Rating8.4
Rating8.0
Rating8.1Adults OnlyGood
Based on 13.3k reviews
Exceptional Staff
Guests consistently laud the hotel's staff for their outstanding friendliness, helpfulness, and attentive service, creating a welcoming atmosphere.
Impeccable Cleanliness
The resort maintains a high standard of cleanliness across all areas, from public spaces to guest rooms, which is frequently highlighted by visitors.
Prime Beachfront Location
Direct access to miles of beautiful, sandy beach with crystal-clear waters and stunning dune views is a major draw for guests seeking scenic relaxation.
Diverse Dining Options
The main buffet offers a wide variety of dishes and live cooking stations, complemented by several themed restaurants for varied culinary experiences.
Modern Adults-Only Facilities
The post-renovation adults-only concept provides a serene and sophisticated environment with updated rooms and extensive facilities catering specifically to adult guests.
Ample Pool & Sunbed Availability
With five outdoor pools and plentiful sunbeds, guests find it easy to relax by the water or on the beach without feeling overcrowded.
Beverage Quality
Some guests express disappointment with the quality of complimentary alcoholic drinks, often finding cocktails overly sweet or lacking in premium taste.
Food Temperature & Booking
Occasional issues with hot food not being warm enough at the buffet and the challenge of securing reservations for popular themed restaurants are noted.
Accessibility & Pool Crowding
The absence of lifts to upper floors can be an accessibility concern, and certain pool areas may feel cramped with sunbeds during peak times.
Aggregate score derived from public review platforms. Category scores reflect our editorial assessment based on analysis of guest reviews. ResortFlock is not affiliated with or endorsed by any review platform.
Travelers' Choice
2020
TripAdvisor
Travelers' Choice
2021
TripAdvisor
Travelers' Choice
2022
TripAdvisor
Travelers' Choice
2023
TripAdvisor
Best of the Best - All Inclusive
2024
TripAdvisor
Green & Fair Hotel
2024
Travelife
The 2022 renovation that converted Riu Karamboa to adults-only changed the character of this property significantly. Combined with the sultan's palace architectural design — grand domes, arched doorways, and a Moorish aesthetic — this is a visually distinctive all-inclusive that doesn't look like the standard Riu box. On Praia das Dunas, one of the broader and more isolated beaches on Boa Vista island, the combination of design and setting makes for a more adult, atmospheric experience than the typical family-forward Riu in Spain or the Caribbean.
The free cross-resort access to Splash Water World at the neighboring Riu Palace Boavista is worth noting for guests who might travel with occasional exceptions to the adults-only rule — those facilities are next door and included in Karamboa's rate, though they're designed for a mixed audience. For purely adult stays, the access is simply a bonus pool and slide option.
Desert excursions — specifically the Desert Dinner with Stargazing and buggy tours across Boa Vista's sand flats — are mentioned in reviews as standout off-resort experiences. Boa Vista is one of the most barren and dramatic of the Cape Verde islands, which makes the desert landscape genuinely interesting compared to the beach-only resort experience. The stargazing is legitimately good; Boa Vista has minimal light pollution.
The honest operational issues: specialty restaurant bookings fill quickly, and the resort app is the recommended booking tool — use it the moment you arrive. Complimentary cocktails are described as sweet and weak in reviews, and hot food temperature at the buffet is inconsistently maintained. No lifts to upper-floor rooms is a practical concern for guests with mobility issues or heavy luggage.
