Hotel Riu Touareg - All Inclusive

Ignore the bad reviews as they are misleading. Room - I agree they are "dated" compared to other hotels in different destinations, however they are keeping with the vibe of the hotel and island. They were clean and tidy and more than enough for our stay and kept to a good standard by the housekeeping staff. Only issue was the safe had the label hanging off, assuming due to other guests using it as a handle to pull the safe open with. Food - This is where other reviews are very misleading in regards to food poisoning etc, no issues from either of us. Food was fresh, tasty and plenty of options. Birds were around however there were covers over all food and we saw no flies. We recommend to book the exclusive restaurants as soon as you get there as they get booked quickly and we would recommend the Asian over all others. Only issue was the main restaurant gets very busy, so we would recommend the pool restaurant for a more chilled vibe. Entertainment - So many things to do during the day, we will never forget Mr Precious or Randy, there was plenty to do from Bingo to Water Polo to Beach Volleyball and even a waterbomb fight at one point. Small issue with the main pool in that myself as well as two others did cut our toes, which I have seen mentioned in other reviews. There were a few nights where entertainment was great (Crazy Show And Karaoke contest) but the other nights left a lot to be desired and could have been more lively. Overall reading the reviews we were so worried about the food and the cleanliness etc however I am glad we didn't listen as they were frankly all massively misleading. Cannot recommend this place enough!

We spent a week - 4 to 11 February with friends. We went with trepidation as the 'Food Poisoning' news broke just before we were due to leave which related to incidences some time ago and some on a different island. Also there were many bad reviews too. Well there was nothing to worry about - remember this is Africa and some standards are not the same as the UK. We did have and issue with our room (water leak and block shower outlet) but the reception dealt with it speedily. The rooms could do with an update however, they were clean and the bed was comfortable. There was a large variety of food and drinks and you can book into the specialist restaurants. All the staff we encountered were positive and greeted us with a smile. The entertainment could have been much better considering we are a captive audience with nowhere else to go. I would recommend taking a leaf out of the team at Palace Tropical Bay in Negril Jamaica as they are superb. The lighting at night could be brighter and this must be addressed when the refurb is done. Another point to mention is to have a deterrent from the sparrows entering the Pool Bar Restaurant as this is very unhygienic. We would defo go again maybe after the refurb - this was to chill and recharge batteries and perfect for a winter sun break only 6 hours from the UK.

We Returned yesterday from a weeks stay at the Hotel RIU Touareg. prior to our visit my husband and I had some concerns mainly due to the bad press Cape Verde was receiving in the British media, we decided to make our own judgement and so glad we did as we loved it. The positive points to this hotel far outweigh the negatives. The grounds are gorgeous, well maintained and spotlessly clean. The pools are beautiful, we favoured the quieter infinity pool, mainly due to the view of the beach which is stunning, white sand, palm trees and the bluest sea. The staff are friendly and always happy to help. The outdoor bar/theatre area has a good atmosphere and is well laid out to sit with a cocktail and people watch. The rooms are dated but perfectly adequate and the hotel is having a refurb this summer which will no doubt address this. The food is your typical all inclusive fare but there was a good variety and it was always hot and fresh. We visited the Boa Vista restaurant and the Italian which we enjoyed and had no problem booking on the RIU app. I attended the TUI welcome meeting and it was one of the best I’ve been to, informative about the hotel and the island and entertaining, we booked the all day island tour which I fully recommend, sand dunes, Sal rei, oldest village and Santa Monica beach as well as a lunch at the most gorgeous beach bar. Some general tips, take a light jacket for the evening. Go out on your balcony at night and look at the starts as there’s no light pollution…amazing Be prepared go long ques at the airport, small airport lots of tourists. Cape Verde has the feel of an island that has not yet been discovered by the masses and if you want somewhere to visit that has not been overtaken by McDonalds and Starbucks now’s the time to visit. We love this island and hope to return one day. Thanks for a great holiday

I read a lot of bad reviews before coming here and they did put me off a bit. I am glad they didn’t though because my experience was very good. The location is stunning, I could sit and watch the waves all day. It is isolated but the hotel is big so that wasn’t a problem for me. The staff are all super friendly and the hotel is very clean. I preferred the infinity pool area as it was quite quiet and the views were really nice. The rooms are comfortable, yes a bit outdated but not enough to effect my stay, I even had a partial sea view. The food is about average I would say, there’s a lot of choice so even the fussy eaters will find something. If you’re expecting 5 star food you will be a tad disappointed. The weather is very deceptive, with the wind it would be easy to to get burnt ( just ask my wife). The night time entertainment wasn’t to my taste and probably needs looking at, I did mange to watch a fair bit of football in the sports bar though. My tips for a good time would be : Don’t underestimate the weather Go on the full island trip Download movies on your iPad Don’t listen to the bad reviews Spend time on the beach. I had a fantastic week and would definitely come back.

