Overview
Italy’s most iconic island resort, everything (and we mean everything) is at your fingertips at Forte Village. Doing exactly what it says on the tin, the set up here is that of a literal village. Not your usual resort concept, even itchy-feet families will feel at home, with 8 hotels, a double digit choice of restaurants and a ludicrously long list of activities on offer
Perched on the southern coast of Sardinia the backdrop here really is picture perfect, with a sparkling emerald sea and golden syrup-shaded sands. There’s no denying it’s one of Italy’s best beaches, but an enviable location is just one of the reasons Forte Village has been awarded ‘World’s Leading Resort’ for a staggering 24 consecutive years. Starting with the superlative Kids Club, which welcomes charges from newborn – and trust us, there’s only a handful of hotels out there offering this low an entry age. Hitting the nail on the head with the name, ‘Wonderland’ houses the legendary Barbie ‘Wendy’ House; Mario role-play village; theatre; vegetable garden, and super sweet choo choo train to transport little legs around. Across the wider resort, a circus boasts thrice-weekly shows, taking ‘evening entertainment’ past our wildest dreams. Not to mention the onsite mini waterpark and zero-entry, gently sloping, main swimming pool
Not stopping there, Forte Village is world-famous for its sporting facilities. Real Madrid Foundation is on hand for budding Beckhams, winners of Wimbledon coach tennis lessons, whilst English and Irish legends score tries alongside rugby-loving rugrats. If you’re after a sports camp for the kids this summer, you need look no further – for Forte Village simply can’t be beaten (the best way to nail down exact dates, ages & costs is to talk to Tiny Travel Agency as there are so many options – from your more ‘conventional’ sports to fencing, go karting, sailing, circus skills, magic and much more)
Now, what about us as parents you ask? ‘Mummy me time’ can easily be spent in Acquaforte – the hotel’s revolutionary spa. Wellness warriors will appreciate the six healing Thalassotherapy pools, while those just looking for a daytime nap on the therapy table will be equally excited. If food is your forte you won’t be disappointed either. Taste buds are tantalized in the 21 restaurants, with menus ranging from Michelin-starred, to surf and turf, through a traditional pizzeria and bountiful buffets. Each hotel has a designated spot for breakfast and at least 3 restaurant options included in the half board for dinner, while other reservations are available at a supplement. With scenery to make us weak at the knees, facilities to make most other hotels blush and a destination dining scene, Forte Village gets our vote too
Mama
Get in touch
Flight
2 hr 35 min flight from London to Cagliari Airport
Transfer
Approximately a 40 min transfer from Cagliari Airport. The hotel can arrange transfers, starting from £120 each way for a family of 3 and £162 each way for a minibus, seating 4-8
Best time to visit
Forte Village Resort is surrounded by a mountain range, which shields it from the cold north and north-west winds, allowing it a very special sub-tropical microclimate. Forte Village is open from March to November, and you’ll find our Sardinian weather guide below
March: highs of 17 degrees
April: highs of 20 degrees
May: highs of 22 degrees
June: highs of 26 degrees
July: highs of 29 degrees
August: highs of 31 degrees
September: highs of 27 degrees
October: highs of 23 degrees
November: highs of 19 degrees
Favourite room
Less a case of ‘favourite room’, and more ‘favourite hotel’, find our Forte Village accommodation cheat sheet below:
The Bouganville is a 4* hotel ideal for families, and the entry level option of the group. Luxury Family Bungalows sleep gangs of up to 5, while interconnecting rooms are also available
4* Le Palme is an all round people pleaser, ideally placed for those who want a minimum bed:beach commute. The room options here are similar to The Bouganville, with plenty of space for larger families
Active families will want to make a beeline for 4* Il Borgo. In the highest part of the resort, these rooms are on a hillside. Made up entirely of Deluxe Bungalows, these rooms best suit families of 4
5* Hotel Pineta is nestled in a quiet pine grove, but also with easy access to the beach, Oasis pools and spa. Accommodation includes double, triple and interconnecting rooms, plus themed Barbie packages (at an extra charge)
Adjacent to the beach, 5* Hotel Il Castello is the only outpost home to its own heated swimming pool (available to guests staying at the other 5* hotels, but not their 4* star siblings). There’s a wide range of rooms and prices here to suit all kinds of broods and budgets. Families of 5 will want to opt for an Executive Deluxe Mare, Prestige Plus or Deluxe Room Patio. The gourmet buffet here makes Il Castello a fantastic find for foodie
A member of Leading Hotels of the World, 5* Villa Del Parco is the base to book for families who appreciate the personal service of an intimate boutique hotel. Recently refurbished rooms and bungalows can fit up to 2 adults, a child and an infant
A mere whisper from the sea, 5* Le Dune offers a luxurious location, magnificent bungalows (sleeping up to 4), supreme service and some of the most delicious dining
Sitting pretty on one of the most romantic corners of the resort, the 5* Waterfront Suites are members of Leading Hotels of the World. A personal butler takes care of your every wish and whim, while multi-gen groups can connect up to 4 suites together
You’ll need to act quick to snag one of the 5* Luxury Villas (also members of Leading Hotels of the World), as there are only 13 to get your hands on. With private pools, modern interiors and gorgeous gardens, these sleep from 2 – 4
Price & Special Offers
from £285 p/night in low season and £570 p/night in high season at Hotel Bouganville (4*)
from £420 p/night in low season and £720 p/night in high season at Hotel Castello (5*)
Book with us benefits
$100 food and beverage credit per stay per family
One complimentary access to the Spa and use of the Thalasso pools
20% discount on Spa treatments
Room upgrade subject to availability
Early check-in or late check out subject to availability
Complimentary premium Wi-Fi
Complimentary fruit in the room on arrival
FAQs
What family facilities are there, and how much do they cost?
