We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Hotels + Resorts Hotel Reviews In Southern Sardinia, This Sprawling Resort Has Pristine Beaches, 10 Restaurants, and an Amazing Kids Club — Here's What It's Like to Stay Conrad Chia Laguna, in the island's wild south, remains a relative diamond in the rough. By Hannah Selinger Hannah Selinger Hannah Selinger is a James Beard Award-nominated lifestyle writer based in Boxford, Massachusetts. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines Published on September 27, 2024 In This Article View All In This Article The Rooms Food and Drink Activities and Amenities The Spa Accessibility and Sustainability Location How to Get the Most Value Out of Your Stay Aerial view of the turquoise water at Dune di Campagna beach in Sardinia. Photo: Courtesy of Conrad Chia Laguna By the time my family and I arrived in Sardinia’s south in mid-August, I had already been sent plenty of photographs of celebrities romping around the most famous parts of the island. Wealth is concentrated in the Costa Smeralda, on the large island’s northeastern coast. And for the first three nights of our six-night adventure on Italy’s second-largest island, we were in the Barbagia region of Sardinia, at the stunning 57-year-old agriturismo Su Gologone, near the world-famous beaches of Cala Luna, Cala Goloritze, Cala Fuili, and Cala Mariolu. But Sardinia’s wild south, accessible by car and by flight (Cagliari Elmas Airport connects to Rome and many cities within Italy and the European Union), remains a relative diamond in the rough. The Conrad Chia Laguna, part of the larger Chia Laguna property — resorts within it include Baia di Chia Resort Sardinia, Curio Collection and Hotel Village — includes two beaches, two dedicated pools, 10 dining and drinking concepts, a central piazza with shopping and nightlife, a spa, a shared kids club, watersports, and more. Interior decor at the Conrad Chia Laguna Sardinia. antonio saba/Courtesy of Conrad Chia Laguna Open since 2022, the 107-key property is divided into two separate areas. During our three-night stay, we experienced the splendor of the twin beaches, Monte Cogoni and Dune di Campana; swam at both the Oasis and Bioaquam pools; wandered around to visit with the native population of flamingos; enjoyed a happy hour in celebration of Ferragosto, the annual Aug. 15 holiday (in this case, toasted by Champagne, oysters, fresh figs, and hand-sliced prosciutto); took in a live show while delighting in cups of gelato in the piazza; watched a fireworks display from our massive balcony overlooking the laguna; and ate long and languorous Italian breakfasts on the terrazza at the aptly named Terrazza. Lounge chairs and umbrellas around the Bioaquam Pool at the Conrad Chia Laguna Sardinia. antonio saba/Courtesy of Conrad Chia Laguna “Conrad Chia Laguna Sardinia doesn't just offer a taste of Sardinia,” says Marco Pedna, the property’s general manager. “It immerses guests in the local landscape, culture, and traditions. Every element showcases the island's rich heritage and natural beauty, from the sun-drenched beaches to the fragrant Mediterranean gardens.” On the final night of our stay, my husband and I had to drag our children — typically not night owls — from the Miniclub, Conrad Chia Laguna’s kids club at 11 p.m. A fiercely competitive game of Hot Potato was underway, and they didn’t want to miss the action, even though both had been eliminated rounds and rounds before. If you’re considering heading to Conrad Chia Laguna in Sardinia, here’s what you should know before booking your trip. Conrad Chia Laguna The resort is just a short golf cart ride to two pristine beaches, Dune di Campana and Monte Cogoni, where guests are guaranteed sunbeds for the day.An included breakfast buffet reflects the region’s breadth and depth, with Sardinian pastries, meats, cheeses, and fruits all available.The complimentary kids clubs serving all of Chia Laguna are open from mid-May through mid-September. They accommodate children ages 3 to 17 and are open until 11 p.m. daily. The Rooms The primary bedroom in the Shardana Presidential Suite with Sea View at the Conrad Chia Laguna Sardinia. antonio saba/Courtesy of Conrad Chia Laguna Our 700-square-foot king deluxe suite with sea view, known as the Tholos Suite, featured a separate bedroom overlooking Chia Bay, a dining area, an enormous private terrace, and a living room with a pull-out couch. Equipped with two bathrooms, the room style is minimalist and serene, relying on the exterior landscape for major aesthetic statements. To that end, the grounds are lush, marked by signature Sardinian plantings: mature fig, hibiscus, juniper, lavender, and bougainvillea. The terrace of the Shardana Presidential Suite with Sea View at the Conrad Chia Laguna Sardinia. antonio saba/Courtesy of Conrad Chia Laguna Conrad Chia Laguna has 17 total room categories, beginning with the entry-level King Oasi Deluxe Room and rising to the King Presidential Suite with Sea View, also known as the Shardana. Food and Drink Nighttime al fresco dining at the Sa Mesa restaurant