This was my first ever Neilson holiday & I didn’t quite know what to expect…however, I can honestly say it exceeded all my expectations!
My name is Martina Gardeva, Digital Marketing Executive at Travel Club Elite and I’m happy to share all about my experience at Neilson’s Baia dei More Beachclub. I fell in love with the traditional Sardinian charm, the stunning turquoise waters & the peaceful surroundings of Baia dei Mori. You can appreciate the spectacular sky full of stars, away from light pollution & big towns, which mean you can simply enjoy the magic show & if you’re lucky maybe even spot a shooting star – perfect for holiday wishes!
It’s definitely the perfect place for all nature-lovers & families who appreciate the great outdoors. It has excellent opportunities for all kinds of watersports, including great windsurfing & sailing.
What made my holiday unforgettable were the lovely & extremely friendly Neilson staff which will be there for you from the minute you land, until the very (sad) end of your holiday, when it’s time to say goodbye to Sardinia, for this year at least!
Relax as hard as you like…
Neilson’s Baia dei Mori is situated on the north-east coast of Sardinia near a town called Tanaunella, very close to the famous Costa Smeralda. The flight (from London Heathrow) is just under 2 hours & the resort transfer takes no more than 40 minutes from Olbia airport. Baia dei Mori has its own private, white sand beach & a lovely forest of pine trees surrounds the spacious accommodation facilities, making it the perfect escape from the hot summer days.
The resort itself has a very peaceful & relaxing vibe which corresponds perfectly with Neilson’s motto – “Relax as hard as you like”. As soon as you get to the beach you will notice the picture-perfect sand dunes, Sardinia’s famous mountain scenery, clear turquoise waters & the intriguing island Isola Molara right in front of you.
Tip:
Bear in mind Baia dei Mori is an hour walk from the nearest town & apart from a few local restaurants & a supermarket (about 30 min walk), so planning makes perfect & pack everything you may need.
Enjoy traditional Italian food
With Neilson’s holiday package you have breakfast & lunch included every day & four evening meals. There’s a large selection of fresh local vegetables, salads & of course plenty of home-made Italian dishes. For breakfast, you could select from eggs, bacon, beans, cereals, sandwiches & porridge as well as many fresh juices & fruits. Lunch & dinners include pizzas & pasta dishes, traditional Sardinian meals as well as grilled meat & some seafood with plenty of salads & desserts to choose from. Complimentary coffee, tea & cold water are always available with your meals & you can choose from the carefully chosen wine selection at the restaurant, or enjoy tempting cocktails at the pool bar (non-inclusive).
Tip:
Try the traditional Sardinian pasta dishes & the freshly made pizzas, I promise you won’t regret it.
Tip 2:
Taste the Aperol Spritz, the Mojito & the Gin Frizz cocktails. Plastic containers are available to take drinks to the beach.
What’s onsite
Neilson’s Baia dei Mori consists of many traditional Sardinian villas, which usually have 3-4 rooms each. Most of them have a small table & a garden chairs outside your door & make the perfect spot for you to enjoy your afternoon tea or a late-night talk under the spectacular starlit sky. The rooms are spacious & clean with plenty of sunlight coming in during the days.
The Baia dei Mori Beachclub has a lovely swimming pool & a kids’ pool right next to it with plenty of sunbeds & shady umbrellas around it. There’s one pool bar right next to the pool. The resort has a great fitness area, right in the middle of the forest, a beach-volleyball court, several tennis courts & a small store for water sports clothes & beach essentials in case you’ve forgotten something. There’s also a spa centre offering a good variety of massages & treatments.
Make the most of the inclusive Neilson-run kids’ clubs for two to 17-year-olds where you can set your children free with the English-speaking team of friendly, energetic & expertly trained supervisors. They’ll be picking up important life & social skills & learning new activities, too, as well as making lots of new friends. There’s also the Starfish crèche for babies up to 23 months old, which is available for a supplement.
Tip:
Don’t forget your mosquito repellent.
Tip 2:
If you’re travelling with babies or toddlers don’t forget to ask about cots, baby baths & pushchairs.
A Watersports paradise…
Activities available include – Road cycling, Mountain biking, Windsurfing, Dinghy sailing, Tennis, Fitness classes, Stand-up paddle boarding, Kayaking, Kitesurfing (extra cost). If you’re a beginner or this is your first Neilson Holiday, you can choose from joining the different classes or taking private lessons. You would get an Activity Planner at the beginning of your stay so you can plan your own perfect schedule.
