Forte Village, Sardinia: a family-friendly review
Forte Village is one of those resorts where its reputation precedes it. ‘Five-star fabulous’; ‘amazing sports’; ‘outstanding childcare’ – all the sorts of things you’ll hear people say when describing this stunning spot in the Med. Tucked beside a gorgeous stretch of Sardinian sand, this sprawling resort is less ‘hotel’ and more ‘holiday village’, with sports, pools, kids’ clubs, restaurants and activities seemingly around every corner
But can it really be that great? And, more importantly, is it actually possible for parents to properly relax in a resort overflowing with activities and opportunities for fun? We asked mum-of-three Rosalyn Wikeley to check it out and report back. Here’s her totally honest review. (Spoiler: it’s pretty darn sensational!)
Words: Rosalyn Wikeley
Published: 10th August 2026 | Last updated: 10th August 2026
Your most asked questions, answered
What makes Forte Village so good for families?
Forte Village is so much more than just a resort – it really is a ‘village’. There are eight luxury hotels to choose from (4 of which are 5-star), 13 villas and 40 spacious suites – so enough accommodation options to suit all shapes and sizes of families or multigenerational groups (of which there are many at Forte Village)
Famed for its outstanding sports facilities and academies that run from late March to early November, Forte Village is the sort of resort families return to year after year for a world-class activity programme. Charles Forte founded the Sardinian resort in the seventies for sports lovers, and while Forte Village is no longer owned by the Rocco Forte group, this founding principle is still very much present in there to this day
As well as the dizzying array of activities – really, everything from fencing and boxing academy to the wildly popular football, tennis and netball academies hosted by star players – there’s the Aquaforte Thalasso & Spa woven into gorgeous, exotic gardens, with a thalasso pool circuit, and a beautiful, sandy beach lined with loungers. And the classic Sardinian restaurants backing them are ideal for lunch-with-a-view, without needing to lug the kids back to base
What really clinched it for us though was the fact that the excellent Kids’ Club can take children from as young as 4 months-old (in the baby area) right through to teens. Childcare here is outstanding with a tailored programmed to suite each age group and the perfect mix of activities, play and time-out in the beautiful, shady facilities where children are looked after by trained, kind staff
This level of childcare meant we could flick through the activity menu for us, as well as the children, or have a long overdue poolside breather. Absolutely holiday gold dust as any parent will testify
All-in-all this is paradise for all members of the family, made even better by the fact that you can cycle through its maze of palms and banana trees to the beach, pools, classes and restaurants. Dreamy
What's included for families at Forte Village?
The Children’s Wonderland is a complimentary, supervised mini-club for children aged 2-12. But this is no ordinary kid’s club – think giant Barbie House (which our girls were obsessed with), Mario’s Village (a tiny little world for them play in) and even a sweet vegetable garden where children can help tend to the carrots, courgettes and herbs, or even pull out a few with the staff. Children under 2 can stay here in the dedicated baby area, but this is additional and involves advanced babysitter booking (we did this with our 6 month-old)
The teens club veers more towards age-specific activities – sports tournaments, djing (cool or what?!) and general hanging out and making new friends, though they really don’t need to sign up to this as there are plenty of academies to keep them busy
You can look forward to 11 pools to dive into across the resort. We parked ourselves every afternoon at the Baia delle Palme aqua park with its fun slides and Oasis pool. Shallow and perfect for our girls who are 5 and 3, with the baby having the occasional spray from the fun water toys dotted around the pool
What we loved was not having to pay extra for a sun lounger and towel (which some hotels are guilty of), and rocking up at the beach in the morning with the whole clan (before it gets hot) to recline on those squishy loungers as the little ones played in the sand
The facilities at Forte Village are extraordinary – really, surpassing the UK’s most prestigious boarding schools for things like basketball courts, gyms, running tracks, tennis courts and boxing rings. I found it quite overwhelming to begin with, but soon realised that children who are around 4+ can really benefit from these, honing their skills while on holiday rather than just jumping in the pool between ice creams. It was nice to mix unstructured play with a bit of learning new skills – and they all sleep soundly at night, put it that way!
My eldest daughter actually stayed up for the evening entertainment a few nights, begging to meet her older pals she’d made in the kids’ club. The shows are the sort you’d expect on an expensive cruise – fantastic singers who get everyone up on their feet, and of an impressive standard for a family-friendly hotel. It’s all just really well organised and incredibly good fun
You can request cots, children’s beds, bottle warmers and other baby kit to be delivered to your room and there is a shop on site if you need to pick up essentials like nappies
What's the dining set up at Forte Village?
