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Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Located on Sal Island, the VOI Vila do Farol resort lies about 1 km away from Santa Maria, the main town, only a 20-minute drive from the international airport. It is immersed in a large garden overlooking the stunning beach. VOI Vila do Farol resort features 236 rooms housed in one-storey bungalows set along lovely lanes in a vast garden. The main meals are buffet served in the restaurant located in the main building, while a snack bar near the beach, a bar by the pool and a lovely bar in the lounge complete the offer. The main building includes a welcoming lounge with a reception desk, a disco, many boutiques, an internet point with wi-fi system, a multi-purpose room and a TV sat lounge. Between the main building and the seafront, a free-form swimming pool lies with a children section, surrounded by ample solarium terraces, and a separate plunge pool. Shady shelters and sun beds free as long as available by the pool and by the beach and towels. The beach is certainly one the main attractions of Sal. A shoreline of dazzling white sand extends for kilometres, lapped by the crystal clear water of sea characterized by unique colours… a true paradise for nature lovers.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Mid-range
Green
Languages Spoken
English, French, Italian
Location
Praia Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Ilha do Sal 4111 Cape Verde
VOI Vila do Farol Resort
2,815 reviews
Getting there
Somewhat walkable
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travelers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
This place has lots of positives to it. Great location on the beach, loads of space and well looked after gardens, lots of sun loungers around two pools that get a good mix of sun and breeze. Rooms are spacious and clean, if a little dated in decor. Food is great for an all inclusive , lots of salads, pasta and gelato. Even the coffee is good ! Staff are great, if a little over worked at times. Good animation programme if you are into that sort of thing (I’m not) .
But a few things that let the place down a little - wifi is pretty poor and very intermittent. Kind of expect more in this day and age. Pillows in the bedrooms are like pieces of paper and some of the bed linen was showing it’s ages in terms of thinness. Rooms don’t have a little kettle in which would have enabled you to enjoy the gardens a bit more before breakfast or after a day by the pool.
Great place for some winter sun, will probably come back but may give one of the other places on the island a try instead.
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Date of stay: March 2023Trip type: Traveled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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We spent a week after mid-August in this resort and unlike others we had a very good time. The rooms are a little dated, but we knew it, they said they will be renovated soon but they are still very spacious, welcoming, equipped with everything and clean. Since there were 4 of us, we had two connecting rooms and I must say that we didn't have any problems with rainwater infiltration and the wi-fi worked very well even in the room, it will depend on the location. Well-kept and clean common areas, excellent and varied catering for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Friendly, polite and always available staff. The salt water pool is very beautiful. The magnificent beach, the warm sea, with beautiful colors and sandy seabed, walking along the shoreline I saw dolphins and turtles swimming near the shore. We practically bathed every day without problems. The only sore point, as underlined by practically everyone, is the absence of umbrellas or more coverage on the beach. Very nice excursion with Davide who showed us practically the whole island with his pick-up, booked with Alpitour. Exciting evening excursion to see the turtles lay their eggs, but found it very expensive (considering that there were 2 adults and 2 children, which lasted a couple of hours and with short transfers to nearby beaches). Entertainment: nice and knowledgeable guys, too bad they were only present in the pool, never saw the guys on the beach and those like us who spent most of the day on the beach weren't involved. Activities for absent children/teenagers, never seen any tournament or activity dedicated to them in a week. Nice evening shows, nothing special, fun, very good musical. Neos flight Ok both outward and return, super friendly and helpful on-board staff ;). In short, Cape Verde was a pleasant surprise, a nice relaxing week, we will be back.....and as they say, a recommended no-stress holiday!
