Pikes Ibiza – the iconic luxury hotel in the Balearic Islands – has announced that they will be banning phones and cameras every day of the week.
Taking to its official Facebook page, the hotel’s management shared a message confirming they will be enforcing a no-phone policy every day following the success of their Monday night phone-free policy. They cited that they believed the policy was the start of a positive shift within the party scene in Ibiza.
“Keeping your phone in your pocket and your mind on the music – and knowing that everyone around you is doing the same – opens up a whole world of freedom, not only on the dancefloor but all around Pikes and so, we’ve decided to introduce the policy seven nights a week,” they wrote.
They continued: “What does this mean for you? Yes of course, you can bring your phone with you to Pikes (we understand much of your life is inside it!), we’ll simply place a sticker over your device’s camera when you step through the gates. We ever-so-kindly ask that you refrain from filming or using your camera and our team will ever-so-politely enforce the policy if they catch you trying to snap a cheeky one, though you might even find your fellow partygoers stepping in ever-so-nicely to remind you before we get there!
“We want you to dance like no one’s watching. We want the very special guests in our booth and our resident DJs alike to feel as comfortable as if they were at a friend’s house party, with the freedom to dance, sing, jump, squeal, shout and celebrate however they like. We want you to find your new best friends, make memories that live in your mind, not on your phone, and experience the magic of Pikes the way it was always intended to be. After all, what happens at Pikes stays at Pikes…”
Pikes Ibiza has been cited as one of the most famous hotels on the island. In the 1980s, the hotel gained a reputation for hedonism and was known to be a playground for the rich and famous. It was the filming location for Wham!’s 1983 hit ‘Club Tropicana’. It also served as the location for the late Freddie Mercury’s 41st birthday party in 1987.
The hotel is not the first to implement a no-phone policy during their parties and events. Back in 2018, Jack White banned the use of cellular devices at his gigs. In a statement, the musician wrote “No photos, video or audio recording devices allowed. We think you’ll enjoy looking up from your gadgets for a little while and experiencing music and our shared love of it IN PERSON.”
He previously criticised people at gigs who spend more time on their mobile phones than watching the artist perform, telling Rolling Stone: “People can’t clap any more, because they’ve got a fucking texting thing in their fucking hand, and probably a drink, too! Some musicians don’t care about this stuff, but I let the crowd tell me what to do. There’s no setlist. I’m not just saying the same things I said in Cleveland last night. If they can’t give me that energy back? Maybe I’m wasting my time.”
Last month, Bob Dylan also implemented the rule at his upcoming 2024 ‘Rough And Rowdy Ways’ UK tour. The iconic musician has partnered with Yondr – which will prohibit the use of video cameras and mobile phones at the shows, making the occasion even more unique. Dylan’s previous UK dates in 2022 were also “non-phone events”.