Le Residenze La Marmorata

Housekeeping was the main problem. For our first three nights, the room wasn’t cleaned at all. We followed up several times before the receptionist explained and apologised that cleaning is done by an outside contractor, so the hotel doesn’t directly control it. That made sense, though it’s something they need to fix. It certainly didn’t merit a one-star review. We’d read the one-star reviews before booking and arrived with low expectations, thinking it might be a new hotel working through early issues. After four nights, we found it wonderful. The staff were friendly, even if some didn’t speak English, which is fair enough in Italy. Rooms are modern and comfortable, and the beach is fantastic, with clear water and hotel sections with loungers. We usually got there around midday and always found a spot, though not necessarily in the front. We didn’t pay the €50 for front-row loungers and still had a great time. Compared with prices at other Sardinian hotels, Mangia’s is excellent value. They’re still ironing out housekeeping problems, but it’s a beautiful hotel that should only improve.

I don’t really get the negative reviews. We had a wonderful stay, with polite staff who responded quickly whenever we needed something. At check-in, my son’s bed had no blanket, but one arrived in our room within 10 minutes of calling reception. Our room was cleaned every day, and the food was varied, fresh, and tasty, with something new to try. The grounds were lovely and well kept, and there was entertainment every evening, either live music or a DJ. Two things could have been better: the beach wasn’t Sardinia’s most beautiful, and the pool could use more frequent cleaning. By the end of our holiday, there was quite a bit of dirt on the bottom. Even so, I’d gladly recommend the hotel and come back.

The beach was the best of the several I tried in Sardinia, so I didn’t feel the need to go elsewhere. Breakfast had plenty of variety and was excellent, and housekeeping kept our room spotless with daily cleaning. From the welcoming reception to service across the resort, everything was handled quickly and efficiently. My stay at Mangia Sardinia Resort exceeded expectations, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone visiting Sardinia.

The resort itself is nice, but it’s poorly run. A corporate group, Candriam, took over the site at the expense of paying guests. Other residents I spoke with were unhappy too, and I’ll let the tour operator know. The parties were loud until 2am, and reception’s response was basically ‘so what?’ The beach is nice, as is the beach bar, though it closed for a few days because of that corporate event. Food was disappointing. The hot breakfast choices were poor and the buffet sparse. The soft drinks machine was broken the whole time, with no gas, so there were no soft drinks. I didn’t know the pizza restaurant needed to be booked ahead until I tried to go, so I never ate there. No great loss, since there’s much better food outside the hotel. The rooms were okay, nicely decorated, and a decent size. I’m glad I paid for a Superior room. Maid service was sporadic, perhaps once a week if you’re lucky, and usually late afternoon. I probably wouldn’t return or recommend it. Guests should be at the centre of the experience, and it didn’t feel that way here.