BLACK FRIDAY: Save up to $1,322 on our trips! Limited spots. Book Now.

The Best Hotels to Book in Cape Verde for Every Traveller

Cape Verde offers relaxation, unspoilt beauty and year-round sun
Cape Verde offers relaxation, unspoilt beauty and year-round sun | Courtesy of Melia Tortuga Beach / Expedia

The Cape Verde islands lie just off the west coast of Africa, offering unspoilt beauty and year-round sun on pristine sands. There’s also a hearty selection of hotels – here’s our pick of the best places to stay in Cape Verde, bookable with Culture Trip.

The Cape Verde islands were first inhabited by Portuguese explorers, followed by intrepid merchants and, argh, argh, canny pirates. Today, savvy travellers with a taste for lesser-known destinations are heading here for a family holiday, romantic retreat or stylish beach getaway.

Royal Horizons Boa Vista

Resort

Palm trees and flower bushes outside Royal Horizons Boa Vista in Cape Verde
Courtesy of Royal Horizons Boa Vista / Expedia

If you’re planning on bringing the kids and don’t want to travel far for entertainment, this laid-back hotel on a hillside is packed with activities. There are all-action thrills on the water (kayaking, windsurfing and jet skis), an Olympic-worthy selection of sports, and vibrant nightly performances. You’ll stay in brightly coloured bungalows spread around lush gardens, numerous pools (some heated) and water features.

Iberostar Club Boa Vista

Resort

Yellow loungers and umbrellas by the outdoor pool at Iberostar Club Boavista in Cape Verde
Courtesy of Iberostar Club Boa Vista / Expedia

One for water babies, this Iberostar is set above the hammock-strung beach at Praia de Chaves. There are three sensational pools, and the fresh, cheerful rooms all have vistas of the blue beyond. The spa centres on a sensual whirlpool bath, and you can join aquafit or aquagym classes or attend surfing and kitesurfing schools. The ocean here has flat spots ideal for novice kitesurfers and windsurfers.

Meliá Tortuga Beach

Resort

Palm trees around the outdoor pool at Melia Tortuga Beach, with loungers and thatched umbrellas
Courtesy of Meliá Tortuga Beach / Expedia

For families wanting bonding time, spring for one of the three- or four-bedroom garden villas with a private pool at Meliá Tortuga. There are water sports and swimming options on gorgeous Algodoeiro Beach, all pale sand and turquoise water; but there’s nothing like gathering the clan for a private dip after dining at one of the four fine restaurants – or by arrangement, beside your own pool.

Meliá Dunas Beach Resort and Spa

Resort

The stone pathway through the gardens at Melia Dunas Beach Resort & Spa, with a fingerpost with directions
Courtesy of Meliá Dunas Beach Resort and Spa / Expedia

If you’ve a penchant for style, Meliá Dunas is the resort for you. From the chic woven sundeck chairs to the contemporary suites (natural wood, dove grey and white furnishings), it puts an elegance into island holidays, and lets the brilliance of the sun-slapped beaches, sea and pools speak for themselves. Relish them unencumbered – there’s a baby club (six months to four years), kids’ club and teenagers’ club, offering care and activities day and night.

Meliá Llana Beach Resort and Spa

Resort

This adults-only hotel, a short hop from Amílcar Cabral International Airport, is a great escape if you’re a couple after a fun time. Set around swimming pools above the blond sands of Bikini Beach, it runs on the easy rhythms of the Atlantic. Go on romantic horse rides together, take dance classes, try kitesurfing and kayaking, then toast each other over cocktails and fabulous food at either the Asian-inspired or Italian restaurants.

Hotel Oásis Salinas Sea

Hotel

Loungers and umbrellas around the outdoor pool at Hotel Oásis Salinas Sea in Cape Verde
Courtesy of Hotel Oásis Salinas Sea / Expedia

Set in the pastel patchwork fishing village of Santa Maria, on the southern tip of Sal Island, this hotel is just the ticket for couples in search of a romantic adventure. Wander the streets together, explore the salt-trading history of the island and chill on wide beaches lapped by clear waters. The outdoor restaurants and live-music bars of Santa Maria round off the island offerings nicely.

