Mary

We were attending a week of meetings in Holland and decided to R&R for 8 days afterward in Sardinia. We flew Ryanair from London to Alghero without a hitch. Our rental car was ready on arrival and we were on our way within 30 minutes of landing at 5:30pm on a Thursday. We drove along the north coast and stopped in Castlesardo around 7:00pm since it was getting dark and we didn't want to miss any scenery. Not too many evident choices in hotels, so we checked into the Hotel Riviera, and while it received a good report from another Fodorite, it was only average on the appearance scale. To my chagrin the bed was too firm and I woke up stiff. (For years the beds in Europe were too soft, now they are too firm). The hotel was right across the street from the beach and although the traffic was noisy in the morning, when we closed the balcony doors it was surprisingly quiet. We had dinner after a walk around town at the hotel's restaurant Fofo, which was very good but we got stung ordering the lobster without inquiring about the price. Thus dinner for 2 was 116Euro and the room was 90Euro. On day 2 we explored the town's walled city which was worth a wander, if for nothing more than its view of the sea and village below.
We then drove to the Costa Smeralda town of Porto Cervo and got the last room at the Hotel Piccolo Golf, a pleasant "Karen Brown" recommendation. We liked the ambiance of the building and grounds and probably got one of the best rooms which was a bit classier than the Riviera (although the bed was still too firm). The beaches at the end of the peninsula were small and pretty and since it was the middle of October, they were fairly deserted. We found most of the Costa Smeralda to be attractive (albeit too well-planned) but there is no denying it has gorgeous beaches and water. We spend nearly 3 days exploring the area before heading south along the east coast toward the Su Gologone Hotel where we pre-booked a room for 3 nights. This hotel was the highlight of our hotel stays in Sardinia.

I'm too tired to continue this now, but will return with part 2 of our trip report tomorrow.

Mary

AP6380

I always enjoy reading the rare trip report about Sardinia, so please keep it coming!

Mary

This is Part 2 of my trip report. Thanks to AP6380 for the encouragement. I found it difficult to get info on Sardinia when I was planning this trip so I'm happy to share our experience.
In Part 1 we had arrived in the rural part of the island near Oliena at the Su Gologone Hotel. The place was delightful. It was a sprawling inn with a rabbits warren of buildings and corridors. It was fun to explore and I was constantly make a wrong turn to reach our room. Our room was not large but it had lots of charm which included a canopied bed with the most comfortable bed we had in Sardinia, and a balcony laden with bouganvillea. The walls of the inn were adorned with colorful peasant art and I took dozens of photographs I was so enamored of the place. Another highlight at this inn was mealtime. We were paying 111 Euro per person for the room, breakfast and dinner. Both were wonderful meals. The variety of appetizers at dinner alone made dinner worth half the cost. We had a fantastic "sampler" meal the first night which highlighted the local foodstuffs, including a variety of "innards", foods I usually avoid but found them all delectable at the Su Gologone.
Our days out were pleasant. We took a trip to Cala Golone along the coast twice; we drove the precipitous route from Dorgal to Arbatax through an amazingly rugged mountainous landscape with a detour through the pastoral countryside. On two other days we attempted to locate the ancient ruins of Tiscali. During our second try we got lost hiking for several hours but eventually were successful. The "red arrows" and "rock piles" on the trail were misleading but finally we found someone who could direct us and several other lost souls along the right path. It was fun in the attempt but we should have had more water and some food with us.
On our 7th day we headed west to the Costa Verde, an isolated stretch of beach and sand dunes on the southwest coast. We managed to get a room at Le Dune, a mine converted to a hotel. The common areas were beautifully done and the rooms were simple but comfortable - except I was back to the brutal firm low bed. The beach was never ending and after walking it for an hour an awesome storm brewed with a water spout visible on the horizon. That evening we enjoyed cocktails in the lounge and then a good meal with the handful of other guests.
Our last full day was spent traveling up the west coast, highlighted by Bosa and then Alghero. We stayed at the San Francesco Hotel in Alghero's walled city. The hotel was a converted monastery and quite interesting but the room was drab and lacking in character or warmth. We spent the evening out wandering the narrow streets and alleys which were worth more time than we had. The next day we flew back to London in the morning, arriving on time at Stanstead.
To summarize Sardinia was a delightful holiday. We were so happy to be there in that 2nd week of October when the tourist season was over and it seemed we had entire island to ourselves. The weather was mild - mid 60's to mid 70's - with occasional rain showers. We swam in the Med on the Costa Smeralda a couple times and walked through the surf on the Costa Verde and at Cala Golone. The waters were a gorgeous color and the landscapes were a mix of rocky desert and rugged mountains. The only place we needed hotel reservations was at the Su Gologone when the hotel was fully booked on our 1st night, a Sunday. Otherwise, many hotels were already closed for the season. Our rental car was about US$350 for the 8 days, but it got good mileage at about 40 miles to the gallon. We didn't make it all around the island as we had hoped but we choose to stop and hike and explore little villages. A very satisfying experience with no big surprises or dramas. We loved it and one day would like to return. Can't say it is the cheapest place to travel, especially given the fact that it was off season, but we liked the remoteness of it and the friendliness of the locals.
I will monitor this thread for a while in case there are any questions about our trip that I can answer. Hope it helps some of you firm up your plans for a future visit to Sardinia.
Ciao, Mary

