(Costa Smeralda, Sardinia) — You won’t hear much about the Hotel Pitrizza, but a few people have. As part of a trio of Luxury Collection hotels scattered around the tip of Costa Smeralda development, it might be the most exclusive.  With just a handful of rooms, extremely understated architecture and extremely private bungalows, it’s long been a secret hideaway from celebrities and titans, far from the prying eyes of the paparazzi. But its “rustic simplicity” design was intended from the start to blend in to the natural beauty of the Costa Smeralda, small bungalows built of rock, with low-slung landscaped roofs that make the view from every room unobstructed. Its a really cool visual trick and add even more to the privacy and seclusion.  It certainly might be one of the most expensive in Italy. You’ll hardly find a crowd, just a handful of people that you wonder where you are.  When we stayed there long ago, Diana Ross, her kids and her passel of assistance where a constant presence around the property, which kinda made it feel like you were on vacation with them.

The best part about the hotel is the remarkable natural scenery of Sardinia and particularly the Costa Smeralda. Miles and miles a clean sand beaches — none of the pebble rock beaches of the mainland — and crystal clear water.  Definitely rent a boat and explore the many islands of the La Maddalena archipelago, which is really incredible, with water so blue and clear that you can see the shadow of your boat thirty feet below on the bottom of the cove. Lots of yachts and leather-skinned people sport around here and there’s always a huge sailing race off the northern tip of the island. When you see celeb pics of people diving off yachts in Sardinia, it is usually right around here. Most everything is included in the price, and you can eat at the neighboring Luxury Collection hotels Cala di Volpe and Porto Cervo.

Here’s a great article from Architectural Digest in 2012 on the recent remodel of this famous hideaway.  Sorry for the really bad quality of the pictures…these are scans from prints from before I had a digital camera. And they certainly don’t do this area and hotel much justice. It really is a spectacular place. Google Costa Smeralda and you can really see some amazing pictures of this magical place.

The Hotel Pitrizza was designed to discreetly tuck into the rocky hillsides of the Costa Smeralda, blending nature and luxury in a nice little rustic elegance.

The water is so clear in the archipelago that you can see the shadow of the boats clear to the bottom thirty feet below.

 Last visited: June 2000