Hotel Dunas de Sal

Hotel

The outdoor pool, palm trees, lawn and vines around pillars leading to a row of bougainvillea outside the Hotel Dunas de Sal in Cape Verde
Courtesy of Hotel Dunas de Sal / Expedia

If you’re into design, this sleek white hotel from celebrated Portuguese architect Guilherme Paris Couto lies just outside the picturesque fishing village of Santa Maria, 300m (1,000ft) from the beach. Decor is minimal but supremely comfortable (orthopaedic mattress and anti-allergic pillows) – just what you need after a day swimming, sailing, kitesurfing and diving.

Hotel Oásis Belorizonte

Hotel

Plants and a walkway through the sand outside the individual buildings at Hotel Oasis Belorizonte in Cape Verde
Courtesy of Hotel Oásis Belorizonte / Expedia

If accessibility is a consideration, Oásis Belorizonte has chic grey and white clapboard bungalows built on the beach for easy access, while two rooms are specially adapted for people with reduced mobility. The four restaurants celebrate Cape Verdean and international cuisine with dishes as stylish as they are delicious – the tasting menu presented on a slate platter at restaurant Pedra de Lume is a winner. Special dietary requests are catered for, just ask ahead.

Hotel Vip Praia

Hotel

The rooftop pools and hot tub, with loungers and potted palms, at Hotel Vip Praia; the area looks out over the ocean
Courtesy of Hotel Vip Praia / Expedia

If you’re looking for modern design, this decidedly contemporary hotel on Santiago hits the spot, with a curved glass facade and striking rooftop pool. Floor-to-ceiling windows give stunning views of Praia, the Cape Verde capital. Breakfast is included, and for lunch and dinner you can hit the island restaurants, and the rest of your time can be spent exploring the beaches, markets, ecotours and hikes.

Hotel Pontao

Hotel

Yellow sunbeds around the outdoor pool at Hotel Pontao, with a large palm tree in one corner
Courtesy of Hotel Pontao / Expedia

If you’re looking to explore Cape Verde village life, Hotel Pontao is ideally placed in the heart of Santa Maria on Sal Island. The nearby village square is packed with eateries serving red fish and other delicacies fishermen bring daily to the pier, which, like the beach, is just a 10-minute walk away. Back at the hotel, the roof terrace, with a jacuzzi and loungers, is an ideal space to end each day.

The Don Paco Hotel

Hotel

A bed, lime green armchair and TV on the wall in a hotel room at the Don Paco Hotel in Cape Verde
Courtesy of the Don Paco Hotel / Expedia

If you’re an unabashed townie, Don Paco sits in the hot heart of Mindelo, cultural hub of São Vincente Island, known for morna music, nightlife and carnival every February or March. The main beach is five minutes away, but you’ll get as much of a rush exploring the cobbled squares of this port, with 19th-century architecture, markets, bars and local fare. Start at the hotel restaurant Toni Duarte, with national dish cachupa – a stew made with beans, corn, vegetables and freshly caught fish.

Hotel Da Luz

Hotel

A light blue couch, wood table and chairs in a kitchen at Hotel Da Luz in Cape Verde
Courtesy of Hotel Da Luz / Booking.com

If you’re after a home from home, the hands-on couple who run the three-star Da Luz are unashamedly focused on quality service and displaying the best of Cape Verde. What more could you desire? Their getaway started as a popular restaurant, and 24 years ago they established this now equally popular hotel with a swimming pool set in gardens, minutes from Santa Maria village and its fine beaches.

If you click on a link in this story, we may earn affiliate revenue. All recommendations have been independently sourced by Culture Trip.
close-ad