This post about traveling to Sardinia, Italy on credit card points and miles, was not something I expected to write about today. I was supposed to be on an African Safari instead. If you’ve been following my adventures, you know how well that turned out.

Sardinia is an enchanting island in the Mediterranean Sea, off the western coast of Italy. It’s known for its stunning beaches with crystal-clear waters, rugged cliffs, and golden sands. Additionally, with mountains, forests, and plains, it offers lots of outdoor activities like hiking, mountain biking, and rock climbing.

 

 

Flights to Sardinia

There are two airports in Sardinia, Olbia (OLB) and Cagliari (CAG). To determine which airport to fly into, you would want to decide where you are going on the island.

I was heading to the Hyatt 7Pines, which is closer to Olbia, so that was where I started looking for flights. I was also flying from Nairobi. I found business class seats to Munich from Nairobi on Air France flights (booked through Virgin Atlantic) for a reasonable redemption of 113K for two people because there was a transfer bonus. From Munich, we flew to Olbia on a Lufthansa flight for which we paid cash in economy class. It is a short 1-hour flight.

 

Transportation from Olbia to 7Pines

When I travel in other countries, I don’t like to “take my chances” with transportation. I knew the resort was about an hour away, so I started googling companies to take us there. It wasn’t cheap, at $99 each way, but Suntransfers met us at the airport and provided a safe and efficient transfer for us. I don’t think our Italian grandpa knew an ounce of English, but we got there!

We really should have rented a car, as it was an easy but somewhat winding road. We talked to people at the resort who had rented a car, and it enabled them to explore some areas. When I return to Sardinia, I will rent a car. 

 

Hyatt 7Pines, A Destination by Hyatt Hotel

I first heard about the Hyatt 7Pines through one of our Next Level coaching calls. We were helping someone with a trip there and were mesmerized by the hotel. It quickly rose towards the top of a place I wanted to travel to. When my safari fell through, I started thinking about going there instead.

It is a Destination by Hyatt brand and earned me my third Brand Explorer Reward. As a Category 8 hotel, it costs 40K a night, but one of my stays was at peak pricing, so the total cost was 125K Hyatt points. I had some conversations with the hotel before arriving there, and they were very helpful.

 

First Impressions

The reception area has a beautiful view of the water. On arrival, they offered us cool washcloths and something to drink and then took us on a tour of the resort, which was beautiful. It has some private beach areas and walking paths and is located on over 15 acres of land. As a relatively new hotel, they plan to continue to expand their facilities and are presently building a new restaurant.

 

 

Our Room

We had arranged a King Garden view but were upgraded to a lovely Laguna View Suite. Ours was quite unique as the bedroom and casita were detached with a courtyard table. There was a nice sitting area outside the bedroom. The bathroom was small but very cute. We also had two closets that had drawers for storage.

 

 

The casita or living area had a couch that would have made another bed, a bar area with stools, another television, and a refrigerator. Water, coffee, tea, and milk are complimentary. The other items in the mini bar came with a price.

 

 

 

 

Dining at the Resort

This was not the primary season for the resort, although it was quite full. One restaurant, Cone Grill,  was not open during this time. On our first night, we went to Spazio, which was to have excellent pizza. We wouldn’t know, though. After waiting two hours, we went to the waiter who didn’t know what we had ordered! My husband complained to the main reception area, and they sent us pizza from another place within 30 minutes.

The next day, the resort manager personally came and apologized and said they were comping our dinner for the next night. They also brought us virgin mojitos. I can understand that mistakes are made and was very impressed with how they handled it. 

The next night, we went to Capogiro, their Mediterranean restaurant, for dinner and had an amazing dinner with gorgeous views of the water. At the end of the dinner, the manager brought us a huge bottle of olive oil, some crackers, and a bottle of balsamic vinegar. Again, it was their apology for the previous night’s dinner, and it was much appreciated. We enjoyed Capogiro so much that we returned on our last night also. Their seafood and pasta are really good (and expensive).

Breakfast is held daily at Capogiro, and the buffet is huge. You can also order eggs and pancakes. The views of the ocean were not hard to take either. We enjoyed breakfast every day.

