Updated June 21, 2023 | Original Post dated July 31, 2021
It’s been a while since we’ve stayed at a resort. We mainly like to keep our travel accommodations simple and under budget, yet still nice and comfortable enough for my family of four. While the husband was away for a long work trip, we were both planning a much-needed family vacation upon his return. We started looking for dreamy places to escape to in Sardinia, a resort on the beach, within reason of our budget. We came upon Resort & Spa Le Dune in Badesi and booked a few nights and did not regret our stay. Here is our family resort stay review of Resort & Spa Le Dune in Sardinia.
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About Resort & Spa Le Dune
Located on the Northern coast of Sardinia, the 4-star Resort & Spa Le Dune hugs the coastline of Badesi. Between sand dunes and centuries-old Juniper Trees, the oceanfront of the Asinari Gulf is a kind welcome for guests looking to escape to a beachside resort. It’s a resort for all guests alike, including families.
The resort offers five 4-star hotels within the property, each hotel offering its own pool, bar, and reception. The hotels on the property are: the Hotel I Ginepri (4 star), the Hotel Le Palme (4 star), the Hotel Le Rocce (4 star), the Hotel Le Sabine (4 star superior) and the Hotel La Duna Bianca (4 star superior). For the purpose of our review, we will focus on our stay at the Hotel Le Sabine.
Check-In
We arrived early afternoon at the resort. As you drive to the resort’s entrance (coming from Alghero Airport), you notice the beach to your left and the entrance to the resort to your right. The resort is not directly on the beach; the property, itself, is right across from the Li Junchi Beach.
There is an unloading/loading area to briefly park your car for your luggage retrieval. As we pulled in, we were greeted by the welcoming staff waiting to help unload and call a shuttle to pick my family and I up to take us to the reception area for check-in. My husband parked our rental car at a designated guest parking area and then we were shuttled to the hotel’s reception, which was quite a ways from the entrance.
Checking into the Hotel Le Sabine did not take long, and the staff was really helpful in providing us with information on what the resort offers. Since we also purchased the half-board option (breakfast and dinner provided), we were also able to choose from their many restaurant options for dinner, and breakfast would be at the main dining hall at our hotel.
Our Family Suites
We stayed at the Hotel Le Sabine Suite at the resort. Upon booking the rooms, we originally booked the Hotel I Ginepri Family Suites, but since we were staying during the easing of lockdown woes in 2021, we ended up staying at the Hotel Le Sabine Suite upon arrival. The area was quaint and quiet, and the pool was in front of our unit.
The girls had their beds already made when we arrived, and we had a separate room. What was nice about the unit was the private balcony with a view of the pool. Additionally, the trees provided shade and privacy. It was a perfect size room for my family of four.
Meal Review
When booking for our stay, we had the option to book half board or full board for meals. We opted for the half-board option; breakfast and dinner. With nine restaurants on the property to choose from, not all are included on the half board. For the two nights we stayed, we decided to pick one night with Mediterranean-style local flares & seafood at Alla Spiaggi Restaurant and the final night for local Sardinian cuisine at Carrimbanca Restaurant. Water and wine were included with the meals. Dinner at both locations was excellent as well as the service. Additionally, reservations must be made in advance for the restaurant of choice. For more information on restaurants at the resort, you can find that information, here.
Photos below of each of the two restaurants we dined at included in our half-board. I highly recommend Carrimbanca for the local cuisines and meats of Sardinia, while Alla Spiaggi is all about seafood.
Breakfast was your typical buffet spread served at your hotel dining facility. The spread included fruits, vegetable salad, cold cuts, and hot food items such as sausages, bacon, eggs, and pancakes. The buffet did not disappoint, and we were pretty impressed. Drinks were also included.
For those with allergies or gluten-free preferences, guests are asked at check-in for any food intolerances or requests. We had one instance where we asked for gluten-free bread at one of the restaurants, and we were pleasantly surprised to be served with gluten-free bread. I loved how accommodating the resort was!
The Pools
With 5 hotels on the property, each hotel has its own pool. As Le Sabine guests, we were allowed to visit any of the pools on the property. This may not be the case if you stay at the other hotels; you’ll have to ask your hotel’s receptionist which pools you can visit.