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Date of stay: August 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I spent Christmas in this property, a splendid village and the Bravo entertainment is above expectations. It is a purely Italian village and there are few foreigners. The bungalows are large, with a large wardrobe and the bathroom is also large as well as has a window, double sink and a nice shower. The walls are thin, strongly not recommended for a couple on their honeymoon (!!!). Outside there is a small table with two chairs to enjoy the evenings in peace. For the cleaning I didn't have it done a couple of times because it didn't coincide with my schedule, I happened to stay out all morning and not find the room clean, in the afternoon maybe I was resting and I didn't like being disturbed. Internet reception in the common areas is good and since we were near a repeater we also had it inside the bungalow. Over Christmas the pools were quite cold, the ocean was much better. Personally, in the area in front of the village the beach didn't excite me because the ocean was very rough and also to get to the water there was a kind of step to go down, on the contrary the beach vs Santa Maria center was decidedly more beautiful and not at all agitated. The restaurant room was fantastic with buffets located in various areas, which is why there were no queues. The food is fantastic, definitely better than in Italian establishments and I have never eaten such a good Wiener schnitzel (not fried) as here. The ice creams and desserts are also very varied and good. I didn't like the Christmas Eve dinner from an organizational point of view, because to fill the table they put you together with people you didn't know and that's not the best, furthermore being all concentrated at the same time created a lot of chaos and it was also very hot so we couldn't wait to leave. In the structure there are small shops for various souvenirs but also for creams, costumes and clothing. They also accept euros. Despite some flaws, overall it is an exceptional structure that I would recommend and where I would like to return.
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Date of stay: December 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I had mixed thoughts about this village.... Impeccable cleanliness are constantly cleaning everywhere.... Restorate very good the year before I was in Oman at the rotana 5 stars and the food was not so good and varied especially the Italian I am from Genoa they made gnocchi by hand with pesto and I assure you it was good.... Cmq there is everything and always varied grade 10. Village made of bungalows all colored very spartan in the bathroom there is no soap to wash, but of the tablets that melt so if you want to bath foam poetatelo from home but we also enjoyed the soap tablets, the pools are very nice salt water in addition there are various bars a little 'scattered everywhere in the village that make cocktails and at the appointed time also make snaks.... Animation bravo non nagging special thanks goes to Nicole of the miniclub my daughter was fine when she was with her very capable and empathetic girl with children so thank you very much vote 10 especially to you Nicole... Beautiful beach and sea .. with a 10-minute walk you arrive at the Santa Maria wharf where there are fishermen and banquets of handicrafts .. I haven't seen cockroaches or anything like that to be in Africa so much obvious stuff is not luxurious if you want luxury go to Dubai... The only negative thing is the soundproofing of the rooms you can hear even what snores next door that is the only sore point for the rest I would choose it again.
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Date of stay: October 2024Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We stayed for 2 weeks in this Italian village of Sal and I must say that we had a decent stay for a 4 star resort. Let's start with the positive things: the location is optimal, close to Santa Maria and on a beautiful beach of fine white sand. Warm and clean sea. The resort is well maintained with gardens although in need of renovation. The rooms in the bungalow are decent, they need 'updating' for example ours had an old-fashioned and very noisy air conditioner. However, the cleanliness of the room and the structure was good. The food is excellent and, for those who like it, the entertainment is very friendly and enjoyable. Good assistance. Let's get to the sore points that justify the 2 stars out of 5. I find it inadmissible for an all-inclusive that the bottled water should be at Payment as well as smoothies, etc. The absorption of fruit juices and the presence of international liqueurs is poor in bars. We had two storms and in both cases there were flooding of some rooms and the restaurant. It must be said that the staff immediately did their utmost to minimize any inconvenience. The replacement of beach towels is cumbersome and takes place by 6pm, effectively preventing you from staying on the beach any longer. But the most indecent thing is the organization (effectively absent) of the beach: first of all there are over 300 meters from where guests stay and the bar without a walkway on the sand making it difficult to get water or anything. The distance and the lack of a walkway make it impossible for a disabled person to go to the beach and very difficult for example for a mother with a stroller. But the real absurd thing was that the beach equipment was a canopy of about 20 x 4 under which there were about 60-70 sunbeds next to each other, forcing people to stay next to each other without a minimum of privacy. There are no umbrellas (just as there is the same organization in the swimming pool...) and in fact it is like being inside a chicken coop next to each other. Only at the last minute, given some complaints from some guests, did they reduce the number of indoor sunbeds. However, considering that the sun is the equatorial one, the need for a shaded space becomes mandatory. It is difficult to understand this choice considering that all the structures next door have adequately spaced umbrellas and sunbeds with a bar near the umbrellas. Finally, a safety recommendation: despite being a warm and fairly calm sea, during our stay there were a couple of accidents with guests due to 'rogue' waves that occurred even in calm sea conditions. Warn guests well and continuously of the potential danger associated with the fact that we are in the middle of the ocean. I also recommend having the materials to assist with any accidents (for example the spinal board) on the beach and not in the infirmary at a reasonable distance since, as mentioned, even serious accidents can always happen even in relatively calm sea conditions. I know that renovation works are scheduled for April '24 which I hope will make up for these unfortunate situations for a resort with enormous potential.
