is great. Ibiza generally doesn’t have a bar culture, apart from Cafe del Mar (0034 689 00 84 94) and Mambo (0034 971 34 66 38) where you can just have cocktails. Then The Standard opened and they have a beautiful rooftop bar and an amazing lock-in area downstairs that fits 80 people, which is a cool alternative to the island’s huge clubs. Read our review of the hotel here.
Favorite stores
When people like Kate and Lila Moss come to town, they shop at Annie’s Ibiza or De La Vali for amazing party dresses. They grew up with Ibiza and really nail the vibe. I’m not really a flashy Ibiza girl, but Vincente Ganesha (0034 660 30 15 49) nails that Ibiza look.