Hotel Riu Touareg - All Inclusive

Not what I expected room furniture was broken beds uncomfortable nothing there to do needs a massive make over wouldn't recommend anyone going to cape Verde

We booked this hotel for our Christmas/ New Year holiday 2025/2026 for 14days. It was booked through a travel agent so we made sure everything would be covered for us, a family room a sofa bed was booked as we don’t sleep together, on arrival at the hotel we were given a room in the Adults area ground floor with no sofa bed just a settee. We explained to the reception that we had booked a family room after quite some time we were offered another room but it was on a second floor so there was two flights of stairs to climb which we struggled to climb ( we have a stairs lift at home). That was the only choice we had. Well the room was very basic with no table or chairs in it and the sofa bed was just a metal frame and the mattress was about two inches thick with bars sticking up in your body. There was only water in your fridge ( we were all inclusive 5* hotel. Now the worst part the restaurant. I’ve never seen so many flies in all my life on the food, bird droppings on the tables and food cats been sick both ends on the floor as people were feeding them and the food was to rich for them. Most of the time at breakfast and lunch we had to clear the table and set it your self as there was a lack of staff. On one occasion my wife was sick at the table as she put some food in her mouth only to see there was bugs on her plate waking around on her plate. Around the pool finding a sun bed that wasn’t broken in one way or another was a nightmare and again there was cat poo around the area. This was a Tui holiday that was a nightmare for us will not go back there if it was FREE. WE PAID OVER £6000 for a nightmare holiday.

Booking in was simple enough however the rooms allocated where no good for my us. They moved us the next day to rooms that are closer to the main complex. Food and drink and all meals were ok we were able to eat all holiday without any trouble. Unfortunately there were birds fling around n one of our favourite places to eat but the food was covered so not affected by this. The complex has everything you need which is a good thing as there is absolutely very little to do here other than sunbathe or drink and eat. As this was our maintain.. to chill.. then it suited us. Great weather fit for our stay in late Feb.

This is our first time in Cape Verde and for some reason I thought it would be an exceptional hotel . I probably didn’t look into it enough to be honest . Our main issue was the tiredness of the rooms . Now it is a large sprawling resort so I would imagine the maintenance teams have constant daily calls with issues that is obviously disrupting their preventive maintenance programme and this in turn is causing more issues. Our room was very tired looking with a noisy air con that couldn’t be controlled other than very cold or off and a noisy ceiling fan The furniture was dated and in need of maintenance and the sofa was quite dirty in places. As I’ve said it is a large resort and as two 60+ guests we found it a bit too large but that is down to my lack of research I personally would say that this is a perfect resort for 40-60 year olds with 2-3 children aged between 10-25 as there will be a lot for them to do and it is a very safe place. The food is adequate and prepared well but as others have commented there is an abundance of flies although I am not sure what can be done about this given the geographical location of the hotel The entertainment is quite good for this type of holiday and the staff in the main are very helpful and genuinely happy I wouldn’t tell people not to come here but I would explain to them the remoteness of it I hope this helps

Overall experience of the hotel is great. Most of the staff are friendly and cant do enough for you. The hotel and rooms are clean and comfortable, as are the pool areas (though not heated and pools are baltic) The all inclusive food, on the whole is good and you can always find something to eat, although it can get a bit samey. The all inclusive drinks selection is good, and my wife also loved the cappuccino coffees The one criticism I have is the entertainment. Its shocking on the whole, as if you've ordered it budget from Temu. Also my wife had to complain to the entertainments manager about the attitude of one of the entertainments staff. As he was out right rude and lied to my wife. Thankfully though the entertainment manager resolved the situation. Other than that issue we have had a lovely relaxing, winter break. P. S there is absolutely nothing to do or anywhere nearby to go. So you need to do excursions if you want to see any of the island . Or pay €60 round trip in a taxi to go to Sal Rei

