Almar Timi Ama
Almar Timi Ama is a five-star resort on the far south-eastern tip of Sardinia, set on its own inside the Capo Carbonara marine reserve near Villasimius, with a saltwater lagoon on one side and a white-sand beach in a sheltered bay on the other. Refurbished throughout when it moved from Pullman to the Almar group, it pairs a large thalasso spa and a spread of restaurants with a free children's club from age three.
On this page
Is it worth it?
Who Almar Timi Ama suits, where it's strong for families and where it isn't, before the detail.
Almar Timi Ama has one of the best positions on this coast, a protected bay with clear, calm water and a long stretch of white sand, backed by a saltwater lagoon where flamingos feed. The move from Pullman to the Almar group, part of HNH Hospitality, around 2023 to 2024 brought a full refurbishment, a far larger spa and a free children's club. Children from three up are well catered for, with that complimentary Miniclub and a beach that shelves in gently, but there's much less for the very youngest: no crèche or baby club below three, and babysitting isn't something to count on. It suits families who want a luxury resort first, with the spa, the dining and the beach at the centre, and children looked after alongside. Some guests question whether it's worth the five-star price, so it's worth weighing what you'd actually use before you book.
Best for
You want a five-star resort with a large spa, a sheltered white-sand beach and a free children's club, and your children are three or older.
Maybe not for
You're travelling with a baby or toddler and want dedicated childcare, or you want an all-inclusive with lots of laid-on family entertainment.
Best ages
Three and up for the free Miniclub, and twelve and up for the teen club.
What stands out
The protected bay and its white-sand beach, and the 1,000 m² Almablu thalasso spa.
What to check
Babysitting and under-three childcare, which aren't confirmed, and the exact opening dates for your week.
Where is it?
On the Notteri isthmus near Villasimius, on the south-east tip of Sardinia, about an hour and a quarter from Cagliari airport.
Quick facts for families
What the resort is like
Where it sits, how the grounds are laid out and what that means for getting around with young children.
Almar Timi Ama stands on the Notteri isthmus, a narrow neck of land on the far south-eastern tip of Sardinia, inside the Capo Carbonara marine reserve. On one side is the Notteri lagoon, a shallow saltwater pool that draws pink flamingos and other protected birds; on the other is the sea, in a sheltered bay where the water stays clear and jet skis aren't allowed. The old Aragonese watchtower, the Torre di Porto Giunco, stands on the headland above the beach and is visible from the resort, and you can reach it on foot or on one of the resort's horseback excursions. It's a remote, self-contained spot rather than a resort strip, and it feels quiet and wild.
Villasimius, the nearest town, is just over a mile (2 km) away, a proper Sardinian town with markets, restaurants and shops rather than a tourist front. A free resort shuttle runs there, and the resort lends out bicycles.
The grounds are flat and Mediterranean, spread across low buildings of three floors served by lifts. The main pool, a large heart-shaped freshwater pool ringed by palms and sun terraces, sits at the centre, with the Mov'ita pool bar beside it. The beach is 500 metres away, reached on a flat path through the scrub or on the electric shuttle train, a small towed road-train that also helps anyone who can't manage the walk. Accessible rooms are available and the ground is level throughout, though the resort doesn't publish the finer detail on adapted bathrooms or ramps, so ask directly if that matters for your family.
Wi-Fi is complimentary across the grounds, as is private parking, and reception is staffed around the clock. A concierge-style desk called Almar Services handles the practical extras: room service, laundry and an on-site ATM. There's also a small boutique and a jewellery shop in the main building.
Every restaurant and bar
The three restaurants, the poolside pizzeria, the four bars and how half-board actually works.
There are three restaurants and a poolside pizzeria, four bars and a wine cellar. Half-board is the usual arrangement, covering breakfast and dinner, with dinner taken at either the main buffet or the pizzeria; the two à la carte restaurants cost extra, and drinks aren't included in half-board.
La Veranda is the main restaurant, an international buffet beside the pool with an open kitchen turning out fresh pasta and grilled meat and fish. It serves breakfast from 7.00 to 10.30am and a themed dinner from 7.00 to 10.00pm, and it's the half-board dinner venue most families use. The buffet is the practical choice with young children: no fixed sitting, plenty of choice and you go in when a child is hungry.
