Melia Tortuga Beach - All Inclusive

Underrated according to the tripadvisor reviews. We had excellent holiday in Melia Tortuga! You have to keep in mind that Cabo Verde is an isolated island nation and it is part of Africa. Logistics is very challenging there. Melia Tortuga is very nice hotel, good food, clean and has beautiful surroundings. Staff is very friendly and helpful. You might face some small issues ( e.g refilling the water into the room ) but they fix these right away. Buffet restaurant might get very crowded and noisy but luckily there are four a la carte restaurants which are included if you have the all inclusive option. A little patience is useful too. As the locals in Cabo Verde say: no stress.

This was my second visit to this hotel. I have booked to go again March 25. I honestly am shocked to see the bad reviews, when I have been here the food has been good, I have seen staff probing the food in the buffet and swapping it out when necessary. I have eaten in all of the bookable restaurants and always had excellent food and excellent service. Our rooms have always been great, a little tired perhaps (sofas are a bit dated) but always spotlessly cleaned. Have gone back to the room a few times and the floor has been mopped with bleach ( I love the smell of bleach 😂) but it's the staff that really make this place, they are fabulous, super friendly and really helpful. Nothing is too much trouble. I previously stayed at the Riu Palace, and while it is definitely a little more upmarket, I prefer the Tortuga 100%, the vibe is so chilled and relaxed, and for me it beats the Palace hands down. I can't wait to be back again next month.

Really disappointed. This is far from a four star hotel. Six of us travelled for a special family occasion and all of us had sickness and diarrhoea. It is apparent from other reviews there are other families who suffered the same. On arrival my daughter's bathroom had brown water from the taps, they couldn't change her room until the following day. In our first day we had to queue an hour to book the restaurants but unfortunately they were all fully booked for the first two nights. Buffet food was ok but often cold. Glasses at the bar were dirty and service for lunch time beach or Italian restaurants were really chaotic. Wouldn't recommend this hotel.

Set in a beautiful location, beautiful beach with plenty of sun loungers and umbrellas if you prefer some shade. Within the complex gardens are maintained and always looked exceptional. Unfortunately I got food poisoning on my sixth day of a 10 day holiday, which required me to have hospital treatment upon my return home to the UK and still unwell 2 weeks later. The room was very spacious for two of us, two bedrooms, lounge area, kitchenette, bathroom and balcony with a gorgeous view. However the rooms are tired and need some updating. Phone in the room does not work when trying to contact reception. The bathroom would welcome some bleach in the toilet as stained from years of use. Grout and seal in bathroom was dirty and needs replacing. Sofa within the room was ripped. House cleaning attended everyday except once ( promptly solved when reported at reception) however floors always felt dirty and feet filthy even after being in the shower. It wasn’t clear if the restaurants around the complex were included in the all inclusive package. you have to book in at these venues between certain times of the day at the main bar. The main restaurant where everyone seems to eat is always busy to the point it’s difficult to get a table. Plates, glasses and cutlery is in short supply and staff appear miserable and unhappy when you ask them for some. There’s plenty of choice for food but there is a problem with flies and it was always hot in there with no air conditioning on even though the systems are installed. At lunch times we ate near the main pool in pasta nostra. Cold food is covered with cling film however the hot food is swarming with flies and mayonnaise was left out near to hot surfaces and in the hot weather. Again cutlery is in short supply and when I asked for a spoon I was told there wasn’t any so ate ice cream with a fork. At the pool bar and cabana bar on the beach plastic glasses were washed in a bowl of water with a scourer that appeared old and well used. This is such a shame as the hotel could be lovely but management MUST address the hygiene and issues reported by hotel guests in relation to cleanliness and illnesses.

Booked through Tui for an all inclusive winter break. The accommodation is predominately in low level blocks (there are some independent villas with splash pool). We had a 2 bed suite, not luxurious but clean and perfectly comfortable. The main restaurant, where no booking was required and catered for breakfast, lunch and dinner buffet-style, was a little tired decoration-wise, but the food was plentiful and varied. The a la carte restaurants required booking well in advance (dinner only) via a strange system involving turning up at a designated time at a bar in reception and making your reservations for several nights. We found the hotel staff to be very helpful and friendly, but certainly during our stay (beginning of February) the bars were short staffed involving a bit of a wait at certain times. Small problem, we weren't in any great hurry! The hotel is right on a long stretch of sandy beach, with 2 pretty sheltered coves nearby where swimming was easier. La Cabana bar overlooking the beach is the perfect spot for sundowners. The weather was incredibly windy in February and had been for the whole of January apparently, we were told this is normal. The nearest town of Santa Maria is a 5 euro taxi ride away or there is a courtesy bus from the hotel at 10 am. Apart from that there is very little else to do, so a week was just perfect for us.

Got foodpoisoning at the hotel beachbar, tasteless food and terrible cleaning and hygene. Dirty bathroom and dirty dishes. Some of the food in the bufet is raw. Many people off the staff are mad, no service at all. They only make a few drinks.