Baia di Chia Resort Sardinia, Curio Collection by Hilton

“Beautiful Location, but Not the Five-Star Experience Expected”

Baia di Chia Resort Sardinia has one undeniable highlight — its beautiful location. Set approximately an hour from Cagliari, the resort has access to one of the most stunning beaches in the area. The beach itself is beautiful, with a dedicated section for hotel guests with sun lounges and beach ser… more

Baia di Chia Resort Sardinia has one undeniable highlight — its beautiful location. Set approximately an hour from Cagliari, the resort has access to one of the most stunning beaches in the area. The beach itself is beautiful, with a dedicated section for hotel guests with sun lounges and beach service. The resort facilities are good. The pool area is lovely, and the golf buggy service around the property is convenient. Breakfast was adequate. The beach service was also convenient, but the food we ordered was quite average. I would actually recommend walking further along the beach to the local beach shack vendors for coffee, gelato, and casual food — we found this much better quality and more enjoyable. Unfortunately, my biggest disappointment is that this property does not feel like a true five-star resort, despite how it is positioned. The hotel is showing its age, with rooms and common areas needing refurbishment. Walls and floors were marked, and the overall condition did not match the expectations of a luxury five-star property. I had booked a King Suite with Sea View and had specifically confirmed on arrival that we had received the room category booked, as this was important after previous experiences where rooms did not match expectations. While I believe we did receive a King Suite with Sea View, it was not the room shown in the website photographs. The suite we received appeared older and lacked some of the features shown in the images, such as the more renovated design and upgraded bathroom features. At approximately €1,000 per night, this was disappointing. When I raised this with the hotel, I was advised there were no other rooms available unless there was a cancellation. Unfortunately, the response did not feel particularly proactive, and the experience left me feeling that the room allocation process could have been handled better. The room had a strong musty/mouldy smell, which we reported, but unfortunately there was little that could be done. Mosquitoes were also a problem in the evenings, making it difficult to keep windows or doors open. Adding screens to the rooms would be a simple improvement that would make a big difference. The resort can also require waiting for golf buggies at times, so guests with mobility issues may want to consider this before booking. Overall, Baia di Chia is a beautiful property in an incredible location, with a stunning beach and great surroundings. However, it feels more like a three -four-star hotel in a five-star location rather than a true five-star experience. I would highly recommend hiring a car and exploring the local area, as Sardinia has wonderful restaurants and incredible local food. We preferred the local dining experiences over the hotel restaurants.

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“Sardinian highs and lows...”

We arrived at the resort with high expectations based on the description on the Hilton website, price point, and our previous Hilton brand experiences. Accommodation is in the form of groups of small chalets set on a lush hillside, with an on-demand golf buggy service for those unwilling/unable to… more

We arrived at the resort with high expectations based on the description on the Hilton website, price point, and our previous Hilton brand experiences. Accommodation is in the form of groups of small chalets set on a lush hillside, with an on-demand golf buggy service for those unwilling/unable to tackle the undulating landscape. Although the grounds, communal areas, and facilities are impeccably maintained, our room fell well short. The roof on the terrace was dilapidated, exposing power cables - although this was repaired during our stay. There was an assortment of cracked tiles and tiles with poorly filled holes on the floor around the bed. The shower cubicle leaked, and the shower head was loose. In addition, the room was musty, as though it had not been aired prior to our arrival. There were items missing from the advertised room facilities, resulting in us having to request them. Additionally, there was only one deckchair (not sure why when the room was booked for two), but despite repeated requests, no additional chair was provided. That said, the resort location is fabulous with amazing views and direct access to a private, beautiful beach. However, there is a hierarchy applied to sunbed allocation and beach position according to the type of room booked - we were allocated the third row, say no more... We booked the half board option, which proved to be a good move. We opted to eat all meals in the Il Ginepro restaurant, which did not disappoint. Breakfast was plentiful and varied, with the evening meal consisting of three courses from an a-la-carte menu, which were nicely presented, freshly prepared, and delicious. Service in the restaurant was friendly, prompt, and attentive - thanks to hostess Elisa and restaurant manager Giuseppe for making us feel so welcome. One final thing... On check-out, we were asked to pay an unexpected "service charge" which we had not been told about at any stage during the booking or check-in process. This amounted to €120, which we were advised would be distributed among all staff - essentially a massive tip! This charge was automatically applied to the final bill, and although we were given the option not to pay it, we felt completely obliged to do so. We always prefer to reward outstanding service on an individual basis, at our discretion. This is not what we expect of a Hilton brand, especially when paying a significant premium to stay in the first place.

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“Overpriced resort, basic facilities, but amazing location”

I honestly expected more from this resort considering the amount of money we paid. What I liked was the location of the resort, as well as the amazing beach and crystal-clear water. The staff were also very friendly and responsive, which I really appreciated. What I didn't like, however, was the fo… more

I honestly expected more from this resort considering the amount of money we paid. What I liked was the location of the resort, as well as the amazing beach and crystal-clear water. The staff were also very friendly and responsive, which I really appreciated. What I didn't like, however, was the following: • The rooms were small and dirty. Although we waited 4 hours for our room to be ready, when we finally arrived, we were surprised to see that it had not been properly cleaned. All surfaces were covered in dust, and there was hair on the bathroom floor. This is unacceptable! We had to request that the cleaning staff come and clean the room. In addition, the shower gel dispenser was almost empty and had not been refilled. • The breakfast was really, really basic. I have never stayed at a 4-star hotel with such a poor breakfast selection, especially considering the price we paid: €500 per night. This was very disappointing. I also don't understand why guests couldn't make their own coffee, as is the case in most hotels. Every time, I had to explain how I wanted my coffee with milk prepared. Simply make a coffee machine and hot milk available so guests can prepare their coffee the way they like it. The bread was terrible—dry and clearly made from frozen products. Very disappointing. • Lastly, after we checked out, we received a WhatsApp message from the hotel requesting an additional payment for tips—€165, to be exact. What is this?! This really upset us. Who does that? It's not enough that the resort is ridiculously expensive and that the food and beverages are overpriced, but then to receive a bill for tipping the staff... no comment. The good news is that the charge was removed after we informed them that we did not wish to pay it. Nobody had mentioned this policy when we arrived, either. All in all, I'm giving this resort 3 out of 5 stars solely because of the location, beach, and staff. Otherwise, my rating would have been 1.5 out of 5. A ridiculously expensive resort—more expensive than many 5-star ultra all-inclusive resorts—with service and facilities that simply do not justify the price.

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