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For the second week of our trip to Sardinia we were lucky enough to stay in a gorgeous hotel called La Coluccia on the northern tip of the island.
It is apparently a member of Design Hotels (which looks like it has loads of other funky hotels to choose from) and the architecture and interiors really were absolutely stunning.
I love contemporary hotel design. You can go a bit over the top in a hotel, in a way which might not work in a residential setting, and there is something very satisfying about staying somewhere full of little details which look like they’ve just stepped out of the pages of Elle Deco. And of course hotels are never full of all the clutter and detritus of normal family life.
The architecture of La Coluccia could best be described as ‘contemporary Mediterranean’ – with terracotta rooftiles, bougainvillea-covered pergolas, whitewashed walls, a mosaiced roof which glinted pink and gold in the sun, and undulating gables, terraces and steps in every direction.
The outside spaces were also really well done – a wonderful pool which curved around an outside dining pavilion where we had lunch and dinner. Beyond the pool was a garden full of pine trees and sun loungers and beyond that a small sandy beach. Tethered just offshore were some very tantalising-looking speed boats with which to explore the tiny islands in the distance. They looked so tempting, but we thought it might be a trip too far with a wriggly 17-month old.
Inside there are touches of restrained glamour here and there – a gorgeous glass chandelier with black lampshades in the gym toilet (not that I ever went to the gym), giant wineglasses filled with roses in the reception area (which the Minx just about avoided crashing into), huge floor-to-ceiling mirrors propped up against the walls in the bar, restaurant and on the landings, and a collection of ornate picture frames on the reception area’s deep red walls. The lighting was magical – particularly at night when then poolside bar and the pine trees were all illuminated – but I forgot to take pictures. (Call yourself a design blogger? Ed.)
The hotel even had its very own celebrity in the shape of Doctor Who, who was there with a pretty blonde, who, I was reliably informed, had played Madame Pompadour in the last series. He was surprisingly tall and excessively skinny in real life, dressed like a student and was usually to be found huddled up with Madame P in a quiet corner of the dining room. (By the way, it wasn’t me who spoke to the Daily Mail in that link – and the sea wasn’t cold, it was gorgeous.)
Only our room was rather disappointing, being small and cramped (especially with a large cot squeezed into one corner) though we really didn’t spend very much time there.
That one gripe aside, it was a really lovely place to stay, and it was so nice to stay somewhere grown-up that wasn’t completely dedicated to being ‘child friendly’.
What a fab write up…I want to go. I’ve always hankered after a holiday in Sardinia but then get put off by the pages of hotels and villas in the Forte complex which is all that many brochures seem to offer in Sardinia.
What was the food like asks husband?
I once stayed in the same hotel as Coleen McCloughlin (spelling?). Erm. I’ll get my coat….
I think you’d love it – will write more about Sardinia anon – but the island is very family friendly with the most amazing beaches at every turn.
I’m not sure if La Coluccia would be particularly good for teenagers though as it is fairly remote (nearest real town is about 15 mins drive away) so there’s not much nightlife.
However, would make a wonderful place for a romantic break.
We were a bit worried about the food because you HAVE to go half-board, though this suited us very well as we would put Lulu to sleep in the room and then go down and dine in the restaurant.
However, it was much better than expected. They served four courses every night with two or three options per course. You could either eat larger portions of each course, or else take the ‘tasting menu’ where you got tiny portions of everything on the menu which was quite fun. I thought the food overall was of a pretty high standard – though sometimes they would try a bit too hard.
The wine waiter really knew his stuff. A different Sardinian wine would be recommended with each course and all the wines we tried were excellent. Loads of delicious Cannonau!
Otherwise the food in Sardinia was uniformly fab – loads of really good seafood, some of the best pizzas I’ve ever had in Italy and absolutely delicious ice-cream.
Thank you very much for sharing this valuable information.”La-Coluccia” is a best contemporary designing hotel situated in north side of Sardinia Island.it is really lovely place to stay, and it was so nice to stay for anyone grown-up that completely dedicated to foreign visitor.