At the foot of Sardinia’s iconic Roccia dell’Orso, a wind-sculpted, bear-shaped hunk of granite, Cala di Lepre Park Hotel & Spa gazes out to the pink-granite Maddalena Islands. Spread across maquis-draped hills above the sand-and-shingle curve of Spiaggia di Porto Mannu, it’s an instant family heart-stealer, with greenery so lush it’s like being in a nature reserve and sea views on every bend. My daughter and I adored our early morning walks before the heat rose, looking out for resident tortoises and hares – the ‘lepre’ in the name.
True to the Delphina brand’s sustainability ethos, everything chimes with the environment and echoes Sardinia – from buffets that are an all-out celebration of island produce, to terracotta-tiled villas that blend into the surrounds. There are two areas: Il Parco for more privacy (and a quiet, bougainvillea-draped pool) and Il Golfo, near the main facilities. Buggies trundle between the two.
Shaded by pine trees, our sea-view suite had interconnecting rooms with lots of space for my parents, daughter and I to spread out. Sardinia was writ large in local ceramics, traditional bird motifs, juniper-wood mirrors and own-brand toiletries infused with island herbs.
Kids come first here, so expect to see beaming faces, whether they are diving into the children’s pool or hanging out at the supervised mini and junior club for three- to 14-year-olds, where there’s a playground and activities from biscotti baking to dance lessons. Older kids can ditch phones for the huge range of sports on offer: padel, tennis, archery, kayaking and diving – you name it. And there’s also a well-equipped nursery with all the baby equipment you could ever need.
Find a quiet, child-free moment and you can slip off (as I did) for a snooze in a hammock in the gardens, or a float in hydrotherapy pools and intuitive massage with island botanicals at d’Ea Marina thalassotherapy spa. Book a table one night at Le Terrazze. On a hilltop with dress-circle sea views, the restaurant puts creative riffs on Sardinian antipasti, pasta and just-caught seafood – for couples, it’s a shot of romance, while kids will love watching dinner swimming in the tank.
Prices: From about £350 per night.
Resort & Spa Le Dune Badesi
Arrive at Le Dune and you’ll want to instantly kick off your sandals and dig your toes into the powdery sands of dune-wisped Li Junchi beach. With front-row views of the Gulf of Asinara on Sardinia’s north coast, this vast resort spreads across dunes and woods of pine and ancient juniper. There are five hotels, each with own freshwater pool, interlinked by flower-swathed trails. Buggies making getting between them a breeze. With light-drenched, nature-immersed family suites sleeping up to six, Le Ginepri and Le Rocce stand out for families. In amongst the tree shade, hammocks and swings offer calm time.
Designed with families in mind, Le Dune is kid heaven. There’s round-the-clock childcare and entertainment, all the way up from baby to teen. There are no bored sighs here: activities skip from creative workshops to a Wild West-style tipi village, an aviary with peacocks, and a play area with climbing wall, giant trampolines and an inflatable pirate ship. For tots, there’s a nursery with equipment from bottle warmers to changing tables, plus milk, fruit and juice. And older kids can let off steam with padel, volleyball and beach sports like SUP and canoeing.
While the kids are kept amused, you can tiptoe off to the beach or Le Sabine spa, with its hydromassage pools and thalasso treatments, including a marine massage with sea salt and island essential oils. Supervised kids’ mealtimes at Peter Pan Restaurant mean you can also slip off for an aperitivo or date-night dinner. We particularly loved Lo Scorfano, which dials up the romance with freshest seafood served prettily illuminated trees and a night sky sprayed with stars. Booking ahead is essential.
Prices: From about £335 per night.