at the Conrad Chia Laguna Sardinia. antonio saba/Courtesy of Conrad Chia Laguna Chia Laguna has 10 dining and drinking establishments, a few of which belong solely to Conrad. Each morning, a breakfast buffet is served at Terrazza, just off the main lobby, a terraced restaurant that overlooks the entire property. Sa Mesa is the property’s newest dining establishment, a dinner-only experience dedicated to Sardinian food. Lunch can be enjoyed at La Dune Lounge Bar, near La Dune Beach, but guests can also order pizzas and pasta — or a paccheri and a pie, as we did — straight from their loungers and cabana. The Bollicine Bar at the Conrad Chia Laguna Sardinia. antonio saba/Courtesy of Conrad Chia Laguna The Bioaquam Pool, open to Conrad guests only, features its own dining space, the Bioaquam Bar, which is ideal for a light lunch or drink. Monte Cogoni’s Chia Beach serves salads, paninis, and cold drinks near the water. In the evenings, guests can enjoy a glass of Champagne at Bollicine Bar, followed by dinner at Domus. Activities and Amenities The Monte Cogoni Beach during sunrise from the Conrad Chia Laguna Sardinia. antonio saba/Courtesy of Conrad Chia Laguna Both beaches offer optional water activities for an additional fee. Intrepid visitors can sign up to go water skiing, paddleboarding, out for a ride on a banana boat, and plenty else. The lively Miniclub attendants run activities on the beach and are eager to involve young participants. One hot morning, a chipper Miniclub worker recruited my two kids in a sandcastle build with a handful of Italian kids not far from where we were stationed on Dune di Campana. Two hours later, they returned, no worse for the wear — but just hungry enough to polish off the pizza we had ordered. The kids clubs (the Miniclub, for kids ages 3–5; the Cadet Club, for ages 6–10; the Junior Club, for kids ages 11–13; and the Young Club, for kids ages 14–17) have dedicated play areas with a large pool. Kids can also have dinner at the club, allowing parents to share some alone time. The resort schedules plenty of activities, including evening performances, beachfront workouts, and family programming, like the aforementioned sandcastle-building. “Conrad Chia Laguna Sardinia’s prime location on Sardinia’s pristine coastline, overlooking Chia Bay and nestled between the golden sands of both Monte Cogoni Beach and Dune di Campana Beach, provides guests with authentic, meaningful experiences along with exclusive guest amenities and premier access to all that the larger Chia Laguna Resort has to offer,” Pedna notes. Some of these meaningful experiences include curated trips to Cagliari’s San Benedetto market, a cooking class in a traditional Campiadenese house, wine tasting at Cantina Mesa, or a trip to the nearby town of Sant’Antioco. The Spa When I arrived in Rome — on the heels of Sardinia — I learned that spa stands for salus per aquam, or health through water. The ancient Roman tradition courses through Italy and, naturally, through the island of Sardinia. At Conrad Chia Laguna, a hydrotherapy cycle known as the Bioaquam Path is meant to revitalize and nurture the body. In addition to the hydrotherapy circuit, the 1,000-square-foot spa includes a fitness center and individual treatment rooms and offers Conrad Chia Laguna’s proprietary cosmetics brand, Eteria. Accessibility and Sustainability The property offers two accessible rooms, with 32-inch wide bedroom doors, emergency pull cords in the bathrooms, roll-in showers, wheelchair-accessible rooms, accessible elevators, 32-inches of clear width, and ramp entrances. Other facilities on the property are also accessible, including the self-parking facility, business center, concierge desk, public entrance, registration area, spa, entrance to the swimming pool, meeting rooms, two beach clubs, shopping in the main square, sports facilities, and hotel restaurant. Service animals are also permitted. The property has made efforts toward sustainability by moving toward digital keys, investing in bulk guest room amenities, installing EV recharging stations, offering e-bike rentals, transporting guests via electric buggies, setting temperatures through operational timing, and proposing activities with a social and environmental purpose. (Some activities include tree-planting, bikes for children, and beach clean-up.) Meats on-property conform to sustainable practices, eggs are free-range, and water is sourced from a filtered water dispensing system. Guests are made aware of green initiatives and are offered the option to change sheets with less frequency to reduce the washing cycles. Location Conrad Chia Laguna offers free on-site parking and is located just under an hour from Sardinia’s Cagliari Elmas Airport. The hotel also provides an airport shuttle for a fee. How to Get the Most Value Out of Your Stay Conrad Chia Laguna is closed from November through March each year, and its low season runs from April until June and from September through October. The highest rates are found during the middle of August, particularly when they coincide with the Ferragosto holiday.