The flagship 7Pines hotel is on Ibiza, but the name is perhaps even better suited to its sister hotel, the 7Pines Resort Sardinia. Located on a secluded stretch of the picturesque Costa Smeralda, this spacious 37-acre property is luxuriantly shaded by cypresses, evergreens, and palms, with tree-lined paths leading to the resort’s sunny beach club and sparkling outdoor pools.

It’s almost hard to believe that Le Dune Piscinas began life as a humble warehouse for mining materials, or that the golden dunes that surround it hide the remains of a 19th-century mine. After a radical transformation the property has been reborn as a luxuriously soothing retreat, which feels far from everything except the beach and the blue waters of the Mediterranean.

The most salient feature of Aethos Sardinia’s setting is not the lawns, but the water. In this case it’s the Bay of Cannigione, on Sardinia’s Emerald Coast, one of the world’s more scenic patches of the blue stuff. And while a location alone does not an extraordinary hotel make, it certainly never hurts. Aethos Sardinia, we’re happy to report, is quite capable of living up to the promise of its setting.

Not far from the Emerald Coast of northeastern Sardinia is a classic farmhouse complex that’s gone the way of so many Mediterranean farmhouses — transformed into a luxe and glamorous modern boutique hotel. Cascioni Eco Retreat is, as its name suggests, not just about luxury; its mission is to be a good steward of the land that it occupies, and to immerse its guests in the island’s considerable natural splendor.

Here in the Sardinian interior is the town of Oliena, backed by the Supramonte mountains — and in the foothills you’ll find Su Gologone, the kind of whitewashed, tile-roofed rustic retreat that Italian tourism dreams are made of. The traditional Sardinian interiors are soothingly familiar yet intriguingly novel, and the property has a bit of a village atmosphere about it, with the privacy that implies.

Lighthouses don’t get much more grand than the 160-year-old Faro Capo Spartivento, on the rugged southern coast of Sardinia, an hour’s drive from Cagliardi. While the light is still in service, it’s automated now, freeing this unique building (and the neighboring keeper’s cottage) to transform itself into a small and secluded luxury hotel. The sea views are extraordinary and the interior design is unique.

In the heart of Cagliari, mere minutes by foot from the marina quarter, is a luxury boutique hotel that shows an uncommonly refined side of the Sardinian capital. Casa Clàt employed, in the role of art director, the Sardinian-based artist STUDIO PILIA; the style is a unique creation that spans multiple eras and incorporates the work of many other Sardinian artists, designers, and craftspeople.

Sardinia may have a reputation as a rough and rustic place, but life on the Costa Smeralda is as plush as it gets. Still, a place like the ultra-luxe Pitrizza might be garish or opulent were it located elsewhere, but Sardinia’s down-to-earth charm lends it an unpretentious cool. The rooms and suites are impressive enough, while the pool villas are downright lavish.

Hotel Cala di Volpe, located on Sardinia’s Costa Smeralda, is a palatial luxury resort designed in the style of an old-fashioned Mediterranean village. The surroundings are spectacular (Costa Smeralda means Emerald Coast, after all), all white sands and translucent waters. But the hotel itself is no less striking — its archways, terraces, and towers seem to blend into the rocky countryside.

Sardinia may not be wholly undiscovered, but compared to the Italian mainland it’s where you’ll find a surplus of rural tranquility — and in an environment like this, hotels like the Stazzo Lu Ciaccaru Resort thrive. It’s set on the greater Costa Smeralda, a few minutes’ drive from the coast proper, but this old farm is pure rustic romance: stone buildings, olive groves, and agriturismo ambience to spare.

Not many Sardinian hotels can offer a private transfer via helicopter from the airport at Olbia; then again not many Sardinian hotels are as unapologetically upscale as Li Finistreddi. From its hilltop perch it’s got a commanding view of its corner of the island, taking in a panorama that includes the Costa Smeralda and the Maddalena islands. And with a mere 19 rooms it operates on a scale that can only ever be tranquil.

The Costa Smeralda blends wild, unspoiled landscapes with some of Europe’s most extravagant luxury resorts. Against this opulent backdrop, a place like the Pevero feels downright restrained, even with its five swimming pools and extensive spa. This is luxury, make no mistake — but it’s still in touch with the farmhouse charm and the pastoral unpretentiousness that make Sardinia so special.