Riu Cabo Verde

This is two hotels in one for RIU Cabo Verde guests who can use facilities in both this hotel and the RIU Funana - accessed through various gates. The hotel rooms are large well appointed and spotlessly clean. Some decor is a little tired, but not that bad. In general...

This is two hotels in one for RIU Cabo Verde guests who can use facilities in both this hotel and the RIU Funana - accessed through various gates. The hotel rooms are large well appointed and spotlessly clean. Some decor is a little tired, but not that bad. In general the cleaning in the hotel was excellent. The only bad point about the room was that the mini-bar was full of sugary soda. We asked for Coke Zero a couple of times, but it only turned up once. Food & drink and booked restaurants were great. The Promenade buffet was good. The Kulinarium (a la carte) was the best - excellent, Santa Maria (steakhouse) very good and Sofia (Italian) was good. You have to book the non-buffet restaurants, so get the RIU app and keep trying as soon as you get your room number. The Capuchino coffee shop in the Cabo Verde was also excellent. The only gripes were a few chipped and dirty cups/glasses. The entertainment was good, although not necessarily our taste. We are not sunbathers/swimmers so did not even try to get a sun bed/pool towel. I do like to sit in the sun for short periods though. Most staff were friendly and welcoming and service was quick. Just a couple of times we encountered unfriendly staff or we felt ignored. We went to the shops in both the Cabo Verde and the Funana. The Funana has 2 shops and they had a different range and to us, better items. The hotel WiFi was good - only lost it a few times for a short period. Beware that Cape Verde is expensive for data if you are not on the WiFi, so get a package for out of hotel times and turn data roaming off when at the hotel. Not about the hotel, but Cape Verde 3-10 March, the weather has not been as good as I had hoped with cloud cover a lot of the time. It was lovely and warm in the daytime though. It is pretty breezy and cooler in the evening, so taking a shawl or jacket is a good idea.

Entry into the hotel foyer and reception area gives a great first impression. Staff are very welcoming and efficient and all luggage was delivered to rooms by the bell boy. Walking around the site is via nicely paved areas. Footpaths that are bordered by coconut palms and smaller bushes giving...

