Hotel Simius Playa

English, French, German and Italian are spoken by the hotel team, so you can deal with the practicalities of a diving holiday without resorting to underwater hand signals at reception. The atmosphere is built around the beach, the garden and the sea-facing setting rather than a sealed-off resort bubble.

The colonial-style building sits among tropical gardens, with a swimming pool and direct access to a white sandy beach. You can move from your room to the shore, then back to the pool or the bar without turning the evening into an expedition. Villasimius is also close enough for a change of scenery when you have had your fill of salt, sun and dive talk.

This is a useful choice for couples who want the coast at the door, but also for divers travelling with a non-diving partner. Your day can split neatly: you head towards the sea, while your companion has the pool, beach, garden, restaurants and nearby town to hand.

Hotel Simius Playa is in Villasimius, Italy, on the coast of Sardinia and directly beside the beach. Simius Beach is about 80 metres away, while Spiaggia di Is Traias is roughly 300 metres away. Porto Giunco Beach is about 1 mile away, and Spiaggia di Porto Luna is around 1 mile away by road.

The centre of Villasimius is about 0.3 miles from the hotel. That gives you access to the town without sacrificing the beach setting, although the hotel itself already covers the immediate essentials: restaurant, bars, pool and beach service. A bus stop is about 50 metres away, useful if you would rather leave the hire car parked.

Cagliari Elmas Airport is about 28 miles away. For a wider look at the area, Monte Minniminni is roughly 5 miles from the hotel, with the coast providing the more obvious post-dive distraction.

The room choice is mainly about how much space and sea view you want. The Classic Double Room keeps things straightforward for two, while the Superior Double Room gives you a little more breathing room. If the view matters more than keeping the room simple, choose a sea-view category; the suites are the step up when you want a separate sense of space rather than somewhere merely to sleep.

Rooms have air conditioning, a private bathroom with a bath or shower, a fridge, an electric kettle and a wardrobe. After a hot day outside, the air conditioning and cold water from the fridge are the useful details. A drying rack is also available for clothing, which is handy when swimsuits are multiplying around the room like an unplanned family of nudibranchs.

Some rooms have a balcony, and some look towards the sea. Superior rooms and suites are the more natural fit for a couple staying several nights, while the smaller double rooms suit you if most of your day will be spent outdoors. The hotel was renovated in 2023 and has 218 rooms. Family rooms are available, with children over 10 welcome; extra beds for children aged 10 to 16 can be requested.

Breakfast is served as a buffet from 07:30 to 10:00, with bed and breakfast as the standard formula. Half-board options are also available, so you can decide whether dinner belongs at the hotel or whether you want to walk into Villasimius and find another table. Breakfast in your room and room service are available on request.

Three restaurants are available, with Ristorante Li Porti bringing traditional Sardinian cooking to a terrace setting and the indoor Pizzeria keeping dinner more casual. The hotel’s food description also focuses on fresh fish and Mediterranean specialities, which is precisely the sort of food that makes sense when you have spent the day in the water rather than staring at a conference buffet.

There are two bars. The American Bar is the lobby bar, with cocktails and drinks; the Pool Bar handles refreshments and snacks beside the swimming pool. If you are returning from the beach with salt in your hair and no appetite for ceremony, the second option is the obvious landing zone.

The large outdoor swimming pool comes with sun loungers and umbrellas, while the private beach area has white sand, loungers and parasols. Half-board guests have beach loungers and parasols from the third row onwards included in their arrangement; the first two rows carry an additional charge. If you book breakfast only, beach service is not included, so check which arrangement suits the way you plan to spend your non-diving hours.

For something more active, you can use the on-site water-sports facilities, with snorkelling, kayaking, paddleboarding and boat excursions available. Bicycle rental, hiking, horse riding and tennis equipment are also offered. Golf is available within about 2 miles, and excursions can take you towards Cagliari or Villasimius.

The fitness centre is there for anyone who still has energy left after the second dive. For a slower afternoon, massages, body treatments, facial and beauty treatments, manicures and pedicures are available. Evenings may include live music, which gives you a reason to stay out after dinner without pretending that a third dive is still a sensible idea.

Cagliari Airport is about 28 miles away, and the hotel offers an airport shuttle on request. Car hire is available, while free private parking is provided on site, with no reservation required. This makes the address practical if you want to explore beaches beyond Villasimius rather than rely entirely on taxis or organised outings.

The official check-in time begins at 14:00 and check-out is by 12:00. A 24-hour reception, luggage storage, express check-in and check-out, concierge assistance and currency exchange are available. Laundry, dry cleaning and pressing services can also take care of the less glamorous side of a week involving salt, sunscreen and damp towels.

Wi-Fi is available, and the hotel has a shared lounge with a television. Visa, Mastercard and cash are accepted. The property is non-smoking, pets are not allowed, and children over 10 are welcome. For a diving week, the combination of direct beach access, nearby town facilities and on-site parking keeps the logistics pleasantly uninteresting—which is exactly what logistics should be.