Alba Dorata Resort

The taxi arrangements were a mess from the start. We asked reception on our first day to book one for 10:30 or 11 a.m. at the latest, following the rule to book ten days ahead. They told us to return the next day to confirm and pay. When we did, the woman said it hadn't been arranged and asked us to come back again. This happened for several days. Eventually we got a message saying it was booked, but at checkout we discovered it was for much later than we had requested. When we objected, they called the taxi and said they could move it 15 minutes earlier. That wasn't the time we had agreed to, and we refused to pay. The manager shouted that we had to pay, insisted the time they chose was fine, and said he couldn't understand why we were making a problem. We had to get another taxi from Orosei. He verbally abused us, which made us feel unsafe, and then ran after us as we left, calling us cheap. If they had booked the time we asked for and collected payment when we first requested it, none of this would have happened. Their handling of it was unprofessional and made us feel mocked as customers. The room was in very poor condition. It smelled strongly of chemicals and mould when we arrived, so we aired it out. Then we saw hundreds of ants crawling around, apparently coming from the walls. Plaster was peeling and the bathroom tiles were cracked. The Wi-Fi only worked by the pool and near reception, despite claims that it was available everywhere. The bedside phone didn't work, and there was no kettle. The pool water had sand and plant debris in it. In our room, towels and sheets were left on the terrace, and nobody came inside. The air conditioning worked but smelled mouldy. We recorded the room's condition before leaving. We also felt unwelcome from staff, perhaps because only a few people could speak English. If you don't order food early, it may be gone by the time you ask. When we wanted takeaway pizza, the receptionist asked if we had a car and suggested eating outside the resort. She offered to call the buffet but couldn't promise there would be anything. The worst moment was when an older guest became ill and vomited by the pool. Staff came to help, but after a while one man in a blue T-shirt turned away and laughed. When I asked what was funny, he stopped smiling and said, “No, nothing.” What is advertised on the website doesn't match what we experienced.

I had to cancel my booking at Alba Dorata Village (Località Baia Sas Linnas Sicas, Orosei, 08028, Italy) for personal reasons. I called the Village on September 17 to explain and cancel that same day. The first problem was that the woman who answered spoke neither English nor Spanish, and didn't call a colleague who could help in either language. I had to struggle through Italian, since she didn't want me to speak slowly in Spanish. They gave me another number and told me to ask for Mrs. Elena. Elena wasn't there, but a colleague helped cancel the reservation and said Booking would send confirmation. Booking did message me, but it said the reservation was still active. I couldn't cancel it myself in the booking page, and I had called in time to qualify for cancellation at half price. More than a week later, Booking told me the hotel had processed the cancellation two days after my call, which meant they could charge more than they would have if they'd done it that day. The hotel charged the full price. This isn't only about the money. The staff's manners and reliability were disappointing. Also be aware that there's a €50 cleaning fee, even for a one-night stay, which only becomes clear after you've made the reservation.

The beach was amazing, and the food, pool, and staff were all great. A perfect place for families with little kids. We'll be back!

A great family stopover, with some of Sardinia's best beaches right nearby. Good for children and very good value.