Grand Hotel Corallaro

The Grand Hotel Corallaro makes great use of its location on the Mediterranean, and the sea is as visible inside the hotel as it is outside. Terra-cotta tile and whitewashed walls are set off by powder-blue accents in the hotel’s bright and airy lobby, which is decorated with nautical memorabilia and local crafts like a sailboat and smiling clay suns along the walls. The restaurant has rustic wooden chairs painted a robin egg blue, charming sea-inspired decorations, and woven tablecloths that give the room am intimate feel. Outdoors, grounds mostly consist of a sizable freeform pool in a sunny terrace shaded by mature palms. The hotel attracts some families, but is far more popular among older couples without kids in tow.

Set right on the white sands of the Rena Bianca beach at the northernmost extremity of Sicily, the Grand Hotel Corallaro occupies a prime spot in the town of Santa Teresa Gallura. It takes less than five minutes on foot to get from the hotel to the beach, seven minutes to reach the center of town, and 15 to reach the town’s harbor, from which ferries run to and from Bonifacio in Corsica, a journey that takes around 90 minutes. The dramatic windblown terrain of Capo Testa is a 13-minute drive away. Expect transfers to and from Olbia Airport to take an hour and 15 minutes by car.

Rooms at the Grand Hotel Corallaro are bright and sunny, and decorated with a similar nautical flair to the spaces downstairs. Most have charming shiny blue tile or wood floors, white walls painted with aquatic murals and adorned with pebble-like tiles, and attractive wood furniture. However, the Standard Rooms are basic and dated, albeit spacious, outfitted with traditional wood furniture, old-fashioned blue linens, and no wall decoration aside from framed prints of animals that seems out of place. These bathrooms have dated tiling and granite sinks, plus small shower stalls and bidets.

Higher-category rooms, meanwhile, are more elaborate, with swooping, swirling waves painted on the walls, and little round mirrors resembling portholes. Their bathrooms are, likewise, more elaborately decorated, with mosaics shaped like waves made out of a glittering array of glass pebbles in shades of blue and sea-green. Suites are far larger, with a seating area which has a large and comfy sofa bed, and a bathroom with a rainfall showerhead. All rooms have a flat-screen TV, mini-fridge, and safe. Deluxe Rooms and Suites add bathrobes. Several rooms have furnished balconies or terraces -- some with sea views.

The Grand Hotel Corallaro trades on its location and decor rather than its amenities. There's a sizable outdoor swimming pool set in a sunny terrace shaded by mature palms. An indoor pool is technically on-site, but guests have reported that it is rarely open. Similarly, the hotel has a small gym in the basement, which is only opened on request. A free buffet breakfast of hot and cold options is served in the all-day restaurant, and drinks and snacks are served at the bar. Staff can organize boat trips around the nearby scenic islands with local tour guides. An outdoor playground is available for kids. Wi-Fi is free, but it's limited to one device. Guests love the hotel’s resident dog, a friendly German Shepherd, and guests are allowed to bring their own pets.