Melia Dunas Resort

Upon arrival to the airport we were shown to a coach and it was around 15 minutes from the airport. At check in we were advised that they take a €40 deposit for towels and breakages which is returned at the end of the trip and also €40 for tourism tax. You can pay this anytime throughout your stay but something to be aware of. The hotel itself is very well maintained and clean. Having stopped in two different rooms (paid for another room after checking out) I can see why people think some rooms are basic. We stayed in an upper level room in block 270. Very good pool view, right in the middle of all the amenities and sun all day long on the balcony. We moved to room 3005 after check out and was amazed at the difference for what someone may have paid the same price for. Lower level with a view of a path and someone else’s window. Something I would have been disappointed with should I have had to stay there the whole 10 day trip. The food was some of the best we’ve had at an all inclusive and we always stop in 5*. The buffet had a range of options and we never struggled to find anything to eat. The soft drinks however were hit and miss. Sometimes they would be flat or taste completely different to what you expect. We never struggled to find a sunbed at either the pool or the beach. The pool was an ideal size. Out of the 10 days we were there, we had 2 red flags on the beach which meant going in the sea was prohibited. You could see why when you saw the size of the waves! There is a designated snorkelling spot with lots of fish and alcoves to explore in the man made bay. The town of Santa Maria is really nice and about 5 minute taxi costing 2-3 euros. It’s good to go to during the day and watch the locals jumping off the pier and fishing. The sea is really warm here and the beach has white sand. We joined the locals jumping off the pier. They were all really friendly. Cape Verde is generally really safe place. The staff in the hotel seemed really friendly. Some performed better than others and you could sometimes be waiting a little while for a drink but generally they were good. Having explored the Sol Dunas we were glad we stopped in Melia. It seems to have a lot more going on and access to more stuff.

I spent 7 nights at the Melia Dunas the first week of August (booked through TUI). Let us admit that this is a 3/4 star hotel to EU quality standards, but it’s a 5 star thanks to the Melia link. The pros - The staff. They’re always willing to help. People are genuinely kind and always smiling. - The restaurants: Atlantis was the best, with fresh fish & sea food and live music every night. Aqua was good. - The animation team: a HUGE bravo to the team who made every night special with great energetic shows. Children and parents love it, I recommend eating earlier to make it to the start at 9 pm. - The beach, far from crowded and beautiful. - The activities: from aqua gym, yoga, dance, video games, ... Fun guaranteed! - Bikini Bar next door, great place to eat or to party (beware, the music is too loud, maybe not suitable for children). The cons: - Mosaico Restaurant: food was okay. There is a large choice for each meal, but some dishes were too greasy (mushrooms) or beyond overcooked (scrambled eggs). - The desserts were too chemical (blue or green cakes, too much sugar, chemical taste) but we always managed to find 1 dessert that we liked. - The juices at your disposal were undrinkable to me. Too much colorants and added flavours, (tropical tasted like medicine). - Sahel Restaurant was bad in terms of waiting time (only 3 tables booked that evening): 20 min before order taken, 30 min of wait, 20 min again before we could order dessert (and no one came). All employees were chatting in the kitchen, we left to have dessert in the main restaurant. Also the food is not really African and you won’t get the African vibe: they have sweet sour sauce / sriracha to accompany the starters and played Asian love songs in the background... - People who reserve loungers at 8 am or before, and keep them reserved the entire day. We struggled finding 2 loungers, sometimes we had to share one. People “reserve” loungers with their towels for the entire day, The management should do something about it. If you wonder, Melia Dunas is overall better quality than Sol Dunas. You enjoy good food and want to have some alternatives? Melia. I ended up in the Spices restaurant (Sol) on arrival, the food on offer was really not appealing. Melia Dunas has another type of clientèle, 5 restaurants + 3 important spots next door: the spa, shops (mini market included), and the beach. Thank you to Francisco and Gracilena at the reception, Simão at the shop, Elvis for at the restaurant, the hairdressers at Annatalia and all the girls working at the boutiques. Also thank you to Hakim from Bikini Beach who was our local guide, gave us great addresses and made us discover Bikini Beach. Once you eat there, you’ll have a hard time going back to your all-in buffet :) Beware of the waves, they’re aggressive in Cano Verde and the courants can take you away at once. Don’t leave small children unattended in the sea (even in shallow water). Overall a wonderful holiday and I recommend this hotel! Room 317