What to expect: Opened in 2002, Melia Poltu Quatu hotel is part of a private resort village (Poltu Quatu) built in the 1970s at the head of a 600-metre-long waterway, surrounded by rocky hills, that has been converted into a 450-slip marina.. While the hotel welcomes families, most guests are adults attracted by the fashionable social-and-yachting scene that envelopes the village in summer.

Amenity highlights: Set amidst the hotel buildings, the pool and sundeck serve as a tranquil haven from the dining, shopping, and socialising that take place in the village less than 100 metres away. The spa offers another sanctuary, as well as rejuvenating body treatments and care for sunburned skin. The hotel's peaceful fine-dining restaurant offers Sardinian specialities by candlelight, with views of the marina and the yachting set outside.

Insider tip: Public areas of the resort reflect the influence of legendary Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi, with details including a honeycomb of irregular arches, vaulted ceilings, and coloured insets blending resin and Murano-glass fragments. The hotel also houses a decorative-arts collection of Sardinian masks, spidery wrought-iron sculptures, and ceramics, as well as other objects from around the world.