VOI Tanka Selected

The sea is the obvious reason to come here, but the resort is built for more than a quick dip between excursions. VOI Tanka Selected sits within the larger VOI Tanka Village complex, a substantial beachfront resort with 850 rooms, gardens, pools, restaurants and evening entertainment. You get a full holiday setting rather than a small, hideaway hotel: useful if you are travelling with family, less so if you want a place that rolls up the pavements at sunset.

The direct beach access makes the daily routine pleasingly simple. You can go from breakfast to the sand, from the sun terrace to the water, and back to air conditioning when the Sardinian heat starts winning. English is used on the resort’s website, so the property is set up for English-speaking guests even though the languages spoken by the hotel team are not listed.

You are in Villasimius, on Sardinia, with the resort placed directly on a white-sand beach. Simius Beach is about a three-minute walk away, while Porto Giunco Beach is roughly 1.2 miles from the property. Spiaggia di Is Traias is about 0.7 miles away, giving you several stretches of coast to explore when you fancy a change of scenery.

Villasimius town centre is around 1.2 miles away. Nearby restaurants include Il Faro Villasimius, about 0.3 miles away, Simius Playa at roughly 0.6 miles, and Ristorante I Ginepri at around 1.3 miles. Monte Minniminni, rising to 725 metres, is about 6 miles inland for a different sort of outing. Cagliari Elmas Airport is approximately 39 miles away by road.

For two, the Deluxe Room is the straightforward choice: a king-size bed, private bathroom and the useful basics for a proper night’s sleep, including air conditioning, a wardrobe, a desk, a minibar and a flat-screen television. Garden views are available, and daily housekeeping means you do not have to return to a room still carrying the evidence of the morning’s beach routine.

The Junior Suite gives a family or a small group more room to spread out, while the Family Junior Suite is the practical option when separate sleeping arrangements matter. It accommodates up to five people and has two bathrooms, which can save a surprising amount of time when everyone is trying to get ready at once. Cots are available for children aged up to two years, subject to the selected accommodation option, but extra beds are not available.

Private bathrooms include a shower, towels, toiletries, a hairdryer and a bidet. Air conditioning matters here, particularly when you return warm, salty and ready to stop moving. Free Wi-Fi is available, and the rooms are non-smoking.

Full board is the stated formula, with buffet breakfast and meals spread across three restaurants. Oasys serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, with international cooking in an outdoor air-conditioned setting. Mirto covers breakfast and dinner, while Stella di Mare offers lunch and dinner à la carte for guests on the Premium Formula. That gives you some choice across a longer stay, rather than the same dining room becoming part of the furniture by the third evening.

Breakfast is the broadest meal on paper: continental, Italian, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, American and buffet options are available. There is also a restaurant, a bar, a snack bar and a minibar, so you have somewhere to look when the gap between returning from the water and sitting down for dinner becomes uncomfortably noticeable. Special diet menus can be arranged, and children’s meals are available.

Evenings bring live music, shows and themed dinner nights. If you book half board or full board, the included drinks are water, house wine and draught beer. Some restaurants depend on the formula attached to your booking, so check which dining venues come with your chosen arrangement before treating the menu as a daily open invitation.

Two pools give you an alternative to the sea: an Olympic-sized pool for a proper swim and a shallow children’s pool for younger guests. The beachfront area has sun loungers and parasols, while the sun terrace and garden offer the less sandy version of sitting down. Pool and beach towels are available, which is one less damp item to carry back to your room.

The spa covers the essentials for tired shoulders and sun-warmed legs, with massages, facials, a sauna and a sensory shower. There is also a relaxation area, an open-air bath, a solarium and a hot tub. Fitness facilities and fitness classes are available if your idea of recovery involves making the muscles work again rather than giving them a firm day off.

Away from the water and spa, you can play tennis, use the golf facilities, cycle, try archery, join aerobics or take part in evening entertainment. Kayaking and boat excursions are available on site, while bicycle hire, walking tours, bike tours, horse riding, hiking, windsurfing, mini golf, tennis equipment and table tennis carry an additional charge. Families have a kids’ club for ages three to 12.99, children’s activities, indoor and outdoor play areas, a playground and evening shows, so travelling with younger relatives does not mean inventing entertainment from a sun lounger.

Cagliari Elmas Airport is about 39 miles away by road. An airport shuttle is available through the hotel, and the resort also offers a shuttle service, car hire and a concierge. If you are driving, free private parking is available on site without reservation, with an electric vehicle charging station.

Check-in runs from 16:00 to midnight and check-out from 06:00 to 10:00. You need photo identification and a credit card at check-in, and the hotel needs your expected arrival time in advance. Luggage storage, a 24-hour front desk, an ATM and a tour desk are useful on travel days, particularly when your flight and your room do not happen to agree about the timetable.

Children of all ages are welcome. Children aged three and over are charged as adults under the property’s policy, while cots for younger children can be requested. Pets are allowed. Cards are accepted, but cash is not, and parties or events are not permitted. Beach services can be booked on site or in advance, and the airport shuttle is a paid service arranged through the hotel.

The resort holds GSTC certification. That gives the property a recognised sustainability framework rather than a vague promise attached to a palm tree. No further operational details are provided here, so the useful takeaway is the certification itself.