Solar is a Mediterranean à la carte restaurant, also by the pool, with lighter seasonal dishes. It's open for lunch from 12.30 to 3pm and for a late outdoor dinner from 10pm to 1am, and it's an added cost on top of half-board.
Ginepri Bistrot serves Sardinian cooking à la carte among the juniper trees by the sea, open for lunch from 12.30 to 3pm and dinner from 8 to 10.30pm. Like Solar, it's a separate cost.
Anfiteatro is the poolside pizzeria, with Neapolitan pizza from a live pizzaiolo from 7.30 to 10pm. It's the informal, child-friendly option, and it's the second included half-board dinner venue alongside La Veranda. One thing to watch: it opens in high season only, so if you're travelling in June or towards October, check it's running, because out of peak La Veranda is the single included dinner venue.
Almar doesn't publish a children's menu or a set price for children's meals, so the La Veranda buffet, already covered by half-board, is the simplest way to feed young children; eating à la carte at Solar or Ginepri would be an added cost.
The four bars and the wine cellar
La Vista is the lobby bar, on a terrace looking over the pool and the bay, open from morning to evening for coffee, aperitifs and after-dinner drinks. Mov'ita is the pool bar, with cocktails and light bites through the day and DJs or live shows in the evening. La Cabana Bianca is the beach kiosk, serving snacks and poké bowls at lunch. Chiringuito is a pop-up bar under the pines by the lagoon, with street food, cocktails and a DJ, though it runs for occasional events rather than every night. There's also a small wine cellar, a tasting room where sommeliers pour Sardinian and Italian wines.
How half-board works
Half-board covers breakfast and dinner. Dinner is at the La Veranda buffet, or at the Anfiteatro pizzeria when it's open in high season, and you can use whichever you like on the night. The two à la carte restaurants, Solar and Ginepri Bistrot, are a separate cost on top. Drinks aren't part of half-board. Room-only and bed-and-breakfast rates are usually available too, and this isn't an all-inclusive resort.
Rooms and suites
Every room and suite with its official size, the pools across the grounds and the private beach below.
There are 238 rooms and suites, decorated in a Sardinian palette of ivory, taupe, sage and turquoise with handcrafted furnishings. Every room has air conditioning and a balcony or terrace, and the courtesy toiletries are Philip Martin's. The table below lists every room and suite with its official size and how many it sleeps, and the guidance after it is which suit a family with a baby or toddler.
| Room or suite | Size | Sleeps |
|---|---|---|
| Superior Room | 20 m² | 2 |
| Deluxe Room | 25 m² | 2 |
| Grand Deluxe Room | 30 m² | 3 |
| Family Room | 45 m² | 4 |
| Junior Suite | 30 to 40 m² | 4 |
| Prestige Suite Bay Side | 45 m² | 4 |
| Prestige Suite Lagoon Side | 45 m² | 4 |
| Prestige Family Suite Garden Side | 30 to 40 m² | 4 |
| Two-Bedroom Suite Bay Side | 65 m² | 4 |
| Coralia Signature Suite | 95 m² plus 60 m² terrace | 4 |
| Lunaria Signature Suite | 65 m² plus 95 m² terrace | 2 |
| Turris Signature Suite | 55 m² plus 80 m² terrace | 2 |
| Aqualis Junior Signature Suite | 60 m² plus 25 m² terrace | 2 |
The Superior, at 20 m², has one king bed with a garden or bay view and sleeps two, so it's a couples' room. The Deluxe is also a couples' room at 25 m², with a king bed or two singles and a cot available on request. The Grand Deluxe is a separate, slightly larger room at 30 m² with the same king-or-twin choice; it adds a sofa bed and a cot on request, and sleeps three.
For a family, the two rooms built around children are the Family Room and the Prestige Family Suite. The Family Room, at 45 m², has two queen beds and room for a cot, sleeps four, and has a practical French-style bathroom with a separate WC, a walk-in shower and a double sink, which gives space for both adults' and children's things. The Prestige Family Suite Garden Side, at 30 to 40 m², has a king bed in a separate bedroom, a living room with a sofa bed, and a cot on request, and sleeps up to four. Both rooms open onto a terrace with direct access to the hotel's inner courtyard, so children have a bit of garden to play in while you sit outside.
