10/10 Excellent
Samantha C.
6 Dec 2022
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Don't miss out on this (not so little!) Gem
It was our first visit to Sal and the Cape Verde Islands yet we knew what we wanted... on the beach, independent living and large outside space, close to shops and bars/restaurants (a 3 min walk with someone who has mobility challenges) - and this lovely place exceeded expectations. Communication was great from start to finish, check-in was a breeze - Lorraine arranged a taxi to meet us at the airport and the driver, Jaime, helped us with our luggage to the door and made sure we were OK before he left.
The complex has very good 24x7 patrolling security for those who are worried and all of the team were very friendly and helpful and went out of their way to accommodate our questions and give advice.
The apartment and location itself is more stunning than the pictures. We were greeted with lovely birthday and retirement balloons, cards and presents which was a lovely surprise and a wonderful personal gesture.
There's aircon in the main living area with fans in the bedrooms but with the doors open and the natural breeze flowing through, we found that just perfect for us. Even though it's close to all amenities, all we could hear was the cicadas and waves from the ocean in the evening. There's occasional entertainment from the hotel next door but that stops early in the evening and if we were at home during that time, it was good music. The pool is a great size and great for swimming as well as floating :) It's kept very clean and there's a no noise policy so also very quiet during the day.
It is a deprived island, and COVID hasn't helped the situation, however although you get approached by people wanting you to go to their store, they aren't aggressive or pushy and always friendly and have a smile.
For those who want a beach holiday, the beach directly outside is a bit rocky when you get into the water but not a problem if you don't have mobility issues. If you do, walk 2 mins to the right and it's perfectly sandy (beware the currents, it is the Atlantic afterall) or there's the natural harbour at Porto Antigo I which is about a 7 min walk to get to. There's plenty of other activities and places to explore which surprised us with it being such a small island, as well as a museum of the history of Sal about 5 mins walk away.
Would we go back to Sal and Apartment No 2 again? In a heartbeat and we're already saving our pennies to go back to Lorraine's (not so little) gem.
Samantha C.
Stayed 14 nights in Nov 2022