Paddle boarding & Kayaking you can do any time of the day & you won’t need an instructor with you. As for the Biking tours of the island, Fitness Classes & Running Exercises – you will get an updated weekly schedule once you arrive at Baia dei Mori.
Tip:
If you’re not interested in taking the full course in Windsurfing or Sailing, which usually consists of 1-2h classes almost every morning, you can do the Taster sessions (twice a week) when you would have an instructor with you who would explain you the essentials & then you can try it for yourself in the water. It’s definitely a fun thing to do if you want to try everything!
Tip 2:
If you plan on joining the Sailing or Windsurfing classes, bear in mind they run every morning at the same time so you would have to pick just one of the activities & stick to it until the end of the week in order to get your certificate. If you want to try both, consider joining the Taster sessions as well.
Tip 3:
If you want to join the Joy rides or Kayak Safaris, you need to sign up well in advance as the spots are very limited.
Top Things to Do outside Baia dei Mori
As I mentioned earlier, there are four evening meals included in your holiday package & this gives the opportunity for a change of scene & to sample local restaurants. For two of the three nights when you don’t have dinners, Neilson organize short excursions to the towns nearby. The shuttle service is €8-10.
The first trip takes you to San Teodoro (it’s about 30 min bus ride). It’s a charming small town with a few good Italian trattorias, seafood restaurants & a couple of bars. You can also enjoy a traditional gelato & buy some souvenirs (or clothes for the ladies, they’re fabulous!) from the local market. There’s also a small supermarket in case you need anything. You return at around 10.30 pm.
The second trip gives you the option to stop at Budoni (about 15 min ride) or continue to Porto Ottiolu (about 20 min & it’s the one I picked). Budoni is a very small town with a few nice places to eat & more villas than stores. Porto Ottiolu, on the other hand, offers a beautiful port scenery full of yachts & sailing boats with terraced villas on the background, a few excellent restaurants & a few souvenir stores. You will be back at the resort around 10.30 pm.
Neilson also offer two day-trips – the first one is to La Maddalena Archipelago (about € 70) & features a mini cruise with a simple lunch; the second one is to Bonifacio in Corsica (about € 90).
Tip:
If you plan on going on the day-trips, reserve your place as soon as you get to the hotel, as there is limited availability.
What’s Included with your Neilson Holiday Package
Hotel & flights
• Direct flights • Coach transfer (40 mins) • Beachclub accommodation • Wi-Fi in public areas & in most rooms • Beach towels • Tea & coffee making facilities
Food & drink
• Breakfast every day • Lunch every day • Four evening meals weekly • Water, tea & coffee with inclusive meals
Shore-based activities
• Tennis with coaching • Mountain biking with guiding • Road cycling with guiding • Fitness classes • Yoga & stretch classes
Water-based activities
• Dinghy sailing with tuition • Windsurfing with tuition • Kayaking • Stand up paddle boarding • Swimming pool & kids’ pool
Childcare
• Sea Urchins (2-3yrs) • Sea Badgers (4-5yrs) • Surfbusters (6-7yrs) • Sharksters (8-9yrs) • Stingrays (10-11yrs) • Surf Squad (12-13 yrs) • Wave Riders (14-15yrs) • TAG (16-17yrs) • High tea for under 5’s • evening childcare on selected evenings
& what’s extra…
• Starfish crèche – £300 per week • Hot Shots club – £195 per week • Spa treatments • Any meals & drinks not included above • Activity upgrades & private tuition • Excursions • Room supplements & upgrades • Accommodation tourist taxes (from €1 – €1.50 per person per night).
Conclusion
Neilson’s Baia dei Mori is the perfect beachclub for families and nature-lovers, away from the hustle and bustle of the big touristy resorts. It has a great private white-sand beach, plenty of watersports activities, especially sailing and windsurfing as the wind conditions of that part of Sardinia are excellent, and off-shore adventures like road cycling and tennis. Guests will love the short transfer times of just 40 minutes and the extremely friendly Neilson resort staff. Even though Baia dei Mori is located relatively far from the nearby towns, you can use the night shuttle to get around or go on a day trip to explore the beautiful Italian island. The rooms are villa-style, clean, comfortable and spacious. The dining options will give you a great overview of the traditional Sardinian cuisine with wonderful freshly-made pasta and oven-baked pizzas. Overall, a great first Neislon Holiday experience and a very relaxing stay at Baia dei Mori.
If you have any questions about Neilson Holidays or Baia dei Mori, please call free on 0800 707 6229 or email info@travelclubelite.com & our friendly travel experts will be happy to help.