As a writer who lives much of his life in Italy, it is with great embarrassment that I tell you I had never been to Sardinia until May of this year. I’d like to think I live without ‘regrets” but this one is the exception to the rule. Think of a place with boundless greenery, mountains up to 6000 feet, seaside outcroppings, beaches for days, amazing food, wondrous weather and pristine beaches along its 1,850 km coastline. Couple the myriad of reasons to visit Sardinia with the crystal clear Emerald green water of the Mediterranean, and you have my definition of utopia – Italian Style. Boasting a distance of 270 km from the northernmost tip to the southernmost, Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean only eclipsed by Sicily. So as this neophyte’s maiden voyage to this spectacular island, it was fitting that I lost my island stay virginity to the equally spectacular , and also new player to the island, Aethos Sardinia.
The ink had only hit the paper to consummate the acquisition of the original “Villa del Golfo Lifestyle Resort” in February of this year, and less than 90 days later the fast-moving Aethos team was opening the doors to Aethos Sardinia. As I drove my very Italian Fiat 500 up to the front doors of the hotel I was a little skeptical about what I was to experience with such a fresh launch opening a mere 8 days prior to our arrival, but any trepidation I had was quickly extinguished.
The grounds of the hotel, adorned with a massive rock that proudly holds the Aethos brand, were perfect in every detail. The colour of the flora was breathtaking. The hotel is beautifully terraced on the hillside with 64 unique and well-appointed rooms and suites to greet the weary traveler. Best described as a blend of traditional Mediterranean influences and offset by modern luxury, the design and touch points of the hotel are truly lovely. The design employs natural material and elegant simplicity to work in harmony with the prevailing landscape that enshrouds it. Local stone, terracotta roofs, handmade tiles and whitewashed and subdued walls create a sense of calmness. And then there’s the stunning view of the Gulf of Arzachena. Breathtaking!
To me, it’s the simple things in hotels that make a difference – like a soft and most comfortable bed. They win on this. Or warm showers and plenty of hot water. The water pressure is like an episode of Seinfeld watching Kramer get blown out of his shower, the complete opposite of most lackluster hotel showers. No problem there.
But of course, the food and beverage are of paramount importance and the hotel did not fail us there. Breakfast boasts an array of healthy to ultra indulgent options and a never-ending buffet of delectable treats. I chose their not so traditional eggs benedict with a fabulous “caffe”.
The afternoon was spent poolside taking in the vista and drifting off to Lala Land to the slowly dancing masts of sailboats moored in the gulf below, while the warm breeze gently caressed the abundant and ever so pretty bougainvillea bushes.
As the early afternoon’s sunrays warmed my skin the ever-attentive wait staff were only seconds away to deliver an ice-cold Aperol Spritz to quench my thirst. It wasn’t hard to make me forget about how cold and wet it was back in Canada.
Dinner didn’t disappoint with fresh Mediterranean Sea Bass. Back in Canada, “fresh” means (with luck) caught in the last week, “fresh” in Sardinia means what time this morning it was it pulled from the sea. We chose the Sea Bass encrusted and baked in Sea Salt, carefully served by our fabulous host, Andrea, paired with a sampling of tomato hazelnut salad and a tableside-prepared and well-dressed Burrata.
As a younger man I used to live for the night life. As much as I enjoyed a cigar and beverage by the pool to the setting sun, those very comfortable beds beckoned me with the knowledge that another Sardinian sunrise would be there to touch my soul. I take great pleasure in greeting hotels as they wake up in the morning. Whether it be watching the groundskeeping crew groom a beach in the Caribbean, or the pool crew fastidiously cleaning the pool, or the clinking of glasses as breakfast tables and buffets are being set up for the pending invasion of guests, there’s a magic in seeing a hotel at first light before the rest of the world awakens.
In my bathrobe I ventured into the Aethos restaurant ZAIA at the ungodly hour of 5:30 am when any normal guest would be grabbing their last minutes or hours of shuteye. The very personable staff were kind enough to fetch me a “caffe doppio” perfectly made and steaming hot. I shuffled my slippers to a poolside lounge chair and stretched out to take in the view. Minute by minute the horizon changed as I thoroughly enjoyed the slow dance of the sunrise’s reveal as it shed the gulf and the hotel in its warm glow. It’s hard to imagine anything more glorious than this feeling as the sun crests over the horizon, touches your cheek and warms your soul. Simply put, it never gets old.
That afternoon found us aboard a Bleex Boat tour with our lovely guide Alberto cruising through the Maddalena Archipelago. A small group of islands speckled along the Strait of Bonifacio between Sardinia and Corsica. The emerald-green water and the crystal-clear clarity of the sea sparkled in the light as we pulled up beach-side to several of these enchanting islands. Absolutely stunning. The day was perfect, the temperature ideal and the wind low on the day we traveled to the islands. Sun-worshippers had discovered many of the bays on the islands. Families with gleeful children dotted the beaches. On some of the islands, wild boars roamed and I had the chance encounter of a lone wild boar looking for some food scraps from the island visitors. Quite a sight and a truly unique experience.
Back at the hotel that evening, I did a magical walk through the captivatingly floral infused grounds of the hotels estate and climbed the stone steps to the infinity pool looking over the sea. That last gaze as I stood looking at the vista was one of those true zen moments that you cherish forever.
Excursions and experiencing the surrounding areas are part of the Aethos culture. Where some hotels do everything but tie a boat anchor to your leg to ensure you don’t leave their properties and leave all of your cash in their till, the Aethos approach is much more grounded in “the total cultural experience”. We sought a local resto recommendation from the wonderful receptionist, Ricardo, who said “if you’re looking for pizza there’s only one place to visit”. A ten-minute drive took us to Pizzeria da Serafino with a pizza so good I almost cried.
As this was the inaugural voyage of the hotel, some of the amenities and their improvements had not been completed. The much-anticipated spa, and outdoor gym were not yet available to us. But after barely 90 days of runway to get the hotel ready for its early guests up closing the deal to own the property, this was an understandable miss and something to look forward to on our next visit.
Sadly, all good things must come to an end. The mantra of the hotel chain came to mind as I was looking at the hotel through the rear-view mirror of my Fiat on the way to the Olbia airport. “Aethos was founded on the belief that traveling and hospitality should be an experience that leaves a positive and lasting impact on your mind, body and soul”. Well, it did, and it will be remembered as will the most fabulous island of Sardinia. – VV
Location
Photography courtesy of Thomas Pigeon and Aethos Sardinia