If you want to shut a door on a sleeping baby, the suites give you separate areas. The Junior Suite (30 to 40 m²) is built around a king bed with a separate living area, and its bathroom has both a shower and a bathtub; it sleeps up to four in its quadruple version, which is the one with the sofa bed. The Prestige Suite Bay Side (45 m²) has two separate areas and a bay view; the Prestige Suite Lagoon Side (45 m²) is on the ground floor with its own private garden, sun loungers and a parasol, which is the easiest layout with a pushchair. The Two-Bedroom Suite Bay Side (65 m²) is the one for real separation, with two bedrooms, each with a king bed and its own en-suite bathroom, around a central living room, so children can sleep well away from the adults. Only two of these exist, and guests booking one get a reserved lounger spot in the first or second row on the beach for their stay.
At the top are the four Signature Suites, from the Aqualis and Turris, which sleep two, up to the Coralia at 95 m² with a 60 m² terrace and its own in-suite spa with a sauna and massage beds; the Coralia can also be connected to the neighbouring Aqualis Junior Suite to make one larger seafront residence. Signature Suite guests get a private front-row gazebo on the beach, a fixed shaded structure, plus free use of the Almablu spa's sensory wellness area. A baby cot is available on request across the rooms and suites, so ask for it when you book and it will be set up before you arrive.
Pools and water
The main pool is a large freshwater pool, heart-shaped and ringed by palms and sun terraces, with the Mov'ita bar beside it. The resort doesn't give its size or say whether it's heated, though in the Sardinian summer heating isn't really needed. The current site mentions only the one pool, so a separate children's pool isn't confirmed; a listing from the resort's Pullman days mentioned one, but it isn't on the current site, so don't count on it. The heated seawater pool in the Almablu spa is a therapeutic pool at 34°C for adults using the wellness circuit, not a family swimming pool.
The beach
Porto Giunco is the resort's private beach, 500 metres from the buildings, with white sand and clear, shallow water in the protected bay. You reach it on a flat path through the scrub or on the electric shuttle train. The water shelves in gently, which suits small children, and at one end there are rock pools they can explore. It isn't a Blue Flag beach, but the water quality is high, held to the standards of the marine reserve.
Sun-beds and pillow-style loungers are laid out on the sand, with cabanas available too. The front two rows carry a charge, or come included with certain suite categories, and the rows behind are part of the beach set-up. A lifeguard is on hand. Water sports and nautical activities are listed among the beach amenities, though the current site doesn't itemise them. Kayaking, windsurfing, sailing gear and boat rental were all offered under the previous Pullman ownership, and a PADI/CMAS accredited diving centre operates locally, though none of it is confirmed for the current Almar season, so check what's running for your dates.
The sea is warm enough to swim from about June, at roughly 18°C in May, 22°C in June, 25°C in July, 26°C in August, 25°C in September and 22°C in October.
Babies and toddlers
The clubs and the honest under-three gap, the spa, everything to fill a day and the days out beyond the gate.
The Miniclub takes children from three to eleven and is free, with activities that run to nature walks, team games and body painting. The resort doesn't publish the club's hours or its staff-to-child ratios, and it works mainly in Italian with multilingual staff, so the exact language mix in the club isn't confirmed. From twelve to seventeen there's a Teen Club, its core activities free, with some optional excursions charged.
Under three, there's a real gap. There's no crèche, nursery or baby club, and the Miniclub starts at three. The booking system does accept infants from nought to one, and it counts a child from two as a "child", but a two-year-old still has no club of their own, so a booked toddler won't have dedicated childcare. Babysitting was offered under Pullman but isn't listed on the current site, and baby equipment beyond a cot on request isn't listed either, so if you're travelling with a baby or a child under three, it's worth contacting the resort directly to confirm what you can arrange.
Formula, nappies and baby food are easy to buy in Villasimius, a free shuttle ride away, rather than relying on the resort shop. For meals, the La Veranda buffet, included in half-board, is the simplest option for young children. Two room types are built for families, the Family Room and the Prestige Family Suite, and a cot is available on request across the rooms and suites.