AP6380

I had so desperately wanted to go stay at the Su Gologone but we were unable to fit it into our itinerary. For anyone researching Sardinia, here's a link to my report:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34526714

TopMan

Interesting report although I'm still trying to figure out how a beach area can be "too well-planned"?????????

AP6380

Think of an area in Florida that is just way overdeveloped- some parts of the Costa Smeralda are like this.

Mary

The most obvious "well-planned" aspect of the Costa Smeralda was the subdivision factor. All the street lights were identical, the signage was identical (house number signs, street signs), the same trees/flowers planted in the same median strips, It all felt too perfect and too, well ....... well-planned, too Newport Beach. Not traditional Italy at all. I live in this kind of environment and I always liked a touch of chaos I've found in other parts of Italy.

Mary

You know, AP6380, I tried to find the Rocce Sarde that you spoke of in one of your threads. I thought it was closer to St. Teresa di Gallura. It wasn't until we were settled in at the Hotel Piccolo Golf in Porto Cervo and exploring the region that we came across it near Pantaleo (sp?). You had raved about it, so we had to check it out. It was lovely and had the same ambience as Su Gologone. They were booked solid for a wedding or we might have tried it for a night. You made a good choice from what I could tell.
Mary

WillTravel

Mary, it sounds like visiting Sardinia might be just as expensive as visiting mainland Italy, if not more so. Do you think there are any cheap bargains to be found? Do you think there is any good way to visit Sardinia if you don't drive around?

AP6380

I think like anywhere else, it's possible to do Sardinia cheaply. There seems to be plenty of agriturismos in the countryside, and in Cagliari and Alghero there are definitely budget hotels. GAC seems to be well-versed on public transport, maybe she will reply.

Mary

Surely there must be less expensive ways to do Sardinia. But I was really surprised that two of our hotels were around 100 euro a night for something I deem less than average in quality. The Riviera in Castelsardo may not have been the only option in town but Joe didn't want to spend more time looking for an alternative. I was a tad sorry because it was our first night in Italy and I had visions of a bit more grandeur. In Alghero there were lots of choices available but many of them looked like the Riviera from the exterior (4-story, 70's style design with zero architectural interest) and the converted monastery description sounded appealing. But for around 100 euro, I expected more than a single lightbulb handing from the ceiling and a bathroom I could barely turn around in. They only had two rooms left and it was raining so we didn't feel like wandering the streets trying to find something better.
The Su Gologone and Le Dune price included 2 meals a day - and the meals at Su Gologone were by far the best we ate anywhere and in my top 25% anywhere worldwide. I'm not sure you can stay at either of these without the meals included.
As far as transport is concerned, I don't think there is any way to see the island without a car. We saw very few buses along the highways and a couple of trains we thought we'd try on day trips were not running in October. Driving was pretty easy and we got such good mileage in our little Renault, that this was the cheap part of the trip.
No doubt this is more than you really wanted to hear/read, but perhaps someone else will benefit.

