Hotel Riu Palace Santa Maria

Can’t complain! Was a good beautiful hotel with plenty of food and drinks for all guests! Very easy to get there from the airport and everyone speaks English if you don’t speak the native language or similar. Most requests are done via their handy app which is easy to navigate and all inclusive is true to the name! You only pay for anything extra such as treatments in the Spa or items from the shop located on site otherwise everything else is included in the cost of your stay! I would have preferred more options for the 24hr “snack/food option” but this was only used out of hours so not many times for me.

Amazing resort. Will differently be going back soon.

Great all inclusive hotel catering for couples. There is a water park for kids / young families. Lovely beach. Decent range of foods in the buffet hall. Excellent cocktails and a local palatable lager. Rooms well designed. Friendly staff.

Whilst the hotel is in a prime location, right on the beach, it accomadates too many people with not enough facilities. The queues just to get a coffee were ridiculous and so much so that we actually paid for another hotel which was much better (Melia Llana) The food was nice but it was like being in a school canteen at breakfast, we went out into Santa Maria for dinner as al la carte restuarants were booked up for our first 2 days so we didn't try the al la carte restuarants as we left after 2 days. The staff were all lovely aswell but Riu need to sort out the service as that to me is not 5 star. Also, could benefit from an over 16s area at one of the pools.

My husband and I came spent 11 nights here from April in to start of May for our honeymoon. The weather was lovely everyday and the hotel was fantastic. This is by far the best holiday we have ever had and we have already booked to come back in May 2025. My parents have also booked as they loved the look of the photos etc. The cleaners and staff at this hotel do an amazing job. Cleaners are constantly cleaning including the swimming pool toilets which is great to see. The food was amazing, and there was always something nice available which is a first for us as on previously holidays not in Cape Verde we'd get bored of the food after a week and start eating out but we didn't do that here. The room was lovely and we had a side sea view which was a bonus. Prosecco on arrival. The drinks were nice as well at this hotel. Just a shame I never got to try the cocoa liqueur as it sold out after a couple days and was not back in stock but there were plenty of other drinks to choose from, even cocktails and sangria! Lovely mojito's too. The beach outside the hotel is beautiful with white sands and palm trees. The pools are great and the waterpark. Yes I did get bitten a few times by mosquitos in the evening but nowhere near as much as I thought I would. This was expected any way! The Riu app is good, staff restock the mini fridge in the room every other day but you can request more drinks sooner if you wish on the app. We did this a few times and staff would restock it for us. Optic drinks in room were nice, but we're not really a whisky fan, so we used the others (barcadi, gin and vodka, all local brands). We had a double bed each right next to each other. The shower was also a lovely waterfall shower. Entertainment was quite good, live band on most nights and a cape verde themed show with dancers was on one night, neon party was really good as well. Daiquiri cocktail bar and patisserie in the lobby were good and the cafe latte with baileys were lovely and the iced coffee. We have only been home a couple days and we're missing it already. We could not fault the hotel and it was only built in 2021 and has a nice modern African look. The themed restaurants were all nice but the steak was our least favourite just because we didn't enjoy our meals in there. I ordered my steak medium rare but it came out blue, I could not eat it. My husband had a beef burger in there but it was minced beef mushed together with no egg or anything to hold it properly together and had a weird taste. We did say we would go back but try something different next time. Other than that, we loved everything about this holiday and you can tell it's a 5 star hotel.

The hotel is fantastic,the cleanliness is excellent every member of staff is very helpful and can’t do enough for you.Our room was on the ground floor because I didn’t want stairs and it was very spacious with a balcony,the beds were very comfortable and the room is cleaned every day if you want,the bathroom was modern and very well maintained with a powerful hot shower,there is plenty of hanging space with hangers and drawer space,optic drinks are in your room and a fridge with water and soft drinks.The WiFi was very good throughout the complex even on the beach.The dining options are excellent with plenty of choice at every sitting and plenty of seating….however the ala carte dining options can be difficult to book…. we booked as soon has we arrived.Sunbathing is easy with plenty of sun beds…..if you can’t get one around the pool areas there are plenty on the beach among the palm trees.The lobby bar can be hard to get a seat in the evening….and if you sit outside in the evening you probably need a jacket or shawl it gets cool when the sun goes down.If you want a taxi ask at reception and then wait outside,a taxi into sainta Marina costs 5euros.The hotel has a cash machine but gives out only local currency,the shops like euros the banks ask you to draw out local currency then exchange it in the bank for euros and you will need ID,most shops take debit cards.All in all I would recommend staying here,it’s been a great pick me up with the glorious weather in January.