Cheval Blanc Pitrizza, Costa Smeralda - The Diamond of Porto Cervo
For the final days of our Costa Smeralda trip, we decided to splurge and celebrate my friend Basti’s birthday at Pitrizza. Already regarded as one of the most prestigious properties on the Costa Smeralda and currently being transformed into a Cheval Blanc resort, Pitrizza has long been my personal favorite among Porto Cervo’s four iconic hotels. The others are Romazzino, Hotel Cervo and Cala di Volpe. In today’s landscape, I would argue that Pitrizza has the potential to become the absolute standout of the island. Cala di Volpe is slowly losing some of its original soul after its refurbishment, Romazzino is still waiting for the extensive makeover it desperately needs, Hotel Cervo remains “only” a Sheraton, while the Rocco Forte property sits farther inland in a somewhat unusual location. The new Mandarin Oriental is certainly worth watching, although it is not directly on the sea and therefore plays in a slightly different league.
Once the renovation is completed and the Cheval Blanc identity is finally placed on the door, I expect this hotel to become one of Europe’s most celebrated luxury resorts. Even before the transformation is complete, we were already impressed. Pitrizza seems to get so many fundamentals right: the size is intimate, staffing levels feel appropriate, the interiors are elegant without being overworked and the food and beverage offering is varied enough to keep guests interested throughout a stay. So what could possibly be missing? Fortunately, we stayed here during this transitional period and can report on the experience first-hand, including the little imperfections that still separate the current hotel from the Cheval Blanc it is destined to become.
We booked a Classic Room through a Virtuoso travel advisor for around €850 per room and night, including a USD 200 hotel credit, a complimentary upgrade as well as early check-in and late check-out. We initially booked only two nights, although extending our stay a few months before arrival in February was handled without any difficulty. With only 49 rooms and suites plus 16 standalone villas, availability disappears quickly, particularly during the short and highly concentrated Costa Smeralda season. By March, the hotel was already sold out for our dates, so even before the rebranding it was clear that scoring one of the property’s coveted rooms requires some planning.
We arrived directly from Cala di Volpe. Having not felt particularly welcome there, we were at Pitrizza shortly after noon and, knowing the hotel was fully booked, I had very modest expectations of an early check-in. I was happily proven wrong. The front desk team welcomed us warmly, offered two glasses of complimentary champagne and, to our surprise, informed us that our room was already ready. It was exactly the kind of arrival that immediately changes your mood.
We booked a Classic Room through a Virtuoso travel advisor for around €850 per room and night, including a USD 200 hotel credit, a complimentary upgrade as well as early check-in and late check-out. We initially booked only two nights, although extending our stay a few months before arrival in February was handled without any difficulty. With only 49 rooms and suites plus 16 standalone villas, availability disappears quickly, particularly during the short and highly concentrated Costa Smeralda season. By March, the hotel was already sold out for our dates, so even before the rebranding it was clear that scoring one of the property’s coveted rooms requires some planning.
We arrived directly from Cala di Volpe. Having not felt particularly welcome there, we were at Pitrizza shortly after noon and, knowing the hotel was fully booked, I had very modest expectations of an early check-in. I was happily proven wrong. The front desk team welcomed us warmly, offered two glasses of complimentary champagne and, to our surprise, informed us that our room was already ready. It was exactly the kind of arrival that immediately changes your mood.
Sliding doors reveal a deep bathtub positioned beside a window overlooking the bed and the sea beyond. There are two sinks, giving each guest a dedicated space to get ready, and a generous walk-in shower enclosed by an elegant Murano glass door. The materials are of excellent quality and the entire bathroom feels expensive without being unnecessarily flashy. There was, however, one technical issue during our stay. On some days, the water pressure in the shower was rather weak and, on one evening, we had no hot water for roughly an hour because of the ongoing construction. In a hotel at this price point, I would have expected an apology or perhaps a small gesture from management. Nothing came, which was disappointing and a reminder that even a future Cheval Blanc can still have gaps in the details.
