Sundy Praia – Principe Collection

The meal at Sundy Praia Lodge was delicious, and the atmosphere was lovely. We were staying at Hotel Roca Sundy and had booked dinner there for Valentine's Day. The service was friendly and kind. Unfortunately, I lost my purse after dinner, though I don't know if I'd left it on the table or it had fallen down. The next day we were called to say it had been found. When we drove over to collect it, they wouldn't let us enter by car, even though we'd been allowed in the day before, so we had to walk. We didn't really understand why. All the cards were still there, but the 200 Euro in cash was gone. That's why we have to take two points off the service rating.

This is the jungle, so it takes an open mind to enjoy it. Be ready to wake in the middle of the night to the sounds of crawling animals or a coconut dropping onto the tent roof.

The beach is lovely and well maintained, with people collecting leaves to keep it pristine, and tropical forest just behind it. I visited for the beach and restaurant, not to stay at the hotel. Sleeping there looked like a five-star experience, though the rates seemed expensive to me. The restaurant was quite cheap by comparison. We ate in a beautifully designed open dining room with a refined ethno style. My three-course meal was tasty and cost under 40€. I had coconut and fish ceviche to start, sea welk curry for the main, and ice cream for dessert. It was easily the silkiest ice cream I've ever had.

I’ve enjoyed other hotels in São Tomé and Príncipe, so I have a comparison. This one is especially hard to reach, with flights only twice a week or a 12-hour boat trip, yet they wouldn’t move my booking dates even though many rooms were available and my reservation had cost them nothing. They also refused to refund any of my money. I made a mistake by not booking the flights and hotel at the same time, which I think is understandable, especially for a hotel that mainly serves foreigners. That level of service isn’t what I’d expect from a five-star hotel. I wouldn’t recommend staying here.