The Children’s Wonderland is open every day from 9am to 12.30pm and 2.30pm to 6pm, it’s free of charge for 2 – 12 years old and £17 per hour for those under 2. Parents are welcome to stay and play with their sprogs too
For tweens and teens, there’s bowling, go-kart racing and evening discos at Leisureland
Sports academies include football, rugby, tennis, golf, swimming, synchronized swimming, cycling, basketball, netball, table tennis, hockey, boxing, climbing, fencing, sailing, coastal rowing, go-karting, magic, dance, DJing and more, would you believe. If you’d like to book any of the above, talk to the Tiny Travel Agency team
Which equipment is available to borrow for babies & children?
The whole kit and caboodle of prams, bouncers, potties and more is available upon request when booking
What are the pools like?
There’s a total of 10 pools at Forte Village, with 2 heated. In the Acquapark, kids will find 2 swim spots (heated in April, May and October), small water slides, a splash pad and 5-lane Olympic length lanes, plus further salt and freshwater pools can be found in the Children’s Wonderland
Oasis is the main freshwater pool at the center of the resort, for all guests to use. There’s a sloping zero-entry entrance, alongside a separate paddling pool for little legs. On the Forte Bay Terrace you’ll also find an infinity pool, alongside the Thalassotherapy pools in the spa
Guests of the 5* hotels (Il Castello, Le Dune, Villa del Parco, Pineta and all the suites) are welcome to use the heated freshwater swimming pool at Il Castello – the only pool heated year round
Some suites at Hotel Castello, Le Dune and villas have private pools (opt for room 648s in Le Dune Villa Beatrice or Villa Elina if you’re looking for a heated one)
All heated pools are between 28-32 degrees, and will be heated if the outside temperature is lower than 28 degrees
Is there evening entertainment?
Every evening there is a show in the Piazza Luisa (included in the half board rate), and three times a week jugglers, clowns and acrobats take to the circus. Forte Arena is an open-air concert venue adjacent to Forte Village with a full calendar of ticketed events, for more information head to fortevillageresort.com
What’s the protocol for allergies?
All menus indicate allergens, whilst the Food & Beverage team will be made aware of any individual needs to accommodate accordingly
What’s the dining set up?
All hotels work on a half board basis, of breakfast and dinner only, while the villas are bed and breakfast only
Each hotel has its own breakfast restaurant and a main restaurant plus a choice of 3 or more other dining destinations for dinner included in the half board rate. There are 21 in total, in high season, with the Brazilian, Forte Grill, the Sardinian and La Pineta buffet available for everyone. While the Cavalieri Buffet is available for all five-star guests, except for Pineta, who will need to pay a supplement
Wine is not included in the half board except at the Pineta Restaurant, which has house wine and mineral water included with the buffet
For kids, there’s a children’s restaurant Mario’s Buffet which opens at 6pm, one hour earlier than the other restaurants
Room service is also available
Meet the family...
Jemma
Parent to Tiny Traveller aged 5 years old
We stayed in the Hotel Costello Garden Bungalows, which were beautifully spacious for the three of us. The first thing I have to mention is the service - the concierge was impeccable (it actually beat IKOS)! The facilities for children also really stood out. As well as an onsite water park and 2 children’s pools, there was a miniland filled with imaginative play areas including an adult size Barbie house! For grown ups, the pools & strip of private beach was stunning, to the point you didn’t feel the need to leave. And the spa was incredible! With six different thermal saltwater pools (followed by a facial!), it was one of our most relaxing experiences to date
Worth waking the baby for
01
Carloforte
For a taste of island life from days gone by, board a ferry to San Pietro – highly esteemed by locals as one of the most beautiful places in the whole of Sardinia. Visit colourful Carloforte, the only inhabited village; swim in crystal clear waters; or enjoy a fresher-than-fresh seafood lunch, featuring their world-famous bluefin tuna (where the quality is SO good the fisherman ship their catches to Japan to be used for sushi)
02
Cagliari
Named the city of the sun, charming Cagliari is brimming with ancient ruins, mazes of underground caves, craft shops and postcard-pretty palazzi. Not to be missed, is the huge saltwater lagoon Stagno di Cagliari, where local pink flamingos rest on their migration route
03
The city of Nora
Visit the magnificent ruins of the Archaeological Park of Pula in the city of Nora, where budding historians can awe at ancient baths, colonial temples and a show stopping amphitheater. To blow off steam nearby, head to Pula Adventure Park, where sightseeing can be swapped for soaring and swinging through the trees on suspended forest platforms and zip lines
