We always wanted to see Cape Verde, or at least some of it so seeing this available, at a very good price, and reading the reveiws of the islands other hotels we booked.
First alarm bells rang at Manchester Airport when I noticed a bunch of tipsy women, (this is 9.30am), hovering around the departure gate and various other "dubious" looking characters waiting to board the flight. I double checked tickets was I in the Benidorm/Magaluf/San Antonio zone? No Boa Vista it was.
Boarding commenced and the afore mentioned tipsy, but now more tipsy womem got on and started to disrupt any peace or quiet, we were in for a noisy and stressful time. Then roughly half way through the journey there was actual fisticuffs, a fight. OK not a big or long fight but a fight none the less, alarming. Then you suddenly have to forget any thoughts of relaxation and get into a ready to something mode. Tipsy women continued to cause mayhem.
On landing I was praying that these noisy, rude, disruptive types were not destined for Royal Decameron, thankfully they were not.
On arrival it looked good, check in a breeze and bags taken to our room, which was a long way from reception, but in a very quiet area with a sea, or a bit of sea, view, so far so good.
Changed and checked things out and everything met expectations, especially the Animation, who are Look Voyage, a company I have encountered previously and been well satisfied.
Had dinner and found food first rate, so was breakfast and lunch, every day, no complaints on the catering front at all, and worth noting the hygeine employed in restaurant area, all staff serving food have head covering and beard snoods, impressive. Cleanliness is very high in all other areas also.
There is a gym which is perfectly adequate, and a spa which is insanely expensive.
I did pick up on previous comments regardin having to €2 for a bottle of water, yes not good when you on a supposed all inclusive deal. Thompson/First Choice should address this, although I suppose they would load the holiday price to do so.
So did the usual things, sat around, played French Bowle, did some archery etc, until it got boring. Then decided to explore a bit and took a taxi to island capital of Sal Rei, a tiny little town with hardly any shops or anything else except a pretty little church, but it is not Notre Dame, so nothing of any architecteral interest.
Took a trip south the following day to the much praised Santa Monica beach, which is a totally unspoiled stretch of sand, much like the beach at the hotel, but obviously with no hotels hence unspoiled. Yes it is an area of outstanding natural beauty and well worth a trip.
So all well, nice and relaxing with a good clientle, as previously mentioned on Trip, mainly French a quadruple bonus for me, and Belgians, Norwegians, Swedes, Swiss, Germans, Italians, and English, but not many, and not too disruptive/noisy as we all know they can be, a good cosmopolitan bunch.
However after 5/6 days it does get a tad boring so a week is enough, I would have gone "stir crazy" if there any longer.
On arrival at airport yesterday same tipsy women were there this time creating havoc in departure area, I fail to understand why they were allowed to board as I understood it was illegal to fly when half cut? So again not a relaxing flight back as there was always the expectation of an incident of some kind which means being always on your guard. I find it all vey intimidating.
Will I go again, no, I can do better than this.
One further point there was a "mugging" on the beach involving an elderly couple who were attacked by four bandits wielding a machette, and on hotel room was burgled and cleaned out. Leaving the occupants, who were at dinner at the time, with just the clothes they stood up in. Now before we overreact this would be normal in London/New York/Thailand etc, so upsetting though it is, it obviously happens, so care is needed.