"We’ve just returned from a week all-inclusive at the Robinson Cape Verde and overall had a really good stay, with a few important things to be aware of before you go.
First thing to say: it is extremely windy. This didn’t ruin the holiday, but it definitely shapes it. The hotel does a good job of managing this by providing windbreaks with loungers and parasols on the beach, which helps a lot. The sea directly in front of the hotel was far too rough to swim in during our stay.
If you want calmer water, it’s worth knowing your options. By the old pier in Santa Maria (now destroyed by storms) the sea is much calmer and it’s noticeably less windy — about a 25-minute walk. Even better for swimming is the beach near the turtle conservation area (Project Biodiversity – turtle season Aug–Oct). This beach is also about a 25-minute walk, very sheltered by palm trees, and was our favourite spot for swimming.
The food was absolutely stunning — genuinely one of the best all-inclusive experiences we’ve had. Huge variety, beautifully cooked, and high quality throughout. A lovely touch is that they allow you to wrap up a picnic, providing cling film and paper bags, which was great for beach walks. You can also request extra bottles of water from the bars and restaurants without any issue.
Rooms were very comfortable. Beds and pillows were excellent, and you’re provided with soft dressing gowns and two small beach towels each. Housekeeping was excellent and the grounds are immaculately kept.
A couple of practical points:
• Bring your own kettle and tea/coffee if that’s important to you. There is a coffee machine in the room, but you have to buy extra coffee pods from reception.
• The pool temperature was on the chilly side.
• There’s a guest self-service launderette, and they even provide washing powder and softener — a brilliant bonus.
• We had no mosquitoes at all, and birds weren’t an issue for us, despite what some other reviews mention.
Staff were mostly hard-working and friendly, though service could sometimes be slow. Unfortunately, we did notice that male guests often seemed to be prioritised over female guests when ordering at bars. This was raised with management, but the response felt dismissive and invalidating, which was disappointing.
The entertainment was good, and the layout of the bar and restaurant tables made it easy to meet people and be sociable. One downside at dinner is that it can be hard to find a normal-height table — many are high tables with stools, which most people seem to avoid as they’re uncomfortable.
Bar seating in general could be improved — chairs are very low, hard, and limited, making them uncomfortable for longer periods.
We would have liked to see offers or discounts for the tapas restaurant and spa, as that might encourage more people to try them during their stay.
We’d definitely recommend the island trip, especially the lemon sharks, salt lake, and fishing village — though beyond watersports, there isn’t a huge amount else to do on the island."
