Melia Dunas Beach Resort & Spa - All Inclusive
Location: Rua Andrade Corvo, Santa Maria, Sal, 4111, Sal, CV
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Property Type: property
About this Property
Luxury Beachfront Property with Full-Service Spa
Relax and rejuvenate at the full-service spa offering massages, body treatments, and facials. Enjoy 4 outdoor swimming pools, a nightclub, and a complimentary water park for endless fun.
All-Inclusive Dining and Recreational Amenities
Indulge in meals at 5 restaurants and unwind at 7 bars/lounges. Take advantage of activities like arcade games, free shuttle service, and concierge assistance.
Comfortable Rooms and Convenient Location
526 air-conditioned rooms with modern amenities and private balconies await you. With a prime beachfront location, explore nearby attractions like Santa Maria Beach and Shark Bay Beach. Book now for the ultimate beach getaway!
Important Information
- Reservations are required for massage services and spa treatments. Reservations can be made by contacting the property prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation.
- Some facilities may have restricted access. Guests can contact the property for details using the contact information on the booking confirmation.
Policies
Check-in: 03:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Check-out: 12:00 PM
Instructions: This property offers transfers from the airport (surcharges may apply). To arrange pick-up, guests must contact the property 24 hours prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation. Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property. The credit card used to book the reservation must be presented by the cardholder at check-in along with matching photo identification. Other arrangements must be coordinated with the property prior to arrival. For any questions, please contact the property using the information on the booking confirmation. This property does not permit name changes on reservations. The name on the booking must match the name of the guest who is checking in and staying at the property; photo ID is required.
Amenities & Facilities
- Full-service spa
- Boat tours nearby
- Fitness facilities
- Arcade/game room
- Nightclub
- 24-hour front desk
- Terrace
- Garden
- Luggage storage
- Table tennis
- Designated smoking area
- Concierge service
- Wheelchair accessible
- Evening entertainment
- Elevator
- Fitness facilities
- Shopping on site
- Snorkeling nearby
- Surfing/bodyboarding nearby
- Hiking/biking trails nearby
- Kayaking nearby
- Scuba diving nearby
- Water skiing nearby
- Arcade/game room
- Library
- Nightclub
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Multilingual staff
- Full-service spa
- Internet access in public areas - high speed
- Wedding services
- Pool umbrellas
- Billiards or pool table
- Free area shuttle
- Waterslide
- Snack bar/deli
- Turkish bath/Hammam
- Playground on site
- Volleyball on site
- Free self parking
- Computer station
- Airport transportation - pickup (surcharge)
- Free water park access
- Beach umbrellas
- Beach sun loungers
- Pool sun loungers
- Beach towels
- Beach volleyball on site
- Boat tours nearby
- Concerts/live shows
- Banquet hall
- Children's games
- Children's toys
- Horse riding nearby
- Wheelchair-accessible spa
- Wheelchair-accessible pool
- Accessible airport shuttle
- No accessible airport shuttle
Rooms Available
-
The Level, Deluxe Room
1 Queen Bed
484-sq-foot room with a furnished balcony/patio
Club Level - Club Lounge access, light refreshments, internet access in the lounge, and separate check-in location; guests under 16 years old not allowed in lounge
Entertainment - 32-inch flat-screen TV with satellite channels
Food & Drink - Refrigerator, espresso maker, and free bottled water
Sleep - Blackout drapes/curtains, turndown service, and bed sheets
Bathroom - Private bathroom, bathtub or shower, bathrobes, and slippers
Practical - Safe, desk, and phone
Comfort - Air conditioning and daily housekeeping
Accessibility - Wheelchair accessible
Non-Smoking
Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)
- Safety deposit box
- TV
- Telephone
- Air conditioning
- Hair dryer
- Bathrobe
- Refrigerator
- Desk
- Private bathroom
- Slippers
- Satellite channels
- Bottle of water
- Wheelchair accessible
- Daily housekeeping
- Espresso maker
- Turndown service
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Deep soaking bathtub
- Rainfall showerhead
- Furnished balcony or patio
- Club level room
- Bedsheets provided
-
The Level, Villa, 3 Bedrooms
1 Queen Bed and 4 Twin Beds
1184-sq-foot room with a furnished balcony/patio
Club Level - Club Lounge access, light refreshments, internet access in the lounge, and separate check-in location; guests under 16 years old not allowed in lounge
Layout - 3 bedrooms and sitting area
Relax - Private pool
Entertainment - 32-inch flat-screen TV with satellite channels
Food & Drink - Refrigerator, espresso maker, and free bottled water
Sleep - Blackout drapes/curtains, turndown service, and bed sheets
Bathroom - 2 bathrooms, bathtub or shower, bathrobes, and slippers
Practical - Safe, desk, and phone
Comfort - Air conditioning and daily housekeeping
Accessibility - Wheelchair accessible
Non-Smoking
Max Occupancy: 6 (6 Adults)
- Safety deposit box
- TV
- Telephone
- Air conditioning
- Hair dryer
- Bathrobe
- Refrigerator
- Desk
- Private bathroom
- Slippers
- Satellite channels
- Private pool
- Bottle of water
- Wheelchair accessible
- Daily housekeeping
- Espresso maker
- Separate sitting area
- Turndown service
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Deep soaking bathtub
- Rainfall showerhead
- Furnished balcony or patio
- Club level room
- Bedsheets provided
-
The Level, Presidential Suite
1 King Bed
1237-sq-foot room with a furnished balcony/patio
Club Level - Club Lounge access, light refreshments, internet access in the lounge, and separate check-in location; guests under 16 years old not allowed in lounge
Layout - Bedroom and sitting area
Relax - Indoor private hot tub
Entertainment - 32-inch flat-screen TV with satellite channels
Food & Drink - Refrigerator, espresso maker, and free bottled water
Sleep - Blackout drapes/curtains, turndown service, and bed sheets
Bathroom - Private bathroom, bathtub or shower, bathrobes, and slippers
Practical - Safe, desk, and phone
Comfort - Air conditioning and daily housekeeping
Accessibility - Wheelchair accessible
Non-Smoking
Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)
- Safety deposit box
- TV
- Telephone
- Air conditioning
- Hair dryer
- Bathrobe
- Refrigerator
- Desk
- Private bathroom
- Slippers
- Satellite channels
- Bottle of water
- Wheelchair accessible
- Daily housekeeping
- Espresso maker
- Separate sitting area
- Turndown service
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Deep soaking bathtub
- Rainfall showerhead
- Private spa tub
- Furnished balcony or patio
- Separate bedroom
- Club level room
- Bedsheets provided
-
Villa, 3 Bedrooms
1 Queen Bed and 4 Twin Beds
1184-sq-foot room with a furnished balcony/patio
Layout - 3 bedrooms and sitting area
Relax - Private pool
Entertainment - 32-inch flat-screen TV with satellite channels
Food & Drink - Refrigerator, electric kettle, and free bottled water
Sleep - Blackout drapes/curtains and bed sheets
Bathroom - 2 bathrooms, bathtub or shower, free toiletries, and a hair dryer
Practical - Safe, desk, and phone
Comfort - Air conditioning and daily housekeeping
Non-Smoking
Max Occupancy: 6 (6 Adults)
- Safety deposit box
- TV
- Telephone
- Air conditioning
- Hair dryer
- Refrigerator
- Desk
- Private bathroom
- Satellite channels
- Electric kettle
- Private pool
- Bottle of water
- Daily housekeeping
- Separate sitting area
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Deep soaking bathtub
- Rainfall showerhead
- Furnished balcony or patio
- Bedsheets provided
-
Family Suite, 3 Bedrooms (3+1)
1 Queen Bed and 4 Twin Beds
807-sq-foot room with a furnished balcony/patio
Layout - 3 bedrooms and sitting area
Entertainment - 32-inch flat-screen TV with satellite channels
Food & Drink - Refrigerator, electric kettle, and free bottled water
Sleep - Blackout drapes/curtains and bed sheets
Bathroom - 2 bathrooms, bathtub or shower, free toiletries, and a hair dryer
Practical - Safe, desk, and phone
Comfort - Air conditioning and daily housekeeping
Non-Smoking
Max Occupancy: 4 (3 Adults)
- Safety deposit box
- TV
- Telephone
- Air conditioning
- Hair dryer
- Refrigerator
- Desk
- Private bathroom
- Satellite channels
- Electric kettle
- Bottle of water
- Daily housekeeping
- Separate sitting area
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Deep soaking bathtub
- Rainfall showerhead
- Furnished balcony or patio
- Bedsheets provided
-
The Level, Junior Suite, Sea View
1 Queen Bed
926-sq-foot room, furnished balcony/patio with sea views
Club Level - Club Lounge access, light refreshments, internet access in the lounge, and separate check-in location; guests under 16 years old not allowed in lounge
Layout - Bedroom
Entertainment - 32-inch flat-screen TV with satellite channels
Food & Drink - Refrigerator, espresso maker, and free bottled water
Sleep - Blackout drapes/curtains, turndown service, and bed sheets
Bathroom - Private bathroom, bathtub or shower, bathrobes, and slippers
Practical - Safe, desk, and phone
Comfort - Air conditioning and daily housekeeping
Accessibility - Wheelchair accessible
Non-Smoking
Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)
- Safety deposit box
- TV
- Telephone
- Air conditioning
- Hair dryer
- Bathrobe
- Refrigerator
- Desk
- Private bathroom
- Slippers
- Satellite channels
- Bottle of water
- Wheelchair accessible
- Daily housekeeping
- Espresso maker
- Turndown service
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Deep soaking bathtub
- Rainfall showerhead
- Furnished balcony or patio
- Separate bedroom
- Club level room
- Bedsheets provided
-
Family Suite, 3 Bedrooms (4+2)
1 Queen Bed and 4 Twin Beds
1076-sq-foot room with a furnished balcony/patio
Layout - 3 bedrooms and sitting area
Entertainment - 32-inch flat-screen TV with satellite channels
Food & Drink - Refrigerator, electric kettle, and free bottled water
Sleep - Blackout drapes/curtains and bed sheets
Bathroom - 2 bathrooms, bathtub or shower, free toiletries, and a hair dryer
Practical - Safe, desk, and phone
Comfort - Air conditioning and daily housekeeping
Accessibility - Wheelchair accessible
Non-Smoking
Max Occupancy: 6 (4 Adults)
- Safety deposit box
- TV
- Telephone
- Air conditioning
- Hair dryer
- Refrigerator
- Desk
- Private bathroom
- Satellite channels
- Electric kettle
- Bottle of water
- Wheelchair accessible
- Daily housekeeping
- Separate sitting area
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Deep soaking bathtub
- Rainfall showerhead
- Furnished balcony or patio
- Bedsheets provided
-
Villa, 3 Bedrooms (4+2)
1 Queen Bed and 4 Twin Beds
1184-sq-foot room with a furnished balcony/patio
Layout - 3 bedrooms and sitting area
Relax - Private pool
Entertainment - 32-inch flat-screen TV with satellite channels
Food & Drink - Refrigerator, electric kettle, and free bottled water
Sleep - Blackout drapes/curtains and bed sheets
Bathroom - 2 bathrooms, bathtub or shower, free toiletries, and a hair dryer
Practical - Safe, desk, and phone
Comfort - Air conditioning and daily housekeeping
Non-Smoking
Max Occupancy: 6 (4 Adults)
- Safety deposit box
- TV
- Telephone
- Air conditioning
- Hair dryer
- Refrigerator
- Desk
- Private bathroom
- Satellite channels
- Electric kettle
- Private pool
- Bottle of water
- Daily housekeeping
- Separate sitting area
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Deep soaking bathtub
- Rainfall showerhead
- Furnished balcony or patio
- Bedsheets provided
-
Family Suite, 2 Bedrooms (3+1)
1 Queen Bed and 2 Twin Beds
807-sq-foot room with a furnished balcony/patio
Layout - 2 bedrooms and sitting area
Entertainment - 32-inch flat-screen TV with satellite channels
Food & Drink - Refrigerator, electric kettle, and free bottled water
Sleep - Blackout drapes/curtains and bed sheets
Bathroom - 2 bathrooms, bathtub or shower, free toiletries, and a hair dryer
Practical - Safe, desk, and phone
Comfort - Air conditioning and daily housekeeping
Accessibility - Wheelchair accessible
Non-Smoking
Max Occupancy: 4 (3 Adults)
- Safety deposit box
- TV
- Telephone
- Air conditioning
- Hair dryer
- Refrigerator
- Desk
- Private bathroom
- Satellite channels
- Electric kettle
- Bottle of water
- Wheelchair accessible
- Daily housekeeping
- Separate sitting area
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Deep soaking bathtub
- Rainfall showerhead
- Furnished balcony or patio
- Bedsheets provided
-
Family Suite, 3 Bedrooms
1 Queen Bed and 4 Twin Beds
968-sq-foot room with a furnished balcony/patio
Layout - 3 bedrooms and sitting area
Entertainment - 32-inch flat-screen TV with satellite channels
Food & Drink - Refrigerator, electric kettle, and free bottled water
Sleep - Blackout drapes/curtains and bed sheets
Bathroom - 2 bathrooms, bathtub or shower, free toiletries, and a hair dryer
Practical - Safe, desk, and phone
Comfort - Air conditioning and daily housekeeping
Non-Smoking
Max Occupancy: 6 (6 Adults)
- Safety deposit box
- TV
- Telephone
- Air conditioning
- Hair dryer
- Refrigerator
- Desk
- Private bathroom
- Satellite channels
- Electric kettle
- Bottle of water
- Daily housekeeping
- Separate sitting area
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Deep soaking bathtub
- Rainfall showerhead
- Furnished balcony or patio
- Bedsheets provided
-
Premium Room
1 Double Bed
431-sq-foot room with a furnished balcony/patio
Entertainment - 32-inch flat-screen TV with satellite channels
Food & Drink - Refrigerator, espresso maker, and free bottled water
Sleep - Blackout drapes/curtains and bed sheets
Bathroom - Private bathroom, bathtub or shower, free toiletries, and a hair dryer
Practical - Safe, desk, and phone
Comfort - Air conditioning and daily housekeeping
Non-Smoking
Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)
- Safety deposit box
- TV
- Telephone
- Air conditioning
- Hair dryer
- Refrigerator
- Desk
- Private bathroom
- Satellite channels
- Bottle of water
- Daily housekeeping
- Espresso maker
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Deep soaking bathtub
- Rainfall showerhead
- Furnished balcony or patio
- Bedsheets provided
-
Deluxe Room (2+1)
1 Double Bed
431-sq-foot room with a furnished balcony/patio
Entertainment - 32-inch flat-screen TV with satellite channels
Food & Drink - Refrigerator, electric kettle, and free bottled water
Sleep - Blackout drapes/curtains and bed sheets
Bathroom - Private bathroom, bathtub or shower, free toiletries, and a hair dryer
Practical - Safe, desk, and phone
Comfort - Air conditioning and daily housekeeping
Accessibility - Wheelchair accessible
Non-Smoking
Max Occupancy: 3 (2 Adults)
- Safety deposit box
- TV
- Telephone
- Air conditioning
- Hair dryer
- Refrigerator
- Desk
- Private bathroom
- Satellite channels
- Electric kettle
- Bottle of water
- Wheelchair accessible
- Daily housekeeping
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Deep soaking bathtub
- Rainfall showerhead
- Furnished balcony or patio
- Bedsheets provided
-
Family Suite, 2 Bedrooms
1 Queen Bed and 2 Twin Beds
807-sq-foot room with a furnished balcony/patio
Layout - 2 bedrooms and sitting area
Entertainment - 32-inch flat-screen TV with satellite channels
Food & Drink - Refrigerator, electric kettle, and free bottled water
Sleep - Blackout drapes/curtains and bed sheets
Bathroom - 2 bathrooms, bathtub or shower, free toiletries, and a hair dryer
Practical - Safe, desk, and phone
Comfort - Air conditioning and daily housekeeping
Accessibility - Wheelchair accessible
Non-Smoking
Max Occupancy: 4 (4 Adults)
- Safety deposit box
- TV
- Telephone
- Air conditioning
- Hair dryer
- Refrigerator
- Desk
- Private bathroom
- Satellite channels
- Electric kettle
- Bottle of water
- Wheelchair accessible
- Daily housekeeping
- Separate sitting area
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Deep soaking bathtub
- Rainfall showerhead
- Furnished balcony or patio
- Bedsheets provided
-
Deluxe Room
1 Double Bed
431-sq-foot room with a furnished balcony/patio
Entertainment - 32-inch flat-screen TV with satellite channels
Food & Drink - Refrigerator, electric kettle, and free bottled water
Sleep - Blackout drapes/curtains and bed sheets
Bathroom - Private bathroom, bathtub or shower, free toiletries, and a hair dryer
Practical - Safe, desk, and phone
Comfort - Air conditioning and daily housekeeping
Accessibility - Wheelchair accessible
Non-Smoking
Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)
- Safety deposit box
- TV
- Telephone
- Air conditioning
- Hair dryer
- Refrigerator
- Desk
- Private bathroom
- Satellite channels
- Electric kettle
- Bottle of water
- Wheelchair accessible
- Daily housekeeping
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Deep soaking bathtub
- Rainfall showerhead
- Furnished balcony or patio
- Bedsheets provided
Guest Reviews
- stevetj2014 (2/5): WARNING: avoid Melia Dunas if you’re looking for a relaxing luxury holiday - terrible experience - WARNING: Avoid if you value your sanity, good food and customer services - truly awful hotel despite wonderful location - I booked an 11 night stay at what I thought was a luxury hotel but everything considered I would put this at a 2 or 3 star hotel. I booked The Level as I thought it would make a difference. - the staff seem unhelpful, unhappy and untrained. I don’t blame them - I blame the management - bedding is low quality, towels are torn, the safe doesn’t work, toilets lack basic sanitary products, toilet walls are graffitied, a la carte restaurants seem to be unbookable for lots of dates, reception is overrun and queues are extensive; the sunbeds lack cushions, there are smells of sewage; the rooms are not sound insulated, the furniture is old and the WiFi doesn’t work most of the time. - beach towels only provided with a cash deposit - we called for room service and they just hung up on us multiple times - we asked to speak to the manager multiple times but he never showed up - no concierge to help with bags on arrival or to help order taxis - I also upgraded to VIP Lagoon and this had no impact. Thankfully after 8 days of complaining this part was refunded. - i asked to move rooms because we were directly above the live music - sometimes with noise until 1am, but nothing changed - i asked to move hotel and nothing happened. - queues in main reception were long and time consuming. The level reception don’t seem to be able to help with anything we needed. In other melia hotels I thought they did check in and check out but not here This was a terrible experience - probably my worst hotel experience in 20 years. You can see from other reviews I am not the only one. We ended up eating locally in Santa Maria because of the quality of the food. I have raised with melia customer services but no answer yet.
