Just a few hours from London, Cagliari is ideal for a long weekend break or as part of a bigger trip around the stunning Italian island of Sardinia. But where to stay and where to be based? I chose Palazzo Tirso MGallery Cagliari, a city and marina-based hotel housed in a stunning former office building, renovated and reopened as a hotel in 2023, complete with a rooftop bar, restaurant and pool, which was, of course, why I chose it. But was it worth staying for the rooftop, and was it really five-star worthy?
⭐ Quick verdict
Best for: Location, rooftop, attention to detail
Not ideal if: You’re wanting only a beach break
Rooftop value: Excellent
Who this hotel is for: Couples, solo travellers, friends, work travel
Overall feel: Modern, calm, professional
🛏 Room Details
Type: Deluxe Double
Size: Good / big
Storage: Excellent
Bed: Huge and comfy
Table: Yes
Blackout curtains: Yes
Air con: Good
View: No
Balcony: No
Water in room: First night only. Both still and sparkling.
Kettle: Only if you ask! But there was no note to say this — just the clues of the tea bags!
Coffee machine: Yes
Mini bar: Yes
Any extras?: Less an extra, more an unusual and incredibly helpful room explanation! When I was shown to my room, all the amenities were explained, including how to work the air con, safe and lighting switches, which often leave me baffled. I was also shown where the hairdryer is hidden and told that the complimentary water wouldn’t be replaced, which seems a little remiss for a 5-star hotel.
One of the days was my birthday, and a card and chocolate tart were waiting for me in my room.
🛁 Bathroom
Style: Small and modern, with a large shower but hardly any space for toiletries for one person, let alone two.
Shower pressure: Terrible
Hairdryer effectiveness: Excellent
Shampoo & conditioner: Yes
Bathrobe: Yes — super soft!
🏨 Hotel Logistics & Practical Info
Distance from airport: By train, around 30–40 minutes, or by taxi, around 15–20 minutes.
Location: On the marina
Getting around: Into the town centre is very walkable. To the beach or some of the sunset spots, you’ll need a taxi or the bus, which takes around 10–20 minutes depending on where you’re going.
Hotel size: Average / big — 85 rooms
Communication prior to arrival: Initially, I was met with radio silence when asking questions before booking, but once I was booked, they replied immediately.
Welcome drink: No
Local supermarket: Nowhere obvious, but around a 10-minute walk away I found one that was perfect for topping up water and other essentials.
Staff: So helpful and professional. From the doorman and reception team to the rooftop and breakfast teams, everyone was kind and genuinely seemed to want my stay to be the best it could be.
🏖️🏋🏼♀️ Workout, Rest and Play
Gym: Yes
Spa: Yes
Pool: Yes — on the rooftop, but tiny, with only a handful of sun loungers.
Beach: Apparently the hotel partners with a beach club, but I wasn’t told about this. I did read afterwards that they charge a similar amount to the other beach clubs, which feels a little cheeky to me! I had booked my own elsewhere. More on that in my Cagliari travel guide.
🍽️ Restaurant & Bar
Breakfast: Good. Small but with a perfect selection, including proper good gluten-free bread and milk choices.
Bubbles at breakfast: Not included but available
Bar / restaurant: Yes, downstairs, plus a macaroon bar!
Restaurant: Same area as the bar, which I found pretty soulless. It was a shame breakfast couldn’t have been on the rooftop.
🥂 Rooftop Cielo
Size: Big
View: The harbour/marina, sea and back towards Cagliari city.
Bar: Yes
Pool: Tiny
Shade: Yes
Best for: Sunset drinks, dinner and nightcaps
Read my full review of Cielo Rooftop Bar and Restaurant
💰 Cost & Value
Cost: Pricey
Worth the money? Yes
Would I stay again? Yes
✍️ Palazzo Tirso MGallery Cagliari Hotel Review
There are only a handful of hotels with rooftop bars in Cagliari, and Palazzo Tirso is the only one I found with a rooftop pool. So the choice was limited, but the Palazzo Tirso MGallery Cagliari seemed to be the only choice I needed. It had great reviews, an ideal location for both a city break and being close enough to the beach. This was also a birthday trip for me, so it mattered that bit more that I felt relaxed, a little spoilt and safe as a solo stay.
