Forte Village is not a hotel. It is a small resort town on Sardinia’s south coast, with its own piazza, a cluster of separate hotels at very different price points, more than twenty restaurants in high season, a seawater spa and a sports programme that would embarrass many summer camps. Families return for a decade; couples sometimes wonder why they shared a pool with a junior football clinic. My one-line verdict: one of the best all-in sports and family resorts in Italy, as long as you pick the right hotel inside it.
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Quick facts: Forte Village Resort
- Location: Santa Margherita di Pula, on the south coast of Sardinia, about 10 km past the town of Pula towards Capo Spartivento.
- Rooms and suites: seven hotels (four and five stars) plus a collection of private villas, set in roughly 47 hectares of gardens. Il Castello alone has 210 rooms.
- Price level: high to very high, with a wide spread: the four-star bungalow hotels cost far less than Villa del Parco or a villa.
- Season: seasonal. The 2026 programme ran from Easter (early April) to the start of November; the resort closes in winter, and services are reduced at the edges of the season.
- Nearest airport: Cagliari Elmas, roughly 45 km, about 45 to 50 minutes by car.
- Best for: families with children of any age, tennis players, sporty groups and multi-generational holidays.
Check prices and availability
Rates at Forte Village depend heavily on which hotel and room category you choose. July and August sell out early, especially family bungalows, so compare dates before you commit.
Location and getting there
The resort sits on a flat stretch of coast south-west of Cagliari, between the archaeological town of Pula and the headland of Capo Spartivento. It faces a long beach of fine pale sand.
Cagliari airport is the gateway. Allow 45 to 50 minutes for a private transfer, more on summer Saturdays. If you are combining Sardinia with the mainland, our Italy travel planner covers transfers, car hire and how to plan connections, and the eSIM guide is worth a look before you land.
The hotels: one resort, many price levels
This is the point most first-timers miss. You do not book “Forte Village” so much as one hotel inside it, and that choice decides your pool, your breakfast room, how close you are to the beach and what you pay. All guests share the beach, the sports facilities, the piazza and the kids clubs. These are the hotel names you will see when you book, plus the villas.
Five-star hotels
- Villa del Parco and Spa: the most refined address, a member of The Leading Hotels of the World, with rooms, bungalows, suites and villas in mature gardens right beside the Acquaforte spa. The rooftop Belvedere restaurant belongs to this hotel. The mood is quieter and more adult than elsewhere.
- Le Dune: low-rise suites and bungalows set back among the trees near the sea, with its own reception, concierge, a panoramic pool and the Le Dune à la carte restaurant. Small and calm.
- Il Castello: the largest hotel, with 210 rooms over five floors, plus garden bungalows, about 50 metres from the sea. Guests get a heated sea-view pool reserved for the hotel. For 2026 the Castello rooms and Garden Bungalows were renovated with Sardinian-inspired furnishings and stone bathrooms.
- Pineta: a horseshoe of rooms around a courtyard, close to the sea and the spa, with triple rooms that suit larger families.
Four-star hotels
- Bouganville: deluxe bungalows in gardens near the central piazza, the pools and restaurants. Its family bungalows were rebuilt for 2026 with new patios and private gardens.
- Le Palme: bungalows among palms and woodland, next to the Oasis pool, the aquapark, Children’s Wonderland and the children’s restaurant. The most practical base for younger children.
- Il Borgo: 35 bungalows on the highest part of the resort, close to the tennis courts and the family pools.
Above all of these sit the villas, each with a private garden and pool, which are booked as stand-alone homes with resort access. As a rough guide, a four-star bungalow in shoulder season costs a fraction of a Villa del Parco suite in August. For the exact inclusions of each room type, such as which restaurants are covered on half board, ask the hotel when you book.
Dining: chef names and a small food town
The resort counts 27 restaurants in 2026, with around 21 open at the peak of summer, plus more than a dozen bars. Executive chef Stefano Andreoli and chef Paolo Simioni oversee a brigade of over 100 cooks. Depending on your room category, dinner at several of the buffet and à la carte venues is included in half board, while the chef-led restaurants carry a supplement.
- Beachcomber: Heinz Beck, the chef behind La Pergola in Rome, has run this 60-seat restaurant by the sea since 2019.
- Belvedere: the rooftop restaurant of Villa del Parco, led by Giuseppe Molaro of Contaminazioni near Naples, with about 70 covers and a Japanese-influenced Mediterranean menu.
- Cracco: Carlo Cracco’s summer restaurant on the Forte Bay terrace reopened on 4 July 2026, with his former sous chef Matteo Baronetto cooking alongside him for the season.
- New for 2026: MU Dim Sum, a Cantonese restaurant, and a trattoria by Rocco Iannone using vegetables from the resort’s own greenhouse. There is also an Indian restaurant, a Brazilian churrascaria, Forte Grill, Tiki Beach for sushi and cocktails, Le Dune’s Italian à la carte and the Cavalieri garden restaurant.
- Celebrity Chef Nights: every July and August, Michelin-starred guest chefs cook on the Forte Bay terrace. The 2026 line-up included Fabio Pisani, Giuseppe Mancino, Max Mascia and Andrea Berton.
One honest note on Michelin: the stars belong to the chefs’ home restaurants. I could not verify a current star for any of the resort’s own dining rooms in the 2026 guide, so if a starred meal is the point of your trip, ask the hotel which venues and chefs will be cooking on your dates.