- lindawX7053NX (2/5): Worst Holiday EVER - So, we’re still at Dunas, 24 hours until we leave. I’m writing this review to vent my absolute fury at the mis-selling of this holiday from start to finish. I simply can’t wait to leave in 24 hours. The hotel is 3 star at best, NOT the 5 star we purchased from EasyJet. The hotel is family heaven. Parents won’t be concerned about the lack of maintenance, the tired nature of the hotel and the diabolical food. Kids will be happy and fed. However, as child-free adults the hotel is absolutely dire. Our first room was occupied, we burst in with our luggage and they were furious. We waited again and were given another room which had some form of generator outside which made the most horrendous noise every two minutes Our third room within 8 hours was an upgrade which we appreciated at 11pm. To escape from the Dunas, We were sold The Level for €400 and told by reception and EasyJet rep that this would allow us to use the facilities at the Llana next door. We checked this fact several times during the purchase. We happily used the Llana facilities that evening and had a wonderful time. The following day we were asked to leave the Llana as The Level we hd purchased only allowed for use of the Dunas Level facilities - tired swimming area, appalling leaking toilets that stink. We had no option but to upgrade again to VIP for a further €300 to allow us access to the Llana for the remaining 5 nights. Both upgrades promise preferential booking for all the restaurants - THIS IS NOT TRUE. You have to line up and queue with everyone else and availability is extremely limited. If the VIP rep finds bookings they won’t be of your choice, but simply what is available. With VIP you are promised “flexible checkout” THIS IS NOT TRUE. When we enquired we were advised it simply wasn’t available. I wish we had utilised the wasted €700 on relocating hotel. The upgrades are worthless. We dined for two nights at Bikini Beach Hotel, swapped with fellow guests. The first night there was an amazing show and the food was lovely from the set menu, but we quickly noticed drug dealing at the bar. The second night we ate from the à la carte, waited one and a half hours for a burger I think MacDonalds would refuse to serve. A note on the poor staff at The Dunas. Personally I think they are so brow beaten by the incessant complaints they receive, that it must affect the usual sunny disposition of them. I have never felt so very depressed on a holiday. Roll on tomorrow, I can’t wait to leave
- L2836KJtomm (2/5): Extremely disappointing. - We just returned from a very disappointing stay at the Melia Dunas resort on Sal, Cape Verde. The fact that Tui and Melia market this resort as a five star experience is really a bit shocking. To list just a few of the things we struggled with during our week at the resort: - The rooms are basic and run down, with sparse tired furniture and in our case, several broken items like a window blind and a shower that wasn't draining. - It seemed basic items were in constant short supply. We often were told that bedsheets, towels etc. weren't yet available for us to use. Most annoyingly for our first few days they had run out of beach towels which made using the pool tricky. - The water in our bath was a brown colour - having bathed our two kids the white flannels we used came out a brownish colour and there was a ring of scum left around the bathtub. We complained about this and they ended up replacing a boiler in our room after which the water ran clear. It made me worry what was in the water initially, and how in the world they let us move into the room with that issue. - The resort is huge and very busy while we were there - meaning that getting almost anything seemed to involve a long line. - Availability at the restaurants beyond the default buffet was extremely limited. - They advertise a kids club, but in the week we were there only three 1.5 hour sessions were available when you could actually drop your kids, and one of those was cancelled at the last minute. - The food is very poor, and many items are simply inedible. And the 'general store' in the resort has no snacks available to buy for kids beyond crisps. The buffet is also extremely busy. - The staff water plants during the day which gives off a very strong sewage smell - presumably from manure they are using to fertilise. If this happens to be where you are trying to relax it is pretty unpleasant. - Two of the main pools have incessant loud music blaring all day. If that's what you are after then great, but if you are after some relaxed reading time defintely not the place for you. - The general look of the entire report is very tired and faded, seemingly from a lack of investment for years. Many things are broken or missing. E.g. many of the deck chairs and shades are broken. - Finally - the level of staff service was really poor. The staff seemed to have great fun chatting to each other, but when it came to talking to customers they were unsmiling and unhelpful to the point of contempt. I felt bad for the staff as they must get so many complaints every week, they are probably just resigned to having to deal with problems all day. I could go on with many more problems we encountered but this list is long already. There were a few plus points - the weather was extraordinary for late Dec/early Jan - 25 degrees and sunny every day. The beach was pretty nice and good for kids to play in. There is a good running trail and an ok gym. And one of the pools is quiet and great for reading while the kids play. There is also a good water slide (although again one slide broken and closed) and a good kids pool with a pirate ship etc. But on balance the experience here is overwhelmingly negative, especially given the price. If you are reading this - don't ignore all the bad reviews! Book somewhere else!
- CatiFigueiredo (4/5): Great location, but service and management fall short of 5 stars - My family and I recently returned from the Melia Dunas Beach Resort & Spa. While the beachfront location and spacious rooms are great for families, the operational side of the hotel was incredibly frustrating and, in our opinion, does not offer good value for money. The Issues We Encountered Frustrating Restaurant Bookings: This was one of the biggest letdowns. Booking the thematic restaurants is needlessly complicated. Guests are forced to queue just to make a reservation, only to find out that most places are already fully booked by the time you even check in. Poor Housekeeping Management: The cleaning system is very disorganized. One person cleans the room while a completely different person looks to be responsible for towels. This lack of coordination meant we were frequently left waiting for fresh towels long after the room had been "serviced." Lack of Transparency at Check-in: We were hit with an extremely expensive deposit for pool towels that was never clearly explained when we arrived. Clearer communication regarding fees and processes is badly needed. The Highlights The beachfront location is beautiful. The room sizes are generous and accommodate families well. Summary While there are plenty of amenities on paper, the inconsistent service, hidden costs, and "fully booked" restaurants mean the resort falls short of its 5-star promise. It felt more like a 3 or 4-star experience at a 5-star price point.
- garypA1836GD (8/5): It was a 5 star but it’s not now. It needs investment - Like most I was a little worried after reading a lot of negative reviews. Here is my take on it. Firstly, the place is close to bankruptcy. Poor joint ownership between TUI and Melia and a total lack of investment so bear that in mind. Let’s start with the positives: The resort is huge so it never seems busy. The buffet for all 3 meals is very good. I am GF but ate the bread and no issues. The pool areas are great and the bars are generally well stocked. You could easily drink what you pay for your holiday without any issue (8am-2am). We had no issues with staff. As long as you are polite you will be treated with respect. If you come Howe’s and act like a princess you will get nowhere. Our room was serviced 3 times in 5 days and fresh towels were no issue. The room was big and comfortable. The location beachfront is superb. A sunset to live in your memory forever. The not so good stuff It needs an upgrade. The room looked a little tired. The staff turnover is big. A lot of young, untrained staff who just don’t know how to deal with rude people. Some are just nervous and dont understand different cultures. I think there is a major shortage of staff and this is why some people have issues. Some food / drink gets a little low for a day. Restaurant booking is a nightmare. You really need to do it before arriving. Here is the link. Just put ‘not known’ in the room number - https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flagoonresort.com%2Fdining%2Fdunas-restaurant-booking-assistant%2F&data=05%7C02%7C%7Cdf784e7feeb343ac90c308de30f7fbeb%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C639002038822087679%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=COcRFdV6bHALW%2BzQUMEfL4W4xVwZG6F9XE%2F7jDQsr9s%3D&reserved=0 You can take your chances like we did as there is a 15 min no show policy and lots of people do not turn up. The bottom line is …. This is Africa not Europe. It’s a different culture completely. If you come here with your eyes wide open you will enjoy it. Be polite and not too demanding and you will enjoy it. PS. if you like driving make sure you take in a desert buggy trip!
- luce12018 (2/5): Terrible - eternity ring stolen by room cleaner! - I forgot to put my engagement and eternity rings on this morning. As soon as I realised I ran back to our room, it had just been cleaned and only my engagement ring remained on my bedside table, my eternity ring was gone. We checked everywhere and couldn’t find it. We reported it to the customer relations manager who said i should have put them in the safe. To add insult to injury, the cleaner who cleaned our room took all our dirty towels and didn’t replace them and the phone did not work to ring reception! The queues at reception are long and very slow.
- Holwool (8/5): Was dreading our stay based on the reviews but was pleasantly surprised - We’ve just returned from a two-week stay over Christmas. Check-in was quick and efficient, taking less than five minutes. The resort is currently undergoing renovations, which is much needed as some areas were looking tired and dated. Workers were actively painting and decorating during our stay. We had a two-bedroom apartment, which was spotless and clearly newly decorated — you could still smell the fresh paint. Room service was disappointing. Towels were taken every other day but not replaced, meaning we constantly had to visit reception or the courtesy rooms for more. We also had to chase reception daily for bottled water in the room. Food choices were good overall. Our group included both vegetarians and meat eaters, and everyone always found something suitable. The à la carte restaurants were enjoyable, and the beach snack bar was also very good. None of us were ill during the stay — we were careful to wash and sanitise our hands regularly, especially after noticing many guests leaving the toilets without washing their hands 🤢 We didn’t really use the pools as they were very cold, instead spending most days on the beautiful beach. The local beach sellers became annoying after a while — they appeared to be operating illegally, burying their goods in the sand and running off whenever police patrolled. Christmas celebrations were good- tend to celebrate more on Christmas Eve, gala dinner was a buffet but nicer quality food, lovely cakes decorated etc… Father Christmas did his rounds and we met him on the beach, he was delivering presents to all children- our child received lovely little canvas purse and keyring. Entertainment was good from what we saw but we tended to avoid the show area as it was too busy during show times. The magician was brilliant! Staff friendliness was mixed. Compared to Boa Vista, where staff couldn’t do enough for guests, some staff here were rude and abrupt at times — particularly one tall man working at the beach bar. Management clearly seems to be trying to turn things around based on recent reviews. They were actively walking around the resort asking guests for feedback, and all of our suggestions were acted on during our stay. I’m basing this rating purely on our experience, not the hotel’s star rating. It is not a 5* resort — more of a strong 3*. We were initially worried by the reviews and considered changing hotels, but we’re glad we didn’t, as our experience did not reflect the negative feedback at all. Would we return? Yes — most likely, if the price was right
- maredb2026 (4/5): Not worth the money - This hotel is quite basic. The staff were miserable, and not helpful. Our family booking of two rooms were split - and ended up being on separate floors which was really inconvenient as we have children, and were away on a family holiday. The rooms were basic, and the towels were never changed. It felt really dirty. The pools were cold and the food was not good. Lower your expectations if you want to have a good time at this hotel. Really not worth the price either...it was so expensive for cheap food, dirty rooms, miserable staff and terrible watered down drinks. The weather was nice - thankfully - but everything else was a disappointment.
- K1893CRmm (2/5): wow just wow what a bad hotel - worse hotel i’ve stayed in please don’t waste ur money . poor everything dirty hotel and surrounding staff are rude and unhelpful . i could write a 5 page review just don’t go please !!!! management we couldn’t get to speak to and got fobbed off by rude desk staff . only one good thing about this hotel location there is sunshine in cape verde this time of year . christmas wrecked wasted our money on this place
- peswell (2/5): Overpriced and Not as Advertised” - We paid over €15,000 for 11 nights over Christmas and were explicitly promised one of the best villas on the complex. This turned out to be completely untrue. The villa we were given was in extremely poor condition and nowhere near the standard advertised — certainly not what you would expect for the price paid. The experience was deeply disappointing and felt mis-sold. This accommodation would not meet even basic expectations, let alone those of a premium holiday. We would not return and would strongly advise others to think carefully before booking.
- martinkD9840WT (10/5): ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Absolutely Amazing Stay - We recently stayed at Melia Dunas (room 1007) and felt the need to write this review because our experience was nothing short of excellent. Before arriving, we were honestly a bit nervous after reading some negative reviews on Google and TripAdvisor — but we can now confidently say that those concerns were completely unfounded. The reality was the exact opposite. Check-in was smooth and well organized, and the staff were incredibly friendly, helpful, and always smiling. The food was delicious, varied, and fresh every single day, far exceeding our expectations. There were no long queues and no issues with availability — just great quality and a wide choice. Our room (1007) was spotlessly clean and very well maintained. Housekeeping was reliable and thorough, and everything worked perfectly. The resort itself is beautiful, spacious, and extremely well kept. The beach was stunning, the pools were fantastic, and despite the lively atmosphere, it was never too loud or disturbing — there were plenty of quiet areas for pure relaxation. After worrying for a month because of negative reviews, we can now say with certainty that this was an amazing holiday. Everything exceeded our expectations, and we would highly recommend Melia Dunas to anyone without hesitation.
- barh0umia (4/5): Stressful stay, poor service, not worth the price - Nearly €500/night and a very disappointing experience. Late check-in, no airport shuttle despite prior requests, and almost no communication before arrival. Rooms are outdated (old AC, cold showers, noisy minibar, worn linens). Buffet is repetitive, overcrowded and poorly managed, with long waiting times. Beach towels and shade often unavailable, housekeeping inconsistent. Staff say “OK” but nothing happens. A beautiful hotel ruined by poor organisation and service.
- amybE717OI (4/5): Lovely hotel… just don’t expect anything… - We are currently staying here and have paid a lot of money for VIP. We have asked every single day since arrival and as part of our package we should have a mini bar in our room, this still has not happened. We have been here a week and we still haven’t received any fresh towels. They have taken away the ones we had and now have non at all. Again we keep asking repeatedly and nothing gets done. As vip you have access to all the restaurants yet you cannot get booked onto any. When we arrived the staff behind reception said they would get bookings all sorted and haven’t been any help since and just ignore your messages or get a reply saying “fully booked mate” isn’t really the professional reply you would like. It is such a shame as it is a lovely hotel just the organisation and the lack of staff care is what is letting it down. You get promised the world and receive nothing.
- travellingmacs2013 (4/5): Not 5 star - Not what we were expecting of a 5 star hotel,lacking in every respect. The pools and grounds were good but that’s it. Would not recommend this hotel to anyone.
- MrsSidley (2/5): Hotel from Hell. AVOID like the plague! - We are leaving here tomorrow (Thank God) after 12 days. We booked "VIP" and had great expectations. Currently on day FOUR of no room towels. Been to reception 5 times and told the classic Cape Verde "no stress!" and that they will deliver some to our family of 4. Nothing. So in this apparent "5 star" hotel you can look forward to using a smelly damp beach towel if you're lucky. I asked to speak to a manger and told he was "in a meeting." I suggested they get us some fresh beach towels until they sorted... told only if WE PAY!! (To me this was a good solution as they are not capable of thinking for themselves it seems). Staff are mainly rude and look bored to death. There is no management system and customer service doesn't exist. The showers are old and hanging off the walls. Cleaners come every 2 days (if you're lucky). We had cups with flies we had to remove ourselves. The food is shocking. Rarely changes and is luke warm. It's so bad my kids have asked us to buy them bags of crisps. Even at the Italian restaurant the pizza is a frozen one, that tastes like cardboard. Totally understaffed and over booked so waiting ages for drinks. We also needed to see the GP which is free on VIP and the GP tried to rip us off and pay him €30!!! The VIP mini bar is mainly soft drinks and x2 bottles of beer with no bottle openers! Changed ONCE A WEEK! We had to battle to get x2 key cards or the fridge goes off. Warm "VIP" drinks. NICE. We worked hard all year for this break and are absolutely gutted. Heard other guests having same issues and getting upset at the reception desk. Staff couldn't care less. To top it off we are all bitten to death and that was after using high strength spray! We will be so glad to come go home and have a nice shower with TOWELS and some decent food! 3 star hotel at best and that's being generous. We would never return even if was half the price!
- A1263ESsusanneh (2/5): Horrible behaviour at customer relations ! - Worst experience ever. Guest relations do not know how to treat a guest. The woman was horrible and rude. I was accused of lying. I returned the towels and i did not get the right amount of cards back to get my money back. When I told the person What happened she told me that I was wrong ? We asked the ”towelperson” and he said that I did not return any towels ?? Are you kidding me ? I was accused of lying and did not get syn money back. Shame on you ! So rude I have never experienced such behaviour before. And finally she said -The customer is not always right. Ha ha What a joke. You should not work with service because you don’t know how to treat people.
- 883demetril (8/5): Great value winter sun - 1043864234 The only reason I booked this hotel was to get some winter sun at a budget price, it ticked the boxes in that category. The beach, loungers and surprising lack of locals trying to sell you beads, tours, etc were all good points. I had read the generally negative reviews about this place and was considering cancelling, OK 5 stars, that's just a total fabrication, try 3 at a push 4. If you read the reviews you just wouldn't stay here! However I will do the good stuff first. The madly crowded spice buffet restaurant I found to be well run with a wide selection to suit all, its beyond me how anyone could complain about the food, that was 5* The drinks are basic definitely 2*. The hotel entrance is grand and has a good feeling , but you dont have enough desk staff. The pools look great and always had lots of folks enjoying themselves surrounding them. Specialised dining, this was good, except the pizza (aqua). Don't expect to get anything if you try and book on arrival, they take bookings on line 24 days before arrival and it works. Loved the guitarist/singer that was outside the aqua.. Now the bad stuff. 20 euro deposit IN CASH !!! for pool towels and you have to que for 40 mins to get the token, OUTRAGEOUS..for goodness sake, put this on the room tab and refund on check out. There was a noise which sounded like of dragging of chairs in my room, on some nights upto 2am, I reported this to reception. No feedback. First time I've been to a piano bar that doesn't have a piano?? Laundry service, I asked to have 8 items ironed, I was sent an iron and board to my room.... Housekeeping, this is not daily, If you tout yourself as 5* you should be doing this, I called housekeeping and was told its not daily although was not told how often it should be, I did get told that if I wanted more coffee pods I could have them, FOR A FEE, you lose a star for that alone. You budget inclusive drinks at the bar are OK, what would be a vast and I mean vast improvement, that would cost the hotel nothing, Would be a basic cocktail menue. Your staff at the piano bar are good, and I hope some of them remember to do a rum punch. You've got Bob Marley on the beach, why not rum punch in.the bar? Vanderlei, bar man, can mix a mean one !! The room it's self was comfortable but a little tired, I fixed a few things like curtains hanging off , wobbly chair. Last but not least, your comms set up, I found WiFi to be a bit slow, but expected that. Integration between restaurants, bars, booking, housekeeping, especially if you booked a couple of upgrades ( bikini beach, Japanese), you can't access the booking system from the front desk...why not ? In summary. This is a good value for money holiday, 1 mosquito bite, good food, fabulous beach. Could be sooo much better with minor effort.
