There are some places where, within minutes of arrival, you know you've struck gold. This is one. After following a small country lane into olive-speckled hills outside Alghero, we swung up a steep drive and, as if by magic, the gate slid open. Pier Paolo was waiting on the flower-fringed lawn, along with his amiable collie Frida and purring tabby Lola, to show us into our spotless rooms. Within minutes, we felt completely at home, relaxing on deckchairs with chilled vermentino from the refreshingly priced honesty bar, while we plotted seafood dinners in Alghero and secluded swims on Stintino's white-sand beaches.
Having moved here in 2009, Pier Paolo and his partner Carlo (hence Ka-Pi, their initials) spent 5 years gutting and rebuilding the outhouse, transforming it into 2 small but perfectly formed double bedrooms, with a shared kitchen-diner and pretty gardens out front. Comfy kingsize beds, deluge showers and double-glazed French windows ensure you wash and sleep well. Pier Paolo whisks up delicious breakfasts on the terrace, then hands you a stylishly striped beach bag with a zipped cooler, orange towels and a parasol. You couldn't be in better hands.
Highs
- Your hosts are generous to a fault, and full of local insights (Pier Paolo's day job is organising group tours)
- Pier Paolo makes one of the best breakfasts we've had in Sardinia
- A lovely rural setting, yet only 4km from Alghero and its beaches - you could even cycle there
- Alghero's historic honey-stoned centre, hugged by sea walls, is one of the Med's unsung jewels
- Perfect for a couple on a budget; even better for 2 couples travelling together
Lows
- You could feel quite cosy with the other guests: terrace, lawn and kitchen are shared
- No kids, unless taking the 2 rooms together (note that both are double-bedded)
- No pool, though the beach is only 5km away
- The B&B can be tricky to find
- When Pier Paolo is away, you can only book the "whole cottage (self-catering)" option, not individual rooms on a B&B basis; but Francesco, who deputises as a meet-and-greet, speaks good English
Best time to go
Alghero has the rare virtue of being a year-round city (though flights there may not be); we think it's at its best in April-May and late September-October, if you can get away then. Summer sees street theatre, concerts and exhibitions - and attendant crowds. Winter is great for cobweb-busting coastal hikes, and you can normally brave a swim as late as November.
Our top tips
For a lovely week away, combine a stay here with a few days in beautiful Bosa, 50km south. Take the magnificent coast road one way, stopping at La Speranza beach for a swim and pasta with scampi; and return inland via the sleepy village of Padria, where you can fill up on tasty penne with wild boar and porcini in the humble Trattoria da Giovanna (at the end of the village, turn left at the church).
- Boutique B&B
- 2 rooms
- Breakfast only
- Welcome if taking both rooms
- Open all year
- Pool
- Spa Treatments
- Beach Nearby
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Car recommended
- Parking
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
- Bicycles Available
- Laundry room
Rooms
Both bedrooms are smallish, but serve their purpose well. Expect comfy mattresses, silky linens, good bedside lights and double-glazed French windows which shut out any nocturnal barking. There's A/C, plus the high pitched roof is well insulated and sliding mosquito nets allow for through drafts if you prefer (and you don't mind the dawn light creeping in too). Pier Paolo salvaged the original doors and reused them as frames for a quartet of sun-bleached roof tiles or ancient iron keys - an artful touch, we thought.
Ensuite bathrooms have deluge showers, lovely gels, towelling robes and, for a dash of designer humour, an oversized lightbulb hanging from a thick red cord.
Both rooms - there's nothing to choose between them - open onto the terrace and garden, with their own bamboo armchairs and breakfast table. The shared guest kitchen is between them, so you won't hear any neighbour noise.
Features include:
- Bathrobes
- Hairdryer
- Mosquito net
- Safe box
- WiFi
Eating
Pier Paolo's breakfast is a highlight of any stay here. He lays out a wonderful spread on linen tablecloths in the garden, much of it homemade, including his own blended juice of the day (ours was carrot, pineapple, apple and ginger - a great pick-me-up), his mother's cookies, Carlo's juicy lemon drizzle cake, and marmalade from their bitter orange tree. There's local ham and pecorino, treacly coffee served in espresso pots and whatever else takes their gourmet fancy. Don't plan to rush off.
For dinner, they can suggest restaurants in Alghero to suit most budgets and flavours, from novel pizzas (think gorgonzola and pear) at La Botteghina, to upscale seafood at La Guinqueta (we sampled impeccable skate, cuttlefish, squid and sesame-encrusted swordfish on the 'pescador' menu).
Features include:
- Bar
- Breakfast
Activities
- Alghero is one of Sardinia's loveliest towns, with Siracusa-esque sea walls enclosing cobbled lanes and handsome pastel houses; there are churches, boutiques, gelaterie and superb Catalan-influenced seafood
- Boat excursions take you across the pine-fringed bay of Porto Conte to the sea caves and sheer rock stacks of Capo Caccia; the best is the Andrea Jensen - a wooden ketch with real sailing, great lunches and dolphin sightings
- Fine sandy beaches stretch west and south, or drive up to the Stintino peninsula for stunning white sands: La Pelosa is the pin-up (turquoise shallows and bronzed crowds), Rena Maiore near Biancareddu offers cliff-backed solitude (ask Pier Paolo for directions)
- Hike up 316-metre Mt. Timidone, an hour's marked trail from Le Prigionette park gate (small entrance fee), looking out for mouflons, albino donkeys and griffon vultures; or the macchia-covered hills above the ghost silver-mining village of Argentiera (get the Rother guidebook)
- Taste crisp Vermentino wines at Sella e Mosca (5pm daily, free tour, small tasting fee), or ask Pier Paolo to fix you up with a more personalised experience at a smaller cantina
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Boat trips
- Cycling
- Hiking
- Historical sites
- Horse riding
- Private guided tours
- Sailing
- Shopping / markets
- Snorkelling
- Swimming
- Windsurfing
- Wine tasting
Kids
Children are only accepted if you take both rooms, and as both are double-bedded that's not ideal. But for a couple with an older child, or 2 well-behaved children who are happy to share a double bed, it's not a bad option. You get free run of the small kitchen, a supply of beach towels and parasols, plus an adorable dog and cat to pet. But there's no pool.
For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection
Location
B&B Kapi Country is set 4km outside the coastal town of Alghero in northwest Sardinia. It's 2 hours west of Olbia and 3 hours north of Cagliari.
By Air:
Ideally, fly into Alghero (the airport is just 14km away, but flights are limited); otherwise into Olbia or Cagliari. Click on the links below for a list of airlines serving these airports.
From the Airport
You could take a taxi from Alghero, but you'll probably need transport while you're here, so it's best to hire a car from the airport (see our car rental recommendations). You can park safely inside the gated drive, though be aware that the driveway is steep.
By Ferry:
Sardinia is served by car ferries coming from Italy (Genoa, Livorno, Rome - Civitavecchia, Naples, Palermo etc), and also from France (Marseille and Corsica). The latter arrive in Porto Torres which is just 50km / 50 mins' drive from the B&B.
Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com. 
More on getting to Sardinia and getting around
Airports:
- Alghero (Fertilia) 14.0 km AHO
- Olbia 140.0 km OLB
Other:
- Beach 5.0 km
- Shops 4.0 km
- Restaurant 4.0 km
Our guests' ratings...
Based on 5 independent reviews from i-escape guests
Feedback is only from guests who have booked and stayed through i-escape