Ouril Hotel Mindelo

“3 out of 5 — Stunning view but several issues”

Our room was spacious with a stunning harbour view, which was the main redeeming feature of our stay. Unfortunately, there appeared to be hidden broken pipes causing a strong sewage smell, which became unbearable whenever the bathroom light/ventilator was switched on. Management were largely unresp… more

Our room was spacious with a stunning harbour view, which was the main redeeming feature of our stay. Unfortunately, there appeared to be hidden broken pipes causing a strong sewage smell, which became unbearable whenever the bathroom light/ventilator was switched on. Management were largely unresponsive and unable to resolve it. We were offered another room, but it was smaller, darker, and with almost no view, so we declined. The “private pool” advertised for our room was just a tiny tub with dirty water and no Jacuzzi function, and the shower water was only tepid. The excessive firmness of the mattress and pillows made the bed uncomfortable and significantly affected my sleep. Breakfast was mediocre and mass-produced, with no freshly cooked eggs. Only sweetened fruit or vanilla yoghurt was available (no plain natural yoghurt), the cheese was tasteless, and staff refused simple requests such as an apple, a kiwi or salad. Food was not replenished and the buffet was cleared away sharply on time. Towels were flimsy, toiletries were basic but acceptable, and housekeeping was inconsistent and often unresponsive. The hotel only provided 1–2 bottles of drinking water per day, which meant we had to go out to a supermarket to purchase additional water. On the positive side, LAUREN was outstanding – she booked us a restaurant on arrival, secured us a table at the fully booked New Year’s Eve hotel party, found me a hairdresser at the very last minute, and connected us with an excellent and knowledgeable tour agent, Nani West. The NYE party and fireworks were very enjoyable and we met lovely, interesting guests. The owners also tried to make up for the issues by sending a bottle of wine and a fruit plate the following morning. The rooftop pool area is mainly used for breakfast, with sunbeds piled on top of each other and no real space to sunbathe. The other central swimming pool behind reception is noisy, not relaxing, and there is no service at all. Overall, although this hotel is considered one of the best in São Vicente, I would not return. I would rather stay at the Sheraton when it opens

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“Hotel with potential let down by corner cutting”

This hotel has the location and building to be an excellent hotel, but cuts corners in a way that seriously impairs the stay. The shower water is tepid, the tap water is not potable but they do not provide drinking water - that is unacceptable in any hotel; as a frequent traveller for 40 years, I h… more

This hotel has the location and building to be an excellent hotel, but cuts corners in a way that seriously impairs the stay. The shower water is tepid, the tap water is not potable but they do not provide drinking water - that is unacceptable in any hotel; as a frequent traveller for 40 years, I have stayed in hundreds of hotel and never before have I had problems getting drinking water! The restaurant food is good. Breakfast is fine but the room is cramped. It would be better if they started breakfast earlier than 0700 as the ferry and tours leave early. The bedrooms are a decent size with good views and clean, though a bit sparse - more 3* than 4*. There is no decoration, the TV is small and the bathroom cramped but acceptable. The pools are small, especially the one on the roof is for lounging in not swimming, but the view is good. We were able to check in before the normal 1500 check in time so they seem to have become more flexible on that. But overall, it’s hard to get over the failure to provide drinking water!

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