- whufc73 (10/5): Don’t believe the bad reviews - Staying here now, don’t understand all the bad reviews, so far it’s been brilliant if you treat the staff with respect then you’ll get the same back, even with the language difference. Room is clean , food is good for the level of customers they have, only down side is hit & miss with wi fi connection
- lauracalla (4/5): Do not recommend - We are currently staying at this hotel. It is hard to put into words why it is so bad. There is nothing exceptionally wrong with this hotel. No rats, not particularly unclean, but there are so many things wrong that collectively the stay has become really stressful and disappointing. We are a family of 8 travelling. Check in took over 30 mins. No drink offered…no acknowledgment of the excessive wait. No option to check in before arrival... this could be so much smoother but no real care is taken over the guest experience and this is a theme of our stag so far. The food at the Spice buffet restaurant at 9pm was largely inedible. We had paid quite a bit extra for VIP, bit Wash products / robes / mini bar meant to be in the room were not there. I asked for an extra blanket that did not come. We asked for rooms together, this did not happen. We were told we could book restaurants when we arrived but all were booked up except the beach restaurant where you had to pay extra. With VIP you get a free massage. I went to the spa and they were booked up for our stay. If you don’t have VIP and only have to eat at the spice buffet restaurant I would definitely not book here. The food was disgusting. The staff were trying their best but mainly unhelpful. I would put this hotel up there with the worst I have stayed at, not for the look of the hotel as the pools / gardens / beach are all lovely - but the rooms are extremely tired and all the things mentioned above (plus many more I can’t even be bothered to list) make the hotel the last place I would recommend to anyone.
- Sherpa43690019375 (10/5): Dave Sunday is awesome - This was an amazing place for a holiday, it had a beautiful range of pools and was a very fun place to go. The entertainment was brilliant and was so lively. The highlight of my holiday was meeting Dave Sunday, one of the staff on the animation team. At the fogo pool bar, he works around the pool doing games and dances and is always trying and putting in 100% effort, he is always so nice to everyone and is such a laugh, he's so fun to be around and is so energetic. He always got along with every single guest and everyone loved him, he was so funny and such an amazing person, definitely the best part of our trip. My second favourite part of the holiday was the white party, they throw the most amazing party ever, it's so fun and the music is great, especially when you go down to bikini beach! My third favourite part of the holiday was the night entertainment, they had a great kids show which I went to every night it was so good and they do an amazing show 9-10, they have a week router for the shows and they are all fabulous. They also have amazing pool activities in the day which Dave runs, including aqua aerobics, rumba dancing, darts and lots of other dances and so many fun games. They have lots of nice food in the buffet and a lovely kids pool too. If you walk down to the beach you can go swimming in the sea which is so good, if you go snorkelling or just swim with goggles on, you can see all the little fish it’s so fun! Also the food is great, it’s a tiny bit repetitive but it’s fine because it’s a buffet and you can go for different things each time, but overall the food is lovely. The pool bars and the normal bars are great as well, especially when you’re sunbathing and want a nice cold drink and it’s right there. The staff at the bars are great too, and very helpful. I really recommend this place for a nice family fun holiday or just a gorgeous place to come anyways.
- 975jasonw (6/5): Had a really nice stay, not 5 star but value for money. Not without issues but enjoyable. - Booked VIP LEVEL in the Adults Only area. At check in had to argue with the staff as was only given the standard all inclusive wrist bands. Had to show my booking confirmation before they agreed to give the correct bands. Was assured the room was as booked. (Turned out not to be). You have to pay the tourist tax at check in and also €20 deposit per beach towel you want. ROOM (5014) The room was a premium double but was NOT in the Adults only area, was surrounded by noisy families. Minibar was empty on arrival and was not stocked at all during the stay. Room was in the family block which was noisy, crowded and hard to find in the dark. Was already unpacked and settled in before we realised this so did not request to be moved. (Wish we had though). Mattress rock hard and no blankets other than the thin white sheets, it can get cool in the evenings in December. FOOD The buffet (Spices) was hectic and the food was always luke warm at best. Choice was basic. Had most of our meals on the premium restaurants, had to book in advance. Had breakfast in Atlantis which were the best meals of the holiday. Usually had lunch at the Level bar in Llana (next door). You can order burgers, pizza, nachos etc directly to your sun lounger or eat at the tables in the bar area. STAFF On the whole the staff were friendly and polite, a few were a bit miserable, but then again they do work long hours for little pay. They tend to do some of the gardening and maintainence work during the day which is strange, so you can be trying to relax with noisy hedge cutters or lawn mowers being used. The staff in the Llana Level area are the best and deserve to be praised and tipped, they can't do enough for you, same can't be said for the staff in the piano bar in Dunas or Level bar there. BARS/ENTERTAINMENT Used most of the bars at some point, the lobby bar in Llana has a great relaxed feel with decent music, the staff are friendly and polite. The Azul bar in Llana was the late night bar with a DJ, great vibe and nice to see a mixture of ages in there most nights. The piano bar in Dunas gets busy with families and the drinks arnt as good. Bob Marley bar and Bikini Beach definitely worth a visit. Make use of your €50 per day spend if you have upgraded. The Level bar and sunbathing area in the Llana was definitely the bast area and we spent most of our time there, very friendly and polite staff, drinks were always good and the food spot on. BEACH The beach is beautiful and has loads of free to use loungers and sofas. There are loads of touts trying to sell you stuff but they usually leave you alone if you politely refuse. Sea can get choppy. VIP/LEVEL Well worth it, gives you freedom to use all of the neighbouring hotels, which have better facilities. Also gives you €50 per person per day to use across the premium bars which arnt included in the all inclusive package. Also gives you access to the Level lounges and bars which are of premium quality. The staff do tend to give you better service too. I would certainly go back here but I would much prefer to stay in the Llana than the Dunas, don't want to risk booking directly with Llana as they are often overbooked and people get moved to Dunas anyway. Dunas is tired and attracts families and larger groups. Not 5 star but value for money. Just make sure you get the correct package and room you have paid for. Be sure to take insect repellent and creams to treat bites, I have travelled all over the world and hardly bee bitten, was bitten a lot here. Had a lot of mosquitos in the room too.
- aleksandraskelly (2/5): This is a 3 not 5 star resort!!!!!! - This is a get drunk and don’t pay attention to how dirty and badly maintained the hotel is. The staff is unfriendly as they deal with drunk and aggressive people all day. Any requests to clean or provide extra pillows/water to our room took hours to complete if at all. The food and beverage (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) are basic, cheap items, re-used for breakfast, lunch and dinner so you eat/drink the same, very bread and sugar heavy items. Ive brought certain easy to fix items to the staff 3 times and whilst they listened and said they welcome feedback so they can improve nothing was done in the four days we were there. Suffice to say we changed the hotel.
- lewislC4580CN (2/5): Awful - Would not recommend - Don't waste your money, book elsewhere - somewhere staff and the business appreciate your custom. Booked for 4 Days, expensive compared to other locations so expected good service. - No wrist band given on arrival, tried to charge more - No towels - Rude staff / un helpful - Refused my friend entry when they had confirmed all ok via email - Paid extra for bigger room with view, view was main road, room was small not as advertised. - Ended up paying more money to stay elsewhere during my visit to Sal as they made me feel very un welcome.
- 78carlottat (10/5): Amazing - antonio is the best guy overthere, nobody here is like antonio! antonio for director!!! Eneida in the restaurant is a good girl and a good person, she’s the top!
- jamiepB190AB (2/5): Worst all-inclusive resort we’ve ever stayed at. - The place is tired and run-down so don’t be fooled by the photos. The à la carte restaurants were dreadful, with very poor quality food. The resort is clearly past its best and desperately needs closing and a full refurbishment. The food was acceptable on only 3 out of 7 nights, the rest of the time it was genuinely awful. Breakfast was the only consistently decent meal. The resort was overcrowded, the staff appeared unhappy, and our room was barely cleaned. Mosquitoes were everywhere. Despite being “upgraded” to VIP, we had no balcony and no mini-fridge. The Level pool beds was fully taken by 7am, there were no mattresses on the sunbeds, and the furniture at The Level beach bar was broken. Bars regularly ran out of drinks, and check-in was chaotic – we waited over an hour. The so-called “no stress” mantra should really be renamed “can’t be bothered”. At the Bob Marley bar you were lucky to get a drink at all, as staff simply didn’t seem interested. It was one disappointment after another. The only saving grace was the weather.
- samlT7690WI (4/5): Not as it looks online - Really disappointed with our stay. The room was very basic and not as it looked on photos. It also has no sound proofing so very loud outside and inside the hotel. The customer service has been really bad, from check in to the restaurants. Which is the biggest factor for my low score. Do not feel very welcome. You have to book reservations for dinner to get into the restaurants even though they aren’t busy they still won’t let you in. Massive complex, very spread out, lacking atmosphere and will not stay again.
- jonorth7 (4/5): ⭐⭐ 2-Star Review – Extremely Disappointing Stay at Meliá Dunas (The Level) - We stayed for 10 days in The Level, and the experience was so poor that I can’t justify more than two stars. This resort is nowhere near the 5-star standard it advertises — in truth, it struggles to meet basic expectations. Check-In – A Terrible First Impression The holiday started badly with a chaotic, unfriendly check-in process. Instead of offering any useful information about the resort, restaurants, or our Level benefits, the only focus was on pushing us to spend even more on an additional “VIP” upgrade. It felt like a sales pitch, not a welcome. There was: No explanation of how The Level works No map, no guidance, no orientation No assistance with bags No help finding the room It immediately set the tone for what became a consistently disappointing stay. Cleanliness – The Resort Is Dirty The overall cleanliness of the resort is poor, and this was noticeable from day one. Many communal areas looked dirty or poorly maintained, with surfaces left uncleaned, furniture stained, and general housekeeping standards far below what you would expect at any 5-star property. The Level Area The adults-only Level area may sound premium, but in reality, it’s extremely run-down: Only around 30% of the sunbeds have cushions — and even these are old and worn. The pool tiles are broken. The showers are rusty and unpleasant to use. Bottles of wine, supposedly a Level perk, frequently ran out. For an “exclusive” area, it feels neglected and underfunded. Service & Staff Attitude Service throughout the resort was one of the biggest issues. At The Level breakfast: Staff were rude, indifferent, and unapproachable. They regularly ran out of basic items like bananas and coconut cream. Coffee often arrived very late, or not at all. Toast, when it eventually appeared, was cold and brittle. Across multiple areas, you get the sense that customers are an inconvenience rather than guests. Food & Restaurants The dining experience was shockingly poor: The main buffet food is cold, congealed, and over-processed. There are flies everywhere, which made eating genuinely unpleasant. The à la carte restaurant is open to all guests, so The Level offers no exclusive dining benefit at all. The resort frequently ran out of food and wine, even for Level guests. Simple requests for napkins or cutlery felt like an ordeal. Food quality is nowhere near the standard expected of a premium resort. Rooms & Housekeeping This was another area where the standards were simply unacceptable: Rooms were not serviced daily. Towels were not replaced consistently. General upkeep was minimal. Again, for a resort claiming five stars, this is far below the minimum standard. General Condition The resort as a whole appears to be in serious decline, with clear signs of: Lack of investment Poor maintenance Tired, damaged, or dirty furniture Facilities that are simply falling apart It feels more like a neglected 3-star all-inclusive than anything close to a luxury destination. Who This Resort Might Suit This resort may be suitable for families with young children who prioritise pools and free-flowing drinks over food quality, cleanliness, and service. Anyone expecting a refined, premium or relaxing 5-star experience — especially in The Level — will be extremely disappointed. Final Verdict Meliá Dunas needs significant investment, training, and management changes. The Level upgrade is absolutely not worth the money, and the resort overall is worn, dirty, poorly run, and failing to meet even basic expectations. Until major improvements are made, I cannot recommend this hotel. Reading the reviews from the past few years, nothing has changed and the management in their responses offer lip service.
- portogallo08 (4/5): No worth the all inclusive - Bad wifi, no glasses in the buffet, sun beds all broken, no many activities during the night, late to clean rooms and request for coffee pods, staff tired and not smiling, Only good mention to Maria (animation team) she was great
- Sosixson (2/5): Not a holiday but a hellday - We booked with Loveholidays and were told a couple weeks before flying that we were being moved from Melia Tortuga to Melia Dunas as the room was being renovated at Tortuga. Never accept this!! This review is based solely on Dunas hotel. - Reception didn’t provide any information on arrival at 19:00 and told us to ask the next morning!!! - Loud music till minimum 11pm preventing any sleep. - From day one, the room was dirty / not cleaned / smelled of urine. - We booked a lodge which was basically a big outdated room with an oven and washing machine, nothing else to it?? - Hand towel and bath mat removed and not replaced, requested twice at reception before hand towel and bath mat added!! - Cleaners would come in, do the bed but not change any bedding or do anything else in the room (probably just looking for a tip?) - No additional tea bags the whole stay. - Full of mosquitos on arrival, we must have killed 40. - No mini bar as promised before arrival - we were advised that it would be stressful and a waste of time if we asked for it to be filled. - No cutlery or glasses at buffet both times we went - Dangerous for pedestrians in the grounds. Staff speed around on vehicles with trailers and no lights, they’ll pip you out the way. Do not stay here!!!
- robfrywakey (6/5): Too many battles to ever entertain going back! - we'd actually booked into Sol Dunas family fun, but after an evening meal and a breakfast and then going for a walk, we soon came across where we thought we'd rather spend our week in Melia' Dunas. The extra eating option, the buzz of what was going on at the main pool etc. So I went to reception and was told that for 20euro per person per night we could move, So I said - great lets do it. Paid the money and thought everything would be plain sailing. Then we were told that there was no room to move to, but we could stay where we were and use the facilities of the better hotel! I obviously challenged this and after what was most of day2 at 6pm we were offered another room. There was no assistance in moving to our new room, and I did question whether it was actually in Dunas? It was nearer, but hey that was maybe the best result I was going to get. Next battle was when I came to make evening reservations for the choice of 7 restaurants that we had been offered. Get this - we were told that they were all full! obviously that was a battle that I had to take on, and by day 3 we were sent a whatsapp message that contained restaurant options, and after the tussle, I can say that they were all pretty good, although the fish restaurant was our favourite. Day4 we still hadnt had fresh towels, the bed made, water, etc. Customer services at the hotel do take on a robust approach - perhaps even confrontational? I don't go on holiday to experience difficulties. The Islands mantra " No Stress" actually manifests in a reality of - "we dont give a stuff" Get used to the idea the when you are a tourist on Cabo Verde - you are a cash cow, a walking wallet. Watched a couple Footy matches in Linekers Bar which was a good venue, but a wine and a beer cost me 16Euro and then 1 glass of wine was going to be 15! whic when questioned was tweeked to 10. I told him " I thought he was our friend..." but thats not the reality is it? Out and about, getting the bus to Santa Maria, the minute our foot hit the pavement, we were hassled and jostled, dragged into a market and then shouted at. It was thoroughly unpleasant, and that was the end of our island expeditions. The hotel does have alot going for it, but the constant and unnecessary battles, meant we wont be returning. I would say that Dean from EasyJet showed himself to be a thoroughly decent chap, but getting the hotel to where it could, should and needs to be may prove to be like pushing a boulder up a mountain. - Good luck with that Dean.
- PhilA1057 (4/5): This was not as quoted a level experience - This was a good and clean hotel as an all inclusive venue but think twice about upgrading to the level not worth the extra payments
- kellydW9115MN (8/5): We had a great time! - We visited Melia Dunas back at the end of October for 10 days as a family of 4 (2 adults & 2 children (10 & 15 yrs)). I had spent months worrying and contemplating changing resort following the poor reviews here and on the Facebook page but we decided to stick it out and see how we got on and I’m really pleased we did as we had a great holiday! On arrival there was a short delay in reception to check in but our room was ready, we had booked a junior suite and were pleasantly surprised by the size of our room which had a huge master bedroom with en suite, a twin bedroom and huge lounge with a balcony overlooking one of the smaller pools. The room was clean although there were some points that were looking tired such as the bath needed re-enamelling and the sofa had a few little scuffs but this was all cosmetic and both were fit for purpose. Our room was cleaned daily and the towels were changed if we left them on the floor and thankfully replacements were always left. The bottles of water were always replenished too! The cleaner was always very friendly when we saw her and we didn’t have anything go missing. We visited most of the al a carte restaurant and really enjoyed the food, spices buffet was very repetitive but there was always something to eat. We were concerned about mosquitos as I am often eaten alive but we wore jungle spray daily, wore the leather repellent bands and had plug ins in our room and didn’t get any bites and there wasn’t mozzies squished all over the walls of our room. We used the shuttle service into Santa Maria once, we didn’t enjoy it due to the pushiness of the locals trying to sell and persuade you to go with them - my daughter found it quite frightening but if you persisted with declining they eventually accepted it. The beaches at both Santa Maria and melia were beautiful, we spent hours snorkelling and even swam with turtles on bikini beach which was a highlight for all of us. We often visited Marley bar in the evening towards the end of our holiday which had a great vibe especially on a Wednesday evening with a fire show. The hotel entertainment was good the first week but the 2nd week was exactly the same so it got tiresome quickly. We also got a taxi to project biodiversity which was brilliant (7€ one way, 10€ the other) and I would highly recommend, they run a turtle conservation project and there is the possibility to see baby turtles and it’s free of charge but there is an opportunity to adopt a turtle if you wish. We booked through easyJet holidays, we frequently saw the rep about the resort and he was always smiley and happy to help. We booked the lemon shark excursion through Tui and had a great time too. Just to summarise Melia Dunas isn’t equivalent to a European 5* but it’s a beautiful setting with some much needed winter sun on based on our experience I would recommend.
