If you can't wait to get to the beach, you might enjoy a trip to Santa Maria Beach located 0.9 mi (1.4 km) from central Santa Maria. If you want to continue walking by the waves, head to Shark Bay Beach and Kite Beach.
Santa Maria Town Square is just one of the landmarks located 0.3 mi (0.5 km) from central Santa Maria, so you might want to stop by for a few pics during your trip.
Imagine strolling along Mindelo Marina for some great waterfront pics. It's located 0.9 mi (1.4 km) from central Mindelo. If you carry on walking you'll get to Laginha Beach for some more water views.
Santa Maria Pier is just one of the places to see in Santa Maria, so why not enjoy the other things to explore during your travels? Stroll along the area's beaches or simply enjoy its bars.
Check out reviews of Cape Verde hotels guests love
Morabeza Hotel
8/10 Good
" This is a great, quiet hotel which also has an adults only area with pool for those that prefer. Location is wonderful, on the beach and has three places to eat, including a restaurant on their own private beach.
We highly recommend the upstairs bar/restaurant - La Tortue which you do have to make a reservation but they are very accommodating. Excellent staff in this bar, very very professional and friendly. Special mentions to Agnelo, Abdou and Marco who are brilliant! The food was lovely too. These are the staff members that make you feel most welcome.
On that note, there was a couple of things that let it down. Morabeza is supposed to mean 'hospitality' and 'welcoming' but the receptionist - the front of house, the first person you see when you arrive after a long flight is completely belligerent. We pre-arranged a transfer with the hotel which was confirmed by email by Zita (not the woman we dealt with) but they didn't turn up. A kind stranger called the hotel and they said to get a taxi and they would refund us, but they didn't. No gesture of good will, no apology from the lady at reception and not even a smile. In our opinion, she really let her colleagues down with her hostility and ignorance. The cleaning staff, the grounds people, security and waiting staff were all good, a little reserved at times but all made a good effort.
Overall, a great option with lots to offer. Clean and good choice of foodMade even better by the local dogs who join you on the beach!"
"The hotel is not by the beach. The photos make it look like it is by the beach but really isn't. You have to walk about ten minutes to reach the praia. The breakfast was good. The staff in the restaurants were friendly and efficient.
The overall service was okay. I arrived Sunday, asked for extra 2 clean pillowcases, and I had to ask about 4x before I actually got them. By the time they gave me pillowcases, it was already Tuesday afternoon. I asked for a wake up call on my last day and the reception never called my room. I asked for clean towels and I was told that towels are changed every three days. I stayed for 7 nights and my bedding was never changed. The only positive thing about this hotel is breakfast. Other than that, it is pricey for the quality of service they provide. I say it is FALSE ADVERTISEMENT especially when it comes to beach descriptions.
I would go somewhere else. I cannot recommend this hotel simply because customer service is not their priority. "
"The room was very clean. Perhaps a bit dated and in need of a fresh coat of paint. Other rooms were getting renovated. The room was spacious. AC worked well, internet worked well. Breakfast was good, but not really ready by 7am. It's all on island time!"
"No hotel has ever exceeded my expectations as much as this one.
At first, I was actually a bit jealous of the people staying in those big hotels right on the coast. But once I walked down there, I realized it was just a dead end full of nothing but tourists and hotel amenities. I even saw people basically fleeing their resorts because they couldn't face another boring hotel buffet!
Staying in the heart of Santa Maria was a total game-changer. We got to experience the real local culture—eating where the locals eat, chatting, and actually feeling part of the community. Everything we needed (shops, restaurants, you name it) was less than a minute's walk away.
The hotel itself was great and really well-maintained. The staff did a meticulous job cleaning the rooms, and having Netflix was a huge plus for winding down at the end of the day. Breakfast was served fresh every morning, and even though the menu didn't change much, it was always tasty. It was a bit unlucky that the rooftop was being renovated while we were there, as that would’ve been the icing on the cake, but honestly, the stay was still perfect."
"Honestly one of the best resorts I’ve stayed at. The food was amazing with so much variety. The scenery and beaches were beautiful, making the whole experience even more relaxing. The staff were also incredibly friendly and always willing to help whenever needed. I’ll definitely be visiting again!"
