adminWhen we booked our week in Cape Verde, we were hoping for sunshine, relaxation and a chance to switch off. What we didn't expect was a hotel mix-up that would lead to a free VIP upgrade worth about €700.
Here's exactly how our week at Melia Laguna and Melia Dunas went.
Arriving in Cape Verde
We landed at 2:40pm and were pleasantly surprised by how quick the airport process was. Passport control was efficient, baggage collection was fast and by 4:15pm we were already on our transfer bus.
The transfer to the hotel took around 35 minutes and gave us our first glimpse of Sal Island.
The Hotel Mix-Up
Upon arriving at Melia Dunas, we were warmly welcomed by staff. However, when we reached reception, they couldn't locate our booking.
After some investigation, the manager explained that our booking had been cancelled and transferred to a sister hotel. Unfortunately, nobody had informed us beforehand.
Although initially frustrating, the staff handled the situation brilliantly. We were offered access to both resorts and then personally driven to Melia Laguna, an adults-only hotel just down the road.
The surprises didn't stop there.
At Melia Laguna, we were upgraded to the Club Lagoon Premium VIP Package completely free of charge.
Exploring the Resorts
The first day was spent exploring the various Melia resorts and getting our bearings.
One thing that immediately stood out was how large the resort complex is. Having access to multiple hotels meant there was always somewhere new to explore, whether that was a different pool, restaurant or bar.
There were 4 hotels we had access to, Melia Dunas, Melia Llana, Melia Laguna and the Melia Tortuga.
Our Favourite Restaurants
Throughout the week we tried a variety of restaurants.
Our favourites were:
- Nami Asian Restaurant
- Bar Marley
- Bikini Beach Club
- Rancho
Bar Marley served some of the best food we had all week, while Nami offered a fantastic fine dining experience.
Not every restaurant was a hit though. Tortuga's buffet felt overcrowded and limited in choice, while the al a carte, Sahel, was disappointing due to slow service and undercooked chicken.
The Island Tour
One of the highlights of the trip was our full island tour.
We visited:
- Shark Bay
- Pedra de Lume Salt Lakes
- Buracona Blue Eye
- Palmeira Fishing Village
- Shanty Town
- Lion Mountain
- Various viewpoints around the island
- The famous mirage
If you're visiting Sal, I highly recommend leaving the resort for at least one day to see the island properly.
Pros
- Extremely friendly staff
- Plenty of available sunbeds
- Beautiful resort grounds
- Excellent VIP facilities
- Huge variety of restaurants
- Fantastic weather
- Maps are scattered throughout the resorts
Cons
- Mosquitoes were relentless
- Some restaurants were inconsistent
- Mattresses were quite firm
- Buffet options could get very busy
- Toilets aren't very well signposted
Final Verdict
Despite the confusion at check-in, this turned out to be one of our favourite holidays.
The staff went above and beyond to resolve the situation and the VIP upgrade completely transformed our experience.
Would I return?
Absolutely.