- Neil_Saunders (6/5): Nice hotel, but only if you are given a good room - I had booked the entire package directly through Melia on their website using the flight + hotel option – provided by TRAVELCONCEPT S.L. (ESPAÑA) ATOL Number 12282 according to the ATOL Certificate - which meant I didn’t have an actual rep greeting me at Sal airport, unlike those booking their package through Easyjet or Tui. I had to find Jumbo Tours, who were arranging a taxi for me. I arrived at the hotel about 30 minutes after being allocated a taxi. There was a small queue and I got seen to in about 20 minutes. I discovered I had been given Club Lagoon Level Status, and had a yellow wristband. I had to collect my door card from the Club Lagoon Booth nearby. There is no real information on the hotel readily to hand, and I knew few things about my VIP status. I knew that the Level had its own pool and lounge. I was told I had 50 Euros credit every night in Linekers Bar, which would have been good, only I don’t really follow football, so never used it. There is no folder left in your room, detailing arrangements at the hotel as I have always seen elsewhere. I was advised to use a QR code in reception, which with the hotel Wi-Fi directed me to a Google Drive which had some documents, but not really what I wanted to know, like the meal times or facilities. My luggage was delivered to my room, 5091, before I found it. The room was a disappointment. It was a ground floor studio flat with kitchenette, but no balcony or terrace. It did have a washing machine I didn’t dare use. There was a copper valve loose on top of it, and a clear plastic pipe hanging in the air. I thought I could cause a flood! No kettle, but rather one of those pod machines with a few pods to use. I have no idea how these things work, and so it never got used. The first night I was freezing as the air conditioning was at 17 degrees. I couldn’t get it to change. I took the A/C remote control down to reception the next day and they replaced the batteries. The moment I switched the remote on, the A/C defaulted to 24 degrees and no longer had a cold breeze. The television receives its picture through an internet cable. I couldn’t get Sky News to do anything other than pixelate. I unplugged the TV, only to find the socket wouldn’t take the plug back. I used the adjacent socket, but still no working picture. Unlike others, I found no difficulty in the supply of water or toilet paper. But to dry my washing, I had to make an arrangement with the hangers in the wardrobe and my washing line, and put a towel underneath it. It took twice as long to dry anything. So I was reduced to only changing my clothes once a day. The real problem was mosquitos. I was bitten almost every night. I had bought a bug zapper with me from home, not realizing how much I would need it. Even the rep on a tour commented on how much I’d been bitten! I think the hotel is too vast. I am told it is 1468 metres, pretty much a mile. Rooms surround their own individual pools, which have a bar. I preferred to stay around the reception area, reading my Kindle and tablet in the shade of the Odyssey Piano Bar. The food at the Spices restaurant was fine, pretty much the same as any all-inclusive. I didn’t use any of the speciality restaurants, but found people were queuing to book them inside the Odyssey’s lounge. It would have been better if they had just put the QR code for restaurant booking around the hotel. This allows quick booking through Wi-Fi on your mobile phone, and the receipt sent to your email box. People were having their time wasted, booking the speciality restaurants. I never went to the amphitheatre for the shows. I felt it was just too long a walk in the night heat. Despite all this, I did enjoy my holiday, and I enjoyed sitting at the Odyssey drinking beer or a Mojito. It ended on a bad note though, when Jumbo Tours did not send my return taxi. A kind man who lets in and out the traffic into the hotel, phoned Jumbo Tours for and me, and only received an answering machine message. There was no shortage of taxis willing to take me to the airport having dropped off holidaymakers at the hotel, but they, of course, wanted to be paid. I did this in the end and paid 20 Euros and got a receipt. I would go back to Cape Verde, but not with Melia.
- maartenvW1022QQ (2/5): Worst experience in a long time and once in a lifetime. - By far the worst experience in a long time. At the time of writing we are still in the hotel. When I travel I usually choose Melia, because of te service and quality. Those are words Dunas has't in their vocabulary. We booked the Level and upgraded to club lagoon for the VIP experience and to eat a la carte. On arrival we had to wait almost 2 hours before our room was ready. Then it began with a clogged shower we couldn't use. It took 1,5 days and multiple times asking to get someone to take care of it. We wanted fresh towels, but they only took the dirty ones and when we got in the room in the evening no towels.. So we had to ask for fresh ones. Sinds we had reservations for our VIP experience we wanted to shower. My wife ended up using the bathrope to dry herself. It took more than an hour to get towels. Coffie mugs, water, coffee cups are changed according to the hotel info. But we had to ask, or get to the cleaning card to get those things. Even if the room is cleaned, almost nothing is refilled. Even toilet paper we had to get ourselves from the card. On Friday I called on time to get clean coffee cups, water, glasses and coffee. At 10pm still nothing so I went to the front desk with the dirty dishes. The girl there was uninterested and in the end made a call to housekeeping. She couldn't give me an estimate. So I walked away and she called me back to lecture me that she wasn't payed to clean and I should take the dirty dishes. When you work in hospitality and at the front desk, you should at least show some empathy after a week of inconvenience , and tell me that you're sorry and you will try to solve it. We were allowed to have breakfast at the level. But that is even worse than the buffet. You are not seen, you get one coffee and juice. If you want more you practically have to beg for it. One night we went to an "authentic" Italian restaurant. We ordered pizza and we got something that looked like the low budget variant of a deep freeze pizza. This was cleary bought frozen. One positive note. The a la carte dining was great and we got great service making reservations and helping with that part of our stay.
- N7696SDbarryh (8/5): Fantastic Hotel, Amazing Staff. Cannot wait to return - Having read through other recent reviews we felt as though we needed to share our experience as it feels as though we visited this hotel in a complete parallel universe to others! Although to begin with we did have a couple of issues but these weren't the hotels fault. We had originally booked to stay at Melia Tortuga for 11 nights but due to building works going on for a new hotel next door we were moved to the Dunas. We hadn't been made aware of this until we tried booking in at the Tortuga. This was the holiday operators fault for not notifying us, but the hotel paid for a taxi back to Dunas even though it was only a 5 minute walk. We were also given a free upgrade to VIP, although this took a day to sort out as they had ran out of the right colour wristbands. Once the initial issues had been resolved we had a very enjoyable holiday, all the staff were welcoming and spoke good to broken English, but if they didn't understand they quickly found someone who could. They also couldn't do enough to help whether it was just answering a general enquiry or bringing fresh drinks to our table/sun lounger, our empty glasses were collected after every drink. I even arranged (at an additional cost of 30euros) a birthday cake for my wife's birthday. The cake was huge and decorated as requested with candles. The staff even sang Happy Birthday in creole/Portuguese and then again in English. Although some of the sun loungers and parasols are a bit tired and could do with a few repairs we never had issues finding somewhere to relax by the pool and NEVER had to get up early to do so. The room we had was very spacious, comfortable and received in a clean condition. It was cleaned at least every 2 days with towels and bottles of water replenished at these times. We did have to ask for additional toiletries but this was actioned before returning from the evenings entertainment. The only issue we did encounter was the banister at the bottom of the stairs. This was wobbly when we arrived but was completely removed and not replaced at some point during our stay. The entertainment was good with local singers, and hotel dancers all of which were enthusiastic and talented. The drink selection was good, but a little limited. We had access through our VIP wristbands for premium cocktails but these weren't advertised, still the drinks were nice and ordering at the bar never took long. As we were upgraded to VIP this gave up the opportunity to eat/book tables at the a la carte restaurants across the nearby hotels. One of the kind staff members booked a table at each of the restaurants for us across our stay. The ones that we ate in were really nice and delicious the only complaint that we have is the selections available, my wife is vegetarian and her options were incredibly limited or non existent. However, on one occasion they did make her something completely off menu and this was without any complaining. The buffet selections were much better for her and we never had any issues with breakfast, lunch or dinner. The lunch selection at Aqua was just an added bonus. Overall we had a very enjoyable holiday and are looking to return next year just the one suggestion would be to have at least one vegetarian option available at the a la carte restaurants. See you next year!!!
- Traveler81624 (4/5): 5 star - don’t make me laugh! More like 3 stars at best. - Shocking experience. Hotel generally in poor condition. Rooms run down. Bathrooms gross. Food poisoning on day 4 (having not left the hotel). Sunbeds falling apart. Spa appointments not honoured. Staff didn’t want to be there. All in all, rubbish.
- Safari05834304223 (4/5): Disappointing Stay at Meliá Dunas Beach – Even With The Level - ⭐️⭐️ We recently stayed at Meliá Dunas Beach and upgraded to The Level, hoping for a more premium experience. Unfortunately, the reality fell far short of expectations, and while there were a few positives, they weren’t enough to outweigh the issues we encountered. The Positives The main advantage of upgrading to The Level was access to premium drinks, which were noticeably better quality than the standard offering. Although the weather wasn’t on our side and it rained for most of our stay (which is of course no fault of the hotel), we still tried to make the best of the facilities available. Staff & Service The biggest disappointment was the service. The majority of staff appeared uninterested, unwelcoming, and often came across as rude. There was very limited interaction, no warmth, and little effort to make guests feel valued. The island’s “no stress” motto unfortunately felt more like “can’t be bothered” within the resort. Rooms were serviced every 2–3 days, which is far below the standard I’d expect, especially for a resort at this price point and for guests staying in The Level. I completely understand not changing towels daily, but basic cleaning, tidying, emptying bins, and replenishing essentials should be done daily without needing to request it. Room Quality The rooms desperately need updating. We had broken tiles, lamps that didn’t work, and general wear and tear that made the space feel neglected. For a hotel that markets itself as premium, it simply doesn’t meet that standard. The Level Breakfast Experience Breakfast at The Level was one of the most disappointing parts. The hotel advertises it as a calm, personalised à la carte experience to start the day in “the best possible way,” but in reality it felt like guests were an inconvenience. Service was slow, staff seemed disinterested, and the atmosphere didn’t match what is promised in their own description. Management Response I’m aware that management typically responds to reviews, but looking back over the last few months, very little seems to have changed. The same issues continue to appear, so any replies feel more like lip service than genuine action. Overall Unfortunately, despite paying extra for The Level, the experience simply wasn’t worth it. The staff need proper hospitality training, the rooms need maintenance and attention, and the service throughout the resort needs a complete overhaul. Until substantial improvements are made, I couldn’t recommend Meliá Dunas Beach and wouldn’t return.
- joannetI5078HA (10/5): Wonderful resort - Was so worried about staying here after reading some of the recent reviews. We where given room 6031 - large family accommodation with two double bedrooms (one with on suite) kitchen with washing machine and large living room. Apartment was clean and maid service daily. Huge resort with 4 others belonging to same company alongside (if you pay to upgrade can use 20 of the restaurants across all sites). We didn’t feel the need to do so as here just a week and more than happy with what is offered. We are pescatarian and the fish (especially tuna) is beautiful. Loved the al a carte’s Signora Sassi, Sahel and Atlantis (food and service amazing) lovely vegetarian options too. We cancelled evening booking at Aqua restaurant after having lunch there (mediocre -disappointing pizza’s and pasta dishes) heard lots of other guests say the same. Drinks generally ok (wine with meals very good) and coffee lovely. Few gripes such as sometimes luke warm food provided at breakfast (although massive choice) having to look on quite a few occasions for spoons/ glasses / cups (inconvenient when having to walk length of main restaurant - which is massive) probably why they run out of these at times. Pancakes at breakfast and the fruit are lovely. Yes there are a few flies around but really this is virtually impossible to stop. Tables / food counters are cleared and cleaned straight away (staff work very hard and are always friendly). Pools are lovely and no issues getting loungers (could do with providing cushions for loungers as not very comfortable). Visited local dog rescue centre whilst here ‘OSPA’ just a 10 minute walk from hotel (amazing people that volunteer there) do feel the hotels could offer left over meats 🥩 to them rather than going to waste. Anyway back to review - would I recommend ‘absolutely’. Plan to visit again next year 👍
- d_boraf472 (2/5): ‼️ I DO NOT RECOMMEND MELIÁ DUNAS TO ANYONE ‼️ - We are still staying at the hotel and already felt the need to warn others so you don’t go through the same bad experience we are having. What went wrong: • Poorly cooked food with very low quality for a hotel in this price range. • Lack of support from the staff whenever we needed help. • Constant issues with towels during room cleaning: either the bath towels were missing, or the body towels were not replaced. The worst situation: Our pool towels disappeared from our room after housekeeping. When we reported it to reception, they wouldn’t believe us and claimed that no one would have taken the towels during cleaning. They even said they would not return our deposit unless we returned the towels. Only after a long discussion did they decide to sort it out — all while the receptionist kept a smirking, disrespectful attitude. We paid for a quality service and received an experience far below our expectations. If you want to avoid frustration and unnecessary stress… do not choose Melia Dunas. ‼️ I do not recommend this hotel to anyone ‼️
- Go725631 (10/5): Lovely holiday - We arrived at the hotel on the 26th of November for a five-night holiday and were given a lovely triple room with an en-suite bathroom. The room was cleaned daily, and our towels were replaced every day. As a vegetarian with several allergies, I spoke to the person in charge, and Raul kindly took the time to understand that I cannot eat eggs, fish, or meat. He immediately informed the rest of the team, and from that moment on, everyone was incredibly supportive. The chef, Danielson Sousa, went above and beyond to prepare delicious meals for me each day, including a wonderful cassava dish (locally known as mandioca), as well as tasty options like pizzas. The desserts were excellent too. One day, they even surprised me with apple rolls, which were absolutely delicious. Gildo, Elton, Vandrice, Celica, and all the staff were exceptionally kind and attentive throughout our stay. Their warmth and dedication truly made our experience special. There were several pools, and the drinks staff were always on hand. The spa was excellent as well, and we would definitely recommend the deep-tissue massage. All in all, we had a lovely holiday. I would highly recommend this hotel to anyone looking for great hospitality and thoughtful service
- 973dannyr (2/5): Horrible - Absolute toilet of a place. Local area looks like the surface of the moon. Rude unhelpful staff and couldn’t care less about your holiday. Food safety is non existent and the food is terrible the hot food is lukewarm and sits there for hours and the chilled food is not chilled. Flies on everything. If you have an upgraded “level” pass that means absolutely nothing even though it says you get priority bookings for the a la carte. Cats all over the furniture and walking around reception on the sofa’s and tables where you eat as the hotel team allow this to happen so if you sit down expect to be covered in cat hair. I literally feed robbed coming here. Lithium ion batteries on charge for mobility scooters in every fire escape route on the first floor which is a death trap.
- Pearsonfam2025 (8/5): Not 5 star but we had a great holiday, wine and drinks terrible but - Wine and drinks terrible except coffee which is good. Service we found to be poor. Overall more like a 3* Spanish all inclusive. But entertainment the best we’ve had in a resort - fantastic dancers and music around the pool - great stuff! Also the number of all inclusive a la carte restaurants is great and they taste amazing. The Aqua lunch area is great too - so tasty and proper good service
- 432chantelled (6/5): Okay but it could have been so much better - We’ve just returned from a week celebrating our familymoon at Meliá Dunas and it was okay which isn’t what I’d want to say for the amount we spent. We booked a villa and didn’t know what to expect as the Tui info doesn’t share more than a brief description and 1 photo but we were pleasantly surprised on arrival. It has a great layout with all kitchen appliances and a balcony as part of the master suite which overlooks the garden and your own small pool which was great (not in the Tui details). This villa could have been a real home from home however it had a serious ant problem. They would be all over the floor and it wasn’t isolated to one room. This just made our skin crawl constantly and we couldn’t relax while we were there. What doesn’t help is that the rooms are cleaned every 2 days plus on the days they should have been cleaned we’d return to the villa to find it hadn’t been and our towels would still be on the floor. The team came fairly promptly to clean the room when reminded (this happened twice during our stay) but the ants returned after a day. Aside from this, the beach is beautiful and the pools and bars are all good. The food is typical all inclusive food but we went out to eat in Santa Maria one day and another day we went to Bar Marley on the beach and both were good. We made use of linekars to watch the football. Disappointingly we couldn’t book one of the a la carte restaurants as there was over a week’s wait (Ranchos). The staff were helpful and the animation team were great from the point of arrival where we had a lovely welcome and I loved the daily pool Zumba. I wouldn’t return though as I just don’t think they can keep on top of their cleaning. Maybe it’s just the villas but it made a real difference to our experience.
- 749alant (4/5): Has potential but disappointing in so many ways! - Started badly at check in. Arrived 2:00 to be told the room available at 3:00. Finally got into room at 5:15pm after much discussion with management and lack of communication. Room was a good size with a great view. Good bathroom with separate shower and bath. Crack in the wash basin. Room furniture ok but a bit tired and dated. Light bulbs one warm white and other cool white. Half the balcony lights did not work. Fridge had water but nothing else. Al a carte restaurants limited choice average quality and slow service. Buffet restaurant furniture ripped, stained and mismatched. Really disappointing ambience. Food quality only average. Too many flies with cold meats, bread, cheese and desserts needing covers. Juice coffee and ice cream machines often run out or broken. On an upgrade drinks package but only had 1 upgrade drink due to not available or run out. Poor bar service. Ie 6 people behind the bar but only 1 serving. Staff aloof and appears to be no management direction. Sunbeds poor quality with 50% broken. Virtually no cushions. Parasols provide virtually no shade. Overall a lot of investment required. Management needs to give direction. Staff training appears non existent. Lack of communication. No info given at check in or in room. Hotel is too big. Previously reported issues have not been addressed. We would not recommend or return. Not 5* or anywhere near!