Entry into the hotel foyer and reception area gives a great first impression. Staff are very welcoming and efficient and all luggage was delivered to rooms by the bell boy. Walking around the site is via nicely paved areas. Footpaths that are bordered by coconut palms and smaller bushes giving a somewhat tropical feel. These communal areas are kept very clean and tidy and the paths are well maintained. The accommodation is divided into five blocks which are just a short distance apart from each other. Each block has two floors and stairs to the first floor; there is no lift. Corridors in the blocks seem to be well kept although there are carts left by the cleaners in a couple of places. This can be handy though, they leave plenty of bottled water on them! The grounds around each block are predominantly sandy gardens, pleasantly bordered with flowering bushes and larger trees in the centre and all seem well kept. Block 1 is nearest the main restaurant and block 5 borders the beach. Blocks 3 and 4 are adjacent to the pool area. The rooms are very clean with comfortable beds and furniture and housekeeping visit daily. Each room has either a balcony or terrace which overlooks the central gardens. There is plenty of storage space with lots of hangers in the wardrobes. A complementary safe and air-conditioning is provided. Only a couple of socket outlets (EU type) are available but one of them does have two USB charging outlets. A nice wall mounted TV but not much worth watching, TBH. I found a good wifi signal in the room and around the hotel. Bathroom and shower are great and have twin basins, a magnifying mirror, hairdryer, shaver socket and also a mini-bar (complete with optics) and fridge and Yes, it is in the bathroom!! You need to let reception know (or use the app) when you want the fridge restocking. The toilet is in a separate, small cubicle, off the bathroom, but there is no bidet or washbasin in there, which is a little disappointing. I felt that this room was, generally, a little under par. People in some reviews have complained about the food. I cannot understand this. I found an incredible range of foods which cater for most tastes, all of them well cooked and well presented. My only gripe here was that the lad hacking away at the cooked chickens needed training! We used only the main restaurant and snack bar but found both of these excellent. Staff in the restaurant are extremely busy, too overworked I would say, but they are pleasant and helpful. However, you may have to wait a while for your glass of wine! There are always tables reserved for disabled guests. The swimming pool area is really nice although sunbeds are taken early on, particularly those with shade. The pools themselves are great but, the water is slightly salty - possibly the result of desalination. It isn't salty enough to be seawater as some have suggested. The swim up bar is handy and we'll stocked. The coffee bar is great too - great coffee, (especially Irish coffee, thank you Sheila!) and an excellent range of cakes and sandwich type snacks. The distance to the beach from reception is just a gentle stroll of around around 10 mins. Leaving the hotel grounds, there are men selling trips and tours. Don't be put off, they are friendly and have a laugh with you if bother to say hello. The trips they offer are priced well too. The beach itself is beautiful and has life guards during the day. There are lots of sunbeds, both on the open sand and under palm trees although some do need replacing. Many are broken or uncomfortable and have parts missing. That said, we never had a problem getting one at any time of the day. My one bugbear hear is the beach bar. It is handy for drinks but the constant 'bumpty, bump" music drives you nuts when you just want a bit of peace and quiet. Sometimes the volume was absolutely intrusive and you cannot escape it. This is also true to a lesser extent by the pools. Adults do not need nor want constant entertaining and sometimes just want to sit, take in the ambiance and perhaps read a book. The beach bar is operated by the hotel so drinks are included and plastic glasses are frequently collected. However, the beach bar serves both Riu Cabo Verde and Riu Funnana guests so there is no adult only area on the beach. This, I feel, is shortsighted and an adult only area on the beach could easily be created. The steam room, hairdressers, spa and gym is in the grounds of the Riu Funnana, (the grounds are more or less a copy of the Riu Cabo Verde) but the use has to be has to be prebooked even to just use the steam room. I like to pop in the steam after a swim so this was a pain and didn't bother. Worthwhile trips are to shark bay and the salt lake but, generally the island is pretty barren and desert like. There is a good range of watersports to try including kite surfing, scuba diving, snorkeling etc all within a short walk on the beach. Overall, a nice place for a relaxing holiday in pleasant, tropical surroundings with wonderfully attentive and friendly staff. A warm sea with (almost) a constant and cooling wind. A great place to relax and pile on the pounds! Would we go again? Yes, in a heartbeat.

I must say it was better than l expected. Weather was the main reason we went to Cape Verde, a bit windy at times but otherwise warm and sunny. Hotel was good, food was fine. Staff were excellent, very hard working. Only two minor gripes, the room was a little...

I must say it was better than l expected. Weather was the main reason we went to Cape Verde, a bit windy at times but otherwise warm and sunny. Hotel was good, food was fine. Staff were excellent, very hard working. Only two minor gripes, the room was a little bit tatty around the edges (but very clean) and the pool area needs to be bigger (another pool?). So if you don't want to shlep all the way to the Caribbean for a week then give Cape Verde a go.

A really relaxed hotel with a great beach, good food, friendly staff and comfortable rooms. Had a week here in early March. Weather great, UV high so be warned...factor 50 advised or 30 and stay in the shade. First visit to this Riu and was happy with everything. Being an...

A really relaxed hotel with a great beach, good food, friendly staff and comfortable rooms. Had a week here in early March. Weather great, UV high so be warned...factor 50 advised or 30 and stay in the shade. First visit to this Riu and was happy with everything. Being an adults only there was plenty of quiet areas to relax in. The pool was great. Used the beach daily and swam daily...yellow flags but not too violent..water cool to get in but worth it after 60s. All the restaurants were fine, didn't see any illness as soon many have written about but did witness a lady picking chocolate off a croissant, eating it and leaving the croissant in the basket. That's how illness spreads...dirty hands. All the speciality restaurants were great, even the Italian, which I thought would be average, excelled. The nighttime entertainment is in the linked, adjoining hotel Funana but if you're a resident in Funana you are excluded from the Cabo Verde side. There is security at all gates within and surrounding the hotel. Bedrooms are ok, these are not western 5* hotels but really a 3* but that is perfectly acceptable. The beds are pretty comfortable, plenty of hot water, a safe, a fridge stocked with drinks every two days and a selection of optics above the tea/coffee area. There is a hairdryer, plenty of hanging space, with hangars and draws. The grounds are constantly maintained and vast. If you walk to the beach there are local guides who will try to sell you an excursion...I saw plenty of people book with them and I'm sure there are no issues. I just wished them a "blessed day" and they left me alone. The bar on the beach is good and there are toilets just as you leave the hotel. About a 2 min walk from the beach. Loads of shaded area under palms and you can walk all the way to Santa Maria along the beach. I did use the tui coach but got a taxi...it took 25 mins and cost €20. No waiting around at the airport. Equally if you get a cab back to the airport it's the same price...but take some free cold cans from your fridge for the driver...they'll really appreciate it. I had ice in all my drinks while there, ate plenty of different foods and never had any stomach issues...will be going again