For the most part, during our stay, we visited three out of the five pools on site. We visited the Hotel Le Palme, Hotel I Ginepri, and the Hotel Le Sabine. We really had no complaints about the pools. They were all excellent, and each had their own lifeguard on duty. My kids are happy whenever any pool is available at any stay we are at, especially in the heat of summer. You can find more information about their pools, here.
Li Junchi Beach
Across the road from the resort lies the Gulf of Asinara, where the blue/green water of the Li Junchi Beach graces the oceanside view. On our first day here, we enjoyed playing in this sandy beach and using the resort’s umbrella chairs (free umbrella and two sun loungers from the fourth row; you’ll pay extra for the front rows). A lifeguard guarded the beach.
The beach was nice, but it wasn’t my favorite out of all the beaches we’ve visited in Sardinia. It was still a decent beach to enjoy. I will say the sunsets on the beach are quite nice to watch. Furthermore, since the beach is across the street from the resort and quite a ways to walk to, a free shuttle takes you to and from the beach.
Activities
During our stay during the slow easing of lockdown woes, there were activities provided, but the schedule did not work out with our already busy schedule. In the middle of the day, some stores had limited hours. On our first night (a Thursday), we were pleasantly surprised to find an evening concert in the middle of the resort after sunset. The stores were open to guests to shop, including the ice cream parlor, and many activities for children at the playground. It was so nice to have this freedom of enjoying outdoor music and people since the start of the lockdown a year before. For a list of their activities, you can find more information, here.
Family Friendly Resort
This resort is extremely family-friendly while also offering a relaxing environment for those looking to relax on vacation with or without kids. For families, lots of activities are offered, including playgrounds, a garden, different classes, a kids club, and more. Sadly, we were barely at the resort for half the day, so we missed out on several activities. For family-friendly activities and more information on the kids club, you can find more here on the resort’s website.
Best Way to Book
We booked our stay directly via the Hotel’s website. We waited also for any specials the hotel was offering. We actually received a better offer by booking it through their website and also contacting the resort directly. For reference, the total cost for our family of four for a 2-night stay with half-board was €986 in July of 2021. It is a little bit more than what we would typically spend for a few nights’ stay, but honestly, it was worth the stay. Now, I am not sure if this is because the pandemic had alot to do with pricing, but of late, prices and rates may differ. You can find special offers, here.
Day Trips
Sardinia has so much to offer that you can be easily persuaded to make a few half day trips from the resort. From the town of Badesi, to roadtrips along the Northern parts of Sardinia hopping through different beautiful beaches nearby, to simply visiting other seaside towns, and taking 1/2 day boat trips to Golfo dell’Asinara, you won’t bore of exploring this area. For more day trips, this is a good resource.
During our stay, we decided to visit the nearby seaside town of Castelsardo and a local beach nearby (Spiaggia Lu Bagnu). We figured we should at least explore while we were in the area and Castelsardo was the perfect half day trip. Castelsardo was less than an hour away from the resort and easily a 1/2 day excursion of exploring the castle, meandering through the cobblestone streets, and admiring the locals and their basket making skills as Castelsardo is known as the City of Basket Making in Sardinia. It simply is a worthy day trip if your’e in the in Northern area of Sardinia.
Practical Information
Resort & Spa Le Dune
Address: 07030 Li Junchi Province of Sassari, Italy
Location: Località Li Junchi, Badesi (SS) Sardinia Italy
GPS coordinates: 40° 76.699′ N – 8° 31.767′ E
Check in at 4:00 pm; Check out at 10:00 am
More information about your stay you can find, here. For services provided and extras, you can find more information, here.
You can also read more reviews on this resort, here.
Final Thoughts
Our stay at Resort & Spa Le Dune, though short, was amazing. Not only was the resort beautiful and tranquil, but the staff made the hotel an enjoyable stay, despite the pandemic woes during our stay. As a family friendly resort, as well as a relaxing resort for those without kids, this resort has so much to offer and more. I wish we could have stayed longer, but our Sardinia Road Trip Itinerary was already jammed pack for the week! We have agreed that we would recommend this resort and are willing to return. So there you have the verdict! Book that stay! Until next time friends! Alla prossima amici!
P.S. if you’re interested in reading our Sardinia 7-day roadtrip itinerary, you can find that blogpost, here.
***Disclosure: All views expressed on this site are my own and do not represent the opinions of others and in no means an affiliate to any of the companies discussed.***