- amandacS4962VM (10/5): Amazing hotel and staff - Currently here. Arrived saturday and just wanted to leave a review to say its amazing here. Our room is spotless. Food is lovely. Staff have been going above and beyond throughout the resort. My top tip is come out here. Support them and remember they are doing the best they can. We bought out some school supplies to donate to there local school to help them. They really appreciate things like that. We went in to santa maria town and was impressed how it has developed since we were last here 7 years ago. And last of all congratulations to them for getting into the world cup. Well done guys.
- joannalO396OF (2/5): AVOID!!! - Arrived and the systems had gone down at the airport (not the hotels fault). My daughter with my 5 month old baby was allowed to go through customs ahead of myself and the rest of her family, after waiting 2 hours and seeing that it was getting dark outside, panic set in, knowing that she has no money as the holiday was my treat and was not allowed to attend to see her until our turn and our entry tax was paid. My daughter was distressed and granddaughter hungry, tired and I distress also. We managed to get a taxi to the hotel (All taxi's are cash only). We arrived at the hotel with a wait through the door of the entrance (which we later realised was the norm at any point throughout our stay to speak to reception) There was only ever 2 staff members at a time and not one person spoke a word of English, after waiting hours at the airport, it took a further 2 hours to check in. I requested that we were put together being a family with a baby and yet couldn't be placed further away from one another. The hotel accommodation is a mile long and was not appropriate. We each went to our rooms and then due to our mobile networks not allowing us to connect or make a call and where the internet shut down throughout the hotel , I was worried sick about my daughters who had been spread out over the hotel and had no way of contacting them. The WiFi came back, in and out and always low in connectivity. After arrival and entering our room, there was no water to have a wash/shower.. fed up, we went to the buffet which visually seemed ok, other than the flies! However there was not one thing that was even at a room temperature to eat, I thought that maybe this was due to being late on arrival but no! Each night they served not even warm (I could cope with warm food), but the food was consistently stone cold! 5 out of our group of 7 plus a baby became very sick, where we recognised that we was not alone! Having conversations with others embarrassingly in the toilets, I quickly realised we were not alone. The hygiene in the hotel was non Existent, only 3 toilets which were the a la carte restaurants and a disabled toilet had hand soap available to wash your hands. In the rooms, only 3 x times out of the week we stayed we had our room cleaned! (This was the bed being re-made only). We arrived to 1 x large towel, a smaller towel and one foot towel. These were not changed at any point of our stay. I left them on the floor and in the bath on a hope that a: my room would be cleaned and b: for a clean towel at the very least! This did not happen! I managed to grab the attention of a maid with a handful of towels one evening and requested clean towels to be told No! Maybe later! Each of our 4 rooms throughout the group were the same and infested with mosquitos, my daughters room had a leaking air con unit that they failed to service even after being informed and was dripping water all over the slippery floor, and where I am grateful to of not hurt my granddaughter when I slipped and injured only myself (thankfully). Then moving onto the pools, each had a grim line of dirt surrounding the edge, with broken, uncomfortable chairs. To get a towel, you have to put a deposit of 20 euro per towel, and yet mine got stollen, as did other items from the balcony of our accommodation. Back to the room: on arrival, I was unwilling to sleep in the sheets due to what we observed on the cushion cases and walls! Many dead mosquitos and other peoples blood smeared beside where we slept, on the pillows and ceiling. I am ok with bugs in general and have started in many places that are far better than this and only a 3star! But when picking up the dirty almost week old towels off the floor (as instructed by the hotel for a clean one), I was greeted my cockroaches (I would have preferred to hang out only clean towel for the week but again was being far too optimistic) Instead drying myself and resulting to stinking of a damp, wet rag each day. Outside the rooms were piles of disregarded furniture and rubbish and where the gardens were also littered and I hygienic! The drinks: if you want a coffee in the morning, be prepared for a 10-30 minute wait and may end up with the machine running out of mink or coffee where we had to wait in separate queues, one for milk, the other for a coffee shot. One good thing we found was a microwave to heat the food through. More on the drinks: they are shocking!!! If you have a gold band ONLY, from the main reception and down to the beach they offer premium drinks (but yet never had Malibu or Baileys) which my family like and was willing to pay extra for. The entertainment was shocking, and boring (apart from one night) even if you wanted to enjoy the entertainment, there was not ever enough seating to go around. Having stayed in Cape Verde before and staying in other hotels, it is obvious that this hotel may be on the being of closure! I am multilingual and where I attempted other languages to communicate, but the staff were completely and utterly unhelpful and unable to understand a word. Finally.. the sun-beds are the most u comfortable to ever lay on, and you'll be much to get one that's not broken too!
- mjsantos11 (6/5): Could be improved - A lot of major improvements and revamp needed to bring this up to the usual Meliá standards. WiFi is awful, too many vip lagoon upgrades meaning the level facilities are full, cocktails and drinks not freshly made and wine undrinkable. Most of the spa facilities out of use and broken. Location is good, beach is lovely, food is ok but be prepared to be told they have run out of stuff daily. As an independent travel agent I came to make a review of the hotel and also to celebrate a 40th birthday. Holiday was nice but a lot of improvements needed. Meliá lagoon or llana look a bit nicer but not sure if the standards are any higher there after speaking to people who were staying there.
- P8510ZFnatashad (2/5): If moved from the llana to here, don't go - We were actually booked in to the adults only Llana next door but 3 days before the hotel chain moved us to this massive family complex. It seems this is a standard practice for them. I understand hotels overbook but they overbook the most expensive and move you to the cheapest and you get no money back. This place is tired and in dire need of work. The pools have tiles falling off and are hugely stained. Our room was in the 8020 section and this is actually part of the even cheaper sol Dunas. We were right over the kids play area and kids pool (great for people who were booked in to adults only). Our patio door didn't lock (there are things going missing from rooms) the bathroom window wouldn't even shut (mozzie problems here). After waiting an hour to check in we hiked to our room to find 3 people already in it, we had key cards to the same room at the same time so the rest of the short trip we shoved a chair in front of the door. Everything in the rooms is tired and needs replacing. We did complain to the rep, the door got fixed but that was it. As far as we could see the request to be moved to a better room was completely ignored. The balcony and stairs railings are wooden and all worn and eaten away. We were given VIP due to moving hotels but no use when you are moved so close to departure all the restaurants are fully booked, the VIP pool, which is the only adults only place, is a 25mins walk from your room and is tiny and always crowded. All the VIP restaurants and the beach are that far away too. On the beach you will get bothered by people selling stuff every 5 to 10 mins, whilst they are mostly polite and leave after a no thank you, you are still constantly disrupted. The buffet food is ok, if you wake early the breakfast is nice and calm. Lunch and dinner can feel like the hunger games as there are just so many people fighting to get to the food and a table. If you aren't in the main building this isn't a very accessible friendly hotel. And accessibility notes made on your booking may get completely ignored and you put in unsuitable places. Look if you like massive huge family friendly hotels then this place could be for you. But if you are booked in to the calmer smaller more expensive adults only hotel and get shoved in a cheap nasty hotel room in a hotel that is completely different to what you booked you won't like it. I know I am viewing it through those eyes so I guess my review is for those who have just found out they have got moved here from the llana. We wish we had cancelled when we were told of the move to be honest.
- H315KEjohnt (6/5): No stress, won't be back, so disappointed. - Have just returned from the Dunas very disappointed with all food options at this all inclusive resort. We upgraded to The Level which gave us 5 a la carte restaurants for evening meals and Adult only areas. Please be aware that nearly all food is tasteless and only occasionally hot. There is 1 microwave in the huge buffet restaurant. Food in all restaurants served on cold plates. If you are vegetarian you will struggle to have proper meals. There are no snacks offered except a few options in Level lounge. Guests from neighbouring Sol resort eat in buffet restaurants at Dunas and most use the other Dunas facilities most of the day, therefore lack of sunbeds and buzy bars. The main pool has activities most of the time with great dancing but music can be too loud at times for long periods. Not the chill out zone I wanted. The Level pool by the beach is small, shallow and never any sun beds available, so in my opinion paying for the level is probably not worth it. I thought the adult only areas would be together but they are not, so please bear this in mind if considering this resort. Our room was large and comfortable, housekeeping staff amazing. Hotel is well staffed and the grounds are beautiful considering you are on a barren island. This hotel probably was amazing before the Sol was added.
- Doran123 (2/5): Waste of a holiday - Don’t expect to get the hotel you actually booked !!! And be prepared to wait for hours to get your room We waited 3.5 hours on our room. Only for it not to be an accessible room and not have the requested single beds. Room was filthy either curtains hanging off the wall We refused the room and after 1.5 hours we were told there was a different room. That was non existent !! After yet more time and me ending up very upset we were given a two bedroom apartment Two days later we discovered we had actually been moved into the sister hotel which was a downgrade !! No further communication from management happened and we were left in the sister hotel which wasn’t suitable with my mobility needs If we had booked the sister hotel we would have been perfectly happy with it And we would have been hundreds of pounds better off During our week stay we spoke to 8 other couples who had exactly the same experience as us I will definitely come back to Cape Verde but will be nowhere near Melissa Dunas
- ADallimore (2/5): Bitterly disappointing - ⭐ 1/5 — Deeply Disappointed with “VIP” Experience Travel Dates: 3rd–10th November 2025 Package: VIP Premium Gold Travellers: 4 adults (ages 26–55), including a pregnant guest We booked this trip with open minds despite some of the recent mixed reviews — and honestly, we wish we’d listened to them. For what we paid (over £1,250 per person, just above £5,000 total), this was nowhere near the level of service, comfort, or quality we expected from a so-called Premium Gold VIP experience. 🛬 Check-in & First Impressions Check-in was slow despite only a small queue. The “VIP concierge service” turned out to be a staff member carrying two of our bags while I carried the third — hardly a VIP welcome. No explanation of the gold bands, no information about what was included, and no sense of organisation from the start. 🏠 Rooms Our rooms were large but extremely basic and tired-looking. From day one, the shower flooded and filled with dirty, stagnant water. We reported it repeatedly (at least six times) before it was eventually sorted — only for it to happen again mid-week. Broken tiles, a hanging soap holder, and a safe that didn’t work completed the picture. Cleaning was every other day, but towels were taken and not replaced. We had to chase for toilet rolls, pillows, and even water via the “concierge” WhatsApp number (which we only discovered through other guests). Requests were either ignored or fulfilled days later. Our “premium” room had an empty minibar that was only stocked after multiple complaints — and never restocked again. Snacks, which were part of the package, never appeared. It felt like we’d been put in a standard room despite paying for the highest tier. 🍽 Food & Drink This was the biggest letdown. Bar Marley: Served raw chicken on our first night. My fiancée is pregnant — serving raw meat is completely unacceptable. Atlantis Breakfast: Lovely the first morning, but every visit after that was chaos. Waited over 90 minutes some mornings, no drinks unless you begged for them, and staff seemed overwhelmed. Buffet (Lana): Repetitive and average at best. Food often cold. Rancho A la Carte: Miserable staff, wrong orders, undercooked steaks, and dry burger. My fiancée’s well-done steak (clearly requested due to pregnancy) came rare. We left hungry and went back to the buffet. Aqua Bar: Rude staff, inconsistent rules (my fiancée was asked to cover up despite others not being challenged), and stale food. Italian & Nami (Japanese at sister resort): These were the saving grace — friendly staff, good service, and tasty food. Bikini Beach: Also decent, with good food and atmosphere. However on our third and final visit they would not accept us, despite a reservation. Level Pool Bar: Constantly running out of bottled drinks, unhelpful staff, and a general feeling that VIP guests were an inconvenience. The gold wristbands caused endless confusion — most staff didn’t even know what they meant. We were refused drinks several times until managers intervened. Being made to “prove” we’d paid for premium every time we ordered a drink was embarrassing. 🧴 Facilities & Service Pool areas were nice and well-kept, though beds filled quickly later in the morning. The beach was lovely — calm, clean, and not overcrowded. The “concierge” was a joke — messages ignored or met with empty promises. The spa experience was farcical. Our couples massages had to be split across days due to staff shortages, and my fiancée’s “head massage” consisted of 25 minutes of forehead tapping. There was no sense of luxury or attention to detail. Staff frequently avoided eye contact to dodge service requests, and several guests we spoke to were also complaining about the same issues — particularly the lack of understanding around the new gold bands. 🤢 Illness & Cleanliness On day three, my pregnant fiancée came down with food poisoning — vomiting and diarrhoea for two days. We suspect it was from the buffet or undercooked food earlier in the week. No one from staff checked on her or seemed to care. 💬 Overall Impression We genuinely tried to stay positive, but this was one of the most disappointing holidays we’ve ever had. We paid for VIP service and received worse than standard all-inclusive. Almost everything advertised — concierge, minibar, turn-down service, stocked fridge, priority service — was either missing or required endless chasing. The resort itself feels run down and outdated, and staff morale seems low. Some were friendly and tried their best, but too many seemed uninterested or overworked. We left feeling undervalued, frustrated, and quite frankly ripped off. For the price, you expect at least consistency and basic customer care — we got neither. 🌴 The Positives Weather was fantastic Pools and beach were clean and relaxing The Italian and Japanese restaurants were excellent Bikini Beach and Linekars Bar were enjoyable ⚠️ Final Thoughts Cape Verde itself is beautiful and worth visiting, but I would never stay at this resort again. It needs serious investment, proper staff training, and honesty in its advertising. Paying over £5,000 for this “premium” experience only to be met with poor service, broken facilities, and constant disappointment was truly unacceptable. If you’re considering booking — don’t. Spend a little more and go somewhere that values its guests and delivers the service it promises.
- 972jom (6/5): Not a 5* - Melia Dunas Resort was a complete mixed bag of negative and positive effects but full clarity that this is definitely not a 5* or as advertised. Being a reasonably well travelled person on family and friends holidays I know that all the small differences make a 5* not just what they say on paper. Although very tired, loose tiles and all non working fountains the pools has to be the best part of this hotel, they all have walk-in access slowly taking to varied levels and spread out so they never really feel overcrowded. Unlike the restaurant and bar areas which have limited suitable seating. Main buffet Restaurant feels like all of someone’s left over furniture cobbled together outside which is the most popular area of seating demand due to restaurant having no air con on with all doors open for access and fans provide no relief for hot and busy restaurant. Cats are frequently around your legs on the outside area too. The main issue is food choice in this buffet restaurant it is constantly repetitive which you could probably get by with for a week only, 9 days was too much, so sick of same food, for children the choice is same Lunchtime and night and very limited. We did try Rancho by booking in advance although satisfactory nothing to write home about and cats walking all over tables. You really need to upgrade your vip if you want any choice but we really felt €50 per person per day was not reasonable on top of original holiday cost with a child in the package, I am sure young adults would benefit with access to other bars and restaurants. The complex has a couple of shops that are purely gifting no snack choices and snack offers in between restaurant times are restricted by accessibility and choice, not as a normal all inclusive does which impacts children, no ice cream without additional payment off site. Bars onsite often run out of gas for soft drinks, juices for cocktails and drinks in the buffet restaurant are definitely always a challenge, limited machines that work or cups or glasses by drinks stations. The start of our holiday 3/11 was not too bad but with 5 days you could tell the hotel was much busier and the buffet restaurant was challenging, food presentation and delivery along with quality and choice became very tiresome. Pasta each day had no taste, variety or meat was just sauce added, also vegetables were the same morning noon and night and when there was a space created for more variety cake was placed on display to fill up the area. Basic condiments and fresh unsweetened bread unavailable. All of which is down to choice so may be great for others just not for our group of 5ad, 1ch. Through the stay I had to ask for clean towels, for one of the days after emailing customer services due to no responses to asks at reception for in room milk requests that was when you got to revelation for the knee deep ques for checking in/out, which was horrendous when trying to personally check in&out. Poolside towels are €20 on arrival each so you are prepared although not available until 10am and if you don’t get there first you get threadbare towels although some of the in room towels are threadbare too. We had what was called a premium double room, we had a perfect location centre of complex, mainly close to each other and spacious, extremely dated inside but comfortable, I would say this for the whole complex particularly the sun beds which you will not find in a reasonable new condition but there are plenty so again fine just not a quality expected as advertised or paid for. In summary a decent complex just wouldn’t pay a lot for it and certainly NOT the star awarded.
- patrickhD7134QM (10/5): A place to visit - The staff are 100% attentive & helpful. The food here is so nice and tasty with a selection to everybody’s taste and they do take into consideration with choice for those people with allergies. I’ve been here 3 days now and had my room serviced twice already. I’ve tread a lot of bad reviews that made me worry. The staff here, direct from my arrival took me under their wing and made me feel at home. I don’t want to name staff names because from how I feel, the whole team deserves credit and I wish to thank everyone of them for their work efforts. They are fantastic and I will recommend my family and friends to come and experience such care. Patrick
- alonaf447 (10/5): Recommend this hotel! - Jenifia bar brava was the best! made the best mojitos! I love this hotel, I will definitely come back and I recommend this hotel 10/10 super nice people.
- lanky64 (6/5): Where do I start? ....... - From the beginning .... CHECK IN - Absolutely abysmal! Took an hour to get to get to desk to pay tourist tax and get your all inclusive band to then be sent to another desk for your key, towel pass 🙁 ROOM - Smelt musty but was generally clean (every 2 days), bathroom will flood if you don't turn the shower towards the wall due to ill fitting screen. Air Con very good. Mosquitoes a plenty! STAFF - Very abrupt waiting staff, smile rarely. Now whether this is because people didn't appear to be tipping due to all inclusive and they had no incentive I don't know but I had to hold my tongue many times. RESTAURANTS/FOOD - 5 Themed restaurants that have to be booked which proved difficult or the buffet restaurant. Can't complain about quality at all, all good RESORT - it's MASSIVE. Too big for our liking, lots of pools though but very difficult to find anywhere in the shade given the ridiculous threadbare parasols. Very smelly when they are watering the vegetation! Our first experience of all inclusive as it was a bargain price and I guess we got what we paid for.
