Pestana Sao Tome

Very disappointed with this hotel. Grounds are nicely maintained and manicured. The front desk staff, most who speak limited English, are cordial and were as helpful as possible. The infinity pool is clean, large with good water temp and the chaise lounges are comfortable. Basically, those are the pros of the property. Cons: Hotel itself is old and in need of a refurb. Housekeeping is spotty. Our room was always cleaned around 4pm but often we had to call for towels and water which was not left. The bathroom had 1 glass ( for 2 people) and a lack of the usual amenities on offer at any other 5-Star hotel. Only liquid soap, body wash and shampoo was provided (no washcloths ). Our room keys did not work 4 days in a row which required us to trek back down to the lobby to get new keys. Very annoying. The two twin beds pushed together were very uncomfortable. The mattresses were very hard, the top sheet was too small and the pillows were very lumpy. Air-con worked great. The Jr Suite was a waste of additional cost because there was only a sofa, desk and coffee table. Apparently the TV that had been there was removed so the extra space was not really useful. Food & beverage was very expensive for ST. We arrived late in the evening to find that there was no a-la-carte menu. The only dining room option was a buffet that looked very unappetizing and unappealing and the entire dining room stunk. We opted for the Chicken Wings on the bar menu. The cost was 10E per order and there were 3 small wings per order !! The bar did not sell the local beer just the imported from Portugal brands at a cost of 5E. Restaurant price for the Portugal brands in the local restaurants were between 1E - 2E each. A huge difference ! Breakfast was ok but they did not always replenish items when they were out even though there was lots of time before breakfast ended. The man at the omelette station made a great omelette ! We received a survey about our stay on our second day of a 7 day trip. We expressed our dismay in the survey and were told that someone at the hotel will be reaching out to us to discuss our concerns but nobody ever came forward. This hotel is said to be the best hotel on the island. I don't doubt that it is but it still falls short of a 5-Star designation.

The hotel is located in an excellent location with an infinity pool. Their staff is very courteous and the food has a good variety. Also the Friday Barbecue with local entertainment is the best way to start the weekend. the rooms with their stunning views are very comfortable. To get a mssage on the sea front is an added advantage. The hotel even has an airport shuttle always at the airport waiting for every flight.

We had a great day out with local guide Luis Miguel Costa, he showed us all over the Island, the Palm Oil Plantation, Cocoa plants, the blow hole, waterfall and many beautiful beaches. He was very informative and caring. He showed us everything we wanted to see plus more, it’s a beautiful Island with beautiful friendly people