Hotel Cala di Volpe, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Costa Smeralda

Character and identity

Set on a private cove of the Costa Smeralda, this 1960s Jacques Couëlle creation was conceived as a fantasy fishing village, all pastel facades, terracotta tiles, exposed wooden beams and whitewashed walls inset with hand-painted frescoes. The 121 rooms and suites are individually themed, with ceramic tilework, handcrafted furniture and terraces facing gardens or the bay. The compound runs to a private beach, one of the Mediterranean's largest saltwater pools, three restaurants (including Matsuhisa at Cala di Volpe for Nobu's Japanese-Peruvian repertoire), three bars, and a Japanese-inflected Shiseido Spa in cool slate-grey rooms. Access to Pevero Golf Club, tennis, sailing and diving rounds out the day.

Who's it for

Bottom line

What you're paying for is the setting: a private cove, a vast saltwater pool, and a Couëlle-designed village that still feels like nowhere else on the island, with Matsuhisa and the Shiseido Spa as serious anchors. Book a sea-view suite with a proper terrace, target June or September to dodge the August crush and rates, and lean on the concierge for boat days.