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Located 350 miles off West Africa in the eastern Atlantic, Cape Verde is notably less touristy than many tropical destinations – and that is ideal if you are looking for a relaxed adults-only holiday. The 10 islands in the exotic archipelago are all very different, and visiting more than one can really enhance your experience. The island of Boa Vista, for example, has some delightfully sleepy villages and tranquil corners, while Sal may be a better bet if you want more lively nightlife and a bigger choice of restaurants and bars.
Boasting extensive sandy beaches and fabulous year-round sun with temperatures seldom straying from around 25-30C, Cape Verde is ideal at all times, and a great choice for winter sun. There’s a good range of hotels for all budgets around the islands, from large all-inclusive beach resorts with lots of facilities, to cosy, romantic and charming little boutique hotels and hideaways. The islands are also relatively easy to reach, having direct budget flights from several airports around the UK.
Keep reading for my pick of the best stays for adults in Cape Verde, so you can get your next break booked.
Best hotels for adults in Cape Verde in 2026
At a glance
Ben West has visited virtually all of the islands over the last few years and says: Cape Verde is made for an adult-exclusive holiday. There are a number of little romantic hideaways ideal for couples sprinkled around the islands, and if you’re a group of friends wanting plenty to do, there are a number of all-inclusive resorts with watersports and other facilities. Hikers will love exploring the marvellous landscapes inland.
Ben West
1. Melia Laguna Beach Resort hotel
Sal
Known as the Tui Blue Cabo Verde until 13 October 2025, this adults-only oceanfront hotel is ideal if you’re looking for a relaxing stay focusing on wellness. As well as two pools and a gym, the spa features a sauna, steam room and whirlpool. If you’re more active, boules, table tennis, shuffleboard and yoga are further options. Fishing, quad tours, stargazing and sunset dinners can all be arranged. Add three bars, four restaurants and entertainment including DJs, live music and acrobatic shows and you may be tempted not to leave. However, the market, bars and restaurants of Santa Maria are three kilometres away if you want to discover the locality. The airport is only a 20-minute drive.
Address: Urbanizacao da Cabocan, ZDTI de Ponta Preta, Sal, 4111
Price: From £257
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2. Hotel LIVVO Budha Beach, Santa Maria
Sal
Set in a secluded location on the outskirts of Santa Maria, this boutique adult-focused hotel on the beach is ideal for a romantic getaway or a tranquil, relaxed break. Delightfully, there are only 23 rooms and suites, sleekly decked out in breezy blues and whites, and some have a balcony or terrace. As well as an inviting infinity pool overlooking the ocean, the chill-out terrace promotes a relaxed vibe – ideal for a sunset cocktail – while the restaurant’s Mediterranean and Asian fusion cuisine capitalises on the locality’s abundant fresh seafood.
Address: Praia Antonio Sousa, 4111, Santa Maria, Sal
Price: From £205
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3. Vila Christina hotel
Boa Vista
More a highly rated B&B than a hotel, Vila Christina is appealing to grown-ups rather than families, but it’s not strictly adults-only. It is ideal for those on a budget seeking low-key, unpretentious accommodation in a lovely, peaceful beachfront location. You can choose between spacious rooms and villas, studios and bungalows, all with bright, appealing decor. Surrounded by palm trees, it’s a great spot to enjoy a cocktail on the verandah. A generously-sized breakfast box (with its contents changing on a daily basis) is delivered to your terrace each morning and good-value quality meals are available at the nearby Perola Restaurant.
Address: Praia de Chaves, Sal Rei 5110, Boa Vista
Price: From £104
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4. Robinson Cabo Verde hotel
Sal
This 307-room all-inclusive adults-only resort is set on an eight-kilometre sandy beach, and whether it is wellness, sports or entertainment you are after, all are available. Palm trees pepper the spacious grounds, and there’s a watersports station offering kitesurfing, windsurfing, sailing and e-foiling, and there is a gym plus group fitness sessions such as yoga, a rooftop sauna and spa treatments too. You’ll also find football, volleyball and cross boccia, and – as well as three restaurants and three bars, live shows and music – DJs and other events are all organised. Rooms could perhaps benefit from a bit of updating, and are in a brown, cream and white palette.
Address: Santa Maria, Ilha do Sal 4111, Sal
Price: From £317
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5. Casa da Djedja hotel
São Vicente
What strikes you first about this boutique guesthouse is the delightful touches, such as the ornately carved wooden headboards and Berber-inspired decor. Set on a quiet street near the seafront in the historic heart of Mindelo, a port city with plenty of music and nightlife, a lively market, and colourful colonial houses set against rugged mountains beyond. Casa da Djedja features a terrace with city views, and a dining room with a veranda overlooking a lovely courtyard garden. The friendly, knowledgeable staff can organise activities like turtle watching, horse riding, kitesurfing, trekking and more. Although this is a retreat very much geared to adults – and ideal for a romantic getaway – children can be accommodated too.
