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If you’re looking for an all-inclusive holiday to Cape Verde than the Hotel Riu Touareg in Boa Vista may be on your list. Set on a beautiful beach in Santa Monica, the hotel offers varied options for dining, three swimming pools, and an adults-only area.
We stayed at the Riu Touareg in February as part of a package holiday to Cape Verde with TUI and spent a wonderful 10 days relaxing at the hotel. Read on for my Hotel Riu Touareg Cape Verde review.
Facilities at the Riu Touareg hotel
The facilities at the Riu Touareg hotel are good with plenty of swimming pools, restaurants, and activities. There are six swimming pools in total, some of which are saltwater, and two specifically for children.
We liked the smaller infinity pool best and we enjoyed grabbing a drink from the bar here just before sunset and enjoying the views over the beach, or relaxing on the in-pool sunbeds. You get cards for pool towels when you check in and your towels can be exchanged as many times as you like.
The main pool is a hive of activity with a swim-up bar, music throughout the day, and activities like aqua fit and water polo. There are also areas with sunbeds on the beach which is really nice when it isn’t too windy.
If you want to keep fit during your stay, there’s a small gym with a selection of machines and weights and a gorgeous view over the beach. The only downside to the gym was that there was only one treadmill so you weren’t able to run if someone else was using it.
At the gym there’s also a spa and wellness centre with a sauna and jacuzzi. They offer treatments like massages, nails, and waxing.
In the evening there’s an entertainments programme with singers, shows, and karaoke. We watched some of the singers and an ABBA tribute band. There’s also a nightclub and you can head to the sister hotel, the Riu Karamboa, for the Riu party as there’s a free shuttle bus from here.
I didn’t try these later night options as it was past my bed time!
If you have kids, there’s a daily kids club, disco, and art club, plus two kids pools with additional facilities like buckets.
There is free wi-fi throughout the hotel so you can catch up on your emails, listen to podcasts by the pool, or post your holiday snaps on your socials.
Rooms at the Riu Touareg
We stayed in one of the twin rooms with a balcony and a partial sea view, near to the infinity pool. The room had recently had some painting touch ups, although still seemed a little dated.
The room was very spacious and had a large bathroom area with his and hers sinks and a walk-in shower. There are twin beds pushed together which make a very large double, or you can separate them if you’re staying with a friend.
There’s also a TV, a mini fridge, a safety deposit box, and air conditioning. Air conditioning was definitely needed – it gets very warm in Cape Verde, even in February.
Our room was also cleaned every day with our beds made up, some fun towel art, and fresh bottled water added to the fridge.
We emailed the hotel before our stay to ask for an upgrade. I’m still not sure if we did get an upgrade or not as it was never confirmed but from looking on the website it does look like we stayed in a slightly better room so always worth a try!
Location
The location of the hotel is perfect for beach bums as it is right on one of Boa Vista’s best and most beautiful beaches in Santa Monica. The powder-white sand stretches on for miles and it’s a great place to take a morning walk or watch the sunset in the evening.
The only downside of the beach is that the sea is too rough for swimming and was red-flagged during our entire stay. Having read the Riu Touareg Boa Vista reviews, I think this is the norm for this beach.
The location is very isolated and there isn’t anything within walking distance. If you want to explore the island more, you can get taxis or rent a car during your stay.
We mainly had a chill out holiday where we didn’t leave the hotel but we did take a tour of the island. Driving looks quite easy as there isn’t much traffic, but some of the roads aren’t in the best condition.
Hotel Riu Touareg food and drink
There are six restaurants in total at the resort including a main buffet restaurant, a poolside restaurant, plus four speciality restaurants. There’s an Asian, Cape Verdean, and an Italian, plus an a la carte restaurant exclusively for people staying in the adults only section.
I loved eating at the speciality restaurants and booked these for most evenings during our stay. I read reviews which said they were difficult to book but I had no trouble.
You have to book through the Riu app and I just kept checking every time I had a minute to see if there was any availability. I think my favourite was the Italian or the Asian – both had a really yummy help-yourself selection.
The poolside restaurant has similar food to the main restaurant but a smaller selection. I also thought that the quality here wasn’t as good as the main buffet so we only ate here a couple of times.
This restaurant is also where the afternoon snacks are served. Snacks include freshly cooked pizzas, burgers, and salads.
There are plenty of places to get drinks throughout the hotel including the main bar in the “town square” of the hotel, the poolside bar, and the lobby bar. The hotel serves pretty much any drink you want and they have a great selection of cocktails – my favourite was the pina colada.
Riu Touareg adults only benefits
If you don’t fancy being around children and families during your Riu Touareg holidays then you can book into the adults-only area of the hotel. Not only is this a separate area but you also get additional benefits.
Of course, the cost is slightly higher than the other areas of the hotel. There’s a quiet pool area with its own bar, exclusive for adults-only guests.
You can also book into the a la carte restaurant which is only available for adults-only guests.
FAQs
What is the Riu Touareg dress code?
The dress code for Riu Touareg is fairly relaxed, especially at the main buffet restaurant. Men can wear shorts in all of the restaurants apart from Kulinarium, the gourmet a la carte restaurant for adults-only guests.
Men also should wear a t shirt or shirt with sleeves, rather than a vest.
When was Riu Touareg Cape Verde built?
Riu Touareg was opened in 2011 so is still fairly new.
How big is the Riu Touareg?
The Riu Touareg is a very large hotel. It has over 800 rooms.
Does hotel Riu Touareg have a gym?
Yes, the Riu Touareg on Boa Vista does have a gym which overlooks the white sandy beach and the crashing waves of the sea. Definitely the best view I’ve seen from a gym!
The gym is small with just one treadmill, three exercise bikes and three cross-trainers. There is also a selection of weights, mats, and a weight bench.
As well as the gym, there is a sauna, outdoor jacuzzi, and spa offering a range of treatments including massages.
Is it safe to swim in the sea at Boa Vista Cape Verde?
At the Riu Touareg, the sea was red flagged every day while we were there. There were some colossal waves too which meant it was not safe for swimming.
There are other places on Boa Vista where it is safe to swim. Sal-Rei Bay is a safe spot for swimming.
Is Riu Touareg adults-only?
No, Riu Touareg is suitable for adults and families. You can choose to book a room in the adults-only area where you get access to an exclusive swimming pool and restaurant.
How far is Riu Touareg from the airport?
It’s around 15 miles from Boa Vista International Airport to the Riu Touareg and transfers take just over 20 minutes.
Does Riu Touareg provide towels?
Yes – bath towels and hand towels are provided in your room at Riu Touareg. You get a card during check in that you can exchange for beach towels at one of the huts and then you can exchange these for clean ones whenever you like during your holiday.
