Hotel LIVVO Budha Beach

“10/10 - Female Solo Traveller, First Time Cape Verde”

Have just come back from 5 nights on my first solo trip, also my first trip to Cabo Verde, and so glad that I picked the Budha Beach hotel, the staff were so lovely it really put me at ease. I ate here the first night and my last meal and both were very tasty, so can recommend the restaurant, the… more

Have just come back from 5 nights on my first solo trip, also my first trip to Cabo Verde, and so glad that I picked the Budha Beach hotel, the staff were so lovely it really put me at ease. I ate here the first night and my last meal and both were very tasty, so can recommend the restaurant, the prosecco was also good - it's a bit hit and miss at some of the venues in town. The view from/of the pool was great, and if you just want to chill out it's nice and quiet. You can people watch from a distance as there is some foot fall right next to the beach (the tree line which is now there offers guests some privacy), and there is quite often kite surfing/ boats that you can watch etc. It's a brief walk away from the main strip, which helps with the peace and quiet, being by myself I would get Taxi's in the evening. (5 euro each way) (For any avid runners running down to the end of the promenade was just under 3 miles, and with the winds quite pleasant first thing in the morning at this time of year) The room was really clean, there is also security on patrol every night and the reception is 24/7, which also put me at ease. But the thing that really made it for me were the people at the hotel, especially Marina, Lendira and Mileidy, who were always smiling! Everyone was so pleasant and happy to help - including booking activites, recommendations and fielding all my questions etc. of which there were many. Thanks to everyone, truly helped me to live out Cabo Verde's slogan of "no stress" and I'd love to come back!

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“A very pleasant and relaxing time”

We chose this Hotel primarily because it was going to be quiet and would give us the relaxation we wanted. We did read the reviews other had placed before we went so this review is based on our own experiences. We were dropped off at the front of the hotel and it did look good all gleaming and whit… more

We chose this Hotel primarily because it was going to be quiet and would give us the relaxation we wanted. We did read the reviews other had placed before we went so this review is based on our own experiences. We were dropped off at the front of the hotel and it did look good all gleaming and white even though the road was a basically a dirt/sand track. We were greeted by a very pleasant and helpful lady who took us to our room and explained everything we needed to know. We had a wonderful room (20) which had the most glorious sea view with a terrace that overlooked the garden. The room was so spacious you could have a party in it. (Some rooms on the ground floor front are a lot smaller). Although we took a kettle with us there was one in the room but we were glad we took our own tea bags. The rooms and the hotel as a whole were constantly being cleaned and there were hints that some work on the rear pavements was being done for the upcoming summer season. There were plenty of sun beds and four poster areas for everyone to use and as the hotel was quite small you could always find a place to rest and sun worship or use the very good pool. There were occasions when a little tipple of White Sangria was passed around. The restaurant was pleasant and provided a good selection for breakfast ranging from Meats and cheeses to cakes and fruit. Coffee was available as well as fruit juices and water. We went half-board so we dined at the restaurant in the evening for most of the week. If we were to return we would go Bed & Breakfast as there is a different menu with more options. The half-board menu was limited with 'of the day' options available which did provide us with some good experiences. For starter I would recommend the Sauteed Prawns (ask for bread to mop up) or the Tempura Peixe as both are very good. For main I would try the fish of the day as it does vary which adds a little variety. I will make an observation here that the Pork Chop was very nice but overcooked which made it a little chewy and the sauce was more of a paste and this was the same sauce used for my meal the following day which was supposed to be Chicken Provencal but was actually roasted Chicken thighs with the sauce/paste. On the last evening they did offer us a Paella which was wonderful. Dessert of the day was also good on occasion and we did have a very good cheesecake. The staff were very good and tried their hardest even though some did forget our order once or twice. I think if they adopted some simple hospitality practices and processes further reviews would reflect the improvements. Placing the basket of bread on the table before taking order and then checking with you what your order is as they take Starter, Main and dessert at the same time. Be advised that as with most of Santa Maria there is building work going on everywhere including in front of the Hotel which starts at 7:00 am. You tend to ignore it and you cannot hear it at the back of the hotel on the loungers.

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“A very pleasant hotel in a quiet location with a decent restaurant.”

A small but nicely formed hotel at the very east end of Santa Maria. Its separation from the rest of the town gives it a nice quiet location but it does mean everything is at least a 10 minute walk away. The rooms are a decent size, clean & well maintained. We had a few (1st world) problems with … more

A small but nicely formed hotel at the very east end of Santa Maria. Its separation from the rest of the town gives it a nice quiet location but it does mean everything is at least a 10 minute walk away. The rooms are a decent size, clean & well maintained. We had a few (1st world) problems with WiFi dropping out & overnight power cuts. Neither were probably the hotel’s fault but did remind you that this is Africa, not the Med. There is a decent restaurant attached that serves nice food at a premium (“can’t be bothered to walk”) price. The breakfast is nothing special but at least the eggs & pancakes are cooked to order. It’s a shame the juices taste very artificial & the coffee included is awful (they charge extra for the decent stuff!). There is a small but pretty swimming pool with a few sun-loungers (singles & large 4-posters). Wouldn’t be enough for all the guests if full but we didn’t have any problems getting one. The sea immediately in front of the hotel is very rocky so not swimmable. However, watching the wing foils zip about there was entertaining. There is a slightly better beach a few minutes walk to the west but this is still not as good as the main Santa Maria beach.

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