Family friendly resort in Sal, Cape Verde: Melia Dunas Beach Resort & Spa

Once we settled on Sal island, we started to narrow down possible hotels. We wanted an all-inclusive resort with close proximity to the beach. For a family friendly resort in Sal, Cape Verde, Melia Dunas Beach Resort & Spa was the perfect option.

Cape Verde has some really beautiful resorts and I admit, it was difficult to make a choice. There are 10 islands in Cape Verde; of which 9 are inhabited. Sal and Boa Vista are the two most popular islands for tourists so we knew it had to be one of the two. For our hotel, I wanted somewhere that was focused on kids where Adanna would walk in and feel excited. Melia Dunas Beach Resort & Spa was just that.

Now you might be asking why an all-inclusive resort especially when you love a bit of culture. Well, to be really honest, this was a trip I was looking forward to doing nothing. It was booked as a winter sun trip, after a burnt out year, to break the freezing dark January. All we wanted was a resort where we could chill all day by the beach. We craved some sun, numerous cocktails and most importantly, somewhere Adanna could enjoy.

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Airport to Hotel

It was about 20 minutes drive from Amilcar Cabral International Airport to Melia Dunas Beach Resort & Spa. I had prebooked our taxi via the hotel concierge and it was 25€ for the 3 of us. Our flight arrived about 30 minutes later than expected but our lovely driver, Jason was waiting for us. It is a really small airport; so expect to be in and out quite quickly.

Melia Dunas Beach Resort & Spa is a premium hotel that sits on the Algodoeiro Beach. It is a family friendly resort in Sal, Cape Verde located in the southwest part of the island. The resort feels like a massive playground from the moment you step in.

Checking into the resort was very quick; however our room was not ready. We were really tired and although this was disappointing, we were shown the direction of the restaurant to get some food while we waited. Once we were done eating, our room was ready so it was not too bad after all.

Room

We booked the Deluxe room and it came with a little balcony. From our balcony, we could see the sea in the distance. This was one of the more affordable rooms and I was very impressed with it. For a deluxe room, it was really big and had a sofa that pulled out to an extra bed. We asked for a cot and it was in our room ready for Adanna. The bed was very comfortable and the sofa bed was there incase we needed it. Our room could comfortably sleep 2 adults and 2 children.

The bathroom was huge; it had a large shower space and 2 sinks. I am not sure why it did not come with a bath though as the space was big enough for it. Also, I thought I had selected a room with bath but I guess not. However, this was not a problem at all for us as Adanna is now quite comfortable using a shower. This is something to note if you are choosing a Deluxe room.

The Beach at Melia Dunas Beach Resort & Spa

Evenings were spent on the beach just enjoying the view and taking it all in. We watched the sun set, built castles, took photos and relaxed on the beach. Sal has some of the most beautiful beaches and I was just so zen every time we visited the beach. Melia Dunas Beach Resort & Spa sat on a private beach, which was always empty when we visited. The cabanas and pool beds are available to the hotel residents and the concierge gives you beach towels.

The Restaurants

Melia Dunas Beach Resort & Spa has 7 restaurants and bars. The most popular was the all-inclusive restaurant, Mosaico; which was open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks in between. No reservation was needed at Mosaico; it was buffet style and every day, the menu was a different theme. The restaurants were all family friendly with high chairs and open spaces for strollers to get through.

The other restaurants dotted around the resort needed to be booked even though their menus were a part of the all-inclusive deal.

Sahel – This was where we could have some traditional Cape Verdean delicacies.

Aqua – This was the reservation only Italian restaurant. It is perfect for special evenings like date nights or birthday celebrations.

Atlantis – This was by far my favourite reservation only restaurant. I love seafood so this one was a no-brainer to book.

Macchiato Coffee shop

Mr E and his love for coffee meant that we checked out this spot everyday. It was a cute café on the walk to the beach and they had a variety that could rival any fancy coffee shop. They even did a babycino for Adanna on one of our visits, which I though was cute. It was also all part of the all-inclusive menu so no extra needed to be paid.

There were other restaurants, which I did not try like Rancho restaurant, that was popular for barbecues. The great thing about the restaurants is that it did not really matter if you were unable to book one of the restaurants. In my opinion, Mosaico was really good. There was so much variety each night that I’d have been fine to eat there every day and still feel special. I noticed that there were options for vegetarians, vegans, pescatarians etc

Melia Dunas Beach Bars

There are 8 bars dotted around the resort. We mostly used the one by the pool and the one towards the beach. They served alcohol and mocktails; there was something for everyone.

