Chia Laguna Resort: The perfect place to experience Sardinia in style - from its natural bounties to its food

And from the heady punch of the juniper trees framing the way up to reception to the bittersweet elicriso, herbaceous rosemary, and fruity myrtle that fill its gardens, one of the most luxurious resorts dotting its southern coast has managed to capture just what makes it so special.

With its in-house restaurants, plentiful swimming spots, and opulent spa, the Conrad Chia Laguna - one of the Chia Laguna Resort’s three distinct hotels - has got Sardinia’s fragrance, flavours, and rustic connection to the land down pat.

A hotel that seems to feel airy and spacious no matter where you wander, everything is local, and everything is by design. Sardinia is known for its wind, so there are long, flowy curtains scattered across the building that catch the breeze and dance in it. There are two sheep for every person on the island, and the lobby’s rugs are spun from their wool.

Even the striking pottery on display harken back to traditional styles - wedding vases, tall and short sister jugs, and round, ringlike ones worn around the arm while horse riding. Even the large, ceramic hen and her chicks that watch you as you descend the main staircase are an agro-pastoral throwback; an ancient call for abundant rain and healthy crops.

I recently had the opportunity to stay at the Conrad Chia Laguna for myself, and get a taste of Sardinia while experiencing the wider resort. Here’s how I found it:

Suite to sea

The Chia Laguna resort is made up of three distinct hotels: the Conrad, which hosts 107 rooms and suites; the Baia di Chia Resort, home to another 77; and the Hotel Village, which offers 240.

The Conrad is the lap of luxury, built for the sophisticated traveller looking for a more refined touch, while the Hotel Village caters comfortably to families, and the Baia di Chia is more immersed in nature - with even its pools coloured lagoon green as opposed to their usual brilliant blue.

But no matter which one you stay at, you’re never far from the sea - and it’s never looked so stunning. Arriving in my hillside suite on the very first day, everything in the room seemed to angle towards the great glass windows. They gave way to a little balcony, and beyond it, an unparalleled view. 

Framed by two rocky fingers of coastline - one decorated with its very own stone nuraghe, a type of ancient defensive tower - was the ocean, cast in vivid azure on a sunny day. Cut off from it by a tiny strip of land was a spectacular lagoon in a pale, cloudy blue - dotted with pink flamingos stirring up sediment with their signature shuffle.

The Conrad’s suites themselves manage to walk the delicate line between elegance and comfort. With comfortable beds and curtains so thick you can sleep through both sunrise and your morning alarms (something I may have done more than once), you really get the sense you’re on holiday, a world apart from your usual responsibilities. Then there are the balconies, complete with recliners, the perfect place to relax with a coffee or a wine, if you’re after a bit of privacy.

The pristine pools scattered around the grounds are another great option for cooling off and relaxing, but the resort’s real draw is the local beaches - where it has two private beach clubs for guests. The staff are more than happy to ferry you down to the shore in a golf cart if you call for one, and once you’re there you can choose to either soak up the sun or read in the shade of an umbrella, with refreshments close at hand.

And if you feel up to it, you can dive right into the inviting Mediterranean and go for a swim. The waters are pleasantly warm and perfectly clear, and even in the shallows you can watch as silvery seabream dart around your legs.

One of the hotel managers told me that nature was Sardinia’s most precious capital, and it couldn’t be more obvious at Chia Laguna wherever you wander. Space had been made for the island’s wild inhabitants everywhere, and they were eager to prove it; from the curious fish swimming up to you in the sea, to the gently cooing collared doves and dancing house martens flitting around the resort, their packed mud nests decorating the rafters of the Hotel Village.

Honey, salt, and wood

Sardinia’s natural splendours are at the heart of Chia Laguna’s Conrad spa operation as well. While there are a range of different treatments on offer, there are three main wellbeing rituals - each centred on a different one of the island’s treasures.