GAC

Mary: I may be the person whom you mention as having given a review of the Hotel Riviera in Castelsardo. I agree that the hotel is nothing architecturally, but the views of town from the front facing top floor rooms are terrific. And the room itself is not bad, per my recollection.

The San Francesco in Alghero is very, very simple, indeed spartan, as one sometimes expects from a Monastery. However, the price is pretty good and the location is unbeatable for the Old Town. And, I've been assured in writing that they've now added air conditioning for the summer months, which is a very welcome and necessary addition.

WillTravel

Mary, thanks for the info. I have a long-range plan for seeing Italy, so this is just something to consider.

Mary

Having computer problems, thus the delay in responding.

GAC, I don't think it was you that steered me to the Riviera though you may have been involved in the thread. These folks extended their stay when they saw the Riviera. Yes, the views are nice from the rooms but the sound of the sea is overwhelmed by the sound of traffic bright and early. Luckily, when we closed the balcony door it was silent in the room. I don't think I'm a big "charm" snob but these rooms and common areas really lack character. They were adequate and clean, but in the end I'll take comfort and quiet over view. They did have the best towels though, beating out the 4-star!
Going to try sending this now and then adding more if it posts. I've written my reply 3 times without success.

Mary

Yesssss....I'm back in business.

I don't mean to argue with you, GAC, you do seem very familiar with the island (do you live there? or just visit often? from where?) but I think overall that paying US$100+ for both the Riviera and the San Francesco in Alghero is high by USA standards. I live in a town on San Francisco Bay, and our best hotel with City views can be had for US$150 off season - it's quite luxurious. But I decided a few years ago if I wanted to enjoy travel, I can't complain about price. The San Francesco is in a great location even if it wasn't the Las Tronas (I believe that's the top hotel there).
Anyway, my point was to let WillTravel know what she/he might expect. I looked into the farmstays but it seemed most of them had a minimum stay of 2 or 3 nights. Perhaps this varies at different times of the year.

GAC

Mary: you are quite correct that you simply don't get the same bang for the buck in hotels on Sardinia as you do in the USA (the same might be said of Italy in general). I lived 20 years in SF, so I can appreciate your comments.

Both the Riviera in Castelsardo and the San Francesco in Alghero have their limitations and drawbacks, but the "competition" has its own negatives as well, and costs much, much more!

Nevertheless, I would still continue to recommend both properties to travellers, who must be advised that Sardinian hotels are very, very different from those in the US and in major European cities, in terms of size, quality, and cost/amenities ratio.

traveller212

For those who have traveled to Corsica and Sardinia, how would you compare to Sicily in terms of quality and quantity of accomodations, natural beauty, activities, food, crowds.

Also, did anyone do any water sports like snorkelling?

GAC

You cannot compare Sicily with Sardinia, it's like comparing apples and oranges. Totally different topography, history, architecture, foreign influences.

AP6380

Sicily had many more options for cheaper accomodations. I know the time of year that I went was the most expensive, and also I wanted to be by the water- but there just seemed to be a lot less budget accomodations in Sardinia. They are there, but you must dig around for them.

Although I was in Sicily in March and therefore wasn't hanging out at the beaches, those that I did see had nothing on Sardinia's. They have every kind of beach imaginable there.

I did not do any water sports at either, just a boat trip in Sardinia.

wantagig

I think Mary may have been referring to my report on the Riviera. When we saw the room we chose to extend our stay. I loved the view. For 90 Euro I thought the room and bathroom were large compared to most.

It sounds like the Su Gologone for 222 Euro per room is kind of a lovely resort experience whereas staying at the Riviera is like finding a comfortable room in a small Italian town. We met and talked with so many friendly and gracious locals in our 3 days in Castelsardo that it was an experience I'll never forget.

Speaking of comparisons, in the last month I've had to stay in West Hollywood over night twice. I stayed at the Ramada. It cost $100 for the dinky room (discounted internet price) and another 22 bucks per night to park, plus tax of course. I wish I knew where in L.A. I could get a room to compare with the one at the Riviera for the 90 Euro price.

Regardless, I'm really glad that you took the time to give us your opinions. Not enough Fodorites get to Sardinia and this forum can always use more information on this beautiful island.