- Timmytops (4/5): More miss then hit ! - We visited as a family in 2019 and returned as a family in 2025 and the deaeration of the resort in terms of the staff , cleanliness , quality of the food and upkeep was remarkable. It has gone from what felt like luxury to bog standard. A particular low point was the check in and the reception staff , it was chaotic and the staff were not particularly friendly , welcoming or informative. It a very basic requirement in the service industry to make that first interaction count ! I won’t go into specifics , I will just confirm that the majority of the issues identified in some of the other reviews are absolutely spot on. We did in the end upgrade to a VIP band which gave us more freedom in terms of where we could eat & drink and which hotel pool we went to. Big thanks to Amy for organising that she certainly helped to improve our stay. Sami in Linekars also deserves a mention , he could always find the game we wanted and always has a smile on his face … and in the Dunas finding a member of staff other then the animation team with a smile was a challenge! We also did a couple of excursions organised by Vincent on the beach. Which was great. As a final parting gift all 6 of us pick up a sickness and diarrhoea bug on day 8 which again seems like a common theme ! Considering the very apparent lack of hygiene you can understand why. So unfortunately we will not be retiring to the Dunas or Cape Verde anytime soon.
- K5599CIlaurenj (10/5): A great holiday at Melia Dunas - We were worried after some bad reviews however we’ve just had the best week at Meliá Dunas. The food was great, different theme every night and a wide variety so unsure why so many bad reviews say the food is the same everyday. The pool bar staff were fantastic and the animation team were great! Always something going on and we were never bored. If you want to go somewhere quieter there are more pools round the hotel. Rooms were very spacious, they got cleaned every other day which wasn’t a problem for us as we spent very little time in there. Check in was very smooth, got our keys straight away, dropped bags off then was in the bar within half an hour. The only thing I can moan about is the Sunbeds, they could do with some cushions on as they weren’t very comfortable but apart from that myself, my partner and 2 friends had a fantastic time away and we have all said we would love to return in the future. Thank you Melia Dunas for a fantastic week away!!
- 4ndrewdavidtomlinson (2/5): Paid to Escape – Absolutely Appalling Standards - This hotel was a disgrace. From the moment we arrived, the restaurant was filthy: tables piled with dirty plates, no clean crockery or cutlery, and flies everywhere. Food was inedible and unsafe; we ate nothing the first night. Breakfast was worse—no cups, bowls or spoons, and poor quality food crawling with flies. Staff were indifferent and even laughed when serving burnt pizza, followed by a raw replacement. We feared for our health and paid TUI to move hotels. The manager should be ashamed of these standards. Avoid at all costs—this is not what you expect from a holiday.
- Thegingercook (6/5): A bit tired and not the best service… - We are always grateful to be on holiday and make the best of it whatever we find as we did on this holiday but we wouldn’t return or recommend. The overall infrastructure of the hotel is good but in need of some updating and an injection of quality in service standards. Arrival is slightly chaotic, just a mass of people with no order and slow to process No information given on what restaurants you can use, opening times etc No pool towels available until late in the day on our first day and then erratic availability and when they were often were small and threadbare Didn’t find the staff particularly friendly at all, many not making eye contact whilst serving and no pleasantries or engagement. This was not everyone but would say the majority. Reception not particularly helpful, went to ask for an additional room key (we were 2 adults and a 15 year old and only given 1) and told only allowed an extra 1 if more than 2 adults. Food was very average and lots of flys and not restocked, so if restaurant was open for dinner 6.30-10 very limited after 7.45. We experienced upset stomachs whilst there as well as several other people we spoke to. We visited 2 of the a la cartes where the food was better( Aqua and the Italian). Recommend the Italian. Buffet restaurants tables not cleared and constantly had to go and hunt for cutlery and glasses. Bars often ran out of key items - no beer, water, juice on many occasions The shades around the pool area are very sparse (most need replacing) meaning there is limited protection. Pick the areas by the trees so you can move your bed there if need some shade. Animation team were great to watch dancing. Music was a little too industrial at times, might get more engagement if a little more mainstream. We booked a 2 bedroom suite but on arrival were allocated a 3 bedroom villa. A great space with own garden and small pool. Unfortunately pool couldn’t be used as jets weren’t working and water was very murky. Air conditioning worked really well. Beaches were great and recommend a drink and burger at Bar Marley, staff were also friendly here. Linekars bar good for a pint, game of pool and watching the football, barman was very friendly and gave good service
- traceyrothery44 (10/5): Great pools, beautiful grounds and landscape. - Friendly helpful staff. Lovely hotel.great pools. Good location. Beautiful grounds. Great water slides. Really good choose of food. Great customer service when you need anything.
- xsoultogiannis (8/5): Very good family holiday - Just returned from a 5-day stay at Melia Dunas. The hotel gets 90% right; the location is amazing, lot of big pools, food and drinks well above average, the beach is magnificent, kids club and entertainment very engaging. Guests are having a good time here, you see happy faces around. Admittedly there was a 10% that wasn't great: check in was very slow but what do you expect when the whole plane turns up at the same time?? There are areas that need some maintenance and / or cleaning but which massive hotel complex is absolutely spotless? Yes there are flies and mosquitoes, what do you expect on a tropical island, polar bears? In summary, and in my opinion, the negative issues are not defining the holiday experience at Melia Dunas. I do recommend it if you fancy a summer break in October
- CraigGreenhalgh (2/5): Honest review - Currently we are on holiday at the dunas, I will make this review brief! Good points - location, beach, general layout and flow of the complex is very good. You do t have to cue long at bars or restaurants either. Family room size is great. Negatives - out of a party of 6 (two rooms in different blocks) 5 have been severely sick with vomiting and diarrhoea, we have a blocked sink in the bathroom which can't be used, towels have been taken but not replaced. Getting pool towels is just luck - so few available once you have them - look after them as you won't be getting them changed. The restaurants have no air con so especially at lunch time it's very uncomfortable to eat - especially for the children who just don't bother! We have spoken to on the beach, TUI and the hotel but nothing gets done. We booked the holiday a long time ago and as time has passed we had noticed reviews starting to drop but we couldn't cancel it without loosing 60% so we came with open mind and hoped it would be ok, but I just want to go home now and we have another week left 😩
- Rup85 (8/5): Lovely holiday for the price we paid - Visited here with a 6 month old, 7 and 11 year old for 1 week during half term. Please don’t let the reviews scare you if already booked and if thinking to book in Sal Cape Verde reviews for all major resorts here are similar so either look at a different location or just adjust expectations. We had a lovely week away knowing what to expect having read reviews. I got a bargain so wasn’t too picky but if you pay top notch I can understand the disappointment. It isn’t a 5 star to European standards but more a 3/4 that’s based on the room as could do with a face lift. Furniture and bathrooms are basic and worn. That being said everything is clean. We didn’t spend much time in the room apart from sleeping. Room was cleaned 3 times during our stay which was fine by us as we kept things tidy. Towels were changed once but again I wouldn’t change my towel more than once at home in a week so we’re fine with this. If we needed water, shampoo bottles, sheets they were bought within 10-20 mins of requesting from reception. The grounds are 5 star standard, well maintained and beautiful at night. Entertainment at 9pm each night. Was good but a little late for us and too loud for the baby. Drinks are ok but depended on who made them and tipping meant you got a better drink. Not compulsory but did help to get better service. I booked 4/5 of the al a carte restaurants through requesting the booking link a week before traveling so advise to do this as the food at the restaurants was really good. Buffet was ok but would have got fed up had we not booked the restaurants. We went at 9:30 as it was nice and quiet. Buffet is 6:30-10 in the morning. The Aqua restaurant is open 10-5 which is a great alternative and table service. Shuttle goes to Santa Maria at 10am and 11am returning at 4pm. It’s only about 5 mins down the road. We took a taxi in the evening 5 euro each way and it is nice at night. We ate at the garden restaurant and highly recommend this place. I would advise to take your own pool towels of keep the ones you manage to get for the week. Hey there at 10am as they go quite quickly. Many large pools with lots of sun beds. Main pool by receptions gets busy early but very noisy here so preferred the quieter pool. Water slides are great and pirate ship and smaller slides are excellent for the little ones. I did get bitten by mosquitos but not when I had worn bug spray so take this. Take straws if you prefer to drink through a straw as they don’t provide any.
- adele1122025 (6/5): Just returned from a 10 night stay October 25 - Could be lovely, but isn’t. It’s 3* at best. Unless you uograse and pay for VIP and eat out / use VIP pool service for drinks / towels and bikini beach / Lana to eat this place is very poor re food / room cleanliness. Cleaned room 2x per week. Staff too laid back. Never get things done on time. Views / scenery beautiful hotel needs a revamp and training in quality and standards
- jeegnac2022 (8/5): It’s not all bad… go see for yourself - I booked this hotel as a family but then was worried about all the negative reviews that I read. But I have to say we had no major issues and had an overall pleasant experience. I think some of the reviews here are just too picky or not listening to instructions at check in. Take them with a pinch of salt. Yes the rooms are a little outdated but they were all very clean. They tell you at check in they don’t clean or change towels every day - but every 2/3 days unless you request otherwise. We requested extra cleans every now and then. We did have to often remind them and say a few times but they got there. This issue with mosquitos I read really worried me before we Left. As my young son was also coming. So before we left I stocked up on ALOT of mosquito repellent. Whenever I usually go to any hot country I’m a target for mosquitos- even in Europe. But I have to say this is the first time EVER I didn’t get bitten once! We tried something different to jungle sprays … a roll on called mosquito milk which you can get from Amazon. It’s more pricier but seems to have worked and I’ll defo use it again and nothing else now. And I used two different bands (the leather type and elastics one) and we changed these every two days on both arms and both ankles - As well as liquid repellent each night. Check for the best reviews on Amazon for bands. We Didn’t put No other perfumes on. So none of us got any bites. If you are prepared and try to do your bit you can avoid it. I expected still to be bitten given the reviews and that I always get the mozzies.. but all 4 of us were ok. Not a single bite! And any ways it’s not the hotels fault about mosquitos. It’s a massive hotel with lots of greenery that gets watered every night. Just be prepared. We also booked one island tour with the workers on the beach. Not direct with hotel or TUI etc. Tip here is go to beach and find the tour companies to book any excursions. The one we booked was a private driver taking us to the main sites. From the lemon swimming sharks, salt mines and town tours. Defo recommend this one. My pros and cons summary is… Pros.. Lovely resort - lots of pools and site is nice. Really big. Friendly staff (but can be slow). Entertainers full of energy. Our room (3058) was a 2 bedroom family room. Was lovely and big and clean! Make use of the extra restaurants. Defo Visit aqua and sigora (Italian). Free shuttle bus to local town Santa Maria. Cheaper for souvenirs and gifts compared to onsite shop. Beach has a lovely cove area which you can do snorkelling in. And limits the waves. Cons.. Hotel is big! It’s one long stretch. Lots walking in heat. Everything is spread out so be prepared for lots of walking in the heat. Vegetarian food options in main buffet was not best. But ask for special off menu items. Then the food was lovely. We had lasagne, Mexican and curry. Vandrice from the evening staff were really helpful to sort this. Pool towels were hard to get so try keep yours long as possible when you do get it. It’s busy!! We went peak time. But a few days before school holidays started in October. When we got there it was manageable. But once the weekend hit and UK schools were out, it got so busy! People were just everywhere. The buffet was crazy and this is when the pool towels started to become Scarce. Service got slow. They defo need more staff to cope with high volumes of people. Overall the experience at this hotel was good. No regrets booking this. You have to understand it’s not England/EU and is Africa and they operate different and slower than what we are used to (if you are from the UK / large cities). Follow these tips and you Will have no issues with mosquitos and know what to expect with the staff.
- Missunderstanding13 (8/5): Nice holiday - It’s a nice hotel. Not luxury but for the money we have paid I was very happy with the offerings. Beach was wonderful and we had a great time at Bikkini beach. A la carte restaurants are much better than buffet food but no one ever went hungry.
- adamfH2201XB (8/5): Good but could be great with small tweaks - Weather was superb throughout averaging around 32 degrees Fahrenheit daily. The accommodation was not great to start with. Expectations from front desk concerning pool view did not materialise. Following a complaint made, the hotel guest experience team stepped in and resolved our issues. The service was generally very good. However at the start of our VIP upgrade experience promises to make arrangements for my birthday (arranged by my wife via VIP concierge) did not happen with no message to highlight the errors. Unacceptable service. Again an escalation was raised resulting in our concierge rep being changed to Wagner. Wagner and the VIP manager Leida were deeply impressive in recovering the holiday experience for my wife and I. The VIP service wrap is highly recommended and value for money. There is lots to do across the three resorts and plenty of top quality restaurant choices ranging from Japanese to Cuban to Italian to Mediterranean. There was a Sunday brunch organised and our VIP lead Wagner made sure we had an invite. This was great fun, held in an exclusive part of the resort with lots of entertainment, great food and drink. Claudia of the Bikini Beach restaurant was brilliant in ensuring her guests were well cared for and had a great time. An experience not to be missed. On the whole a very good holiday. Some opportunities for improvement to exist though.
- eggitat43 (4/5): Overall vue was poor - Not very happy overall not very friendly such a long walk to food Hall no food at pool bars the sun beds where worn out glasses where dirty
- sarahsT823RN (2/5): ⭐ 1 out of 5 – Very disappointing experience and poor value for money - ⭐ 1 out of 5 – Very disappointing experience and poor value for money We travelled as two women celebrating my 50th birthday and booked two separate rooms through EasyJet Holidays — both on an all-inclusive basis. Unfortunately, from check-in the experience was stressful and confusing. We were told that only one of us was all-inclusive, and that our wristbands (one “Level One” and one pink) meant we couldn’t even eat together because each band gave access to different restaurants. Despite having paid the same amount, the only solution the hotel offered was for one of us to upgrade to the Level One package at an extra €40 per day — which we only realised at the end of our stay was a significant additional cost. After a long day of travelling, this felt like a money-making tactic rather than genuine customer service. The quality of the food was also disappointing — limited à la carte menus, poorly cooked steak, and uncovered food in the buffet area attracting flies. My room was directly over the bar and evening entertainment area, making it difficult to relax, and there was a strong smell of sewage by the Level One pool. The towel exchange service was also inconveniently only open at night. Overall, this hotel fell far short of expectations and was not worth the money. Sadly, it turned what should have been a special birthday trip into a very frustrating experience. I would not return or recommend this hotel.
- 771darlened (10/5): The most beautiful beach and people - The best beach, the best people. I' ve been here around 10 times. This is our favorite place . Lovely people, beautiful beach. We' l always come back . Best food, nice rooms, good restaurants
- virgiliobaia (8/5): Not 5 stars hotel - I do not believe this hotel lives up to 5 stars. May be in the past, but not anymore People ara nice and polite. No stress....
- tamiy248 (10/5): Would go back tomorrow - Omg I cannot rate this hotel enough to the point where i would move there tomorrow. Pure relaxation and nature. Huge place with 5 pools and a 6th for the vip upgrade which is right by the beach so would of been lovely to use. Bar right next to beach we spent most of our time at. Plays better modern music and great views over the sea. The direct access to the beach was amazing, yes the sea is a bit rough but the breakers they had in enabled a lovely spot to put your towel down and enjoy the breeze. Even saw turtles swimming past and loads had laid eggs on the beach. The street dogs kept us company in the morning 5am is a great time for a walk there and cool. They were super friendly albeit they do like to chew the sun loungers which were very dishevelled ha. You also get a few people trying to sell you stuff but we ended up befriending them and chatted with them for hours. We upgraded to a 2 bed apartment which was enormous and had 2 bathrooms, 2 balconies, a full kitchen, English film channels and overlooked the main pool. Yes it was dated but who cares when outside was soooo fab. Food was an abundance of choice and very nice albeit a bit bland so could do with alot more seasoning. We ate in the buffet and pre booked the restaurants. The layout of the buffet restaurant is excellent you dont trip over each other getting food. The staff work round the clock to keep the grounds clean and tidy and they were very nice. Everyone is so laid back and friendly. Santa maria town just 5 euros in a can 5 mins away with more choice and so untouristy which we loved. We took some trips out but by far the best place for me was that beach at the hotel.
- CMc60London (10/5): Birthday Surprise-Thank you to all - Basic accommodation obviously aimed for quick holiday turnarounds. Very friendly & helpful staff. Meals adequate. However given the region I would have expected more food seasoning. Plenty to choose from. Purpose of holiday was my partners b/day. On the day staff decorated our room while we were at b/fast. Some items were taken over from the uk. Others, such as a bottle of cava and cake were chargeable by the hotel. An excellent task carried out by all involved in the secret. Many, many thanks to Lenira (concierge service), Jose (reception), Reginaldo (TUI rep), Maria (housekeeping) and all those involved. Resort has many quiet areas for those who want peace away from crowds. Downside to resort is the woren beach furniture. Beach umbrellas need to be re-thatched as currently not fit for purpose. The biggest downside were the flys which seem to be everywhere!
- Honzalinny (10/5): Excellent location, service and very clean - Excellent location, service and very clean. We would like to thank everyone, but especially to Ivan, who took great care of us during our stay in the Level area.
- martinwM1135ID (10/5): Ignore the Bad Reviews – We’re Here Now and Already Booking Again! - We’re currently on day three of our stay at Meliá Dunas, and we honestly don’t want anyone worrying like we did before coming. We were a bit nervous after reading some of the bad reviews, to the point we were looking to book another hotel, but so glad we didn’t. Is it a 5-star resort by European or Caribbean standards? No, but for what you pay, it’s absolutely brilliant value. The food in the buffet has been really good with plenty of choice, and we’ve managed to book all the à la carte restaurants we wanted. There’s something going on every day — pool parties, entertainment, and a brilliant water park that’s kept the kids entertained. The White Party on Friday night was absolutely class — great atmosphere, music, and the animation team go all out. The whole resort has a relaxed, friendly vibe, and the staff work so hard to keep everything running smoothly. Everything’s spotless, the weather’s perfect, and we’ve already decided we’ll be coming back next October. If you’re heading here soon, don’t stress — you’ll have a great time!
- A7893BZcheryll (10/5): Friendly and great fun - Amazing few days here, friendly welcome at reception and this continued all the staff were happy and friendly. The beach is beautiful, the main pool was being refurbed during g our visit but there were lovely other pools.