Check rates at Forte Village Resort
Spa and pools
Acquaforte Thalasso and Spa is the resort’s other big draw. Its circuit uses six seawater pools, each at a different temperature and salt concentration, running from very saline and warm to a cold plunge at the end. The concept was developed with Dr Angelo Cerina, and for 2026 the spa added a Russian banya and a new mud area to the circuit. Spa entry is paid for most guests, and the spa and gym are restricted to guests aged 16 and over, so plan an adult afternoon while the children are at a club.
For swimming, the Oasis area has three pools including the aquapark, and the Baia delle Palme pool has long water slides. Several hotels have pools reserved for their own guests: the heated sea-view pool at Il Castello and the panoramic pool at Le Dune are the ones adults will appreciate most in August.
Sport and activities
This is where Forte Village stands apart from most Italian resorts. As we note in our guide to the best luxury hotels with tennis courts in Italy, it has 13 floodlit courts, 12 of them red clay and one hard court, plus three padel courts. The tennis academy runs from April to October with individual and group training, and visiting coaches and former players join in summer: the 2026 programme listed names such as Pat Cash, Emilio Sánchez and Andrea Seppi. The resort has also hosted ITF events.
The academies are the reason many families return. The 2026 programme included:
- Football: a Real Madrid Foundation Clinic with UEFA-licensed coaches, running in 2026 from late May to early September and again in late October.
- Rugby: sessions from age five, with British legends such as Will Greenwood and Martin Johnson involved.
- Basketball: a programme linked to Olimpia Milano.
- Everything else: fencing, boxing, swimming, cycling, karting, dance, climbing, sailing, diving, pickleball, table tennis and, new in 2026, cricket.
Academies run Monday to Friday, mostly for a fee, and the popular weeks fill early. Coaches and partners change from year to year, so check the current programme. For younger children, Children’s Wonderland covers creative workshops, Mario’s Village, a vegetable garden and Barbie experiences, with a free Mini Club for ages 2 to 12 and a paid nursery for babies. Teenagers get Leisureland, with bowling and go-karts. New in 2026: a zip line and an astronomical observatory in the Nature Park.
Golfers will not find a course on site, but Is Molas golf club is about 12 km away. If golf matters more than tennis, see our best golf resorts in Italy hub first.
What’s nearby
The Roman and Punic ruins of Nora sit just outside Pula, and the beaches of Chia and the coast road towards Capo Spartivento are among the most beautiful in southern Sardinia. Cagliari is under an hour away. If you are building a wider island-hopping trip, our guide to tennis hotels in Sicily covers the obvious next stop for players.
Forte Village vs other Sardinian luxury resorts
| Hotel | Location | Standout | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forte Village Resort | Santa Margherita di Pula, south coast, about 45 minutes from Cagliari airport | 13 floodlit tennis courts, 3 padel, many sports academies, thalasso spa, several hotels and villas | Families, tennis players, multi-generational groups |
| Hotel Cala di Volpe | Costa Smeralda, near Porto Cervo, about 27 km from Olbia airport | 1960s Jacques Couëlle architecture, 121 rooms, large seawater pool, Pevero golf nearby | Couples, glamour, yacht-scene summers |
| Conrad Chia Laguna Sardinia | Chia, south coast, 45 to 60 minutes from Cagliari airport | 107 rooms, shuttle to the Chia dunes, 4 tennis courts and padel, kids clubs to age 17 | Smaller-scale family stays near the best southern beaches |
In short: Cala di Volpe is the north-east’s social address; Conrad Chia Laguna is the calmer neighbour down the same coast; Forte Village is the one with the sports infrastructure.
Who it suits, and who it does not
It suits:
- Families who want children busy, coached and happy from breakfast to bedtime.
- Tennis players who want clay courts, lights, coaching and hitting partners on site.
- Multi-generational groups, each with their own programme.
It does not suit:
- Couples looking for an intimate, adults-only hideaway in July or August.
- Travellers who want a village atmosphere and local restaurants on the doorstep.
- Budget-conscious guests: extras such as academies, the spa and chef restaurants add up fast.
Charlotte’s tip: pick your hotel by age, not by stars
With toddlers, a four-star bungalow at Le Palme beats a five-star room at Il Castello, simply because the aquapark, kids club and children’s restaurant are a few steps away. With teenagers or no children, Le Dune or Villa del Parco are worth the extra. For tennis, book late May, June or September.
Practical tips
- Booking: confirm exactly which restaurants your board plan covers, and pre-book academy weeks and chef restaurants when you book the room.
- Best rooms to request: sea-view rooms on the upper floors of Il Castello, Le Dune suites close to the beach, or Villa del Parco bungalows near the spa.
- Season: June and September offer the best balance of weather, prices and court time. Early April and late October bring reduced services; ask the hotel which hotels and restaurants will be open on your dates.
- Dress: relaxed by day, smart casual at dinner.
- Kids: the Mini Club for ages 2 to 12 is free without pre-booking; the nursery and many academies are paid.
Check prices and availability
Compare room categories across Forte Village’s hotels for your dates, from family bungalows to Villa del Parco suites.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Forte Village one hotel?
No. It is a resort of several hotels plus private villas, ranging from four-star bungalow hotels such as Le Palme and Il Borgo to five-star Villa del Parco and Le Dune.
Is Forte Village open all year?
No. In 2026 it ran from Easter in early April to the start of November and then closed for winter. Exact dates vary by year and by hotel, so ask the hotel.
How good is the tennis at Forte Village?
Excellent: 13 floodlit courts (12 red clay, one hard), three padel courts and an academy from April to October with visiting coaches. It has also hosted ITF events.
How far is Forte Village from Cagliari airport?
About 45 km, or 45 to 50 minutes by car. Book a private transfer in advance for summer Saturdays.
Planning more Italian sports holidays?
