Riu Palace Boavista - All Inclusive

Entertainment: Entertainment at the hotel was highly rated, with guests enjoying the energetic performances and themed parties such as Neon and White parties. Excursions like quad biking and boat trips were also popular and considered fun activities.

Not a 5* hotel We stayed at Riu Palace Boavista for 10 nights and unfortunately had a disappointing experience overall. On arrival, after traveling all night, we were told to wait three hours for our room, with no drinks, snacks, or assistance with luggage offered. Our first room was filthy: blood on the curtains, a sofa covered in stains, dirty bedding, shower tiles falling out, and an empty mini-bar. After complaining, we were moved to a cleaner room, which was much better, but still had issues: a loose shower door hinge, a crack in the balcony glass, and no sea view. The food was nice with lots of variety, but the cocktail menu was poor, and there was no dedicated gluten-free or dairy-free section, which could be limiting for other guests. Many sunbeds were grubby, with holes, stains, and peeling paint, and the mini-bar was often not replenished, requiring us to request water most days. There were lots of flies, understandable given the climate, and the walk from room 2035 to the beach/lift was long. We were told by other guests and family staying there that standards at the hotel have dropped compared to previous years. On a positive note, the staff were fantastic. The animation team (JJ, Junior, William, Nadine, Riccardo, Stacey and Stefanie), bartenders (Bruno, Djorge, Hermany, Fredy), and restaurant staff (especially Jose) were attentive, friendly, and professional. The entertainment shows were brilliant, and the beach is stunning. Neon party and White party were very good , we also booked quad biking and a boat trip and was great fun. Overall, while the natural beauty and staff are excellent, the poor room standards, maintenance issues, lack of guest care on arrival, and general drop in hotel quality made the stay difficult to enjoy fully. That said, we would consider returning to the hotel if standards improved and we were offered a better price, as the location, staff, and beach are truly excellent.

We stayed at the Riu Palace May 2025 just before the May half term and it was lovely. We stayed all inclusive via First Choice and couldn't fault it. I can see why many of the patrons we spoke to have visited multiple times. As a parent of young children it was perfect. HOTEL - The hotel is situated only 5 minutes from the airport so getting the transfer coach isn't a problem as there are no other drop offs. You could also opt for a taxi which was 10 euros. The architecture of the hotel is beautiful with a large atrium/reception featuring 2 of the á la carte restaurants and a coffee bar. The rooms branch off to the left and right and has multiple floors with a lift. It's not large or overbearing which is nice. There is main avenue that runs down the centre straight to the beach and pools - lanes branch off to the main buffet restaurant, spa, entertainment bars etc. The resort feels small and intimate but never cramped. The paths were all smooth and level which was great when travelling with a pram and mobility scooter. It was refreshing to see all different disabilities enjoying the resort - it says a lot. We had a ground floor room with a balcony. The room is spacious with a sofa bed converted for our 2 children. The bathroom is huge and the rainfall shower was amazing. If we were to return we would take a 1st floor room as we had a slight ant issue, and neighbouring room (which had the rest of our party in) had a few cockroaches. This is to be expected in a wild environment, but maybe a 1st floor room would put the wildlife off a bit. We even had a crab wander into the balcony. :) POOL & BEACH - There is one large pool (with half submerged sun beds) and two swim-up bar pools either side. The great thing about the pools if you have children is that the pool is all one depth so my eldest could stand confidently and work on her swimming skills with ease. The raised platform by the sun beds was great for my toddler to paddle too. There are plenty of beds around the pool, though I would recommend ones under the retractable canopies for shade if you have little ones. There are umbrellas and trees if you are more of a sun worshipper. I think the reason why families love Cape Verde so much is because of the consistent weather. The wind from the sea turns the 40+ degree African sun into a comfortable high 20s. So, you never feel hot and uncomfortable - but you must use factor 50 because it is very deceptive. The beach is beautiful, with soft sand and palm trees. The water was permanently a yellow or red flag due to the wind and strong currents. You can dip your feet but not swim. Be careful of the undertow with little ones. If you get up early you can see the sea turtles swimming about. DINING - There are 2 buffet restaurants (a main one and mini one by the pool), plus 3 á la carte, bookable restaurants - of which we tried the Japanese and Gourmet. All the food was delicious and varied. Yes there was allocated stations within the buffet but there was