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Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Having stayed at numerous all inclusive hotels this ranks as one of the worst. Location wise its nice but there is only one pool and 2 bars. What they call the beach bar is a small restaurant facing the beach.
The rooms are VERY dated and old fashioned, not been decorated in years. Damp patches on ceiling all paint is chipped, marked and scuffs on the walls. No kettle or drink making facilities and the tiny fridge is so old too. There is also only 2 sockets one in main room and one in bathroom. NO WIFI reception at all. The errrrr patio is a table and 2 tiny uncomfortable chairs on the grass outside.
Reception staff not friendly at all, 3 times we asked for an extra pillow it never arrived. They simply didn't seem interested in UK guests and wouldn't exchange escudos back to Euros when we asked so we had to spend them. Staff at all the bars were not friendly either.
Cleaning staff did an ok job and towels etc all changed.
Entertainment was the same singer every night and theatre not much better and no drinks or bar at the theatre. You are also shouted at if you try to take drinks back to your room never known staff like it!!!!!
Main dining room gets way too hot and is NOT full air conditioner, when busy they can't keep up clearing the tables too so you have to use a table with dirty dishes on and get your own cutlery and serviettes etc. Food was OK had better though.
All in all a disappointing stay, not made to feel welcome and staff at times rude. A basic 3 star at best we would NOT recommend.
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Date of stay: March 2024Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:Avoid booking at all
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from VOI Vila Do Farol Resort Reputation, Direttore generale at VOI Vila do Farol Resort
Responded Apr 6, 2024
Dear Paul, we apologize for any inconvenience during your stay. Our entertainment format includes, as in many other resorts the hotel's piano bar, not a concert, every day, with different groups. The shows in the theater are scheduled for two weeks, we are sorry that there was nothing to your liking. We appreciate your feedback and will work to improve our services. Thank you for choosing our hotel.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We stayed from 19 to 26 September at Bravo Vila do Farol. The property is dated and would need a complete restyling (which will take place) but you already knew it. Bungalows are very simple and not very soundproofed but always well cleaned. In short, it is not a structure for demanding customers, it is informal, very simple but characteristic. In general we were fine, aware of the defects that a non-new structure can have. The cuisine is good and varied and the all inclusive service works well. Beautiful seawater pool with attached snack bar. The sea point is beautiful but often rough, better to move a few hundred meters towards the pretty village of Santa Maria. The amazing warm water and the transparent sea. On the beach as in the pool there are no umbrellas (already known) but the gazebos still offered good shelter from the Cape Verdean sun. We didn’t use the animation much but the staff found it kind and helpful even if the animation is a bit softer than other villages (probably because we are in low season). In conclusion 3 bullets are few, 4 maybe too many but we reward the value for money (it costs much less than the neighboring villages) and the beauty of the island that surprised us.