Excellent Stay , huge complex set out very well . Hotel grounds are superb and extremely clean / well maintained, rooms are spacious with very comfy beds , great shower and everything else you may need. The rooms are a little tired but only needs a little TLC and the...

Excellent Stay , huge complex set out very well . Hotel grounds are superb and extremely clean / well maintained, rooms are spacious with very comfy beds , great shower and everything else you may need. The rooms are a little tired but only needs a little TLC and the Wi-Fi needs to be bolstered. Food - certainly plenty of choice with availability all day , only gripe for me is that I expected better quality of food from a 5 Star hotel but still couldn’t complain as ate very well all day . The staff are extremely polite , hard working and do anything to accommodate you during the stay. The Pool is well set out & spacious but defo could do with more beds . The beach ( as expected ) is beautiful with plenty of beds to accommodate guests although I do wish you didn’t have to “ run the gauntlet “ of Trip Sellers to access the beach as they can certainly make it awkward . Entertainment is decent with the highlight being the White / Neon night . Overall we loved our weeks stay but will definitely have to return for 2 weeks next year.

We booked this hotel as it was billed as a 5 star, sadly it didn’t hit the mark. We had booked a larger room & our room in block 5 overlooked the main walkway to the beach with all the hawkers selling tours & I felt uncomfortable as they kept...

We booked this hotel as it was billed as a 5 star, sadly it didn’t hit the mark. We had booked a larger room & our room in block 5 overlooked the main walkway to the beach with all the hawkers selling tours & I felt uncomfortable as they kept staring at us. We asked to move rooms, which was accommodated the following day. Our new room had a defective shower & the main door didn’t shut properly. On 3 occasions there were no bath & hand towels in our room, the phone didn’t work & I had to walk to reception to sort. On our last evening there were no pillowcases in our bed & cleaning cloths left in the terrace, housekeeping left a lot to be desired. We were also treated to the cleaning trollied every time we left our room! The waiters in both the bar & restaurants were friendly & attentive working very hard. The entertainment team were great in the evening along with the poolside team who had high energy & again all working hard to ensure folks had a nice time. We enjoyed the beach & pool area although getting a sun bed after 9am was a struggle, lots of towels on sun beds but no bodies which was annoying. There was a lot of choice in the restaurant but to the detriment of the taste & quality, with many dishes being lukewarm, maybe less choice but with a focus on taste. A nice break but the holiday was marred by the standard of the room, which was tired & in need of a refurb, housekeeping needs to sort itself out as not what is expected from a 5 star hotel, towels in the room are basics! When we spoke to the TUI reps, they didn’t seem unduly bothered by our experience which was disappointing.

All in all the hotel isnt what we expected from the Riu brand. Whilst it isnt all bad, there are a few examples of where improvement could have upped our rating to those Hotels in the Riu group weve had great holidays in. The Rooms. Very basic. Thats OK really...