My Thoughts on RIU Touareg. Just returned from 14 nights. My view is the hotel is just too big for us but for a break for some winter sun it was just about ok It is very secluded, but we knew that. The majorhuge plus point is the staff; you will not find an unhappy / unhelpful member of staff that are really nice genuine people. Also, the gardens are so well tended by the army of gardeners, they get so little recognition but do such a great job in the background. The sheer volume of hotel guests makes the main buffet restaurant overwhelming, the noise alone is not conducive with a comfortable environment for an evening meal, along with the number of flies that take a fancy to the food. We used smaller Bereber buffet restaurant. this is a much better eating environment but with a slightly reduced selection and has lovely friendly happy staff. The best place for a nice relaxing breakfast overlooking the main pool and gardens. We had no complaints with the food a varied selection typical AI fare, The Asian al cart (which is buffet style) was very enjoyable so much so we booked it twice. If the evenings are spent around the main entertainment area and reception area it becomes a trial just to find a place to sit, and if you are looking for a quiet peaceful spot, forget it, again the volume of all these people speaking and music being played resonates everywhere. Compared to many other RIU hotels I have stayed in I found the evening shows poor and very run of the mill, just dancing and singing to back screen video. We stayed in the adult only section and that was very pleasant with its own little bar and selection of snacks and sandwiches, a pleasant area away from the busier areas of the hotel. But get up early if you want a sun bed, as it does suffer from the normal reservists, that claim a sun bed a 7am then do not come back to it until 2pm The pools. They need sorting, with all that island sunshine some form of heat exchanger should be worked into the pools system, using the pools should be a pleasure not a challenge on your fortitude to endure chilly water. They are not just cold but feel freezing. What can I say about our room block 4. The view was spectacular overlooking the pool and the beautiful vista of the massive expanse of sandy beach and sea view. Watching the waves crashing in is a mesmerising sight. The bed was comfortable even though the idea of a double bed was two singles pushed together. The shower was like a dark cave with no lighting but had good water pressure and we always had hot water. I have never been in a hotel where the hanging wardrobe is in the bathroom. Very strange layout. The extractor fans in the toilet and the shower did not work and were not fixed during our stay. The Room bad points (yes, I know about the reverb planned ). All the furniture is in need of replacing; it is all very tired. On entering the room, I switched on the bedside light and light switch fell off exposing bare wiring (this was promptly repaired a couple of hours later). Went to switch on aircon cover and knob fell onto the floor, more bare wires, this was reported to the cleaner she removed the broken pieces, it never did get fixed. Chest of draws and bedside draws, you had to be incredibly careful opening draws, or the draw below would fall out onto your foot. Working out the combination of the various light switches and what they do is like a challenge you have to master before moving on to unpacking. Also, if the cleaner moved the the chest of draws or if we or the next adjacent room allowed their door to bang shut this caused the TV ariel cable to fall out of the loose wall socked and TV reception is lost. This Hotel is vast and involves quite a lot of walking yet there are no benches or seating on the paths for those with mobility issues to take a rest. We notice many senior citizens at the hotel that I am sure would have benefited from some seating on the paths. We enjoyed being away from the UK winter cold and rain, Enjoyed Bio Vista very much but I am afraid this is not a hotel for my wife and I to return to, it may suite many, but it is not for us.

Firstly I read the reviews, we were worried? Our experience was positive. We saw the headlines on Cape Verde whilst we were there and thought I doubt very much it was the hotels. We saw guests use the toilets, come out no hand washing. No excuses as there is soap, also hand gel machines. Our friends room had a better view than ours, they were 9123. We did have issues in our room but a call to Reception or RIU app sorted on the day within speedy time. Food was covered and they were always cleaning. Yes few flies in pool restaurant but it’s hot and did not affect anything. I would give 10/10 gardeners, immaculate. Reception 10/10. Animation 10/10, Precious and Randy Walker brilliant as was other members. Staff lovely. Housekeeping 8/10, cleanliness was good but towels were sometimes missing, a quick fix really? We chose block 9 because of comments being positive, maybe after refurbishment it will be ace. We enjoyed our time at this hotel and none of us were ill? The Italian and Asian were amazing, we were lucky had a couple of times on each. A comment was made on the pool, they were cleaned daily and the marks were stained tiles, nothing nasty? All in all we had an amazing holiday, we came back yesterday. Night times a little cool so take light jacket or cardigan.

Dont heed too much to the negative reviews. Read poor reviews and was worried about our trip...NO NEED. We had an amazing experience. Hotel was clean, staff were friendly, food choices fo every taste, entertainment fun and the weather gorgeous

Fab holiday here! I was a little unsure with some mixed reviews, but we had a lovely time. The hotel is beautiful, I agree rooms are tierd looking, but that didnt bother us, plus its being refurbished in april. Beach is unreal, beautiful white sand and miles and miles of empty beach which you dont find many places anymore. Staff were great. Food was good, very much same foods, but all nice and always something to eat. The white/neon party on a friday at the other hotel was a lot of fun,Overall I would 100% recommend!

My husband and I booked a 10 day holiday with TUI to Boa Vista and stayed at the Hotel Riu Touareg. The Hotel is about 25mins from the airport. We had a wonderful time and the weather was perfect!! The hotel staff work relentlessly to keep the hotel complex and grounds immaculate and we had room service every day with a change of towels and replenishing of bottled water. There are 6 restaurants and we ate at 5 of them (4 have to be booked - so, it is worth downloading the Riu App so you can book yourself) - my favourite was 'Boavista', they serve Cape Verdian food - the service was great and the food was delicious. The main restaurant has an abundance of food with enough variety to meet all tastes and the restaurant staff cleared away used plates immediately. We booked a few excursions with TUI and enjoyed all of them and attended the epic Friday night Neon party at Riu Karamboa, which TUI provided free transportation to and from. You can do as much or little as you want in terms of activities - we enjoyed playing tennis (be warned the court is not the best), using the spa and the free steam room. The staff were so friendly and helpful - when our safe would not work it was sorted within 15mins. I would definitely return to this hotel and would like to thank all the staff for making our stay so enjoyable!! Note: if you are charged tax when going through the airport customs, a TUI rep will refund the money at the 'Welcome' meeting, which is well worth attending.

We go home today after spending a week at the resort.Its not a 5 star however,it's plenty good enough for the cost.The rooms need upgrading but are clean and spacious.There is plenty of choice regarding food,the staff were good in all areas.All in all a very good week of sun,good food and relaxing times around the pool.