Four Points By Sheraton São Vicente Resort

From behind the beach, the other lovely local houses lose their view because this huge, imposing building blocks it. It sits above Mindelo's only beach.

These hotel chains act as if they’re entitled to take over public spaces and exploit them, leaving the places uglier and less natural. Fool’s gold.

The hotel has an electrical issue. The A/C circuit breaker keeps tripping because of an overload.

The gym equipment is fantastic if you want a proper workout, and housekeeping did a great job. I also found the breakfast and on-site restaurant food very good and reasonably priced, apart from one morning when the watermelon was bad. The breakfast room could be tricky at full capacity, though, since half the tables are outside and exposed to strong winds. I stayed four nights as a Bonvoy Gold Elite and got a nice upgrade, a welcome fruit basket, and warm greetings from guest relations. My room was comfortable, clean, and easy to use. The staff seem quite new to this level of hospitality, and I would have liked more smiles and eye contact as they passed. Restaurant and bar purchases also don’t seem to count toward a Bonvoy account yet, which is a shame. All in all, I had a very good stay and wish the team well in the months ahead.