Food is a big part of the Forte Village experience – and with around 21 restaurants and 14 bars, there’s so much choice. This isn’t a case of everyone trooping to the same restaurant every night; instead, restaurants are dotted around the huge resort, from relaxed family-friendly spots and buffets to beachside dining and seriously swanky gourmet restaurants
For families, the buffet restaurants are an easy win. Pineta is a lovely open-air spot tucked beneath the pine trees, while Cavalieri offers Italian and Sardinian specialities alongside live cooking. Bellavista is another great option, with a buffet setting overlooking the sea. And then there’s the Pizzeria – because however adventurous your children might be at home, pizza is always a safe bet on holiday. There’s even a dedicated children’s restaurant, Marios, serving child-friendly dishes, plus baby food for little ones
If you fancy lunch or dinner with a view, you’re spoilt for choice. Several restaurants are right by the beach or overlooking the Med, including Beachcomber, Fish Market and Bellavista. For a special grown-up evening, there are also some seriously impressive gourmet restaurants and chef-led experiences
Not every restaurant is designed with children in mind, so it’s worth checking which ones are best suited to your family when you arrive. The good news is that there’s plenty families with open arms
And one thing to know: you’ll need to book some restaurants in advance, particularly the more popular or special-occasion options, and some may carry an additional charge depending on your board basis. So, it’s worth getting your restaurant bookings sorted as soon as you arrive otherwise you may find the children have planned your dining itinerary for you, and it involves pizza every night!
Where is Forte Village ?
Located on Sardinia’s eye-watering pretty southern coast, in the area of Santa Margherita Di Pula, Forte Village is only a 45-minute drive west of Cagliari Elmas Airport (a mercifully short transfer for families following the 3-hour flight). Ensure you book a transfer through the hotel and really specify the exact carseat ages required – Sardinia is more relaxed on this than other parts of Italy, so really emphasise this during your booking
The resort covers some 123 acres (to give you a real sense of its scale) – it’s vast, but so manageable with the bikes and buggies
When is the best time to visit Forte Village?
The beauty of Sardinia is that it’s (usually) the perfect temperature for small children during shoulder season (April, May, September, even October). We’d love to go back for a half-term, short haul option as our eldest is school-age
I’d actually shy away from it in August with tinies as it’s incredibly hot, and you’ll be shade chasing – but the older lot can book in their academy sessions indoors or in shaded outdoor areas during the hottest part of the day
It does get busy in the school holidays, so if you’re not yet in the school zone, I’d recommend going outwith those weeks
Rooms & Suites
Something to suit every family
If you’re going in at entry level, and essentially want to pay as little as possible to access all these incredible facilities, you can book one of the 4* bungalows or check into one of the 4* hotels. These include Hotel Bouganville with its cleverly divided rooms (so you’re sectioned off from the children in your own private quarters); Hotel Le Palme, which has a similar layout but also two-story cottages with private patios (ideal to carry on the evening together with a bottle of wine while the children are asleep) and Il Borgo, which resembles a sweet village and I personally think is the best at this price point as it’s a little pocket of peace and so close to the beach
To pull it up a level (these are essentially premium, so 5* but not uber-luxe), Pineta is also made up of bungalow-style rooms, but has its very own concierge, exclusive breakfast area and its own private pool – Pineta Lagoon – which again feels a little more exclusive and not too busy. Hotel Castello sits within this same ‘premium’ category and comes views of the sea and balconies to give parents a breather together after children are tucked up in bed. Like Pineta, it has access to it’s own deliciously heated freshwater pool – which sounds like madness in the Sardinian heat, but I promise, its pure heaven on a bracing morning, or when you’re feeling tired from a night of them waking and the last thing you need is another cortisol shock from cold water
Up at the top-tier, there’s the luxury hotel and private villas. We stayed in Villa del Parco, which, to me seemed to be the best of the best. It sits in pretty, tropical gardens and is conveniently located right next to the spa and the children’s aquapark (with breakfast a few steps from our suite). I loved how our villa was divided and sound proofed enough to really have your own space – we could lift out conversation above a whisper and really enjoy each other’s company – particularly with the lit terrace outside (and the sun loungers for afternoon nap time)
While it’s part of a large building, our room really felt like a villa, and I sensed the ones on the floors above us did too, though I personally prefer a terrace to a balcony (for both safety reasons and just the ease of the kids running in and out). Our room was well-equipped for the baby – bottle steriliser, cot, baby bath, toddler guards on the beds for the girls. (Though be careful not to get stung by the glass bottled water, you only get one free bottle of water each day per room). The beds were enormous and wildly comfortable and the kids were also treated to large beds (none of these tiny toddler beds or fold out situations). The local candied puddings on arrival were probably what my children remember the most about this trip, these and the turtles outside the spa… and the gelato by the waterpark
If money were no option though, I’d be checking into the Forte Village Villas. My favourite Villa Azzurra, had the most gorgeous outdoor spaces, views of the sea, cleverly carved up spaces so adults had plenty of privacy without being too far from the children, and the sort of porous spaces where you forget if you’re inside or out in the fresh air. All the villas come with their own heated private pools and you’d need the butler and in-house chef, of course. I can see this working really well for multi-generation families or groups of friends and children who all want to tap into the hotel’s incredible academies and professional sports coaching, while also having a luxurious, beach fronted break (and the privacy that comes with a villa)