Apart from that, the bathroom was spectacular. The separate toilet and bidet area even had daylight and a window that could be opened for fresh air, while the toiletries were full-size Acqua di Parma bottles in the Arancia di Capri scent. The towels were plentiful and wonderfully plush. Some of the other bath amenities, however, felt surprisingly basic. The toothbrush came without branded toothpaste such as Marvis and the shaving kit looked rather inexpensive. These are small details, but they are precisely the sort of details I expect to be addressed once the Cheval Blanc identity is fully established.
Housekeeping itself was discreet and efficient, which is exactly how I like it. The team seemed to understand that privacy is part of the product here. The room service operation, however, was less polished. At arrival, cognac and brandy were missing from the room, although they were later replenished. At the end of our stay, we were then charged for two bottles that had never actually been there at check-in. The complimentary soft drinks in the minibar were also not consistently replenished after the second day, and it remained unclear whether the complimentary offer included snacks as well. None of this ruined the stay, but these are the little operational inconsistencies that should disappear before the Cheval Blanc sign goes up.
The minibar itself was beautifully integrated into a specially designed cabinet, while the rest of the bedroom was completed by a small writing desk, a large television, a chaise longue and the bed. The bed deserves a special mention: it was exceptionally comfortable, and after long days exploring the coast, sleeping there was one of the pleasures of the stay. The design struck a particularly good balance between contemporary luxury and the unmistakable Costa Smeralda aesthetic. Everything looked brand new, yet nothing felt as if it had been designed yesterday. Curtains opened and closed automatically, lighting could be adjusted according to different moods and the technology remained largely invisible.
The welcome amenities were generous, with fruit, cakes, sweets and a very good bottle of red wine. More importantly, the hotel had remembered that we were celebrating Basti’s birthday. A special treat arrived together with celebratory balloons carrying the Cheval Blanc logo. It was a lovely touch and precisely the kind of personal attention that turns a luxury stay into a memorable one.
Despite the construction taking place around the resort, we barely heard a sound. The rooms are remarkably peaceful, and waking up to that uninterrupted sea view was easily one of the highlights of our mornings. Before breakfast, we also explored the gym, which is located in the section scheduled for a major redevelopment. Alessandro, the hotel’s Sales & Marketing Manager, gave us an interesting insight into the plans for the winter closure. The wellness area will be completely demolished and replaced by Sardinia’s first Guerlain Spa and only the third in Italy, while the gym will also be redesigned. The restaurant and hotel bar above it are scheduled for a transformation as well, with the future concept expected to include two restaurants instead of the current single dining venue.
Interestingly, even before those changes, breakfast was already one of the strongest parts of the hotel. One could sense that the Cheval Blanc influence was already present in the background. The viennoiserie, especially the croissants and pain au chocolat, was outstanding and among the best I have tasted outside Paris. Bread and pastries were equally impressive, while the overall selection was extensive and focused on quality rather than simply filling a buffet with endless options.
Service was formal but friendly, and importantly, never snobbish. There is a certain old-money atmosphere at Pitrizza, and the international clientele reflects it. This is not necessarily the place where I would turn up wearing gym shorts and hotel slippers for breakfast. Guests linger here, dress well and treat breakfast as part of the experience. I particularly enjoyed the Eggs Benedict and the selection of fresh juices from Marco Colzani. Compared with our breakfast at Cala di Volpe, this was a completely different experience and, in my opinion, considerably more enjoyable.
The major USP of Pitrizza, however, is undoubtedly its private beach. Unlike Hotel Cervo, where guests need to take a boat to reach the private beach, here you can simply walk from your room down to the turquoise waters of the Costa Smeralda. No shuttle, no timetable, no logistics. Within minutes, you are standing on a beautiful stretch of coastline that feels wonderfully secluded.