We arrived 2nd January 2026 for 7 days , Book hotel through tui , Flight and transfers were absolutely fine. Let's get started if im honest I wouldn't be go back on the grounds of it isn't a 5 star hotel, on arrival there was no drink served to us which u normally expect from a 5 star hotel, Checked into the room to find the tv doesn't even work completely black screen , no towels in bedroom, Shower pipe hanging off , I went back to reception to be told they were sorry that we had no towels they had issues with laundry , I understand issues can occur but why wasnt we informed lady replied " we are sorry " Issue with sink both blocked this wasn't sorted either 😕 Reported on app also No towels , doggie tv , Towels were put in the room after an hour and half of reporting it which was fine, Tv never got sorted now I know when going away you dont need tv but sometimes its nice just to watch something if you have an erlie night. Sink was reported but never got resolved 🙄 Booking restaurants we only managed to book the Italian all the others were full !! but when we was in there we noticed people didn't have a booking and they were letting people in , so we chanced the aisian restaurant the next night and they let us in at 9pm which was late but we wasnt bothered. Food was lovely great choice , Pools are cold but that didn't bother me Staff were friendly, Rooms are very very run down i couldn't comment on the adults only area but the area we was in room" 9060 " The room was dated and needs some tlc , Entertainment was good live music And different shows each night, Overall the hotel is nice but I wouldn't say its 5 stars I would rate it 4 star . Location of hotel there is nothing near you accepted the beach which is beautiful we had a lovely walk to the other side and back which is over an hour. The shops are a fortune on site bag of crisps 5 to 7 euro I brought a bracelet from one of the shops it broken within 2 days went back they pretended they didn't recognise me. Over all the hotel is a nice quiet location, weather was amazing, drinks choice good 👍 Would I go back probably not but I would stay at another riu resort in cape verde .

I was initially really worried after reading some of the reviews on here and it being my first time in Cape Verde, but we thoroughly enjoyed our stay and would definitely consider returning again once the refurb has been completed. Yes, the location is remote but we liked that and had a really chilled time by the pools and walking on the beach it gave us some time to really switch off, but some would find this boring. The staff were very friendly and couldn't do enough for you, our room was cleaned and towels changed daily and large bottles of water replaced. The food wasn't the best and could do with more variety as it was quite repetitive but we didn't get ill once like many other reviews state. I particularly enjoyed the breakfast buffet as there were lots of options. Unfortunately, we didn't get to try any of the specialty restaurants as these were booked up quickly so i would book these on arrival if you are wanting to do them. The entertainment was a little hit and miss but we really enjoyed the Abba tribute! and it's a nice area where they do it so everyone comes together on a night. They also do karaoke in one of the bars after and a nightclub called Pacha which opens at 11pm. The infinity pool was a highlight of ours this was the newest part of the complex with toilets close by that were cleaned continuously throughout the day. Some other tips i would say to bring a bottle with you as the bar staff are happy to fill this up and i found it better than having the small cups when by the pool. Go to the neon/white party if you get the chance there is a free shuttle bus provided by the hotel to Karamboa and its a really good night. We also really enjoyed the TUI catamaran excursion and thought it was way worth the money, the team that take you are fabulous and even show of there dancing skills and you get involved if that's your thing it was a great laugh. Yes some parts of the hotel are a little tired but they are refurbing next year and we will definitely consider returning again once complete!

