22 August 2012

I recently visited Cape Verde for the first time, flying directly from Glasgow to Boa Vista; a relatively short trip of 6 ½ hours. We stayed at the Riu Karamboa set on a lovely sandy beach within a mile of the airport (the transfer time is on about 5 minutes!) Riu Karamboa is a lovely complex. The rooms are nicely decorated in an African style and feature a balcony or terrace with lovely views. There is a huge lagoon style pool area and swim-up bar and guests also benefit from a large beach area with sunbeds and umbrellas so there are plenty of options! The hotel is all-inclusive and offers a fantastic choice of food for all main meals; so much so you could eat here for 2 weeks and still not sample all they have to offer. The dinner menu changes daily and wine, beer and soft drinks are available continuously. For those who prefer something different, there are other restaurant options include local African and Asian cuisine. Some of the hotel’s bars got quite busy at peak times, but staff were friendly and there was a great selection of drinks. The live shows in the evening were some of the best I have experienced in this style of hotel, with a very varied programme. As well as the evening entertainment and great pool area, guests can also enjoy a full varied activity programme, a spa and wellness centre, shops and even a nightclub! The hotel is perfect for children as well with a ‘Kids Club’, a playground and a separate pool for children, away from the main pool area. For me, if you are looking for a totally relaxing holiday, and are happy to forget about shopping for a week or two, then I would thoroughly recommend this hotel. The beaches stretch for miles, with golden sands which are great for walks, and there is a constant breeze which takes the sting out of the sun. Apart from the hotel complexes, there isn’t a lot to do on the island, but they provide more than enough entertainment and high quality food and drink to give you a memorable holiday experience!

01 December 2010

Just returned from a fabulous holiday to Mexico - where we stayed at the 5* Gran Bahia Principe resort on the beautiful Riviera Maya! This fabulous complex. lies approx. 65 miles south-west of Cancun on the Yucatan peninsula. Fabulous beaches! The complex consists of 3 hotels - Bahia Prince Tulum & Akumal - both directly on the beach & Coba - which is a short walk (even shorter 'bus' ride) from the beach. The facilities in all hotels are available & there is no need to walk as there is a continual bus ( tractors with trailers) service between the hotels (7am - 3 am). This is an All Inclusive complex & with 12 restaurants - the choice & standard of food is amazing! There are 3 large buffet restaurants as well as speciality restaurants such as Italian, Mexican, Brazilian, Japanese, seafood plus snack-bars & 3 lovely a'la Carte restaurants. Drinks are included & again with 10 bars there is no shortage of choice. Service, we found to be very good & friendly. The complex is very cleverly set out so that - even when busy - it does not appear so. For those wanting to find a quiet spot there are plenty to choose from &. with 7 swimming pools, 3 gyms plus an aray of watersports there is also something for the more active. For those wanting to stay up to all hours there is also the Hacienda complex - which is again serviced by the inter-hotel buses - but can be easily reached by foot in minutes . This has been cleverly designed in the form of a typical Mexican town square. Here you can find a range of shopping from market stalls to shops plus a selection of bars & a late night disco. It is near to the hotel - but far enough away as not to be heard by those prefering a more peaceful vacation. This is a hotel complex that I'd be happy to return to. Ideal for both couples, singles & families - with a range of facilities for everyone. Happy to advise anyone considering this type of holiday - great value for money!