The Scents and History of Sardinia

By Editorial Staff - 4 April 2022

Nestled in a clearing above the white sandy beach and crystal clear sea at Lu Impostu, not far from San Teodoro in the Tavolara Protected Marine Area, the new Baglioni Resort Sardinia luxury hotel offers a veritable journey through the island’s culture past and present, taking in ancient traditions, colors, light, fragrances and sounds. Fifteen years into a long-term working relationship with the hotel chain, architectural firm Spagnulo & Partners took charge of the interior design, fostering a new relationship between man and nature that enables guests to experience Sardinia as a tactile and visual presence directly from inside; all of the hotel’s spaces respect the soul of what, in many places, is an uncontaminated location.

Baglioni Resort Sardinia © Barbara Pau, courtesy Spagnulo & Partners

All this and more is evident from the architectural elements that combine to make up the hotel’s 78 rooms and suites overlooking the sea, and from the common areas designed as a microcosm of wellbeing. The space is embellished by the power of nature in the form of photographic images chosen in partnership with the Alidem art gallery; some, notably the full-height panels in one of the restaurants, are in black and white. Another hallmark feature is a rooftop bar/lounge terrace, where the blue horizon complements colored ceramic tables, and where tradition and modernity combine in patterned carpets and lines of lights that resemble reeds in the wind. A similar same juxtaposition reappears in the Orosei stone and Cor-Ten^® iron bar counter, the front of which evokes the jagged rocks at Tavolara.

Baglioni Resort Sardinia © Barbara Pau, courtesy Spagnulo & Partners

The bar and restaurant run by chef Claudio Sadler are both lit by a composition of lamps in complementary shapes and hues. Orosei stone crops up again in the broken up paving in common areas and rooms – one of the powerful, typically Sardinian inputs that characterizes the design, along with granite façades, raw lime walls in the bedrooms, and the teal and deep blue colors on certain walls.

The island’s complex identity is conveyed through centuries-old crafts traditions. Spagnulo & Partners was keen to tap into this universe of textiles, ancient crafts and processing techniques, drawing on the dexterity of the custodians of these arts.

Baglioni Resort Sardinia - © Barbara Pau, courtesy Spagnulo & Partners Gli arredi su misura delle stanze, come testate dei letti, cabine armadio e comodini, sono realizzati nei colori principali della palette selezionata per il progetto: verde, blu, ocra e mattone.

The cushions and upholstered furniture in the rooms, carpets and curtains all owe a debt to wool and weaving: even if the colors and patterns are reinterpreted, the fabrics were made using ancient techniques to create varied textures. Green, blue, ocher and brick tones predominate, recalling the handmade ceramic furnishings, jugs and ring-shaped amphorae that are an expression of local stovigliai potters’ venerable craftsmanship. Age-old expertise with handmade tiles shines through in the enameled inlays on custom-made furniture in bleached oak, not to mention the walk-in closets, nightstands and coffee tables designed by Federico Spagnulo. This same approach is visible poolside in the relaxation areas, where sunbeds and armchairs arranged under wood and reed canopies highlight the design’s focus on the genius loci.

Baglioni Resort Sardinia - Courtesy Baglioni Hotels | Teak wood armchairs and loungers are arranged into small lounge areas around the pool for relaxing moments.

Baglioni Resort Sardinia - © Barbara Pau, courtesy Spagnulo & Partners | The rooftop lounge terrace bar counter in Orosei stone and Cor-Ten® steel reproduces the jagged outline of the rocks at Tavolara. The bar offers views out over the sea.

Baglioni Resort Sardinia | © Barbara Pau, courtesy Spagnulo & Partners

Baglioni Resort Sardinia - Courtesy Baglioni Hotels | The hotel lobby is an expression of centuries-old culture and traditions that, alongside elements from Sardinian nature, are visible in decorative motifs in the common areas and a meticulous selection of materials like Orosei stone.

Baglioni Resort Sardinia - © Barbara Pau, courtesy Spagnulo & Partners | The hotel’s furnishings include “bride’s jugs”, traditionally part of young women’s wedding trousseaus, providing a new outlet for handicrafts made by local tableware artisans.

Baglioni Resort Sardinia - © Barbara Pau, courtesy Spagnulo & Partners | The restaurant and the other common areas reference Sardinia’s natural wonders through full-height photographic image panels.

Baglioni Resort Sardinia - © Barbara Pau, courtesy Spagnulo & Partners | The main colors in the palette selected for the project – green, blue, ocher and brick-colored – appear in the custom furnishings for the bedrooms, including headboards, walk-in closets and nightstands.

Baglioni Resort Sardinia - © Barbara Pau, courtesy Spagnulo & Partners | Weaving plays a starring role in the bedrooms and private terraces, in the form of cushions and carpets made using techniques, geometries and textures typical of the local area.

Baglioni Resort Sardinia | Courtesy Baglioni Hotels

Location: San Teodoro, Sassari, Italy
Client: Baglioni Hotels & Resorts
Completion: 2021
Gross Floor Area: 10,250 m²
Interior Design: Spagnulo & Partners
Main Contractor: Guisa Costruzioni
Interiors Contractor: Gabana Arredamenti

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