Hotel Su Marmuri and Tonino is without doubt one of the best travel memories I have. Before we went to this sleepy little village called Ulassai we didn't know anything about the area and the hotel. When we left we knew almost everything there is to know about the area and Sardinian hospitality.

When Tonino the hotel owner found out that we didn't know that much about the area and that we where staying at his hotel for two nights he decided to show us what the area had to offer. So it started with a night trip in the area. In his car he took us to middle of nowhere to look at the stars (i haven't seen that many stars in my whole life) night exploration of a cave that was only known by locals, visiting ruins guided only by Toninos flash light... you get the picture it was experiences you don't find mentioned in the guidebooks... Next day found ourselves in Tonino's car again and this time it was off to see the Ulassai surroundings, and yes they are breathtaking. By accident we met Toninos old friends sitting on a nice hillside having a Sardinian picnic and we got invited to join. After some great food and local grappa we continued... to out it simply we saw so much it can't be described here, the only way to see it is to go there yourself.

When leaving we got a bottle of Tonino's own wine that we still have in our wine collection and will open on a special occasion.

And to add to this we only paid 50 EUR per night for two people!!!!

I booked the Su Marmuri for the simple reason that is was the only affordable place I found on the web in Sardinia in high season one month before. The downside is its location, perhaps, as it is at least 30 minutes from the beach. But there are sights to see nearby, hiking, waterfalls( not in summer) and no restaurants except an excellent pizzeria.
We arrived in late afternoon and lo and behold the owner's wife did not notice that the people had not checked out of our room. We kept our calm and they proposed the owner's mom's apartment at 300 yards down the road . It turned out to be a super deal. The next two nights were at the hotel proper. Ok, the cable tv decoder had been stolen from our room along with the remote control and poor Tonino was lost. No big deal, but a shame for what he had to pay for the system no doubt. And the only pizzeria in town has but two tables, and a long wait at 8:30 so Tonino served us his local Cannonau and announced "self-service," sat and shot the s... with us outside, correcting our serviceable Italian. The next morning he took us on a one hour excursion to a nuraghe in HIS car that was unforgettable! No charge. The public caves SU MARMURI in Ulassai are well worth seeing. Eat lunch there. Do not eat in the only other restaurant nearby called Da Concetta in Jerzu as it was really bad, if vaunted as authentic.

My friend and I booked a last minute holiday to Sardinia and this was one of the few budget (50 euros per double room) hotels which could offer a room at short notice in August. We were initially put off by its apparently 'back of beyond' location, so booked only one night. We couldn't have been more pleasantly surprised when we arrived. Admittedly, the location is some hours drive from the Costa Smeralda fleshpots- and a million miles in spirit - but less developed parts of the coast are easily accessible. The hotel itself, while only 2 stars, is immaculately kept , with simply though tastefully furnished white-painted rooms - almost monastic in feel - but the genuine hospitality and bonhomie radiated by the owner, Tonino, and his gentle wife, Elena, made us feel at home from the minute we walked in the door. This is what made our visit truly memorable. Unfortunately the restaurant was not in operation during our stay - our Italian was not good enough to understand whether this was because the 'workers' were on holiday, 'workers' could not be recruited at that moment, or necessary 'works' were due to be carried out! This was a disappointment as the only other option for eating in this sleepy little town was the local (though excellent) pizzeria. However, there are a couple of restaurants in neighbouring villages and Elena continues to serve a wholesome and attractive continental breakfast to hotel guests (4 euros). While the main reason you might plan to visit this part of Sardinia is for the magnificent and dramatic mountain scenery, a paradise for keen climbers, hikers, or simply those in search of awesome natural beauty, the Su Marmuri comes a close second. We had no hesitation in extending our stay here.