The thalasso spaThe Almablu spa
Almablu Thalasso & Spa is a 1,000 m² spa, expanded from around 60 m² under the previous Pullman ownership when the resort became Almar. Its sensory wellness area is a thalasso circuit built around a heated seawater pool at 34°C with hydromassage jets, plus a salt room, a bio-sauna, a Turkish bath, an ice fountain, aromatic showers, an emotional room and a herbal-tea lounge. There are marine-based treatments and massages using Thalgo products, and four- and eight-day thalasso programmes for anyone who wants to make wellness the focus of the stay.
Day access to the sensory wellness area is charged per person, a little more at weekends than midweek, and can be paired with a 50-minute massage; it needs booking, and the current rates are on the resort's own site. It's an adult facility with no published age limit, though the thalasso circuit isn't somewhere Miniclub-age children would use. The Coralia Signature Suite has its own private in-suite spa, and all Signature Suite guests get free access to the sensory wellness area.
On site and outThings to do
On site there's a gym, a padel court, a tennis court, basketball, five-a-side football, beach volleyball and an 18-station fitness trail that runs down to the beach. Aqua gym, yoga and pilates run daily and are free, and the resort lends out bicycles. Down on the beach there are water sports to hire.
The resort arranges excursions: boat trips into the Capo Carbonara marine reserve, scuba diving, quad-bike and jeep tours, horseback rides up to the Aragonese tower, visits to the Nora and Barumini archaeological sites and a Cagliari city tour. There's a golf club and horse-riding stables in the area, though the resort doesn't publish how far they are. In the evening there's live entertainment at the Mov'ita pool bar and DJ sets at the Chiringuito.
Off the parkThe area and days out
Villasimius is just over a mile (2 km) away and the free shuttle runs there in about ten minutes. It's a working Sardinian town with artisan markets, traditional restaurants and boutiques, lively through the summer, and it has the pharmacies and supermarkets you'll want for formula, nappies and any supplies. Beyond the private beach, the wider Porto Giunco beach carries on around the bay, and there are no motorised water sports in the marine zone.
The Capo Carbonara marine reserve, with its cliffs, coves and clear water, is good for snorkelling and diving, and the resort runs boat trips out into it. The Aragonese watchtower above the beach is a short walk or a horseback ride. Further afield, the Phoenician-Roman ruins at Nora are about 40 minutes' drive, the UNESCO-listed nuragic complex at Barumini around an hour and a half and Cagliari, the island's capital, 45 minutes to an hour away, with its old Castello district, the long Poetto beach and its markets.
There's no medical facility at the resort. The nearest hospital is in Cagliari, about 31 miles (50 km) away, and UK visitors should travel with a GHIC or EHIC. Tap water in Sardinia is generally safe but has a mineral taste, and most people drink bottled.
Loves and gripes
What guests rate and what frustrates them, how it stacks up against the alternatives, the way in and the weather by month.
Almar Timi Ama rates around 4 out of 5 on TripAdvisor and sits among the higher-rated places in Villasimius. Booking.com guest comments recurringly single out the staff, very clean rooms, comfortable beds, the private beach and the spa, and couples in particular rate the location highly; there's no single overall Booking.com score to point to for a quick comparison. Here's what comes up most, on both sides.
What families love
- The beach and the protected-bay setting.
- The main pool and its terraces.
- The kids' club and the teen club.
- The staff, described as attentive and professional.
- Comfortable beds and very clean rooms.
- The free shuttle into Villasimius.
- The breakfast buffet.
What comes up less well
- Whether it's worth the price at the five-star level, a theme that still recurs.
- Suitability for families with two small children, a live thread among recent reviews.
- Older reviews from the Pullman days mention dated rooms, a small, warm gym and few dining options nearby; the first two likely no longer apply after the refurbishment, and the resort's own restaurants cover most nights.
One thread worth taking seriously in the newer reviews is whether the resort suits a family with two young children at once, a theme that comes up often enough to be more than a single complaint, alongside a related question about whether it's worth the five-star price. The reviewers don't explain their reasoning in detail, but it lines up with a fact already confirmed on the official site: the free Miniclub only starts at three, so with two children under that age you're managing both of them without any resort childcare to lean on. Weigh that against the beach, the spa and a kids' club reviewers rate highly once children reach three.