All in all the hotel isnt what we expected from the Riu brand. Whilst it isnt all bad, there are a few examples of where improvement could have upped our rating to those Hotels in the Riu group weve had great holidays in. The Rooms. Very basic. Thats OK really because we spend as little time as possible in them. Holidays are for the pool and bars. That said, a little tatty rould the edges would best explain them. Restaurants. All good, not great. However, with very few exceptions the staff need to realise their service quality help make a great holiday. Smiles are at an absolute premium, and some of the service chefs border on being down right rude at best, angry at worst. The feeling that you were spoiling their day permanently present. Pools. All good. However, the towels must be older than me (64). Very frayed and skinny. The lounger mattresses are visibly filthy..... Cleanliness. OK, not great. The back of the toilets doors are matt in places on an otherwise varnished door. I can only imagine why.....and i dont like to think about that too much. Entertainment: Cleary some very talented musicians and dancers. All great. Enjoyed our nights. Day time entertainment: Lovely. Not shouty and noisy with music from speakers kept to a minimum. Special praise must go to Djemellia, the sunshine on cloudy days. Her excited enthusiasm made our poolside days very happy ones. A very happy and charming lady. See, thats what i mean about smiles and happy staff. Make your Holiday, sadly not often shown by the Majority. Promote Djemellia to Customer Service trainer. An outstanding staff member in this otherwise miserbly staffed hotel

Ignore all the really bad reviews after reading those I was concerned going and almost cancelled but we went. Food is hot and varied, trying to diet is really hard there are so many good choices. The gourmet restaurants are also ok, but the kulinarium is next level, and booking...

Ignore all the really bad reviews after reading those I was concerned going and almost cancelled but we went. Food is hot and varied, trying to diet is really hard there are so many good choices. The gourmet restaurants are also ok, but the kulinarium is next level, and booking these are done 3 days in advance for all. So get the Riu app sorted asap. Room was nice and clean no issues there at all. Not tired we were in 4017 Staff as a whole were fab, there is always the odd one as we are human. Friday nights are a blast, take either something white or neon for the party rotates one or the other each week. It's night to not be missed. It is loud and can be heard back in the distance in the room but it ends 1130pm if I remember. We had our anniversary there and we were made to feel special in the kulinarium.

Let’s start with the rating - 5*. At best this is a 3* hotel for a multitude of reasons (outlined below) Amenities/facilities - the description about the pool in the write up is accurate (it is a good size with a swim up bar) however they omit to tell you...

Let’s start with the rating - 5*. At best this is a 3* hotel for a multitude of reasons (outlined below) Amenities/facilities - the description about the pool in the write up is accurate (it is a good size with a swim up bar) however they omit to tell you that the sunbeds are old, dated, and in many cases the pads are filthy; not that this matters too much because unless you reserve one with a towel or item of clothing they are all gone by 7.30am anyway Amenities/facilities - once you’ve managed to get past the line of local touts selling you uninsured trips you land on a lovely beach with some good shade if you want it. As above though be aware that many (& I do mean ‘many’) are broken and don’t have accompanying umbrellas (to avoid the sun then you’ll have to sit under the Palm trees) Restaurants - Lots of variety in the main restaurant but as above, it’s not 5* cuisine - some of the food has been rescued from an earlier sitting (benefits of cling film) whilst some has been stood and simply gone cold. Whatever the case the flies are in abundance and sharing everything on show with you. Three ‘speciality’ restaurants are available although don’t expect to get a table in any of these without a 3 day lead time and in our experience avoid the Steakhouse (specifically the seafood that may come with the meat). I had prawns on day 4 of our 14 day holiday and after vomiting and diarrhoea for 2 days, a consultation with the on-site Nurse (£30), local doctor (£60), local clinic for 4 bags of saline (£600) and prescription of antibiotics (£40) I remained ‘on the toilet’ for the rest of the holiday (bye bye holiday). Worth pointing out that we arrived home on the 10th, I was admitted to A&E on the morning of the 11th and I’m typing this from the ward I’ve been on since on the 14th - diagnosis, food poisoning and severe de-hydration. Accommodation - oh dear, where to start! We were in block1 (handy for the main restaurant & coffee shop). The positives - room is of a good size and the beds are relatively comfortable. Not so positives - floor tiles were loose (& dangerous) decor is extremely dated and paint splashes (I don’t mean little drips) are everywhere, toilet was really smelly (not related to my condition I assure you), ashtrays from the balcony emptied by the cleaners on to the grass (in front of the balcony) on more than one occasion, minibar only re-stocked when we requested it (supposed to be every other day) - same with coffee/tea and optics left dry on two occasions