I didn’t arrive at the hotel until quite late due to a flight delay, but I immediately felt welcomed. I was warmly met, had an easy check-in and was given a room tour to understand all the tech. Genius! Why don’t other hotels do this? Haven’t we all struggled with all the modern buttons?
I dumped my bags and headed straight up for the last hour of the rooftop bar. It was a Thursday evening in July and it was buzzing. There was a singer and lots of diners still sitting and eating, of course, it’s Italy! I just wanted a drink and a light bite, so sat in the bar area. A great start! You can read more about the rooftop in my full review, but suffice to say it became a daily habit.
My hotel room was bigger than expected, and all but one of my requests had been fulfilled, which was wonderful. The bed needs a special mention as it was firm but soft, I’m not entirely sure how this magic is achieved, but on my first morning I woke up after the first good night’s sleep I’d had in months and genuinely could have stayed in bed and slept through my first day. London had also been having a heatwave, and hotels have air conditioning! I would come and stay for that alone.
My en-suite bathroom was modern and super clean. The shower was big, you could have fit a few people in there! And hurrah, the shower controls were not under the shower head. Every woman not having a hair-washing day thanks the designer for this! But the water pressure was some of the worst I’ve experienced. And the space around the sink was so small. There was actually space for the area to be double in size, but even for one person, it was too small for my toiletries. There was also no plug by the big full-length mirror in the room, meaning the hairdryer and my straighteners were competing for this tiny surface space. Always baffled when design trumps practicalities!
Breakfast was served downstairs, which is always a shame when such a gorgeous rooftop exists, especially as early morning is the coolest time of the day. I found it a soulless but practical room. I had read some reviews saying that some staff were rude, but I never encountered this. I did, however, watch the staff tirelessly ensure guests’ requests were catered for, often without a please or thank you from the guests.
One manager made me laugh. On the second morning, I asked for the gluten-free bread toasted and two gluten-free rolls arrived. I wasn’t going to say anything, but if you know those rolls, you know they end up as a plate of crumbs! He realised the error and whisked the plate away. I said it was fine and he literally replied, “No, it is not fine. How can I get what you asked for?”
No bother, no fuss and no rudeness but with a fun sense of humour too. I found the same attitude with everyone I encountered, and the rooftop staff made a point of remembering me and welcoming me back each night like I now lived there, which I kinda wish I could have!
The rooftop pool was a disappointment as it was so small, and the sunbed area, with no shade ,was very limited and always full. It would be ideal for sun worshippers who are prepared and ready to be on the rooftop when it opens to nab one of the prized spots, and who just need a soak to cool off before going back to reading, cocktails or snoozing.
The beach was only a 10–20 minute taxi ride away, depending on where you choose, as Poetto is a very long beach with so many beach clubs to choose from. Or bring a towel and pop yourself straight onto the sand! The downside is that taxis aren’t cheap (more on that in my “How to Get Around Cagliari” section in my travel guide).
The hotel apparently has a beach club around a 25-minute taxi ride away, but as it costs as much for hotel guests as it does for the general public, I’d choose one you’d rather go to. I tried and tested a few, which you can read more about in my Cagliari travel guide.
For me, the Palazzo Tirso MGallery Cagliari location was ideal. It was a 10–15 minute walk into the heart of Cagliari city, and the marina is directly opposite, which meant I could roll out of bed and onto a boat for one of my afternoon activities. Read more on that or book the one I did! Oh, and right beside the hotel is the best gelato shop, which even had gluten-free cones and dairy-free ice cream. More on that in my Cagliari travel guide.
For a long weekend, I would 100 percent choose Palazzo Tirso MGallery Cagliari again. For a beach break, I would choose Hotel Nautilus Excelsior. More on that and the other runner’s up n my ‘where to stay‘ section in my travel guide.
Was the rooftop pool worth booking the hotel for? No.
Was the rooftop bar and restaurant? Absolutely.
Would I stay again? Yes, without hesitation.
📝 Admin
Date Stayed: July 2026
Information check/updated: 2026
Palazzo Tirso MGallery Cagliari website