 

 

 

 

Other Amenities

Upon check-in, they gave us a card for 15% off all food at the resort and a card for welcome drinks at the Spazio Pool Bar. We arrived in our room to Sparkling Wine (too bad we don’t drink), an assortment of snacks, and a nice welcoming note.

On our second day, it was my birthday, and several employees, including the resort manager, came by with balloons, a nice note, and a beautiful cake that might have been one of my favorite cakes ever!

 

 

 

In the room, a beach bag, a makeup case, and flip-flops for each person are provided. These were really nice touches.

 

 

Activities in Sardinia

It was sunny in Sardinia but a little windy and chilly at night. However, we soaked up the area’s beauty and enjoyed the views. My husband worked out daily in the clear glass fitness center. There was also a tennis court and paddleball court. Unfortunately, I did not pack workout gear as I thought I would be on a safari.😩

 

 

There are many cute villages and beautiful beaches throughout the island. We were content on this trip to just “hang out” at the resort. I had some spa treatments, my husband worked out with their personal trainer, and we found some guys to shoot basketball with. We just relaxed. The water, both the sea and the pools, was a little chilly, but we sunbathed, and my husband swam a little.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts on the 7Pines Resort

We wanted to love it, but there were definitely hits and misses.

Hits

• Gorgeous resort with amazing views
• Staff is very hospitable and jump to aid you with anything (including pouring your water at dinner if you try to pour your own).
• The breakfast and dinner at the main restaurant were very good.
• The manager, Lucca, was great at handling and rectifying bad situations.
• The spa was wonderful, and the grounds at the hotel are gorgeous. The facilities are amazing and well-maintained.
• My husband enjoyed the workout facility, and Lorenzo was exceptional to work with.

Misses

• The first night, we had a horrible experience at Spazio. There was pandemonium, and even staff knew about it (it did not occur just with us).
• I had my laundry done, and when it was returned, a sweatshirt from the resort was folded in it. I was excited that they had given me a sweatshirt. The next day, it was nowhere in our room. I think that it had been a mistake, and someone had come and retrieved it. However, they had to go through my personal clothes to do that. Not cool. Someone should have told me about the mistake and asked for it.
• Although the food at Capogiro was great, it still had some shortcomings. The second night, there was no bread, my husband waited a long time for his second course, and I never got the potatoes that I ordered the first night.
• The food is very expensive. It would be nice if they had a small store with snacks.

Despite the misses, I would return and give it another chance. I would like to return to the season that starts on June 15th. I think they were off their game a bit, but I also see this resort’s great potential. 

 

Marriott Delta Hotel

We could not book our fourth night at the 7Pines Resort, so we stayed until late afternoon and then headed to the Marriott Delta Hotel in Olbia. This made it nice for our noon departure the next day since it was close to the airport. This basic hotel cost $108 cash to book or 92K Marriott points—say what? Guess how I booked it.

 

 

 

 

At check-in, we were upgraded to a king suite and had access to their pantry (similar to a club lounge). This hotel is fairly basic but a good value if you are flying out of Sardinia. The biggest plus is that it is only about a mile to the center of Oblia, and that area has the real feel of Italy—pizza and gelato—what’s not to love? If I could pick only one country to always travel to, it would be Italy. It has my ❤️.

 

 

 

Flights Home

When our plans changed, and we decided to do Sardinia on credit card points and miles, I had to find another flight home. Luckily, on the Air Canada site, I found a great flight from Olbia all the way home to Denver. It included a night stop in Montreal, but that was still great. 

We flew the Lufthansa airplane to Munich, then Lufthansa to Montreal, and, finally, Air Canada to Denver – all in business class for only 70K Air Canada miles and about $110 in taxes and fees for each person. This was a steal of a deal, made possible by points and miles. I transferred 140K Capital One Venture miles to make this flight possible.

 

Bottom Line

Our trip to Sardinia on credit card points and miles was pure relaxation. While there is plenty to do on the island, we chose to relax. I think it is a gorgeous place to visit, and I would like to return someday, rent a car, and explore more of the island. I would actually return to the 7Pines resort for part of my stay (my husband agreed he would, too). Let us know if you have been to Sardinia and what activities we should have done!

 

Related Posts

• When Your Safari Changes to a Trip to Sardinia
• Podcast 79: Pam’s African Safari That Didn’t Happen