Sal Vila Verde

We had a good breakfast, a nice pool area, and a great location for exploring if you rent a car. On Sal, you’ll want at least an SUV like a Duster, since the roads aren’t typical if you plan to explore. The place felt a bit like a ghost town, and it’s definitely set up for all-inclusive guests, which you can find plenty of on Sal. It’s not a bad place, but it’s a little worn out. Calling it a four-star hotel feels overambitious, as someone else has already said. We couldn’t book a two-bedroom apartment because they were full, so we got a one-bedroom unit where an extra bedroom and bathroom were simply locked, without a door handle. It seems like getting them ready would have taken a day’s work, so I don’t understand why they weren’t available.

The rooms had plenty of space, but the air conditioning didn’t work properly, so we had to move rooms the next day. Both pools had to be topped up around 6 each morning. Staff cleaned debris from the water while guests were swimming, and people got out because the cleaning tools were so close. It seemed like the resort needed better maintenance overall. KARAVELA was the only restaurant available, and the service there was very poor. The staff seemed inexperienced and struggled to communicate, which felt unprofessional. The food wasn’t very good either, and there wasn’t much variety.

We had paid and held a valid booking through Agoda, but the hotel couldn’t find it and wouldn’t help resolve the issue or provide a statement saying they had no record of our reservation. Agoda didn’t help either. We’ve reported the case to the local police. This feels like a scam, so don’t book through Agoda.

The room was very basic, with uncomfortable beds, missing door handles, and a sink plug that wasn’t connected and kept getting stuck. It felt poorly built. We also had a chronic smoker next door who made the whole floor stink. 🙄 The best service we got was a pleasant welcome from a helpful woman at reception. Staff around the pool bar and the breakfast and dinner areas didn’t seem interested in being there or making guests feel welcome. We had much better service in other bars, restaurants, and places on our trip, so I don’t think it was a cultural difference. It was just poor customer service. The food was like school dinners, with little choice. We were glad we weren’t all-inclusive, and eating out was definitely the right call. Cape Verde was fantastic, but this hotel didn’t add to the experience. I hope this honest review gets heard and helps others. If it had cost about £500 less and been called a three-star hotel, it would have met my partner’s and my expectations. It’s overpriced and definitely not four-star.