- R4413BTmarks (10/5): Excellent hotel and service - Please don’t believe the negative reviews that have been posted about this hotel. We are staying at the hotel at present and I can only assume that the negative reviewers have their own agenda. The hotel is very comfortable. Beds lovely and rooms are cleaned every day and kept spotlessly clean. We have had absolutely no problems in booking any of the a la carte restaurants. Food is excellent and drinks very nice. The buffet restaurant is huge and has everything that you could think of for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Good quality and food always hot. The staff are very friendly and obliging. Perhaps enquire how they are from time to time and you will see their hospitable and friendly characteristics. There are certain things that could be improved, which is true of all of the hotels that we have stayed at around the world. The sunbeds could do with being updated and there is some maintenance work that needs doing if you look close enough. I suspect that such work is scheduled for the offseason as we have seen various work being started. There are mosquitoes here as with any dry, arid and hot location. We have seen nothing in our room, so the comments that they are infested is nothing like true in our experience. Please don’t worry if you are booked to come here. You will have a great time and will feel very welcomed.
- Sunshine38654625375 (4/5): Never again ! - Absolute nightmare from start to finish. Arrived in the afternoon to find that our room was opposite the main building ( fine ) under a dark stairwell tunnel which had a swarm of mosquitoes in front of the room door. This was classed as a premium room. As we entered the mosquitoes followed us in and we spent the first half hour of our holiday flicking at them with towels. The following day, despite bringing loads of repellents, wipes and plugins, I was bitten several times and the bites became infected. The following day after more bites I visited the on-site dr and needed an injection and antibiotics. When we told reception, they were very good and did move us into the main building and to a level room, which we appreciated. However, a few days later, both my husband and I started to feel very ill - stomach cramps, diarrhoea, headaches and body aches. We stayed in our room for 3 days. Never experienced anything like it before. This hotel is more like a 3 star hotel, flies over the food, especially the desserts, no aircon in a la carte restaurants, pillows like stones and entertainment in Portuguese. Nothing worth doing in the way of trips out either. Even if offered a better hotel next time, we wouldn’t return to Cape Verde. It’s nothing special.
- tanjavQ5053ET (10/5): Level pool area - The level pool was great good service. The drinks and snacks were great. Thank you Vanice (hostess) The some sunbeds need an upgrade
- Jcoelho4200 (10/5): Level pool experience - The experience was great above all at the level pool with an exceptional service from Carlos and Vanice always very thoughtful, kind and friendly
- dslewisuk (6/5): Passable but not 5 star3 - Staff were mostly very attentive and friendly, especially in the restaurant with cleaning up plates. The staff behind the bar were reasonably quick and the entertainment was very good too. It was listed as a 5 star Hotel but it's closer to a 3 star due to the issues I encountered the below: - Communication: I accept English is not the 1st language but staff on Reception should have a basic level of a language that a majority of guests will speak or another solution (Google Translate, etc). It took 4 staff members to understand the word “food”. I saw a guest having to translate another guest's complaint at Reception. - Beach: Harassed by Sellers as soon as you enter. They're non-stop, relentless and don't take no for an answer. I was approached 13 times in 30 mins, even when your eyes are closed on a sun bed they don’t stop. - Wifi: Temperamental in parts of the Hotel and does not reach the Beach. Staff told me that a ‘Level’ WiFi is available but that didn’t appear until the day I was checking out. - Room: Infested with Mosquitos, even staff said “you've been attacked”. Was offered a room Fumigation then was told that it's cancelled 15mins before the arranged time. Was given a room change, when I came down to change rooms I saw 10 other guests complaining that they have no water in their rooms. My room did not have full set of Towels and the minibar was not stocked. My partner also slipped in the shower due to no safety handles and cut open both her elbows - Staff: I left a note in Portuguese requesting a minibar restock and came back to see the note in the bin with no restock. I asked for the minibar to be restocked but was told that I should get the drinks myself from the bar downstairs. - Restaurants: Cats running between guests legs. At the Aqua Restaurant, staff told me to get my own drinks then saw my 'Level' wristband and offered to get my drinks for me. After my meal, I asked another member of staff for a Sprite and a Beer and she brought me Sparking Water instead. - General Hotel: Saw Cats drinking from a Pool. The lift takes guests to the 2nd floor but will not take you from the 2nd floor down. To get my luggage downstairs on check out, I had to walk down and take the lift up and then bring my luggage in the lift to go down.
- 944ashleighe (10/5): Amazing Holiday! Please don’t listen to the bad reviews - We stayed here from the 17th-24th of September, it was an absolutely fantastic vacation. Me and my partner got engaged on the beach at sunset, it was stunning, and absolutely beautiful! 🥰 We stayed as Level guests, and were in the main reception building, our room was perfect, and cleaned every 2 days as promised! We had water in our rooms, good air con, and a tv that worked! We had no power cuts or no water cuts. Why people are complaining at every other day cleaning, I don’t know, you wouldn’t change everything at home every single day!! They inform you of this at reception when you arrive! The food was lovely, and the restaurants that you book into were delicious, we were served politely with happy staff at all times!! The Level pool was gorgeous, and right by the beach which was nice and relaxing with drinks and food served to you throughout the day! We had a beautiful holiday and one to remember 🥰 please don’t worry about the reviews before your holiday like I was! Could it do with a lick of paint and some new umbrellas here and there? Sure! Did it ruin our holiday? And did we go looking for reasons to ruin our holiday? No!! It would maybe be a 4* hotel in Europe etc but Melia was still a stunning hotel & Cape Verde was a delight to visit! ☺️ The only down side that I would warn others about - Mosquitos!! They are everywhere, and it doesn’t matter what you do they will bite you! Is this the hotels fault though and reason to complain? No! You’re in Africa.. it’s to be expected ☺️
- ajf3103 (8/5): Maybe not 5* but definitely a 4* - Ive travelled her solo. Really cant understand the complaints over the last month which made me worry leading up to my holiday. Ive had a great time (I never leave reviews). Room is cleaned every other day. Water in room replenished every other day. No cockroaches seen yet and im on day 4 of 7. Mosquitos have only bitten me twice.. food not the best but expected from an all Inclusive. Enjoy, its a nice hotel. Don't listen to the negative reviews!
- claresH5558MT (2/5): Don’t waste your time… - Absolutely shocking place Service in all a la carte is awful Drinks are weak in plastic stained glasses Bar staff are miserable Buffet is cold - no wonder so many people get upset stomach’s Very little information on the resort provided on arrival Towels are ripped at best if you can get clean towels at all! Sunbeds are broken Sun shades have no shade
- Henelec (2/5): One to be avoided - We arrived at the Melia Dunas hotel and as it was a late flight we were keen to get to our room. The bellboy took us out and we proceeded down a very dark tunnel to join the clouds of mosquitoes. We were led down some stairs where the lights were not working at all. A torch identified our room number and we were ushered into our ‘premium’ room. Dirty floor, grey limp sheets on the bed, dirty bath and a shower over the bath, a single sink with nowhere to put toiletries. The patio door opened onto a tiny ,terrace, with a small table and 2 chairs. If we had moved them to sit down they would have landed in the dirt. The net curtain had holes in it and did not cover the width of the window. The fridge had to be unplugged to use the coffee pod machine which was not working either as it turned out. We had two visitors in the room - centipedes. The largest one was picked up to throw out but it used its pincers to inject venom into the index finger which resulted in a call to the medic within an hour of arrival. We spent the night in there but met with the TUI rep in the morning and the attitude was ‘well this is a 4 star hotel’. We were then shown two more rooms which we refused to move into and then a third which we accepted as being a reasonable alternative. The rep said we would have to pay more as this was an upgrade but we signed a waiver and moved in. The pool area was very nicely laid out but thumping music from 10.30 am onwards made it a headache inducing area to spend any time in. On one of the days there was also a drone flying around the sun beds and pool so very intrusive. The buffet was basic and repetitive with inexperienced and untrained staff preparing omelettes and cooked food at breakfast resulting in queues and one in three omelettes being binned before a half edible one could be served. Fruit was not prepped - just cut into chunks and rind, skin etc still in tact. The bacon came with plastic packaging attached. The five onsite restaurants had a very limited menu but food was of a better standard as was the service. Sahel restaurant was good and we went there two nights running. We were all inclusive however you could not stock the fridge with soft drinks. These had to be purchased from the general store at premium prices! Very disappointing holiday and the first one that we have ever had such a poor experience Not sure how TUI can classify this as 4 star. The standards were very poor. We provided the hotel with feedback but judging from other reviews there is one stock answer which is’ well if you come back we will try to do better’. Avoid this one.
- O71NUkenc (2/5): Should be renamed Melia Dump Beach Open Prison - Bit of advise, AVOID like the plague, unless you like paying for 5 star expectations, but happy to settle for a camping holiday . Other reviews are totally backed up. Rooms damp and swarming with mosquitoes, cockroaches in the room, no water for 4 days, lack of cutlery and cleanliness of table in the café (sorry they call it a restaurant). Unhelpful staff, no air-condition turned on in bars and restaurants. No cleaning or towels for 6 days. Pool parasol, worn out just barely giving any shade. Generally they are saving money by cutting out basic services and don't really care about their guests. Will be claiming a refund from TUI under the Consumer Credit Act 1974.
- V5026GZdenisep (4/5): Stay away - This hotel is definitely not a 5 star, 3 at a push, bitten alive with moscitos, horrible corridor to get too room, cleaner was leaving door open when cleaning, explains why we had so many in room, 3 tins of insect killer 🙄 restaurant no plates,cups glasses, expected to drink from paper cups, if it was 5 star would not expect this, beach towels only managed to change once in 2 weeks, no towels left or come back later, same with bathroom towels, had to keep asking for them, too many people at hotel for staff to cope with. Definitely not returning to this hotel, we stayed at Sol Dunas the year before that holiday was fantastic.
- GoPlaces18072567518 (6/5): Missing maintenance on Meliá Dunas - Location of this resort is great, employees fine too but maintenance of infrastructure is really bad. 5 stars should mean more than what we have got.
- felisbelam2025 (2/5): Nightmare of holidays at Melias Dunas Resort Hotel zc - We chose this hotel because, on the EasyJet holidays website, it appeared to be of high quality, with attractive photos and a good overall impression. However, the reality was very different. On the day of travel, after a long 6-hour flight from London and having to wake up 3 hours earlier to prepare and arrive at the airport on time with children, we arrived at the hotel and were informed that our room wasn’t ready. We had to wait some hours hours despite being extremely tired. Our youngest was so exhausted and couldn’t even rest upon arrival because the room wasn’t prepared. When we finally received the keys and opened the door to the apartment, I felt like I was entering a low-category guesthouse. The apartment was outdated, with tiled floors full of stains, old furniture with paint marks, and damaged doors. It was clear that no proper maintenance had been done for years. Around the doorframe, the wood was already rotting, and the bins were rusty. What I thought would be a dream holiday turned into a nightmare. We couldn’t enjoy the leisure we expected—it was constant stress. Some of the window blinds were broken, and we had to keep them shut all day. We had no water starting one evening at 8 p.m., (20/07/2025 lasting until 06:00 am on 22/07/2025 .This caused a terrible smell in the bathrooms, making the environment unhygienic. We couldn’t shower or flush toilets. We constantly had no towels or missing towels. We complained, and it would take a full day to receive clean towels. We also found cockroaches in the bathroom and living area, as well as lizards crawling on the floor. One cockroach was even found on clothing hanging in the wardrobe. The hotel simply gave us insect spray, expecting us to deal with the pests ourselves. I couldn't sleep thinking if the cockraches might crawl over me. The fridge was unhygienic, and the experience became a matter of survival, not leisure. The outdoor parasols were destroyed, with no straw left to provide shade. The sun loungers were broken , and the swimming pool had missing tiles, creating a hazard. I personally injured my back and elbow due to this. The food at the buffet was repetitive and low quality. I never saw salmon, shrimp, or steak. The options were always chicken, tuna, or mackerel. This was not what we expected from a five-star resort. The hotel is not family-friendly. There were no snacks available for children throughout the day. Packaged ice cream had to be purchased separately. There were no chocolates, crisps, or treats for the children included in the package. Housekeeping did not clean the apartment daily, only every other day, which is unacceptable in a five-star hotel. They should at least check supplies and make the beds. I have stayed in much lower-rated hotels with far better service. This experience was a complete disappointment on all levels. I will never return to this hotel. What should have been a relaxing and enjoyable holiday became a stressful and unpleasant situation from beginning to end. It was the most wasted money in my entire life. I invite the EasyJet holidays and others companys go to this hotel and take updated pictures.
- Ickledickie (2/5): No running water for days.... Shocking - Not interested in any complaints Made a complaint about having no water in the hotel for 3 days. Couldn't shower and had to pour bottled water down the toilet to flush it. Complaints made at the hotel and they just aren't interested. We booked through easyJet and again they aren't interested. How can you book a 5 star hotel and end up not being able to shower and the holiday company don't do anything to help. Food - average Drinks- ok, coffee was really good Entertainment- poor Staff- Bar staff were good at some bars. Reception- extremely slow, took well over an hour to check in. They aren't interested in any complaints. Towels - Good luck getting beach towels. Towels in room removed, but not replaced for several days Rooms- large, spacious but looking tired. Bed was comfortable Water in hotel - 3 days without water is disgusting and you don't get a sorry from the hotel or easyJet!!! I would not use this hotel again, but if you choose to, dont use easyJet. They aren't interested if there are issues.
- O2691DOsofiae (2/5): Please! Don’t do it! Just don’t!! - Hideous and Scary experience! DO NOT BOOK Huge law suit being brought by Irwin Mitchell, this is one of 10 resorts in Cape Verde being accused of huge hygiene failures and outbreaks of illness and disease! I Travelled alone with my child but teamed up with four separate families, all of us struck down with D&V whilst at resort, water was turned off twice in resort in a 10 day period, once for three days and again for two the following week. NO RUNNING WATER! Printed statement in reception to advise guests! No flushing toilets, no handwashing, no showers! Entire resort directed to toilet and shower in the reception area. Massive outbreak of D&V whilst there! Kids throwing up by the poolside, people using bathroom bins to collect water from swimming pools to flush toilets! Hideous hygiene and worrying scenes in the buffet areas with food seemingly reused over and over and just re-presented! Infestations of mosquitos, staff were unfazed and nonchalant about conditions, bottled water made available but in limited supply and only on request from reception. Please, don’t do it, whatever you do, just don’t, I promise, finding out for yourself isn’t worth it.
- SULO227 (6/5): Dave and Animation Team made our holiday!! - On arrival we were allocated two separate room at different sides of the hotel even though we already emailed before to ask if our rooms can be close to one another but this was resolved and we were allocated rooms in the same block. The rooms are nice and spacious but the cleanliness is not the best. We left a plate outside the room and it was there for days. The food was terrible in the main buffet restaurant, it was the same thing day after day and had no flavour and also cleanliness was again an issue. The pools and beach were beautiful but the best part of the holiday by far were the animation team. Dave from the animation team was incredible, he was amazing with our children and was always smiling. If it wasn't for Dave and the animation team we would of been left very disappointed. Thank you animation team for making our stay worthwhile in Cape Verde.
- jotC5969QX (4/5): Dreadful - This hotel is absolutely not 5 star - at best a three - from the building to the food and the customer service all are sub 3 star Rooms are rarely cleaned towels are never Replenished despite asking multiple times food is very average often poor and the customer service is appalling If you have an issue or a question there appears to be zero training of staff and often rudeness I personally experienced loss of personal items from my room work zero help from even the guest services team who reluctantly meet with you and then have no resolution I would avoid this hotel it’s awful
- C5713QDluket (4/5): Just dont... book somewhere else seriously! - Save ur self an aweful holiday and book somewhere else! Booked this hotel told it was a 5 star hotel its a 3 star at best! The pictures on websites are from the day it was opened! Food is below average at best, Poor hygiene in the room blocked shower and sinks and waited 4 days for fresh towells! Without running water for 3 days! On arrival with a baby and 2 kids We waited over 4 hours for our room to be ready! The staff were rude and unhelpful The restaurants were all fully booked when we arrived and when we did get a table the following week the food was pretty much buffet food presented better. The App does not work to book restaurants ur be stood in a que for. Over 2 hours with other hotel guests to book a table. Alough only 5 Tables are. Ever filled! When we asked to move tables closer together as a party of 16 the staff started argueing and shouting at each other and us over the slightest inconvience ....Mental! The pool tiles around the pool multiple broken and just left. Bathrooms we not even cleaned once while we were there for 2 weeks! Hand on heart watched a chef behind washing off mould from the eggs then giving them to another chef to crack and cook. Everyone on our family hoiday was ill. Some of the staff were really friendly few bar staff and buffet staff. I actually will never return to this s**t heap. Mosquitos dont even get me started kids we bitten every single night horendously! Genuinly we read some bad reviews but read the good ones and thought it would be alright as we already book but SERIOUSLY re book or just dont book money is better spent in another 1000 places.