We stayed at Riu Touareg for a week over New Year. Overall, it’s a beautiful resort with great pools and a lively atmosphere, but there are some areas that could be improved. Flights & Transfers We booked through TUI, and the flights and transfers were smooth and well-organized. The resort representative was brilliant—friendly, helpful, and always available for questions or assistance. Their support made everything feel far less stressful, especially with the usual challenges of traveling as a family. Food The food was okay but repetitive. Most nights felt similar, and while there were occasional themed touches (one night seemed to hint at Chinese cuisine), it lacked the full experience. Items often ran out and were slow to be replenished. For example, you might spot a seafood pasta, find a table, and return only to see the dish still empty. Even waiting with a drink didn’t help—it stayed empty. The Bereber restaurant near the pool doubles as a snack bar during the day and serves the same food as the main restaurant at night. There are four other restaurants, one adults-only, but we never managed to book any despite trying multiple times a day via the app. Even staying up until midnight didn’t work. We were always met with the same message on the app: “We’re sorry! Currently there is no availability. In case of any cancellation, seats will again be available to reserve.” Perhaps it’s easier for smaller parties, but as a group of four (two adults, two children), we had no luck. New Year’s Eve was still buffet-style with a few nicer dishes like lamb chops, but nothing drastically different. The other ting that made is slightly different than any other meals was that you had to reserve a table for the evening. Service & App The app works well for client services. We had an issue with the TV, logged it on the app, and it was sorted the same day. That was impressive. Bars & Drinks Plenty of bars at night, but they all feel like one big bar spread across reception and the square. It gets very busy, and options feel limited. Cocktails are premixed except mojitos, which are made fresh and were decent. Beer was good. There’s a nightclub called Pacha that opens at 23:00, and they also offer a Friday night dance party at a sister hotel with a free bus, though we didn’t attend. Pools & Facilities The pools are fantastic—definitely a highlight. The coral area with the market square is nice, with shops surrounding a central bar and entertainment stage. Shopping is cheaper with traders on the beach than in the square. Sellers are friendly and not pushy. Beach massages are cheaper at pop-up spots, and excursions from beach sellers are also more affordable than the hotel. We did the half-day island tour and highly recommend it. Rooms Beds was a bit rickety, but okay. Bathrooms good with twin basins and decent shower. You cannot drink water form tap but they provide you with a couple of bottles of water left in the room and room fridge every day. Rooms have balconies, but no lights outside, so sitting out after the kids go to bed means sitting in the dark. Summary: Great pools and a lively setting, but food variety and restaurant booking system need improvement. Drinks are okay, service via the app is excellent, and excursions outside the hotel offer better value. Would recommend for the location and pools, but manage expectations on dining.

Stayed here for Christmas and new year. Firstly the staff are super friendly, always smiling which is nice to see. The rooms are bad, bad smell and the room we were given had the worst view. Shower worked good. Fridge didn’t get cold. Aircon was non existent. Towels weren’t changed daily nor was the mini bar. Lack of plug sockets so take an extension. Tv was super dated and didn’t work and the WiFi often didn’t work in block one. When we arrived we was put in adults only which had a nice chilled out pool area which was nice. The drinks aren’t great so I bought Heineken from the shop if I fancied a few. The cocktails are very poor also. The latte was ok though. The food for me wasn’t great( the adults only restaurant was amazing though, by far the best food we ate) often cold and covered in flies. The buffet is like a cattle market (I think the people spoil it rushing around like it’s their last meal!) there was always lots of choices but I basically lived on fries and pasta :( The entertainment was very poor and the sound quality was hard on the ears. Did a 4 hour quad excursion which was the highlight for us. Beach is ok lots of space with huge waves and crabs running around.

This hotel looks fantastic… from a distance. Palm trees, blue pools, brochure perfection. Up close, it becomes more of a holiday-themed escape room. The pool is visually stunning, unless you notice the mysterious brown spots decorating the floor. Night swimming adds suspense. You never quite know what you’re gliding through. The room leans heavily into “vintage”. No hot water, a cracked shower base, a toilet that forgets how to flush, and a lingering sewage aroma that really commits. The sink doesn’t drain, the towel rail is semi-detached, and opening the patio door requires gym-level strength. Lighting and teaspoons feel like optional extras. Public toilets regularly run out of soap, hand sanitiser is mostly missing, sun loungers are tired and sticky, and feral cats roam the grounds having loud disagreements. The buffet attracts flies with enthusiasm, while the à la carte restaurants exist mainly as fully booked ideas. Despite being multi-storey, there are no lifts. Bags can be carried… for a tip. I moved hotels. That says it all. If you’re booking this expecting four stars of luxury, recalibrate sharply. If you enjoy mystery stains and plumbing-based drama, you may be in luck.