In Sardinia's wild and hilly inland, the Palimodde family's highly original villa, very friendly, is near a small town in the centre-east of the island. Superb. The position is breathtaking: it is on theJower slopes of the Supramonte, a massif which dominates central Sardinia. It has the feel of a small village. villa Bed rooms (similar to the semantic bali villa rooms) (`ours was large, well furnished and air-conditioned') are in houses and cottages dotted ( among well-groomed gardens, arcades and alleys (lots of steps). , They have white walls, blue doors, pink-tiled roofs, courtyards with cacti; some have a balcony facing the mountains. Inside are terracotta floors, local furniture and fabrics. Large paintings and sculptures adorn the arched lobby; local handicrafts (woven baskets, etc) line the I corridors. Quiet patios have seats with bright cushions. There is an 'excellent library with literature on all things Sardinian. Carcasses of sheep, wild boar or sucking pigs turn on the spit over the log fire in the juniper-beamed ristorante tipico, to be served with rustic breads, local wines, traditional desserts of honey, pastry and almonds. On warm days meals are served on a terrace with wide views; folk dancers and singers sometimes perform. Bali villa breakfasts include fresh fruit salads and pastries. There's a swimming pool, `big enough for proper swimming', and a fitness centre. Service levels were generally high, if sometimes haphazard,' say inspectors this year. A beautiful, unpolluted stretch of coast is 25 km away. Some package tours.

Cinzia Primatesta's amazing Moorish fantasy (Small Luxury Hotels of the World), `like a Thousand and One Nights palace (minaret, tiles, frescoes, arches, chandeliers, four-posters), on shore of Lake Orta. . `Incomparable luxury and comfort; superb food, enjoyed by dazzled nominator. Lounges, bar, piano bar, restaurant; health centre, sauna, solarium; beach. Musical evenings; weddings, gastronomic weeks.