Address: Rua Unidade Africana 13, Mindelo 2110, Sao Vicente
Price: From £80
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6. Hotel Riu Cabo Verde
Sal
An inviting pristine white-sand beach with watersports always beckons if you stay at this 500-room all-inclusive adults-only hotel rammed with plenty of facilities and amenities. But it’s not for shrinking violets: it has weekly parties that are open to guests from three neighbouring Riu hotels, and therefore they can be rowdy. The hotel pool has a swim-up bar, there’s a well-equipped gym, and a spa with an outdoor whirlpool, which is shared with the adjacent Riu Funana Hotel. There’s a large main buffet restaurant, three a la carte restaurants – a steak house, an Italian and one Caribbean-style – and six bars including a pool bar, beach bar and sports bar. Rooms are bright and spacious and feature either a balcony or terrace. Evenings feature live music, dancing, DJs and a disco.
Address: Cabocan Lote A2, A3, Santa Maria
Price: From £244
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7. Casa Cavoquinho hotel
Santo Antao
While Casa Cavoquinho is not exclusively for adults, the overwhelming majority of guests are aged over 18. Located in the Cabo de Ribeira (Paul Valley), this mountain guesthouse/eco-lodge is set in a spectacular landscape and is ideal for keen hikers. Indeed, many beautiful trails start directly from the front door. The two communal terraces have amazing valley views and a small, simple daily menu uses seasonal produce, much of it from local farmers or the garden. What is offered is not luxury, but genuine hospitality, simple, budget-friendly comfort, and a strong connection to the local community. Guests often say they feel ‘at home’ here.
Address: Cha De Manuel Dos Santos Paul, 1210
Price: From £66
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8. Barcelo Marine Boa Vista hotel
Boa Vista
Renovated and reopened in 2025, this all-inclusive adults-only hotel has a great location by golden sands and the turquoise waters of the Atlantic, with mountains as a backdrop. Its low-rise, contemporary design, incorporating exposed brickwork and light wood gives it a sleek feel throughout. With 160 rooms, it has both a buffet and an a la carte restaurant offering both local and international dishes, as well as an inviting pool bar. Activities like aqua aerobics, yoga and dance classes are regularly arranged and after chilling by the generously-sized swimming pool during the day, there’s live entertainment to enjoy in the evening. The island’s main town, Sal Rei, is just a five-minute taxi ride away.
Address: Praia da Cruz, 5110, Sal Rei, Boa Vista
Price: From £232
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9. Terra Lodge hotel
Sao Vicente
Although not explicitly an adults-only hotel, Terra Lodge is less appealing to families due to it being small (11 rooms and a suite), without child-friendly facilities, and located in the heart of the city of Mindelo away from the beaches. The terrace has fab views of the city and its bay. Facilities are few: no TV and electric fans rather than air conditioning, and only breakfast and drinks served, for example, but being close to Mindelo’s restaurants and nightlife means a night in watching television is the last thing you’ll want to do. It has eco-friendly credentials, such as recycling water, using reclaimed materials, generating its own power with solar panels and having gates manufactured from recycled metal cans.
Address: N°11, Alto de Santo Antonio, Mindelo, Sao Vicente
Price: From £75
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10. Melia Llana Beach Resort and Spa hotel
Sal
Situated alongside spectacular Algodoeiro Beach and within attractive tropical gardens, this adults-only resort has a host of facilities and amenities including several restaurants and bars, a gym, spa and two swimming pools – the largest featuring a swim-up bar. Pleasingly low-rise, the colour palette is generally bright white, creams, browns and splashes of orange or red. All the 303 rooms (in nine categories) have a terrace or balcony, colourful (if rather identikit) artworks, and either a garden or sea view. Santa Maria town is just a five-minute cab drive away.
Address: Urbanizacao da Cabocan, ZDTI de Ponta Preta, Sal
Price: From £302
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Why trust us
The hotels featured in this list have been carefully selected by The Independent’s expert travel writers, each with a deep knowledge of the destinations they cover. Our contributors either live in these locations or visit frequently, ensuring a personal and informed perspective. When picking which hotels to include, they consider their own experience staying in the hotels and evaluate location, facilities, service and all the other details that make for an exceptional stay for all types of traveller.
FAQs
When is the best time of year to visit Cape Verde?
Cape Verde has positioned itself as a popular holiday destination due to its year-round warm weather and generally low rainfall, providing a pleasant climate for relaxation and days lounging on the beach. There can be some torrential rainy periods, however, from mid-August to mid-October, which can cause flooding and landslides. The FCDO advises travellers to monitor local weather reports and expect difficulties when travelling to affected areas during this season.
For the hottest months, visit Cape Verde in September for peak temperatures of 30C, or August and October for highs of 29C. Peak temperatures, however, don’t fall below 25, so there is hardly a bad time to visit when it comes to weather.
What currency do I need?
The currency of Cape Verde is the Cape Verdean Escudo (CVE).
Is Cape Verde good for tourists?
Year-round good weather makes Cape Verde an excellent choice for travellers, particularly those escaping winter in the Northern Hemisphere. With long white-sand beaches and a clement climate, it’s also a hit with people looking to fly and flop on their holiday. Popular beaches include Sal and Boa Vista, which are a great choice for swimming and kitesurfing. Cape Verde is also just one hour behind the UK, making it a great option for those wanting to avoid jet lag. Direct flights from the UK to this safe and relaxed destination take around six hours, making it an increasingly popular choice for British holidaymakers. More active travellers should try island hopping or hiking among lush valleys, volcanic peaks and rugged coastal paths.
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