Villa Grachira

The quiet evenings on my terrace were lovely, with a breeze and a glimpse of the water on both sides. My room faced the street rather than the sea, but it was a quiet street. Every morning while I had breakfast, two lovely women cleaned the room. They were kind, helpful, efficient, and clearly good at their jobs. The hotel and my room were immaculately clean, amazingly free of sand for a beach place. Villa Grachira has its own access to the sea. It’s a rocky platform, or scoglio in Italian, rather than a sandy beach, but you can jump into the clear blue water from there. I tried it and loved it. Local plants, flowers, and cacti around the building give the courtyards and patios privacy from the street and neighboring properties. Even though it only takes 4-5 minutes to walk into Fertilia, the villa feels like a secret oasis. Raffaella, who runs Villa Grachira, is lovely and very hands-on. You can tell it’s her “baby.” She’s welcoming and available to answer questions or help out. The hotel itself is simple, artistic, and a little quirky, with local art and no pretentious feel. The rooms are refreshingly minimal, and I liked that they weren’t covered in pictures of things visible right outside the window. Breakfast had lots of options for different tastes and ages: coffee and espresso drinks, tea, juice, milk and a non-dairy milk, pastries, cakes, toast with jam, cheeses, and cured meats. Eggs were available if requested. Sitting on the patio over the water, looking toward Alghero’s picturesque skyline, was also a nice way to meet other guests. I met Italians, Germans, and Brits, and we swapped tips and informal reviews of our holidays. I visited in the first week of July 2024 and had a wonderful stay. Villa Grachira is in Fertilia, Sardegna, a few miles from Alghero and even closer to the regional airport. Fertilia is a tiny, quiet town with a short row of restaurants, a small grocery store, a pharmacy, and other basics, without the bustle of other Italian beach towns. Getting to Alghero is easy by car or bus. If you want a peaceful base with incredible views for a beach holiday around Alghero, I highly recommend it.

This place wasn’t friendly for people with special needs. We had no Wi-Fi for our entire stay. I reported it to the admin, heard nothing the next day, and had to ask again what was wrong. The only explanation was that the technician never showed up. They didn’t offer another room or any compensation while we were there, and seemed unable to resolve the problem. I explained that I had arranged family calls because my dad had recently passed away, and I needed to stay in touch with my support system for my mental health. I couldn’t make those calls because the only option they gave me was to use common areas, even after I said they were sensitive, private calls that I couldn’t take in shared spaces. I messaged the admin on WhatsApp to arrange a checkout meeting and resolve the service issue, but she left the premises and nobody was there to take the keys. Once again, I had to call her to ask where to leave them and how they would address the lack of service. After I insisted, they offered a small refund “as a favor.” It was later cancelled that afternoon, after we had left, when I asked for a receipt for the transfer. Booking.com resolved the issue. I completely regret choosing Villa Grachira.

This was my second visit to Villa Grachira this year, and I loved every minute. The staff were excellent, and special thanks to Rafaella for arranging a late checkout, which made the trip home much easier. And those sea views! ❤️🇮🇹

The view over the sea from the apartment was stunning. Rafaella was unexpectedly welcoming too. Thank you, Rafaella!