Family Friendly resort in Sal, Cape Verde: Melia Dunas Beach Resort & Spa

Pools at Melia Dunas Beach Resort & Spa

This is where this hotel wins all the accolades. Once you walk into Melia Dunas, you are greeted by 2 pools sitting side by side. One is very much a kids splash pool and the other, more mixed. As you walk further in, there is a 3rd pool and one last one by the beach which is adults only. In total, there are 5 adults pools and 2 kids pools in Melia Dunas beach resort & spa. 

Things I loved about Melia Dunas Beach Resort & Spa

Value for Money – For the wonderful service, variety of food and aesthetics of the hotel, I thought it was quite reasonably priced. I am careful not to say cheap as it is very relative. However, in comparison to Mauritius or Mexico for example, our money stretched very far.

Amenities – Melia Dunas is really an all-inclusive paradise. If you did not want to leave the resort at all, you did not have to. The fact that we had access to Sol Dunas as well almost felt like we had a 2 for 1 hotel experience.

Shopping row – It is not often that you visit a resort that has its own shopping street. This resort had a whole lane “Boulevard” which had everything from a hair salon to nail shop to cafés, restaurants and bars.

Service – The Staff at Melia Dunas was really lovely. We met the happiest people who always seemed excited everyday. Housekeeping was promptly done so every time we returned from a day out, our room was sparkling. The kitchen staff was organised and the language barrier did not stop them from making sure Adanna was ok.

The hotel concierge could organise any trips out of the hotel. When we inquired, they helped advice where to go within the time we had and with a baby as well. There is a TUI desk that helps plan sightseeing but I wanted to have a local, authentic experience. So I ended up speaking to the concierge who introduced me to a local company to work with. It is very important to me to work with the locals; so unless this is not possible, it will always be my first option.

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What can Adults do in Melia Dunas Beach Resort and Spa?

Although the resort was very obviously geared towards families, there was an adults-only part, which was by the beach. The sports bar and adults only pool were on that side as well. For those honeymooning on the resort, I suppose they’d rather have a grown up section instead of seeing children around.

We had almost an equal amount of couples, as they were families, which did not surprise me. The resort felt like it was intentionally built to cater to adults as well as children. The fact that it was so huge and we travelled during term time meant that it never felt busy.

It is worth mentioning that Melia had a sister hotel that was adults only, Melia Llana so that might be a better option for couples.

Tips for visiting Melia Dunas Beach Resort and Spa

Pre-book restaurants once you arrive

This is the mistake I made so don’t miss out like we did. Once you check in and are told where to book your restaurants, just head there and book them. For some reason, I assumed I could book them the morning of. As you can imagine, that did not work. This was especially for the more popular restaurants. Luckily, Mr E is quite charming and was able to convince them to squeeze us in. Sahel and Atlantis are must-trys so book these 2 first.

Plan a day out

Staying in a lovely all-inclusive resort could result in you staying in for the whole holiday. There is obviously nothing wrong with that but Sal is such a pretty island not to explore. I also think it’s quite easy to see a lot in one day. So make sure you plan at least one day out to explore.

SEE WHAT WE DID IN SAL, CAPE VERDE

Don’t miss Sol Dunas

The resort is set up quite interestingly. We stayed in Melia, which meant that our resort was the first you see once you step into the complex. However, on the right is Sol Dunas. This is its sister resort and actually where a lot more children stuff is located. For example, the kids club is in the Sol Dunas area; so is the water park. It is a long walk from Melia Dunas, which could make it a no-go area, but we didn’t mind the walk. The pools there were more specific for babies and toddlers – Adanna absolutely loved that area. If we had known earlier, we would have spent more of our hotel time on that side of the complex.

What is the difference between Melia Dunas and Sol Dunas in Sal, Cape Verde

I would say that Melia Dunas ideally caters to a mix of adults and kids. However, Sol Dunas is specifically for kids only. Sol Dunas is where the kids club is located and also the snake pool – basically, a kids haven. We booked Melia Dunas and had access to Sol Dunas. We had no idea they were two different parts within one complex until we got there.

Melia Dunas has all the restaurants mentioned above, the shopping street and the beach. It is also where the sports bar and the adults only pool are located. I suppose if you want a holiday where there is a bit of everything, Melia Dunas is the better option. I also am not sure how much access one has to Melia Dunas if you book Sol Dunas so this is worth noting. One other thing to reiterate is the walk from Melia Dunas to Sol Dunas which is around 8 mins. However, we noticed that there were buggies available for a lift to either hotel.

Family friendly resort in Sal, Cape Verde: Melia Dunas Beach Resort & Spa

If you are looking for a family friendly resort in Sal, Cape Verde that is affordable, this is it. The fact that it is all-inclusive with all the amenities you can imagine for a perfect stay wins. It is an easy flight from the UK, guaranteed sunshine, flavourful foods and lovely people. I’d like to explore more of its islands; especially when Adanna is older but until then…

…Bisous, Bugo x