A hotel near Nuoro in the interior of Sardinia

Hotel Su Lithu, Bitti

Sardinia's Hotel Su Lithu lies just above the town of Bitti, in the island's Nuoro province. Set just north of Nuoro itself, the building sits immersed in its own verdant parkland, surrounded by trees and gazing out over the island - there are terrific views from here. Nuoro is deep in the countryside of central Sardinia, a sparsely populated region. The beaches of the east coast lie some 40km away to the east, with Olbia and the Costa Smeralda to the north east.

This four-star hotel in Sardinia (Sardegna) has 15 rooms, all of them restored and renovated in keeping with the traditional Sardinian style. There are modern comforts of course - private bathroom, minibar, TV, telephone and the rest - but the old-fashioned beds, curtains, carpets, and some of the rooms with beamed ceilings - bring to mind an older, gentler age.

Just as important as the guest rooms is the superb restaurant. Here you can really discover the cuisine of Sardinia. The names of the recipes may baffle guests a little (the Sardinian dialect is very different to standard Italian) but there is no mistaking the skill and taste on display here. Sa Cordedda are braided lamb intestines flavoured with herbs and tomato; sas casattinas are sour cheese tarts baked in the oven with parsley; or try the delicious su pistizzone cun anzone, a soup of lamb and herbs. There are traditional sweets made with money, and 'bruschette', the traditional wine of the mountain shepherds. Wines are made from grapes grown on the family's own farm.

This Sardinia hotel has an outdoor swimming pool, and there is good hiking and cycling nearby. There are gardens and play areas for the children, a family room and baby sitting services.

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Double room from €110