Riu Palace Boavista - All Inclusive

We stayed at the Riu Palace May 2025 just before the May half term and it was lovely. We stayed all inclusive via First Choice and couldn't fault it. I can see why many of the patrons we spoke to have visited multiple times. As a parent of young children it was perfect. HOTEL - The hotel is situated only 5 minutes from the airport so getting the transfer coach isn't a problem as there are no other drop offs. You could also opt for a taxi which was 10 euros. The architecture of the hotel is beautiful with a large atrium/reception featuring 2 of the á la carte restaurants and a coffee bar. The rooms branch off to the left and right and has multiple floors with a lift. It's not large or overbearing which is nice. There is main avenue that runs down the centre straight to the beach and pools - lanes branch off to the main buffet restaurant, spa, entertainment bars etc. The resort feels small and intimate but never cramped. The paths were all smooth and level which was great when travelling with a pram and mobility scooter. It was refreshing to see all different disabilities enjoying the resort - it says a lot. We had a ground floor room with a balcony. The room is spacious with a sofa bed converted for our 2 children. The bathroom is huge and the rainfall shower was amazing. If we were to return we would take a 1st floor room as we had a slight ant issue, and neighbouring room (which had the rest of our party in) had a few cockroaches. This is to be expected in a wild environment, but maybe a 1st floor room would put the wildlife off a bit. We even had a crab wander into the balcony. :) POOL & BEACH - There is one large pool (with half submerged sun beds) and two swim-up bar pools either side. The great thing about the pools if you have children is that the pool is all one depth so my eldest could stand confidently and work on her swimming skills with ease. The raised platform by the sun beds was great for my toddler to paddle too. There are plenty of beds around the pool, though I would recommend ones under the retractable canopies for shade if you have little ones. There are umbrellas and trees if you are more of a sun worshipper. I think the reason why families love Cape Verde so much is because of the consistent weather. The wind from the sea turns the 40+ degree African sun into a comfortable high 20s. So, you never feel hot and uncomfortable - but you must use factor 50 because it is very deceptive. The beach is beautiful, with soft sand and palm trees. The water was permanently a yellow or red flag due to the wind and strong currents. You can dip your feet but not swim. Be careful of the undertow with little ones. If you get up early you can see the sea turtles swimming about. DINING - There are 2 buffet restaurants (a main one and mini one by the pool), plus 3 á la carte, bookable restaurants - of which we tried the Japanese and Gourmet. All the food was delicious and varied. Yes there was allocated stations within the buffet but there was

First time we’ve ever stayed in a Riu Palace hotel. Best decision we ever made. Hotel was beautiful. The staff went above and beyond during our 2 week stay. Big shout out to Kevin from the entertainment team. He was brilliant! Everyone said “hello” or “good morning”. Even the cleaners. Room was cleaned to a very high standard. We had a sea view room which I highly recommend. The view was beautiful. There’s optics and a mini bar in the room which can be filled anytime by requesting it on the Riu app. The shower in the room is amazing. Massive shower head above plus an additional hand held. The hotel grounds were immaculate. The gardeners were out everyday. There’s an abundance of sunbeds, so no more getting up a 5 in the morning to reserve one. Pools were spotless and spacious. The beach is literally on the doorstep and is golden sands, palm trees and blue water. Food was really good, they did a roast dinner while we were there and it was delicious. They do water sports at the hotel and we did the snorkelling trip. It was amazing, seriously good and I would definitely recommend you try it. It was €35 each. All in all it was an exceptional holiday. The Riu Palace was the best hotel we stayed in and it was definitely the best holiday we’ve been on. One last thing……. Don’t be lazy, be crazy, the time is now! (You’ll see)!

Here’s your holiday review rewritten with no mention of Butlins: ⸻ Review: TUI Holiday to Boa Vista – A Huge Disappointment We travelled as three families, having saved over £18,000 between us for what was supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime holiday. Sadly, this turned out to be the worst holiday experience we’ve ever had, and far from the standard we expected from TUI. Drinks & Refreshments • Nothing was fizzy – even “fizzy” drinks were flat. • No proper iced drinks, just watered-down versions, never a true slushy. • Coffee shop didn’t open until late in the morning, so no chance of a proper coffee to start the day. Food • Plain, repetitive, and uninspiring. • Food often left uncovered with flies on it – completely unacceptable for a resort. Pools & Facilities • Pools were scummy and poorly maintained. • Towel dispensary was closed when it should have been open. • Sunbeds were crammed in so tightly you barely had space to move. • Towels were placed on sunbeds ridiculously early, meaning guests struggled to find anywhere to sit during the day. Health Concerns • Almost everyone in our group had a poorly tummy at least once – most of us more than once. Clearly a hygiene issue somewhere. Entertainment & Atmosphere • Terrible evening entertainment – lacking energy, organisation, and quality. • Overall atmosphere felt cheap, tired, and well below the expectations of an “all-inclusive island resort.” After saving so much money and looking forward to this holiday for months, the reality was a complete let-down. The food, drink, and entertainment all failed to meet even basic standards, and instead of returning relaxed and refreshed, we came home feeling disappointed, frustrated, and like our money was completely wasted. TUI really needs to address these issues urgently, because right now this resort is simply not fit for purpose.