Meet our new travel designer, Kristýna Hůrská.
She joined EliteVoyage six months ago and has already created some superb holidays for our clients.
Kristýna just returned from Sardinia, where she stayed at Romazzino, A Belmond Hotel, explored different parts of the island and inspected other hotels.
We asked Kristýna about her travel passions and specialisms, along with her very important updates about holidays to Sardinia.
Introducing Kristýna Hůrská
Kristýna, what attracts you to travel design?
I love to travel of course. Planning is usually my favourite thing about a trip. I’ve always been into carefully researching and selecting where to go, where to stay, what to do. It excites me as much as the trip itself!
What do you find so exciting about travel planning?
Research is something I’m really good at. I like history, I want to know something about every place in the world. Every new hotel is a discovery for me, I like seeing the design and searching deep into what is most suitable and why.
As a travel designer I now get to travel a bit for myself, every time I plan a trip for clients.
That’s the most exciting part of my work. It feels like I’m part of the trip and I like seeing how the different elements come together into one.
For example, this summer I created a complex Portugal road trip for a client. I visited Portugal a few weeks earlier and it felt like I was back in the country, while I was in Prague planning the trip.
What places and destinations most inspire you?
Exotic places! I really feel I should have been born somewhere warm, near an ocean.
But really anywhere I haven’t explored before. I always want to go somewhere new, rather than return to a place multiple times. Like Sardinia!
Latest Impressions from Sardinia
You just returned from your first visit to Sardinia, how was the island?
Sardinia is a beach destination.
The water is super clean and so turquoise, the nicest I’ve ever seen – and I used to live on Maui island in Hawaii.
You can easily spend a week at your resort and around the beach, but I wouldn’t recommend that. Sardinia is a big island and it’s definitely worth getting a car for a couple of days.
Just drive around, explore other beaches, go into the mountains and villages. I can give personal recommendations based on your interests.
Sardinia is also a very seasonal destination and the season is short. I was surprised at how quiet it was in September. Most stores and pharmacies in Costa Smeralda are already closed in October.
However, this might change in the future. Sardinia is one of Europe’s original beach destinations. Now with Belmond, Cheval Blanc and Rocco Forte all arriving there’s a new era. And possibly a longer season.
What other Sardinia recommendations do you have for clients?
My favourite experience was a yacht trip. We were cruising among lots of dolphins, did some great snorkelling, and enjoyed a different perspective on the coastline. It’s definitely worth your time.
Sardinia is a beach destination but the beaches are not completely private, like most of the Mediterranean. Some resorts create the impression of a “private” beach because access to the sand is only through the resort.
This is a key point when choosing your resort, because the beach at a resort like Hotel Pitrizza feels more private than at Romazzino, which is a place you want to be seen.
But there are many beaches. With a boat trip or car you can discover little coves and small stunning beaches.
Romazzino, A Belmond Hotel
What is your report from Romazzino, A Belmond Hotel, Costa Smeralda?
Belmond has taken over the original Sardinia hotel and the buildings are architecturally stunning. The way the hotel sits on the hill and how it looks with the arches is breathtaking.
I can see why the property is an icon. The setting and the coastline is magical.
Belmond has renovated and upgraded many of the hotel facilities, including the main pool and restaurants. It’s beautifully done, although not entirely finished.
Restaurant La Terrasse is their fine dining option and it was superb. Don’t miss their signature dish – risotto with goat yoghurt and beetroot.
The Éntu e Mari beach restaurant was excellent too, I had a great seafood lunch there. Overall, the food quality is excellent and there’s a great variety across breakfast, the restaurants and beach bars.
The rooms do need upgrading. They do look like they’ve been there since the sixties, except for small upgrades. I visited a new mock up room and renovations are in the pipeline, but I don’t have a firm date on when they will be completed.
I definitely trust Belmond to do a renovation that honours the Sardinian style and retains the special atmosphere of the resort. They won’t go super modern and I’m curious to see the exact style.
The service was excellent throughout my stay. Again, it’s to be expected with a Belmond property, but when you have such an experience you do appreciate the elevated level.
Other Resorts in Sardinia
What other important resort updates do you have?
Cheval Blanc is now operating Hotel Pitrizza in Porto Cervo on Costa Smeralda, but it will only be rebranded as Cheval Blanc in 2026, when all their renovations are complete.
It feels more private than Romazzino. Sardinia is known as a destination for people who want to be seen, but Hotel Pitrizza is more like a place for people who don’t want to be seen.
In 2026 Rocco Forte will also open a beachside resort in the bay of Liscia di Vacca in Porto Cervo. The design will be by Patricia Urquiola, which is an appealing prospect – what she created at Six Senses Rome and Il Sereno Lago di Como is amazing.
I also stayed at 7Pines Resort Sardinia, which is a nice option because it offers five private beaches. It’s a remote resort which feels very private, certainly an option if you mostly want tranquility and the beach. .
There’s a lot more I can feedback about these resorts, like the choice of rooms and villas. But I don’t want to make general recommendations. Sardinia is a very specific destination and I will talk through the resorts individually with clients, based on their interests.
Just remember my recommendation about getting a car or a boat. You can see a lot more in Sardinia than just your resort and Porto Cervo.
Kristýna Hůrská the Traveller
Tell us more about your time in Hawaii.
Hawaii was a life changing experience for me. I worked at a hotel during the wildfires in August 2023. Seeing the fire from my balcony and not knowing if we would be evacuated was intense.
Seeing the community together and everybody helping each other was beautiful. The people are so tied to nature. Of course they were sad about losing things but they were accepting of the situation, they said it was nature that gives and takes.
So it was horrible in one sense but the people and culture really changed my outlook on the world.
Which places and destinations do you most want to visit?
I’m visiting Latvia in two weeks. I feel like I’ve explored all the regions of Europe except the post-Soviet countries, and I want to see how it’s different.
Short European trips are something I do as often as possible. Just last month I checked out Cyprus and inspected a new hotel who really wanted to work with us.
Unfortunately, City of Dreams in Cyprus is definitely not a property for our clients. The Sardinia resorts I inspected are in a different league entirely.
Thailand is definitely on my list. And parts of the Indian Ocean because it’s such a big destination for EliteVoyage.
Connecting with Kristýna Hůrská
Kristýna is the newest member of our travel design team at EliteVoyage.
She’s creating very individual holidays and currently has availability to take new clients.
Plan a trip with our skilled travel designers
Connect with Kristyna