Childcare & Kid's Entertainment
Five star facilities from baby to teen
The Kids’ Club at Forte Village is predominantly outside, which I loved. Most of it is shaded but you know they’re getting plenty of fresh air and, the occasional reprieve from the heat inside either the fun pink-on-pink Barbie house or the main area opposite the playground where they keep children hydrated and happy on fruit and healthy snacks
There’s not the age group division you’ll find in most kids’ clubs, which worked for us as our two girls then almost 3 and almost 5) could stay together, Generally, I find they ease into Kids’ Clubs better if they’re together, regardless of age specific activities, although I’m aware this could change in the near future
The team were incredibly friendly and full of beans – I always find my children feed off the energy of those running these kids’ clubs. They would bound over on most days (a few tears on some, but the team were quick to distract and move onto the next exciting thing having said I was going to the girls). They were fine on most days, delighted even to get stuck into Mario’s Village, with its various model houses, and the crafting in the Barbie House
Meanwhile, our baby (6 months-old) was brilliantly looked after by an experienced lady who reassuringly asked me for every detail of his routine, all the measurements of his feeds and those little questions you’d absolutely want a carer of under 1s to ask. He played with her in the nursery space, which is padded, shaded and full of sensory toys, books and natural light (air conned for hot days). The sleep zone at the back feels nicely tucked away from the noise and rambunctious little ones outside, though I’d always ask that the babies are monitored regularly, or that they take a monitor with them. When I returned on two occasions, she’d used her initiative to get my son to sleep a little longer than usual as it had taken him longer to settle, which I was pleased about. I ultimately felt like he was in great hands
Due to the ages of my kids, I didn’t have any experience of the Junior Cub (the teen programme 13-17) but this is essentially a mix of sports tournaments, cultural events and arts, and some fun socials so they can all get to know each other. I thought it was lovely that all the teens walking around in the evening seemed to know each other from these coaching academies, and formed groups who’d go to the evening entertainment together. For those with diverse ages (i.e. young children and maybe a teen in the mix), this set up would work really well so everyone has a great holiday. The older lot will also love Leisureland – a cool zone for 8+ children with a go-cart track, disco and a bowling alley
Wining & Dining
Foodies will be spoilt for choice
It’s a half-board set up, which worked well for us as the children continued their routine. Mario’s restaurant served up classic ‘kiddy’ plates (with plenty of healthy options), but we’d often skip lunch with the heat, and after really leaning into breakfast
What we loved about our hotel, Villa Del Parco Hotel and Spa, was that their admirably diligent concierge helped essentially match our family up to the right restaurant, depending on the day’s activities and whether we were feeling something low key and relaxed or up for something smarter. Obviously, guests can choose to eat wherever they want, wherever they like, but it’s worth asking the concierge at whichever hotel you stay at, should you need a bit of guidance
Real standouts for us were Belvedere (where Giuseppe Molaro whips up some really creative Sardinian classics on a candle-lit terrace overlooking the tropical gardens), and Pineta, which wasn’t necessarily the smartest restaurant but the enormous buffet was a real hit with the children (and we loved how easy it was for everyone to scoop up what they wanted, in a short space of time). Nothing worse than the restaurant waiting game when they’re hungry and really flagging
A friend who was also there said La Dune was one of her favourites – a swanky à la carte restaurant overlooking the beach. It’s worth knowing that those who’s staying in the 5* hotels eat on site, not at the main buffet – it’s like having the keys to a different level of Forte Village, and, in my opinion, well worth it
Pools & Beach
The dream pool set up
There are 11 pools dotted around the Forte Village resort, but we quickly figured out our favourites that suited my girls’ ages (3 and 5), with somewhere for the baby to splash around too. If your children are around this age, you want to be basing yourselves at Baia delle Palme (Acquapark), with its water flumes, slides and easy-going pool bar where we racked up quit the bill on endless snacks and ice cream! This closes over nap time (and when the Sardinian sun is too fierce for little people) and is a lovely place to come late afternoon until it’s time to change for the evening. We got there literally as it opened to bag a sun lounger because we were there during half term, so it was a peak week
My girls loved the Laguna pools, with the pirate ship slides (less daunting for smalls than the large ones shooting down into the main pool – which you need to have strong swimmers for). You do really need to monitor them though as they can scoot off to the main pool area quite easily as it’s not sectioned off. Something worth noting
My daughters were desperate to go to the oasis pool complex, with its gorgeous cabanas and water fountains, (which they spotted during a lunch nearby) but our hotel was right next to the aquapark, and that will be the case for most people staying – you’ll choose the pool that’s closest and right for your children’s ages. We also loved Hotel Castello & Suites Pool, which was freshwater, heated, and exclusively for guests staying at the luxury 5* hotels, so felt a little more upmarket than the others
What is there for adults?