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Date of stay: September 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Very good stay! Very clean hotel, decent rooms, rather spacious, decent bedding but low pressure in the showers, long hair, get ready! Large and beautiful swimming pool (salt water). Good location, a few kilometers from the city center of Santa Maria (nightclub, restaurant, commerce and above all magnificent beach). Good restaurant, but you won't find typical dishes there! In this hotel, Italy takes precedence! The bars are nice, they just have a very heavy hand on alcohol😅. I highly recommend the excursions with mamadou MTT, you won't miss it on the beach! They lived up to what we expected! Bravo to him! 002389245244 do not hesitate to contact him! Concerning the entertainment, a small disappointment because it is in Italian, there are very few dancing evenings, that was the small frustration of the stay. The Italian facilitators are nice but the language barrier meant that they rarely came to us. On the other hand... Bravo to the French animators!! Benoit and Dylan!! Thanks to them, they were real rays of sunshine! Available, smiling! Very good dancer (or not 😜). A little dedication also to the pool masseuse (I unfortunately forgot her first name) who will take wonderful care of you! Don't hesitate to take a chip as soon as you arrive at the hotel, sold for 12 euros, because the wifi works very poorly in the rooms. Change of currency was possible at the hotel too!
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Date of stay: March 2024Trip type: Traveled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The village is very pretty and fits well into the natural context. For those who don't like large barracks but a human-scale environment with lots of houses and common areas that aren't too crowded. It has a restaurant with quite varied cuisine although I personally ate more grilled meats and vegetables than other fruit, especially papaya and desserts. There is a seawater swimming pool. The sunbeds near the swimming pool and near the sea are made of plastic and canvas and should always be cleaned. Near the sea there is a shelter to shelter from the sun. It would be better to have umbrellas with separators to protect from the wind. There is good animation. The kids in our week were good but we didn't have the best week from this point of view since there was a change of kids who had finished their season and the new ones who arrived and the new village head. The new village head Vittorio certainly shows that he is experienced and very good. I certainly also went for the junior animation but there was no sign of it. I understand that involving teenagers is complicated but there wasn't even an attempt to do so. A note to "save" the village. The rumor is that it will close next year to do a major renovation. It is certainly necessary to do it for air conditioners for example or other things... but the village is particular precisely for being like this with the houses and this old-fashioned environment. I hope to be able to return. The proximity to the center of Santa Maria is also good, where you can arrive on foot with a nice walk by sea.
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Date of stay: May 2024Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Just returned from a beautiful week at Vila do Farol. Already on arrival we were surprised because from some reviews I had read I thought the village fell apart instead it was not so "old", to us it seemed very nice, well kept, spotless and very quaint with all the colorful Bungalows. Of course some renovation would not hurt because some things are quite "outdated" but overall we liked it. As for the kitchen nothing to say, there were various types of meat and fish for lunch and dinner, at least 3/4 types of pasta (I found it delicious and cooked to the right point), a risotto (there was also white rice of course ), lots of vegetables, very good bread, a type of pizza, lots of fruit, ice cream and desserts (which were the best among all those tasted in foreign villages). The beach is huge and very clean, the sea has beautiful colors, but in front of the village unfortunately it is almost always rough being the tip of the island, we stayed one day on the beach towards Santa Maria (walking 10 minutes) and one day at Bikini Beach (you go there by taxi with about 6€). The pool is salt water, always clean and well maintained, perfect for children because it is never very high (it seems to me max 1.20m), in the center of the pool there is a bridge and the bar open from 10 to 19. The Bravo animation is really a highlight of the village, congratulations to the guys who are really nice and very good, a special thanks to Caterina of the miniclub, my daughter cried for 2 days for how much she was so fond of her. Final conclusions: I would stay there again tomorrow! The village will close I think end of the year for renovation, maybe then I'll pop back to see the difference! Final score 9 out of 10.
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Date of stay: July 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
There are more places to choose from in the Santa Maria area.
PRICE RANGE
$184 - $314 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
aw bravo vila do farol hotel santa maria
LOCATION
Cape VerdeIlha do SalSanta Maria
NUMBER OF ROOMS
234
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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