My family and I (4 adults) stayed in Villa Smeralda for a week, and we were very happy with our choice. Following a forty-five-minute drive from Cagliari airport in a rented car (sat nav recommended), we arrived at Torre delle Stelle - a small village with its own free, high-quality tennis court, two large restaurants and two supermarkets. Gloria greeted us upon our arrival and showed us round the beautiful villa. There was enough room for the four of us, and plenty of room outside to relax. The BBQ worked perfectly and there was charcoal provided. There were plenty of other extras too, such as badminton rackets and pool games, a library of books of all languages for all ages, a DVD player, an ironing board and iron, a hairdryer and plenty of towels, toilet rolls and cleaning products!

We contacted Gloria a couple of times during our stay, and she was more than happy to help with our enquiries and went out of her way to assist us in any way she could. She was the ideal host and very knowledgeable. The pool was cleaned twice a week, and it also turned different colours in the evenings which created a lovely ambience. And the views were amazing, especially from the huge roof space. Despite being October, we could see the sun from 08.00 - sunset (around 18.30). As it was the end of the tourist season when we stayed, the beaches weren't crowded and there was always a table at the restaurants without booking.

The only negative I had regarded the roads. As the villa is in the mountains, the dirt roads in the village were rather uneven in places which made journeys to and from the villa rather bumpy. And the main roads to nearby towns/villages are coastal, so were quite bendy (and nauseous taken at speed!) and took a while to get anywhere. There are also a number of steps up to the villa from the road, so it isn't ideal for disabled visitors. Our favourite places to visit nearby included the beach at Salonas (where it was warm enough for a swim) and looking around Villasimius, with its vibrant nightlife and lovely harbour. We wanted a nice, relaxing week away from the hustle and bustle, and we certainly got one. Would recommend it to others looking to visit Sardinia.