Happy kids = happy parents
Wow, if you think the children have plenty to get up to at Forte Village, then wait till you see what’s on offer for parents. Grown-ups of all holiday tribes will find their rhythm here. My husband and I found the first evening of ‘planning’ from the schedule quite full on as there’s the urge to cram in as much as you can, but you do have to factor in down time, the kids’ activity schedules and nap time
What we discovered worked really well was an activity each in the morning (tennis, gym, pilates, swimming proper lengths), taking turns with the children. Then something relaxing while they were in the Kids’ Club – reading by the pool or skipping off to the spa for a massage or Thalasso pool circuit run
A real highlight for us was having a late lunch together at the Bellavista, overlooking the sea while all three of our children were either napping in the Kids’ Club or chugging around the resort with the amazing staff in Forte Village’s sweet little train
What to do locally
Luxury in the perfect location
This is where the luxury 5* hotels’ concierges really come into their own, as they can recommend beautiful beaches (that have the right facilities for your children’s ages), and trips that suit your family’s interests
We stayed put, admittedly, as there was just so much to sink our teeth into at the hotel, but should anyone get cabin fever here (unlikely), Pula Town is only a 15-minute drive from Fort Village with its pretty houses, shops and cafes in the main square to stop and people watch from
The hotel offers some fantastic excursions, such as visiting Molentargius-Saline Natural Park near Cagliari (you could even do this en route to the airport) for its protected wetland and thousands of flamingos, and boat trips as a family along the coast, exploring coves and jumping in the water with a snorkel (for the strong swimmers)
Rosalyn's verdict
For both sporty families and those just those wanting more than the standard fly-and-flop with a kids’ club, Forte Village is as good as it gets. We felt completely spoilt for choice on the activities – tennis lessons, swimming in gorgeous infinity pools, netball academy, bike lessons for our eldest – the list goes on and on. We were so grateful for the splash pools for the younger children to take the edge off the late afternoon heat (in a safe, age-appropriate setting)
I loved how the concierge really got under the skin of the family to help craft our itinerary and suggest fun things for us all to do. For example, the evening we arrived, we were too tired to eat out after a plane delay, so opted for in-room dining. This was no problem for the team, but the following morning, one team member took me aside and said I’d be mad to miss out on eating the wonderful Belvedere restaurnant during our stay. She was right, it turned out to be our favourite place to dine, having swapped it for another option on the second night. This was just one of many insider tips I was so grateful for during our stay. They really want you to have the best time possible and this attention to detail is what makes Forte so special. Once you have all the weekly schedules and restaurants, take a coffee, sit down with the team and craft your dream week with the experts right next to you
A real highlight for the children was the kids’ club which they loved, but equally we forged some really special memories here: cycling around the resort like a pack, with the eldest finally coming off stabilisers, splashing around in the shallows at the beach and walking to the evening entertainment, the girls in their party frocks, excited for the dancing. My feeling is that the Forte Village resort would really come into its own once your eldest is 5+, but equally, those with tinies and holiday ambitions beyond just a sun lounger and beach will be dropping their bags in the right place
Forte Village: Our Tiny Travelship Take
Meet the mama
Rosalyn Wikeley is a travel writer and editor with over a decade’s experience working for world-renowned titles, many under the Condé Nast umbrella. She writes regularly for Condé Nast Traveller, The Evening Standard and House & Garden and her work has been published in the Financial Times, Vogue, Tatler, Harper’s Bazaar and The Telegraph
Rosalyn’s has two daughters who are 5 and 3 and a son who is 1 and they travel with her to all corners of the world on work assignments – from the Maldives to Madrid, Sicily to the South of France. Her reviews are published in the top family guides and her reluctance to fall into a waterslide and plastic chair chapter makes her the go-to for friends wanting a chic but family friendly break
Themes: The Best Family-Friendly Hotels in the UK with Kids’ Clubs; The UK Family-Friendly Edit
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