The Hotel Cala di Volpe's exterior was conceived by his creator 'sculptor of houses' Jacques Couëlle to look like an ancient Mediterranean fishing village – a private compound of interconnecting terracotta rooftops, turrets, porticoes and terraces abloom with bougainvillea. The interiors give way to Couëlle's extraordinary surrealist vision. Graphic bursts of Mediterranean-inspired colours accent the white stucco. Dramatic archways and angled columns support the beautifully beamed wooden ceilings. Curved walls lead down angled passageways and up winding staircases, while the large-scale stone masonry echoes the wind-swept rock formations found outside. Superb Sardinian crafts celebrate the venerable artisan traditions of hand woven textiles, intricate woodcarving and vibrant tile work that have been found here for centuries. The effect adds up to a setting of dynamic proportions, grand yet intimate, rustic yet undeniably sophisticated.
Jacques Couëlle's son, Savin, followed his father's extraordinary footsteps, continuing the unmistakable family legacy. Known for his fascinating designs all along the Costa Smeralda, Savin's villas have become collector's items. In 2001 and 2008, Savin oversaw the renovations of the Hotel Cala di Volpe, employing only Sardinian master craftsmen to bring his complex technical ideas to life, while retaining the original spirit and beauty of his father's artistry.
In 2021, it has unveiled the third phase of its restyle that has been executed by architects Claire Betaille and Bruno Moinard of 4BI & Associés, who took inspiration from the precious heritage left by Jacques and Savin Couëlle, elevating hotel guests' experience starting from the sense of arrival, thanks to a fully refurbished lobby and lounge, and new luxury rooms and suites. The renovation brought a new light into the spaces, combining state-of-art technology and custom-made pieces of design created by skill local artisans.
Now, in 2022, the fourth and final stage in the restyling of Hotel Cala di Volpe is underway, with the completion of the renewal of the original wing by Studio Dordoni Architetti and Moinard Bétaille. Dordoni worked on 13 rooms. "We concentrated on the biggest suites, 110 and 139, with the excitement of seeing the development of the internal spaces as they changed step by step, while keeping focused on teh uniqeuness of the scenery outside that is glimpsed from every window. For every room, we were thrilled to discover how the choice of materials, finishes and furnishings could be accentuated in agreement with the key concept of striving for authenticity and a relationship with nature, without overlooking accents of the elements that particularly distinguish Jacques Couëlle's architecture. In that sense, we researched the original colours of the loggias in every room and will study the arches and communal areas leading to each room." Moinard and Bétaille have the job of finishing the work on the other 12 rooms.