Palazzo Boyl 1840
Aristocratic ruin-turned-boutique. Raw stone walls, exposed juniper timber beams, ancient frescoes, antique furnishings, and Chesterfield sofas. History isn't decoration here — it's structural. The Pisan Lion Tower is literally part of the building.
Ask about the cannonballs in the facade when you check in — staff love explaining the building's history
Why It Matters
One of the most architecturally distinctive small hotels in Sardinia. The building itself is a registered historic landmark — raised on medieval Pisan walls, incorporating the 14th-century Lion Tower, and bearing physical scars of three centuries of warfare. The Michelin-recognised Gli Uffici restaurant occupies the second-floor ballroom. Tablet Hotels member.
Six suites carved out of a neoclassical palazzo built in 1840 above Cagliari's port on 13th-century Pisan walls — and three actual cannonballs still lodged in the facade from British, Spanish, and French bombardments across three separate centuries. Each suite takes its name from its former life: the Ballroom, the Library, the Kitchens, the Tower, the Rooftops, and the Lawrence. Tiny property, enormous character. No pool, no spa, no sea of identical rooms — just a very old building that has survived a lot and now knows exactly what it is.
Where You'll Stay
6 room types available
Ai Tetti (On the Roofs)
Carved out of the former servants' quarters in the upper reaches of the palazzo, this 55 sqm rooftop suite is all juniper wood — original capriate ceiling beams, incannucciato reed panel detailing, and an ancient Sardinian juniper staircase that's your entrance. The private rooftop terrace looks straight out to sea. Intimate and atmospheric, though the smallest of the suites.
55 sqm
Il Salone delle Feste (The Ballroom)
The former palace ballroom, now a magnificent 130 sqm loft suite with seven wide windows framing an uninterrupted view across the Gulf of Angels — from the Sella del Diavolo headland to the Calamosca lighthouse. Original Palazzo Boyl pieces are mixed with refined antiques. Bath and shower, minibar, coffee machine, safe.
130 sqm
La Libreria (The Library)
Where the palazzo's historic library once stood, this 80 sqm open-plan suite has three tall windows framed by juniper beam trusses and a sea view that opens the space right up. The king-size bed sits on a raised platform. Antique and vintage furniture throughout. Bath and shower. Guests who mention the Libreria specifically in reviews tend to rave about the quiet and the light.
80 sqm
La Torre del Leone (The Lion Tower)
Stay inside a real 14th-century medieval fortress. The suite occupies 110 sqm spread across two generous living areas styled in bohemian fashion, a master bedroom with sea view, a private two-person cinema, and a game room inside the original bell tower. Two private terraces hang over Cagliari's Castello quarter with 360-degree views of the Gulf and the historic centre. Built by Pisan-Sardinian architect Giovanni Capula around the 1300s, the tower survived three bombardments — British (1708), Spanish (1717), and French (1793) — before being restored by the Marquis Boyl in the 19th century.
110 sqmLawrence
Named for D.H. Lawrence, who walked Via Lamarmora below in 1921, this 90 sqm family suite is the former noble reception room. Two connecting bedrooms — one facing the sea, one facing the Castello quarter — are joined under a dramatic 12-metre barrel-vaulted ceiling. The original late-19th-century herringbone parquet floor runs throughout. Two exposures, sea and city. Ideal for families or anyone who wants the double-aspect experience. The newest addition to the suite lineup (launched mid-2025).
90 sqmLe Cucine (The Kitchens)
The original palace kitchens, now a 55 sqm suite with an impressive exposed-beam ceiling and walls layered with ancient frescoes that track the palazzo's history. Views are oriented toward the medieval Castello quarter and the mountains that frame the Gulf — not sea-facing, but arguably more interesting architecturally. Bath and shower.
55 sqmThe Property
Eat & Drink
2 venues on property
Restaurant
Amenities & Practical Info
The details that matter for planning.
Partner meeting and corporate event space via ACP Business (acpbusiness.it). The palazzo also hosts private dining and events through the Gli Uffici restaurant.
Fibre internet throughout the property.
Served daily 8:00–10:30 in the Caffè de Candia on the ground floor. À la carte or continental options.
Pets admitted on request.
No swimming pool on property.
Free luggage storage for arrivals before 16:00 check-in and for late departures.
Roundtrip airport transfer available on request, available 24 hours, for a surcharge.
No parking at the property. Public paid parking nearby: Parking Regina Elena and Parking Via Cammino Nuovo.
A genuinely unusual gym. Two Technogym Artis treadmills of the latest generation alongside a 1950s leather boxing bag, large circular mirrors, and an 18-light brass chandelier originally from the historic Banca d'Italia building in Turin. Technogym equipment meets baroque ballroom energy.
BUILD YOUR PALAZZO BOYL 1840 PLAN
Rooms, dining, spa, and resort experiences — organized into one trip plan.
Start Planning