An island like no other, Italy’s Sardinia is situated dead center in the middle of the crystal-clear Mediterranean Sea. Its spectacularly beautiful hub is the cliffs-buffered waterfront village of Porto Cervo. And the epicenter of Porto Cervo is the iconic Cervo Hotel, Costa Smeralda Resort. That’s been the case since 1963 when Prince Karim Aga Kha IV developed the spot into one of the most coveted ports of call for discretionary international travelers.
It is a mutinous bounty of visual riches and culinary richness, an escapist’s dream. Smitten by the ancient and astounding landscape, the Aga Khan commissioned the estimable Italian architect Luigi Vietti to raise a splendid hotel overlooking it all. An indigenous-specific village and yacht-approved seaport and marina based upon the shape of a “pearl,” as Vietti called it, was born—featuring locally sourced cuisine and access to the island’s countless destinations and covert hideaways, not to mention its bustling town square shopping and dining district.
Unlike all those cruise-ship drop-in-drop-outs, the island and 80-room hotel are understatedly sumptuous. Pleasant discretion, they don’t need a lot of bells, whistles, and flavor enhancements; more than a hint of the days of Dolce Vita lingers. The result remains a place that feels as if it has grown into its own natural surroundings, focusing upon the scents and sounds of the sea, as well as the corral pinks, rock formations, pastel-hued tiles and terra-cotta everything it has been known for before the rise of Rome.
The locals remain as they always have been: hospitable to visitors yet wonderfully succinct. Directions are given en point to summits, stalactite caves, ancient ruins, and pristine beaches; the hotel has its own private beach, reachable by boat. Visitors should take cues from the generations of inhabitants and do almost everything al fresco. The weather is balmy yearly: days in the low 80s, nights in the high 50s. Summer breezes all of the time.
Suites at the resort, now part of Sheraton’s prestigious European portfolio, are spacious, naturally lit, and fully modernized, featuring a traditional Mediterranean décor scheme: arched entryways, clean whites, and floor-to-ceiling custom-mosaic bath areas. Tiled floors lead out to balconies, patios, and terraces. Views look out upon the marina, in season overwhelmed by billionaire’s superyachts, a la Saint-Tropez, and fishing boats, as well as the hotel’s tranquil courtyard swimming pool, tennis and golf course, outdoor restaurants, gym, and all those mountainous trails leading to scene-stealing views over the aquamarine sea on all sides.
While the fitness center features state-of-the-art workout apparatus (and personal trainers), guests can get a see-it-all workout by taking any of the Pevero Health Trails. You can take it slow with family and loved one, or pound the ground to the top of the summit of Monte Zoppu. Along the trails there are a dozen exercise stations, all named, says the hotel, after “typical plants from the area.” Surrounding them are fields of wild peonies and ruins from the island’s rural past. Take a hotel-supplied mountain bike to the wondrous Neptune’s Grotto cave in Gennargentu National Park.
For less wily trails, hotel guests can take precariously steep hills to the Cagliari capital, as well as the art colony of San Pantaleo. The latter features Italianate antiques, textiles, and other local finds. Sublime beaches are reached by a 10-minute shuttle. At night some of them become nightspot hubs, such as the notorious Ritual club, which is situated in a decrepit mountainside castle. The untamed gardens surrounding it are a rendezvous of surreal. Guests also have access to a nearby tennis club.
The Sardinian palate is based upon fresh and under-seasoned fare, emphasizing natural flavors. Besides a multitude of sardine variations of preparation, slow-cooked lamb, spit-roasted suckling pig, and local wild boar are favorites. Despite this being Italy—and that does mean ewe-milk ricotta stuffed in ravioli and tagliolini with fresh-caught fish—menus are often influenced by the Spaniard and Catalan rules. Listen, and you will hear some locals still speaking Catalan.
Flatbreads laced in spices and rosemary twigs are a common lagniappe, like bread and butter in the States. All of the Cervo Resort’s five restaurants are Mediterranean-influenced, but in various the international tastes go more global, particularly in its white-tablecloth ventures. Re-imagined in 2019, La Pergola in Giardino, in the hotel’s iconic piazzetta ringed with luxury boutiques, is international cuisine on a five-star level. And Novikov Porto Cervo may be the finest Asian fusion on the island, taking cues from its London pedigree.
For a true Sardinian experience steps connected to the hotel on the waterfront is its Quattropassi al Pescatore, where locally fished seafood rules. It is a partner with the Michelin two-star Ristorante Quattropassi. And then there’s Il Pomodoro, which takes its heritage from heirloom recipes and tomato-based dishes, both modest and delicious. Casual and homespun Nuna al Sole is the casual dining experience at the hotel with tasting plates and fresh Mediterranean ingredients.
And the Bar Cervo, along the marina and hotel entrance, features daily specials, aperitifs, small plates and a live piano player. In terms of cocktails, Bar il Portico II stuns with its crafted cocktails and a killer panoramic view. The super-stylish, nautical-themed Riva Lounge is a partnership with the renowned Italian yacht builder. And there’s always the option of room- and pool service including wood-oven pizza and barbecue, and traditional Sardinian locavore and comfort food dishes.
Part of Marriott International’s luxury category of handpicked 5-star hotels, many with an interesting history and provenance, the Cervo Hotel, Costa Smeralda Resort, is one of six properties in Italy under the Sheraton brand, which was established in the U.S. 1930 and is now worldwide, including such gems as the palatial Sheraton Grand London Park Lane Hotel, built in 1927, and the Sheraton Mirage Resort & Spa on Australia’s Gold Coast.