These hotels in Sardinia are perfect for an Italian island escape

The Italian island has lots of charming places to stay – and these are the best hotels in Sardinia, whether you’re in search of a sunny seaside resort or a family-owned retreat that’s been run by the same clan for generations.

BEST HOTELS IN SARDINIA

Sardinia is the second-biggest island in the Mediterranean after Sicily, with almost 2,000 kilometres of coastline. Away from its sandy beaches, the interior is mountainous, making it a dream destination for hikers. Like other islands in the Med, such as Malta, Crete and Mallorca, Sardinia is the perfect place for a sun-kissed escape and is home to a whole host of fabulous hotels we've rounded up below.

Around the island, Costa Smeralda in the north is famous for its emerald-coloured waters and the glitzy town of Porto Cervo, popular with the jet-set since the Fifties. In the capital, Cagliari, cultural highlights include the walled medieval castello, a 13th-century cathedral and an archaeological museum housing Roman ceramics and Byzantine treasures.

In the south of the island, Il Castello is a hotel within the holiday playground that is the Forte Village Resort, where sports fans can practise their skills at one of the regular academies, and there are endless eating and drinking options.

Or for a historic hideaway, book a stay at Hotel Lucrezia in the village of Rialo Sardo, Antica Locanda Lunetta in the comune of Mandas, or San Francesco Heritage Hotel in the walled medieval city of Alghero.

These are our favourite Sardinia hotels for a Mediterranean island getaway…

At the highest point of Sardinia’s Forte Village, Il Castello has access to the resort’s vast array of facilities, which include 120 acres of gardens, several swimming pools, a piazza to shop at, a whole range of sports academies and enough dining options to keep you busy for a fortnight.

The sunny Sardinia stay is a short drive south of Cagliari (and its airport), with the beach a few steps away, as well as a Med-facing infinity pool. Families will love the bungalows in the gardens, or book a room with a view of the sea served straight to your terrace.

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This B&B is in the comune of Mandas in southern Sardinia. It was built in the 17th century and, after a stint as a post station, it’s now a characterful inn. The country house is on the hills of Trexenta in the centre of what was once a Spanish duchy.

Family-run Antica Locanda Lunetta is full of souvenirs and stories passed down through the generations – the current custodians’ great-grandparents Calogero and Dondina Lunetta welcomed DH Lawrence and his wife Frieda when they travelled to Sardinia in 1921.

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Alghero is one of the most picturesque medieval cities on the island – and if you want to explore its ancient walls and cobblestoned centre, San Francesco is the Sardinia hotel for you. This heritage hotel is close to St John Tower and the Coral Museum (as well as its antiquities, the city is also known for its red coral).

It’s also near the Piazza Civica, but you won’t need to voyage far to appreciate some history – there are cloisters and a courtyard right here at the hotel.

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Overlooking Chia Bay in the island’s south, Conrad Chia Laguna is just an hour’s drive from the capital of Cagliari. In addition to its award-winning golden beaches, the resort has plenty to keep all of the family entertained, including a spa, a tennis court, watersports and lots of restaurants and bars.

Of the latter, the highlight is undoubtedly Bollicine Bar, which specialises in all things fizzy – and you’ll be able to drink your sparkling wine out on its panoramic terrace. And at the spa, guests can enjoy Turkish baths and Rasul mud treatments.

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Also in the south of Sardinia and close to one of its best beaches (and its many coves), Hotel Aquadulci in Chia Bay has 41 rooms. The spa in the garden offers treatments that use homegrown medicinal plants such as myrtle and lavender, and there’s a palm-lined pool on the edge of the lagoon.

Chia Bay is the ultimate beach destination, with towering dunes that are backed by juniper bushes, surfer-ready waves and a crystal-clear sea. Appropriately enough, the name translates as ‘sweet water’, which was once the name of the region.

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For authentic Italian food cooked by nonnas, check in to Su Gologone and head straight to its Bread Nest (officially: Nido del Pane) to watch Sardinian women, dressed in typical Oliena costumes, making bread the way islanders have been for centuries.

In fact, the entire hotel is a love letter to Sardinia, whether it's the locally made artworks, the traditional fabrics or the woodwork carved on the island. Some of the rooms have a terrace with a view of the herb garden, along with an outdoor hot tub and a hammock to really appreciate Sardinia’s great outdoors.

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If you like your hotels to feel more like staying at a friend’s house, you’ll love Hotel Lucrezia, which has enough trinkets and treasures to seem like a private residence. The hotel’s namesake was the hostess of the house from 1895 up until 1934, and her great-great-grandchildren are ensuring it’s just as homely and welcoming today.

There’s a garden with a courtyard, and a suite that once housed the oil press and millstone. It’s in the village of Riola Sardo, a few miles from Sardinia’s western shores.

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Close to the centre of Cagliari, this boutique hotel is surrounded by gardens. There are just 19 bedrooms within this art nouveau villa, named for the matriarch of a prominent Sardinian family, Each has inimitably Italian stylish interiors that feature wooden beams and trusses, stone walls and lots of bright, breezy white.

The staff at Hotel Villa Fanny will be able to craft your dream island itinerary, whether you want to discover the most beautiful beaches in the south, tour the coves by speedboat or learn all about Cagliari’s history

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A little south of the Costa Smeralda, but with equally white sand and just as turquoise water, Golfo Aranci is a peninsula near Olbia, known for its steep cliffs and natural beauty. A short stroll from its namesake fishing village, Gabbiano Azzuro has been run by the Datome family since 1968.

There are suites with private pools on their decks that seemingly merge into the sea, and the hotel has its own beach at the edge of the lagoon. This is one of the best areas in Sardinia for snorkelling and scuba-diving, and the natural reserve of Capo Figari is nearby.

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Another Sardinia hotel that has been welcoming guests since the Sixties, Abi d’Oru is a beach resort in Porto Rotondo. There’s lots to keep you busy, starting with three restaurants and as many bars, which include a seafood restaurant on the sand and a Mediterranean option with a terrace overlooking the water.

Activities on offer include sailing trips around La Maddalena islands, windsurfing, scuba-diving and stand-up paddleboarding, along with hiking the trails of the Capo Figari reserve. Within the resort, there’s a tennis court and a spa with a couples’ treatment room that has a hot tub beneath a canopy in its garden.

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