The salt route - which can include an optional visit to a significant nearby salt flat - will later see your skin scrubbed clean with that same local salt. The full experience also involves massage, and a relaxing ritual using heated sachets of salt and aromatic plants.

The wood route involves citrus and sandalwood-scented face and body treatments, combined with a regenerating massage. It’s performed with special wooden tools from South America, designed to gently stimulate the nervous system.

Meanwhile, the honey route is just as sweet as it sounds, It begins with an open air meditative phase that segues into a deeply moisturising skincare ritual, centred around organic Sardinian honey.

I was fortunate enough to be able to try out a hybrid of the three carefully-crafted rituals. The purifying salt scrub was a personal favourite, with its evocative scent that reminds you you’re still just a stone’s throw from the sea in the sheltered seclusion of the spa’s cabins. It offered up a heavy duty exfoliation that really opens the pores - and left me feeling immaculately clean. 

The spa’s massage therapists performed with a deft, experienced touch. Combined with the aromatherapy aspects of the treatment - which arrest and overwhelm your senses - you’re left to sink into a state of tranquil bliss.

Getting a taste of Sardinia

Some say you have to taste a culture to truly understand it, and the Chia Laguna Resort’s multitude of culinary offerings give you an abundance of chances to sample Sardinia’s more unique regional fare.

There’s Conrad’s La Terrazza, where you can also enjoy an idyllic al fresco breakfast, complete with excellent coffee and crepes served with fresh, local honey straight from the comb. But at night, it transforms into an elegant dinner option, where local flavours and innovative takes on popular Italian favourites are woven together seamlessly (I’d definitely recommend the dome-shaped tiramisu).

Over at Baia di Chia Resort there is Il Ginepro, which has fabulous vegetarian options - like an exquisitely crafted mushroom ravioli that exuded pure craftsmanship. And scattered across the complex are an abundance of other delights, from beachside pizza at Le Dune topped with a pungent blue cheese, to a light and refreshing mozzarella with zesty tomatoes served poolside at Bioaquam.

Temperate evenings were perhaps best finished off with a scoop of gelato, from a bespoke gelateria down in the Hotel Village. Stracciatella streaked with impossibly delicate flakes of chocolate is an easy winner, but for a true Sardinian specialty you have to try the mirto flavour. Inspired by a popular local liqueur brewed from myrtle berries, it’s a curious treat from its vivid purple hue to its sweet-and-sour flavour.

But the real winner, perhaps the crown jewel of the entire resort, is Sa Mesa - ‘The Table’ in the local dialect - its authentic, speciality Sardinian restaurant. A spectacular array of seafood graced the menu, sometimes coupled with other local delicacies like fregula - bead-like pearls of pasta. There were also meat dishes which really seemed to ‘wow’ my counterparts, especially a suckling pig delicately scented with myrtle.

There was plenty to appeal to the vegetarians too, like the culurgiones, plump little pasta-like dumplings stuffed with potato, cheese, and mint, and served in a bright tomato sauce. Then of course there were the seadas for dessert; rich, fried pastries filled with a lemony cheese, and served with honey drizzled on top - the perfect pairing with an apricot-scented local white.

The local flavour even permeated a jeep tour we took, exploring some of the island’s hidden bays and wooded hills. From up high, you could see the rugged coast in its full glory, accompanied by a warm summer breeze carrying the island’s signature perfume. 

But as we pulled into a particularly beautiful bay, our driver kindly broke out a full-bodied red wine, with olives and cheese and crispy pane carasau, a popular flatbread that had accompanied nearly every meal so far. Surrounded by the sparkling sea and bobbing dinghies, there really was nothing that could have felt more Sardinian.

Prices for a room at the Conrad Chia Laguna start at £343 per night, while rooms at the Baia di Chia Resort start at £261, and at the Hotel Village from £165. Other experiences and amenities have an additional cost. To book or to find out more about any of the three hotels, you can visit the resort’s website online here.