- Hobba (8/5): Lovely holiday but a few changes needed - Stayed at the Melia Dunas in Sal for a week in August. 7 people in total over 2 rooms. The good: Our room was cleaned regularly. Lovely big room with two bedrooms, two bathrooms (one en suite) and lounge area with direct access to the pool from the sliding doors. Green spaces were well maintained. Resort kept clean. Lots of pools for variety. Activities around the main pool for those that wanted to join in. Our friends who arrived a few days earlier than us were able to book us as a group into the different restaurants which was great for variety. Managed to get sunbeds but did have to be there early (we made use of them immediately and didn’t leave towels for hours). Bars around pools offered quick service and regularly collected glasses which avoided wasps being an issue. Really lovely beach at the base of the resort with lots of sunbeds. Water slides and football pitch for the kids. Always managed to get a table quickly for breakfast and lunch. Close to airport for quick transfer. Staff friendly if you chat to them. Leaving tips helps. Brilliant air conditioning in the rooms. Strong showers with hot water. Friendly chaps on the beach who arranged our turtle watching trip and island tour (mirage, sharks, salt lakes etc) which was great. Lots of wardrobe storage. Hairdryer in bathroom. Good variety of drinks. I didn’t see flies on the food and there was enough variety for us. Bottled water provided regularly in rooms and extra brought by messaging the WhatsApp number. The bad: Towels left on the floor for replacement were taken but not replaced and we had to chase to get them. Pool umbrellas provided no shade due to gaps which is bad in such intense UV. Mosquitoes - just part of the island and can’t be helped. We kept our room doors shut and used lots of repellent and wrist bands and only got a few bites 3 of us came back with ear infections (€150 the night before we flew home to see the on site doctor who was actually great). All of us have had upset stomachs whilst there and since we’re back. No water for over 24 hours - not the hotels fault but the lack of communication from them was. Showering with a bottle of water and having to use the pool water to flush the loo. Would have been good to get an email/text to keep us updated. Some pools have missing tiles. Difficult to change beach towels (already gone or no one at the towel room. No dressing table in the room. Burst pipe when the water came back on in the night which meant my children woke up to over 1cm of water covering the bedrooms and lounge area and due to the lack of storage for suitcases (simple case stands would have avoided this) had been absorbed by their suitcases and clothes (they didn’t fully unpack into the wardrobes). This was fixed quickly by maintenance which was good. Reception always busy. Lack of air conditioning in main areas and restaurants. Lack of labelling on foods in buffet restaurants (needs dairy, meat, eggs, gluten, shellfish etc marked to avoid issues and embarrassment having to always ask).
- M18HZdonnas (2/5): Don’t ignore the bad reviews - spend your money elsewhere - Have just returned from a week at the Melia Dunas and wanted to give my honest opinion. I strongly advise against this hotel, for the price you can better spend your money elsewhere. Few things we experienced: • 36 hours without running water - no shower, toilet, sink etc. Aware it was an island wide problem, but this does happen. If you want a 5 star holiday - filling water bottles with pool water to flush your waste down the toilet is quite literally worse than camping. • Mosquitoes are horrific. Absolutely eaten alive, as were so many people we met. We took plug ins, bands, sprays, skin so soft, literally everything - yet we were covered in bites. It is awful. • Check in takes an age and the rooms aren’t ready on arrival. We waited 4 hours. There is nowhere secure to leave your luggage, you literally have to leave it outside the front of the hotel. • Housekeeping was daily - however they take dirty towels and you then have to go to reception multiple times to get clean towels - every single day. • We couldn’t get beach towels the whole of our stay. There wasn’t any available at all for 7 days. • Our bathrooms were infested with ants 4 mornings out of 7. Hundreds of them coming through cracks into the showers. • There are pool tiles missing everywhere, they are really sharp. Lots of drains are collapsed, making it a nightmare for the children to run around and also walking around the pool at night. • The sun loungers are falling apart. I had to use a broken one as that was all that was left. When I stood up it pinched my skin and left me with blood blisters • They often ran out of bottled water and ice - they even ran out of bottle water when they running water was off. • You have to book restaurants before you arrive, otherwise they are fully booked and you can’t get in. • Room service takes a minimum of 90 minutes to arrive. We had to use it as our family went down ill. • 2 out of 4 of us had upset stomachs. • My son ended up with an ear infection. We had to see the onsite doctor. When we were in there, there was an actual queue of children with ear infections. • Hygiene in the buffet restaurant is awful. The staff wear gloves, often with holes in. I witnessed a chef get covered in raw egg, he ringed his hand with water only and then proceed to pick up the ingredients for an omelette. Every single day we sat at dirty tables and had to go and get our own cutlery and napkins. I ended up taking baby wipes with me to wipe down our tables as we sat down. • We paid for VIP before arrival - we never got our fully stocked minibar, and were refused our 25 minute spa treatment. You don’t get what you pay for. • There aren’t simple things, like instructions how to use the safe. Or menus in the restaurants. • On our first night, before the running water went off, the showers were absolutely freezing cold. • The plastic glasses from the pool bars are so old and filthy. The plates in the restaurants were chipped. It’s all so old and dated. • There is no ice cream for the children. There isn’t anywhere to get just snacks throughout the day. The ice cream machine at meal times over heats and stops working. There is an ice cream shack on the beach, but it is €5 per ice cream, and not included in AI or VIP. • In the cocktail and juice bar there are massive cockroaches crawling over the walls. I am aware that not everyone has experiences like this. This is just what we experienced. For the money we spent and a promise of a 5 star holiday, we really did not get that at all. I know many love it at the Melia Dunas, and can’t praise the staff enough. But that was not the case for us. We have never ever complained about a holiday before. I wanted to let people know. I really wish I hadn’t ignored the reviews. When I was tempted to cancel and go elsewhere, I really did wish that I’d done that. Complete waste of money.
- tammypP9211QF (2/5): Hotel Melia Dunas, Cape Verde - A Disappointing Experience!!!! - Hotel Melia Dunas, Cape Verde - A Disappointing Experience!!!! When we first arrived at Hotel Melia Dunas, the hotel looked grand and beautiful, with stunning palm trees and a large, impressive reception area that promised a luxurious stay. However, this initial grandeur was short-lived. The check-in process was long and drawn-out, with large queues and very little communication from the staff, which added unnecessary stress after our journey. To make matters worse, our room was not ready for several hours after arrival, which only added to the frustration of a long day of travel with our 7-year-old. This was just the beginning of a series of disappointing experiences that turned what was meant to be a relaxing family holiday into a stressful and frustrating ordeal. As frequent travelers to several African countries, we have encountered various levels of service and conditions. However, our recent stay at Hotel Melia Dunas, Cape Verde, from 20th-27th August 2025, was by far the worst experience we've had. While we understand that Cape Verde, and specifically Sal Island, sometimes faces water and electricity outages, the conditions at this hotel were simply unacceptable for a so-called 5-star property. The hotel did nothing to make the situation manageable or better, and the experience fell drastically short of expectations, especially given the high rating it boasts. Room Conditions: Upon arrival, we were informed that our room was not ready, which caused an unnecessary delay of several hours. This left us waiting around without any clear communication from the staff, adding stress to our already long journey. When we finally got to our room (without any direction or help) Room 5001, it was in an unacceptable state. There was visible mould around the taps, in the bath, and on the floor tiles. The air conditioning unit was mouldy, and the pillows were not only dirty and damp but also mouldy. The bin in the room was filthy and emitted a rancid smell, which made the already unpleasant atmosphere even worse. The curtains were also covered in mould. To top it off, we found a cockroach in the room. When we reported this, the staff responded dismissively, saying, “You’re in Africa,” which felt unprofessional and insensitive. Despite raising these concerns, the room was never cleaned properly, and we had to request basic items like toilet paper, towels, and drinking water repeatedly. This became especially frustrating as my partner was dealing with stomach issues, and we struggled to get the necessary supplies. Health and Hygiene Concerns: The pool area was unsafe, with missing tiles causing injury to my Sons foot, and the pool water had a brown scum ring, which indicated poor maintenance. The biggest issue, however, was the water shortage. For two full days, there was no water, leaving guests unable to wash their hands or use toilets. This led to overflowing public toilets and unsanitary conditions across the resort. The lack of water also meant that guests couldn't wash their hands, which created a health risk. Additionally, no hand sanitiser was provided anywhere on the resort. We understand that Sal Island sometimes experiences water and electricity outages, but the hotel made no effort to manage the situation or offer any solutions, which worsened the experience for everyone. Our family also faced health issues during our stay. My son contracted an ear infection, and we were told that several other children had the same problem. On the last day, my partner developed severe stomach cramps and extreme diarrhea, which we do not believe was simply "traveler’s diarrhea." We were extremely cautious with food and hygiene—we did not drink alcohol, stayed well-hydrated with bottled water, and avoided drinking or brushing our teeth with the resort’s water, which makes us believe these illnesses were linked to the unsanitary conditions at the hotel. Dining Experience: The food at the Spices Buffet Restaurant was unhygienic. Staff were seen by my partner eating pasta directly from the serving trays with their bare hands, and there were flies all over the food. Reheated food from the previous day was served, and we noticed that a piece of pasta fell into the beef stew during one meal. The following day, that same piece of pasta was still in the stew, indicating that the food was reheated. This raised concerns about food handling and hygiene practices. Additionally, guests were served drinks in cracked and chipped plastic cups, which felt unsafe and unsightly. The situation caused extreme anxiety when it came to choosing food, as we were unsure what might make us even more sick. The lack of cleanliness and hygiene in the dining area made it difficult to feel confident about eating anything, which turned what was meant to be a relaxing and fun family summer holiday into a stressful experience. Mosquitoes: While mosquitoes are an unavoidable issue in hot, humid countries like Cape Verde, the number of mosquitoes in our room was horrendous. We were constantly battling them, and it significantly impacted our comfort during the stay. We understand that this is a common issue in such climates, but I would highly recommend bringing plenty of mosquito repellent, bite cream, and antihistamines if you plan to stay here. The hotel could have done more to mitigate this problem, such as ensuring rooms are properly treated or offering more effective insect repellents to guests at not such an expensive price. Customer Service: The customer service at the hotel was disappointing. The staff at reception were indifferent and unhelpful when we raised concerns about the room’s condition. The EasyJet representative on-site was also dismissive when we requested medical assistance for my son, which added to our frustration during an already stressful time. Entertainment and Resort Facilities: The entertainment was lacklustre, with the mini-disco routine remaining unchanged every night. My son lost interest quickly, and it was clear that little effort was made to engage the children. Overall, our stay at Hotel Melia Dunas was disappointing. The conditions were substandard, and the service was far from what should be expected from a 5-star resort. While we understand the challenges of a developing country, and the occasional outages on Sal Island, the hotel’s failure to address or manage these issues was unacceptable. The water shortage, in particular, led to overflowing public toilets and unsanitary conditions, which posed serious health risks. The hotel should not be rated as 5 stars with these ongoing problems. Additionally, while mosquitoes are common in tropical destinations, the infestation in the rooms was excessive. I would recommend guests come prepared with plenty of mosquito repellent and other remedies to manage bites. Our stay was meant to be a relaxing and fun summer holiday for our family, but instead, it caused anxiety, especially when trying to choose food to eat, fearing we might get even more sick. Reusing dirty plastic cups at the pool bar and dealing with unsanitary conditions only made the experience worse. My partner and son are still suffering from health issues upon returning home. My son’s ear infection required ongoing treatment, and my partner is still struggling with the stomach cramps and other symptoms that began during our stay. I would not recommend this hotel to anyone. Save your money and book somewhere else that offers better value, a cleaner environment, and genuinely cares for guest health and safety.
- pclarkeRushden (4/5): Was wonderful 5 yrs ago - Stayed here last week of April and 1st week of May. Paid extra for The Level. Stayed here before covid and had a wonderful time so decided to come back. Wow, how can a hotel deteriorate so much. No concierge to take us to check in, not a problem just queued with every one else. Ot what you pay for when you upgrade but hey ho...We were taken to our room above reception area. Room was dated, tired and very worn. Wallpaper peeling, enamel in the bath was non existent. Shower head was cracked so water ran down the back of it and a lamp didn't work. Not 3rd world problems. Went down to reception and maintenance quickly sorted shower and lamp. Had alacarte restaurants booked for us every other day. When we stayed before it was every night. Food in the buffet restaurant was awful. Hot food was cold, not much of a selection, very, very noisy and just not an enjoyable experience each time we went. We ended up just eating cheese sandwiches when it was buffet night. On a plus...the fresh bread was lovely. We had adults only breakfast restaurant, swimming pool and air conditioned lounge which we had previously. The sun loungers were tatty, rattan furniture split and broken, sun shades so old they did not provide shade, the tiles in and around the pool were missing and the showers did not work. The 2 showers by the beach bar were also inoperable and we all had to use a piece of old hosepipe to wash the sand off after coming off the beach. Complaints were made. Lots of them, by us and lots of others. Lots of unhappy people about. Josè our concierge was magnificent. He remembered us from before, he has not changed a bit and is still the kindest and most helpful man in the hotel. Nothing is too much trouble. If he can help in any way he will. Vanice, lovely, lovely lady who ran the breakfast restaurant and also did the drinks runs around the pool, and the other staff, so, so nice, Ivan and Leonardo in the Level Lounge are again so nice and again all very helpful. The younger staff however need a lesson in customer service and manners. I understand their resentment earning the pittance that they do, but they are there to do a job. Lots of unhappy staff did outweigh the happy ones sadly. We did meet some smashing couples, who also felt the same and we all had a laugh about it. We don't go on holiday to be miserable. But....after being eaten alive by mozzies...we were pretty fed up for a few days. All comparing mosquito bites. Mozzie spray didn't touch them. If anything it made it worse. We went to relax after a hectic few months. We did just that. Just sad to see the deterioration in the hotel.
- amiem771 (4/5): Ok for price but mosquitoes, dirty rooms and rude staff - We stayed here as a family in July 2025 for a week. We had a lovely time together as a family and for the price we paid for the first week of summer holidays all inclusive I guess it was a pretty good deal. However…. There are a lot of bad points to add! Firstly, check in was a nightmare!! Took almost an hour in the heat, no apologies for wait time and then to be told that our room still wasn’t ready. We also had requested through easyJet rooms near each other but they were at complete opposite ends of the hotel. The hotel site is HUGE so a good 10 minute walk with the kids. When we finally did get into the rooms we were disappointed. The pictures on easyJet showed a 2 bed room but only had 1 bedroom and a tiny leather sofa bed in the front room which the kids had to share for the whole week (we have a 13 year old girl and 8 year old boy - luckily they didn’t mind sharing but not all teenagers would be happy with this) also we then had no electricity which no one had warned us about when checking in! It did come back on after about an hour. Food was ok - but the whole booking into the a la carte restaurants was ridiculous. We could only manage to get booked into 2 of them for our whole stay which we had to queue and wait to book in the piano bar. The staff member booking this was pretty unhelpful, didn’t bother to tell us that you can actually visit the other restaurants at lunchtime without reservations! I definitely think an information pack in the rooms would be helpful as the site is so big and we had no idea where other snack bars etc were until after talking to other guests. MOSQUITOES!! An absolute nightmare here, we got bitten to pieces. I had seen warnings about these so took bands, sprays and wipes but still got covered in bites!! I think housekeeping in the rooms have a lot to answer for, other than making the beds and emptying the bin it didn’t ever seem like they did anything else. Sheets were not changed once - my mother in law went to reception to request hers changed as hers had been covered in blood from where they had killed the swarms of mosquitoes in the room but this never happened. Floors were filthy! Staff - pool animation team were great, kids loved joining in with the games and dancing. A few of the bar staff were friendly but other than that we found a lot of them very rude and unfriendly! We went to the beach only once - lovely beach but was hounded literally every 5 minutes by men trying to get you to buy something from their carrier bags. We expected a few but not to this extent. Most were ok once we politely said no thank you but some were much more pushy. Overall for the price we paid it was ok but really doubt we would want to stay here again.
- N855LWdavidb (4/5): Average hotel - Initial arrival at the reception was stunning. A well decorated and lit reception with views of the main pool as the backdrop. Music playing with adults and kids laughing and chatting creating a buzz of energy. I felt content and reassured after several hours of traveling and the nervousness of discovering what we had actually booked nearly 12 months before. Check in was an absolute disgrace, long and drawn out. Staff seem to be tapping needlessly at their keyboards and walking off every few minutes with little communication, leaving you wondering what was happening. It was well over 2 hours before we set foot in our room. The room seemed dated but initially clean, a double bed, creeky worn out sofa bed for the kids, undersized wardrobe and a pointless kitchenette that required some maintenance. We had no toilet roll and despite 4 people staying in the room, only 2 medium sized towels. Ceilings and walls were coated in the carcasses of mosquitos and marks from the utensils used to eliminate those mosquitos, some comical foot prints from shoes making it look like someone has walked across the ceiling. An absolute battle to get toilet roll and 3 separate visits to reception the following day to get additional towels which also became a regular issue. Don’t bother asking for additional key cards for the room, we were shut down at every attempt to ask for one. The room servicing wasn’t great, more of a general tidy with the floor being left like we had just had a flood. I put a pencil mark on the corner our sheets and it was 6 days before our sheets were changed for the first time. Room service is every other day and between bottled water, toilet roll and towels, something was always forgotten. The grounds were reasonably maintained and tidy. Path’s are also used by staff with golf buggy’s who dart backwards and forwards consistently throughout the day. Rather than wait for you they weave between pedestrians in their way. The paths are also poorly lit at night. The food at the restaurants is boring, especially the buffet. Your told at check in that you have to book anything other the buffet. They “seem” to be almost fully booked when attempting to do so. All were pretty empty on all occasions we managed to attend or walk past. We had a party of 16 every evening for dinner and this seemed to throw every member of staff into a complete frenzy with arguments between staff becoming embarrassing. Workers don’t like change or anything outside of ordinary or routine. They all had no working AC and got pretty stuffy with kids getting frustrated quickly. Every member of staff across the entire complex seemed to have an attitude and your dealt with like your an inconvenience. A quick experiment showed us that if you tip, your looked after. I have always tipped for good service, not to get good service??! Water outages are a potential experience in Cape Verde, we were warned about this and experienced 33 hours with no water on one occasion and 2 hours on another for ourselves. This affected all rooms across the entire hotel. Main reception experienced daily evening electrical issues with power going out briefly effecting the reception , buffet, piano bar and evening entertainment. The pools and pool sides were generally clean but tiles missing which were often found at the bottom of the pool. Pool bars regularly ran out of plastic cups and ice. Plenty of rattan sun beds although a large number are starting to fall apart or the backs don’t raise up due to damaged or missing parts. We didn’t attend any trips, the kids just wanted the pool. Reports back from friends we had made had mixed reviews and we didn’t feel like we had missed anything special. A short 5 Euro taxi ride into Santa Maria is definitely worth it, we went several times in the evenings and the restaurants and food were far better than the hotel could offer. As the evenings go on sparks of entertainment emerge. It does get busy but felt safe. Overall I found this hotel to be average, the service poor, the food and drinks boring. As for feeling refreshed after a holiday………..not me, I couldn’t wait to get home and have the luxuries this hotel didn’t offer.
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