We stayed in one of the attic apartments in early October 2014.

The apartment was exactly as shown in the photos – modern, light, airy, spacious and spotlessly clean. It was well-equipped for self-catering, with plenty of pans and utensils and even a toaster and microwave/grill. It was very hot while we were there, so we used the aircon in the bedroom at night – we’ve never before experienced such a blissfully quiet one. The two apartments are on the top floor of a building in the town, with a handy supermarket just around the corner. Although a little way away from the seafront, there’s a lovely view of the sea and out to the islands of Sant Antioco and Carloforte from one of the terraces.

The owners also run the Sa Cruxitta B&B on the Portoscuso seafront and are extremely warm and generous hosts (see Tripadvisor reviews of the B&B for more on that).

Prospective visitors should note that you have to visit the B&B for the wireless internet, but there is an ‘open door’ policy on that, and you’ll be met with a very warm welcome, refreshments and friendly chat. Also note that the apartment is on the second floor and there’s no lift, so it might be a problem for someone with limited mobility.

We met Carmen, Annarella and Marco, all of whom fell over themselves to be hospitable and helpful. As our Italian is poor we communicated mostly with Marco who speaks excellent English. He was extremely helpful with suggestions for places to visit, etc., and sent us a couple of sheets of information by email before we arrived.

We wholeheartedly recommend these apartments if you are looking for a base for exploring the South and West of Sardinia (a marvellously rich and varied area); Portoscuso is a nice, laid back, uncommercialised town. We also visited Cagliari from there – you can take the train from Carbonia and it’s free to park in the station car park; much easier than trying to drive into Cagliari.