Before I had a baby it's fair to say I was sniffy about the concept of an all-inclusive resort. To me, they conjured up images of people racing for sun loungers, couples tottering around in search of their next white wine refill and children running riot as far as the eye could see.
However, Resort & SPA Le Dune, a sprawling resort set among the sand dunes of Badesi in northern Sardinia, proved my snooty preconceptions so very, very wrong.
With six swimming pools, as well as a shopping strip, tennis courts, spa area, vegetable garden and several mouth-watering restaurants, Le Dune is less a resort and more a self-contained luxury village. It's no wonder that the average guest tends to stay for a week as each day offers a new corner to explore, without ever leaving the grounds.
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I stayed at Hotel La Duna Bianca, one of five hotels within the resort and the only one directly on the stunning sandy beach of Li Junchi. My room came with a spacious wraparound terrace, perfect for soaking up magical sunsets each evening (and, thanks to my four-month-old baby, more than a few sunrises too).
I had clearly been treated to one of the best suites at the resort, but the same quality runs throughout the 496 rooms across Le Dune. All the accommodation shares a laid-back yet luxurious Mediterranean style (think lots of terracotta, ochre and cream), with plenty of space, buckets of sunlight and all those essential mod-cons which make a holiday that bit more relaxing.
One unexpected perk of visiting in low season was that Hotel La Duna Bianca's on-site restaurant was closed for breakfast. Rather than being a faff, this meant that freshly prepared eggs, juice, toast and fruit salad were delivered straight to my terrace each morning. Eating breakfast while watching the (occasionally very dramatic) waves roll in was an unbeatable way to start the day.
Eating and drinking
Exquisite dining with a view
(Image credit: Hotel La Duna Bianca)
My three-night stay was a half-board one, so I had the chance to sample the dinner-time offerings of three of the resort's restaurants: fresh seafood at Lo Scorfano, traditional Sardinian fare at Carrimbanca, and classic Italian and Mediterranean dishes at the main restaurant, Nautilus.
Each of these restaurants operated on a buffet basis. When I discovered this, I was apprehensive to say the least, with ghastly visions of sweaty food and row after row of silver cloches. But this was something entirely different. This was an Italian buffet – and Italians rarely take a misstep when it comes to food.
Each meal was simply exquisite. From delicate portions of fresh fish at Lo Scorfano to mouthwatering morsels of spit-roast Galluran pig at Carrimbanca, I was blown away by the consistent quality of the food at every single serving station. Resisting overeating was impossible, so it became a nightly ritual to walk off my food baby while strolling with my real baby along the resort's winding paths, flanked by juniper trees and bougainvillea.
Things to do
The sparkling Sea of Sardinia is a short stroll away
(Image credit: Hotel La Duna Bianca)
The buffet dinners were a delight, but the resort's chief appeal for weary parents lies in the menu of kids' activities that are available. The resort's club welcomes toddlers to teens, who can take part in everything from archery and volleyball to football and tennis.
If your child would rather pursue their own adventures, there's no shortage of activities to occupy them as well as exciting places to explore, including nature trails, exotic bird enclosures and two kid/baby-specific swimming pools. There's also a 24-hour nursery area where food, drink, sterilisers and bottle warmers are freely available for the little ones, whenever they might need it.
But guests needn't have kids in tow to enjoy Le Dune. The Le Sabine SPA Wellness Centre is a serene, adults-only oasis, complete with multiple pools at varying temperatures, a fully equipped gym, a Turkish bath, and a selection of treatment rooms for total relaxation. Outside the spa, there are four adults' swimming pools to submerge yourself in, not to mention the sparkling Sea of Sardinia, which is just a short stroll (or an even shorter golf buggy ride) away.
The verdict
A magical place for a restful break
(Image credit: Hotel La Duna Bianca)
There were plenty of things I'd never done before having a baby: changing a nappy, listening to hours of white noise, clipping a tiny fingernail… and staying at an all-inclusive resort. While I can't say I'm thrilled about ticking off those first three, the all-inclusive experience completely won me over after a magical three days at Le Dune.
Visiting in the low season – when the days were warm but never sweltering and the resort was blissfully quiet – made the whole experience even more relaxing. I may just have found my new May half-term tradition.
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