W Hotels adds Sardinia resort to its Italian trio

W Hotels has planted a new flag on Sardinia’s northeastern coast, opening W Sardinia – Poltu Quatu as the Marriott-owned lifestyle brand builds out a three-hotel run across Italy.

According to Variety, the new resort has 157 rooms and sits in a marina village on the island. It now joins W Rome and W Florence in the brand’s Italian portfolio, giving travelers a city-city-island route under one badge.

The company is tying the trio together with a new “Italian Tour” offer, Variety reported. The package covers suite stays and food and drink experiences connected to Florence, Rome and Sardinia.

Brad Wulff, vice president and global brand leader at W Hotels, told Variety the company is not trying to start from scratch with the brand. He said W has long worked best when it is slightly ahead of culture in areas such as design, music, fashion, nightlife and social life, and that the current job is to adapt that identity to how people travel now.

A marina resort with Sardinian bite

W Sardinia – Poltu Quatu is set among white buildings built into the rocky coast around the marina, Variety reported. The interiors were handled by Meyer Davis and take cues from Sardinia’s caves, coast, craft traditions and folklore, including tales of the Janas, figures linked to ancient sites on the island.

The rooms and suites are designed as cave-like hideaways, according to Variety, using stone textures, curved shapes and reflective details that echo the water nearby.

Wulff told Variety that Sardinia combines beauty with a rougher, less predictable quality. He said Poltu Quatu in particular gives guests the feeling of having discovered something distinctive.

The resort is built around its marina and WET Deck pool. Its dining lineup includes TANIT, a waterfront restaurant led by chef Antonio Bitetto, with a menu focused on Sardinian seafood and produce, according to Variety. The restaurant’s name refers to an ancient goddess tied to abundance.

Variety also reported that the property has a dedicated pastry room overseen by Italian pastry chef Fabrizio Fiorani, making breakfast a notable part of the stay.

Guests can also head by boat across the bay to the hotel’s beach club on nearby islands. Variety described the resort’s rhythm as a mix of coffee at TANIT, beach time by boat and sunset aperitivo back at the hotel.

Wulff told Variety that luxury travelers do not necessarily want to pick between a quiet escape and a social, cultural trip. He said the Sardinia property is meant to offer both, depending on what guests want at the moment.

Rome, Florence and now the coast

The Sardinia opening gives W a seaside companion to its two Italian city hotels. W Rome opened in 2021 in a historic palazzo near the Spanish Steps, Variety reported, with 148 rooms and suites.

Its venues include Giano, a Sicilian-inspired restaurant from chef Ciccio Sultano; W Lounge, which centers on cocktails; and Citrico Rooftop, serving naturally leavened pizza and Mediterranean dishes with city views. Variety reported that W Rome also has a sixth-floor WET Deck with a plunge pool.

W Florence, the newest urban stop, has 119 rooms near Piazza di Santa Maria Novella, according to Variety. Its design mixes contemporary interiors with nods to Florentine architecture, art and Medici history, including a custom reception mural of exotic animals connected to the ruling family’s collection.

The Florence hotel also has Zefiro Rooftop, with views toward the Duomo and Santa Maria Novella, and programming that includes art exhibitions, workshops and projects with local creatives, Variety reported.

Wulff told Variety the brand’s next task is persuading travelers who formed an opinion of W 15 or 20 years ago to take another look. He said the newer hotels show a more sophisticated design direction and more intuitive service, while keeping the brand’s energy in a changed form.

This story draws on original reporting from Variety.