How it compares
If explicit family facilities are your priority, Falkensteiner Resort Capo Boi, also in Villasimius, is a purpose-built family resort with age-grouped clubs from three and baby and toddler kit; Almar is more refined and less programmed, with a better beach and a far larger spa, but less laid on for the very youngest. Next door, VOI Tanka Village is a large, informal all-inclusive that's more about value than luxury and rated 3 out of 5 on TripAdvisor, a different proposition altogether. For sheer family entertainment, Forte Village in the south of the island is the benchmark, with its many pools, an aqua park and a children's wonderland; Almar doesn't try to match that scale, and appeals instead to families who want a luxury resort where children are well catered for rather than the whole focus.
Getting thereGetting there
Almar Timi Ama is at Via dei Ginepri 3, 09049 Villasimius (CA); the front desk is on +39 070 7979 1 or [email protected], and you can book directly through booking.almartimiama.com.
The nearest airport is Cagliari Elmas, about an hour and a quarter from the resort by road. From the UK, several airports fly direct to Cagliari through the summer, roughly May to October, and there's no direct train or ferry route from the mainland, so flying is the way in. Airport transfers can be arranged as a resort service, but you need to request one ahead, and it's separate from the free shuttle that runs into Villasimius.
The resort is seasonal, open roughly from mid-May or June to mid-October. Its 2026 packages run from 18 June to 17 October, which is the firm part of the window, and the exact opening and closing dates vary year to year, so confirm them when you book.
When to goWeather
The season runs from late spring to mid-autumn. July and August are the hottest and busiest months; June and September are quieter, with warm, settled weather and a sea that's still good for swimming. Sunshine is dependable throughout the season, from around nine hours a day when the resort opens in May to over eleven in July, easing back to around six hours a day by October. The table covers the operating months.
| Month | Daytime high | Overnight low | Rain | Wet days | Sea temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May | 24.5° | 13.5° | 23 mm | 4 | 18° |
| June | 29° | 17.5° | 10 mm | 2 | 22° |
| July | 32° | 20° | 2 mm | 0 | 25° |
| August | 32° | 20.5° | 13 mm | 1 | 27° |
| September | 28° | 17.5° | 38 mm | 4 | 25° |
| October | 24.5° | 14° | 38 mm | 4 | 23° |
Typical monthly averages from weather-station records. Sea temperature is the open-water figure, so a sheltered bay can feel a degree or two warmer. The resort opens roughly mid-May or June and closes around mid-October.
Questions
The things families ask most, the official pages worth a bookmark and when this guide was last updated.
We've got a one-year-old. Is there any childcare for them?
No. The Miniclub starts at three and there's no crèche or baby club below that, and babysitting isn't confirmed on the current site. If you need childcare for a baby or toddler, email the resort before you book to see what, if anything, can be arranged, and look at a resort with dedicated baby facilities if it's a dealbreaker.
Do we have to pay for sun-beds on the beach?
Only for the front two rows, which carry a charge unless you're in one of the suite categories that includes them. Everything behind is part of the standard beach set-up, so you only pay if you specifically want the front, or book a suite that reserves a spot.
Is dinner included, and where do we eat?
On half-board, yes: dinner is at the La Veranda buffet, or the Anfiteatro pizzeria when it's open in high season. The two à la carte restaurants cost extra and drinks aren't included. If you're travelling outside peak season, plan around the buffet, since the pizzeria may not be running.
When does the resort actually open and close?
It runs roughly from mid-May or June to mid-October, but there's no fixed published date and it shifts year to year. If your trip is at the very start or end of that window, confirm your dates directly before you book flights.
Is there a separate pool for little ones?
The current site lists only the main freshwater pool, so a dedicated children's pool isn't something to count on. The beach shelves in gently and has rock pools at one end, which is where most young children end up playing. If a shallow children's pool matters to you, ask the resort to confirm before booking.
Do we need to hire a car?
Not for the resort itself, since everything is on site and the free shuttle covers Villasimius. You'd only want one to explore more of the island under your own steam, because the sights like Nora, Barumini and Cagliari are a drive away, and the resort arranges excursions to them in any case.
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Useful links
- Almar Timi Ama: the resort's own site for rooms, dining, the spa and what's included.
- GOV.UK Italy travel advice: entry rules and safety updates before you travel.
- Sardinia with little ones: our guide to the wider island, its beaches and when to go.
Last updated 12 July 2026.
