Club Santana

“A gorgeous retreat on a tropical idyll”

Our adventure to Sao Tome began late on a Saturday night here at Club Santana - a paradise overlooking the ocean. We arrived during a barbeque night and were luckily able to try the lovely food served up. The bungalows are dotted around well attended gardens with paths leading to the beach, a mass… more

Our adventure to Sao Tome began late on a Saturday night here at Club Santana - a paradise overlooking the ocean. We arrived during a barbeque night and were luckily able to try the lovely food served up. The bungalows are dotted around well attended gardens with paths leading to the beach, a massage parlour/spa and the restaurant. The rooms had AC, large beds, plenty of space and a balcony. The restaurant served up an lovely breakfast buffet with a wide range of fresh fruit, cheese, bread, baked goods and amazing omelettes. Evening buffets were delicious using local sourced ingredients and a well stocked bar provided a wide range of drinks and wines. One day, we went on an organised guided walk into virgin rainforest to hear and learn about birds and plants. Afterwards, we visited the botanical gardens which was definitely worthwhile, seeing beautiful flowers and huge butterflies. Back at the hotel, it was delightful to swim in the clear, warm waters.

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“Beautiful Setting & Great Activities, But Some Minor Comfort, Accessibility & Communication Issues”

We stayed at Club Santana for 2 nights as a family group that included a 3-year-old and a senior citizen, and overall it was a mixed experience with some real highlights and a few frustrations. On the positive side, the setting is absolutely lovely and the food was very good. The whole property fe… more

We stayed at Club Santana for 2 nights as a family group that included a 3-year-old and a senior citizen, and overall it was a mixed experience with some real highlights and a few frustrations. On the positive side, the setting is absolutely lovely and the food was very good. The whole property feels peaceful and secluded, with lots of greenery and a calm, natural vibe. We really liked the bungalow layout, which made it feel more like a little village than a typical hotel. The water was warm and inviting, and we took full advantage of the kayaks and paddle boards — those activities were a big hit for our family and gave us some great memories together. However, there were a few downsides that affected our stay. The first was the language barrier. Very few staff members spoke English, and while I completely understand and respect that this is a Portuguese-speaking country with predominately European visitors, it did make communication difficult. At times we had the impression that we weren’t especially welcome, simply because it was hard to ask questions or get information, which left us feeling a bit isolated as guests. We also had some accessibility challenges. With a senior citizen in our group, the terrain and layout of the property were difficult to navigate, and walking to and from common areas wasn’t always easy for her. As a result, she often had to take her meals in the room, which limited her ability to enjoy the overall atmosphere of the resort with the rest of us. Finally, there were ants in the rooms. We expect some insects in a tropical environment, but they were present enough inside the bungalows that it was a little uncomfortable, especially with a small child. In summary, Club Santana offers a beautiful, serene environment and great access to the sea and water activities, which we really enjoyed. With better pest control in the rooms, more support for English-speaking guests, and some attention to (or warning about) accessibility for older guests, it could be an outstanding place for families. As it stands, I’d recommend it to solo and couple travelers who prioritize nature and relaxation and are comfortable navigating some communication and mobility challenges.

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“Beautiful location and good food.”

Beautiful location, with stunning views and a lovely garden with interesting trees, flowers and birds. Lovely safe beach with reasonable snorkeling. It is a great base for doing trips around the island. We stayed in 2 different rooms- both very spacious. Our first room was really clean and well se… more

Beautiful location, with stunning views and a lovely garden with interesting trees, flowers and birds. Lovely safe beach with reasonable snorkeling. It is a great base for doing trips around the island. We stayed in 2 different rooms- both very spacious. Our first room was really clean and well serviced. The more expensive room- while larger, was not as clean and no water, fruit etc. It was a bit strange. Food was very nice- I am not a fan of buffets, but even on the buffet nights the selection was nice. Lovely fish carpaccio and sushi. Great lamb chops another night. Other nights we had 2 choices from a menu- 3 courses. Desserts were excellent. Breakfast was good- lovely fruit, bread and eggs to order. The coffee and hot water dispensers are really annoying though! Service is good by Sao Tome standards, but still a bit slow at times- especially at the beach bar. Chefs all have very good English. The Sat night BBQ was really good. Staff could smile more to create a bit of a holiday vibe!

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“São Tomé’s best hotel”

Wonderful hotel on a beautiful beach. Nice rooms, quite rustic but very comfortable. You’re close to nature here, so expect a few bugs. Lovely staff. Not much English spoken but everything works out in the end. Fantastic boat trip out to Santana island included in the room rate. Food is good bu… more

Wonderful hotel on a beautiful beach. Nice rooms, quite rustic but very comfortable. You’re close to nature here, so expect a few bugs. Lovely staff. Not much English spoken but everything works out in the end. Fantastic boat trip out to Santana island included in the room rate. Food is good but not great. Buffet gets monotonous after a few days. But getting a variety of food on a remote island must be tough Overall, a lovely place on a lovely island. The only downside is that the only real way of getting to Sao Tome is on Europe’s worst airline (but that’s another story).

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