Hotel Cala di Volpe x Dolce & Gabbana: Luxury Redefined

At Hotel Cala di Volpe in Porto Cervo, luxury is inseparable from place. Sculpted into the Gallura coastline, the celebrated Sardinian retreat turns architecture, colour and craftsmanship into an immersive experience. Its latest visual dialogue with Dolce&Gabbana brings the iconic Carretto Siciliano motif to the pool area, creating a vivid encounter between fashion, design and hospitality.

The result is more than a seasonal decoration. It is a celebration of Italian identity, where the organic character of Hotel Cala di Volpe becomes the stage for Dolce&Gabbana’s expressive language of pattern, ornament and colour.

A Hotel Shaped by the Mediterranean Landscape

Originally conceived by French architect Jacques Couëlle in the 1960s, Hotel Cala di Volpe was designed as a sculptural village overlooking the sea. Its curved forms, handcrafted details and softly coloured surfaces appear to emerge naturally from the landscape, reflecting the irregular beauty of Sardinian fishing villages while maintaining the sophistication of a Costa Smeralda destination.

This seamless relationship between architecture and nature defines the hotel’s identity. The bay, Mediterranean vegetation and changing Sardinian light become part of its visual language, while every arch, terrace and organic contour reinforces a sense of relaxed yet highly curated luxury.

Aerial view of a Sardinian resort complex with pools, sun loungers, and a lagoon surrounded by terracotta-roofed buildings

Source: ELITE TRAVELER

The Vision Behind the Architecture

The contemporary identity of Hotel Cala di Volpe has been carefully refined by Moinard Bétaille, the Paris-based interior design studio founded by Bruno Moinard and Claire Bétaille. Their renovation preserved Jacques Couëlle’s original artistic vision while updating the interiors through colour, natural materials, local craftsmanship and bespoke details. The studio describes Cala di Volpe as one of its most artistic and challenging projects, with the renovation designed to modernise the guest experience without compromising the hotel’s original character.

Portrait of a man and a woman standing together against a whitewashed wall, both dressed in dark clothing

Source: Whitewall

A Mediterranean Style with Sculptural Character

The hotel style is deeply rooted in Mediterranean architecture, but it goes far beyond a conventional coastal aesthetic. Curved walls, irregular windows, natural materials, pastel tones, ceramic details and handcrafted furnishings create an atmosphere that feels both rustic and sophisticated.

Rather than imposing itself on the landscape, Cala di Volpe seems to belong to it. Its bohemian spirit, soft colour palette and organic architecture are precisely what make the hotel so distinctive, creating an environment where Sardinian tradition meets effortless Italian glamour.

White vaulted stone interior with an arched bar area and terracotta floor tiles

Archway leading into a whitewashed bedroom with woven wall baskets and a thatched ceiling

Source: INTERIOR DESIGN

An Award-Winning Luxury Destination

Hotel Cala di Volpe continues to be recognised as one of Italy’s most prestigious luxury resorts. It has been repeatedly nominated for the World Travel Awards’ Italy’s Leading Luxury Resort, including in 2025 and 2026.

The hotel is also recognised by Forbes Travel Guide, which currently lists it as a Five-Star property, highlighting its highly personalised service, distinctive architecture and refined guest experience.

Infinity pool with a swim-up bar overlooking a scenic bay, flanked by lounge chairs with green towels

Private balcony with rattan lounge chairs under a thatched pergola, overlooking a turquoise bay dotted with boats

Source: Forbes Travel Guide

Dining with a Mediterranean Point of View

Gastronomy is an important part of the Cala di Volpe experience. Le Grand sits at the heart of the hotel, overlooking the Mediterranean and focusing on Sardinian and Italian cuisine, while the Cala di Volpe Barbecue offers a more relaxed poolside setting with seafood, local specialities and homemade pasta.

The hotel also hosts Matsuhisa at Cala di Volpe, bringing Nobu Matsuhisa’s Japanese-Peruvian cuisine to the Sardinian coast, alongside other dining and cocktail destinations including Beefbar and the Atrium Bar.

Bright restaurant dining room with pastel-colored chairs, white tablecloths, and arched windows overlooking the sea

Poolside view of a Mediterranean beach club restaurant with terracotta buildings, yellow umbrellas, and mountains in the background

Source: Marriott Bonvoy

Dolce&Gabbana Brings the Carretto Siciliano to Porto Cervo

Against this distinctive setting, Dolce&Gabbana brings the Carretto Siciliano motif to life as a celebration of Italian heritage. Inspired by Sicilian carts, vivid storytelling and artisanal decoration, its bold blues, oranges and reds transform the poolside into a vibrant contemporary canvas.

The intervention extends across sunbeds, towels, cabanas, cushions, drapes and hand-painted objects, creating an open-air interior where pattern and landscape meet. Together, Hotel Cala di Volpe’s sculptural architecture and Dolce&Gabbana’s expressive visual language create an exuberant yet refined celebration of the Italian coast.

Poolside setup with a painted surfboard, decorative beach ball, and lounger featuring Dolce & Gabbana Carretto-print textiles

Colorful gazebo lounge decorated with vibrant Dolce & Gabbana Carretto-print fabrics on cushions, curtains, and a rug

Source: Itali Absolutely

Craftsmanship as a Contemporary Luxury

The collaboration reinterprets fatto a mano through hand-painted surfaces and decorative details, turning Italian craftsmanship into an immersive guest experience shaped by colour, touch and movement.

At Hotel Cala di Volpe, this reflects a new vision of luxury hospitality, where fashion becomes architecture and decoration becomes storytelling, transforming the poolside into a vibrant celebration of Mediterranean identity.

Poolside cabana draped with yellow and gold floral curtains, shaded by blossoming trees

Dolce & Gabbana boutique entrance with a whitewashed facade and clothing displayed inside

Source: TRAVEL + LEISURE

A Vivid Expression of Italian Identity

The Dolce&Gabbana takeover reinforces Hotel Cala di Volpe’s timeless identity, pairing Jacques Couëlle’s organic architecture with the vibrant Carretto Siciliano motif. Together, they create a contemporary vision of Made in Italy, where Sardinian landscape, Sicilian heritage and modern luxury meet.

The contrast between sculptural forms and exuberant patterns celebrates heritage while introducing a sense of movement, intensity and contemporary glamour.