There were plenty of complimentary sun loungers, and we never had to fight for a spot. One slightly strange detail was that the entire first row on the left-hand side was almost always reserved, although nobody ever seemed to use it. On the right-hand side, the first row was generally available. Beach service was technically provided by three staff members, although they seemed to possess the remarkable ability to disappear precisely when guests needed them. We were not the only ones noticing this.
A major positive, though, was the complimentary still and sparkling water, which could be reordered without additional charges. We also ordered drinks and a bottle of wine, which arrived quickly once we managed to find someone to take our order. The beach itself remains the real attraction, and that alone makes Pitrizza different from many of the other iconic Costa Smeralda hotels.
A lovely welcome amenity in our room was a pair of beach bags in the hotel’s signature design. They were practical, stylish and useful enough to accompany us for the rest of our trip. For lunch, we returned to the hotel bar and ordered Club Sandwiches while enjoying the extraordinary view towards Corsica and the islands between Sardinia and France. Once again, the food impressed. In fact, I never had a disappointing meal at Pitrizza, which says a lot about the direction of the property.
The hotel’s main restaurant, however, still operates within the older hardware and consequently lacked the atmosphere I would have expected during our stay. It was surprisingly quiet, with relatively few guests choosing to dine there, and therefore never developed the vibrant holiday atmosphere I enjoy at resort restaurants. For dinner, we instead drove to nearby Poltu Quatu, where several newly opened venues around the new W Hotel offered excellent food and lively atmospheres. It was only a five-minute drive away.
There was no clear information about a hotel shuttle into Porto Cervo, and we never saw a courtesy car or bus during our stay. For that reason, I strongly recommend renting your own car, ideally something capable of handling the sometimes challenging roads around Costa Smeralda. Having your own wheels makes exploring beaches, restaurants and villages considerably easier.
There is, however, one Pitrizza experience that should not be missed: the live music at the hotel bar. Every evening, music accompanies the sunset, and although this sounds like a relatively small amenity on paper, it became the most memorable moment of our entire stay. The female singer also played the piano herself, and while Bellinis arrived from the talented bartender, we sat among only a handful of guests watching the sun disappear somewhere between Sardinia and Corsica.
At one point, she offered to sing two of our favorite songs. One was “L’Emozione Non Ha Voce” by Adriano Celentano. That moment gave us genuine goosebumps. It is almost impossible to capture in a hotel review because it was not about the song alone. It was the setting, the sea, the fading light, the music and the feeling of being somewhere that seemed completely removed from everyday life. These are the moments for which we travel.
We are talking about one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in Europe, turquoise water, excellent food and a hotel with an extraordinary sense of place. Add live Italian music at sunset and suddenly the stay becomes something more emotional than simply a luxury hotel experience. When the manager asked us at check-out what we would change immediately, we both had the same answer: play more Italian music. The Italian classics suit this setting infinitely better than generic English-language songs and would draw more guests into what is otherwise one of the most underrated spaces on the property.
The hotel’s enormous swimming pool, located opposite the restaurant, deserves a mention as well. It is said to have once been the world’s first infinity pool, and even today it remains an impressive centerpiece. But I could continue listing details forever, and eventually a hotel review has to end.
Pitrizza is not yet a finished Cheval Blanc. There are still operational inconsistencies, the wellness area desperately needs its upcoming transformation and certain service details need more generosity and precision. Yet the foundations are exceptionally strong. The location, scale, architecture, food, private beach and intimate atmosphere already make this one of the most compelling resorts on Costa Smeralda.
Once the renovation is complete, I expect the property to move much closer to the absolute pinnacle of European hospitality. It may not yet be on the level of the very best Airelles properties, but it is clearly heading in that direction. Perhaps the final ingredient is not another technological upgrade or another layer of luxury. Perhaps it is simply more generosity, more personality and, above all, more Italy.
Because that is ultimately why we travel halfway across the world: to experience another country with all its culture, emotions and imperfections. And after leaving Pitrizza, my heart was already beating for another summer on Costa Smeralda. If you are looking for the property with the strongest potential to become the island’s ultimate luxury resort, I would look no further. You may have just found it.
