Belo Monte Hotel and Museum

The plantation buildings have been sympathetically transformed into a comfortable hotel. A friendly team of staff with someone available at all times to assist us in any way conversing with us in English. We enjoyed three excellent excursions, it’s worth listening to advice and local knowledge to get the best from the trips out. When I was feeling unwell I was shown kindness, understanding and help. The beach is magical, the views from the hotel of sea are beautiful, good food, rooms are clean and the museum interesting. We had a wonderful time; however it is Africa and a small island so expect a lack of seatbelts, breakfast not always ready on time and an element of waiting. Go with the flow, don’t let it bother you and enjoy this special slice of paradise.

Staff was very friendly and courteous and happily answered all questions. I wanted to do a small hike on my first day and instead of trying to sell me one of their guided tours they suggested one I could do without a guide, a very nice change of pace compared to other place where profit drives everything. I did use their guide for a cultural tour around Principe and it was quite good too, the only minor complaint was that the guide struggled a bit with English so information were partly in porteguese and it was difficult to ask follow-up questions. Food was excellent and I had both lunch and dinner and was pleasantly surprised by each meal. Breakfast is sp**** with limited choices with some fruit, bread, cereal, eggs and sometimes bacon but that is to be expected when you are on a tiny, tiny island. Since I prefer walking I didn't utilize their beach transport to Banana beach, but that is also a great service and excellent choice after a long day on the beach.

The venue is spectacular with a truly breathtaking sea view from both the main terrace and dining area, especially during the sunsets. It is such that often, you simply prefer to sit and enjoy the view to leaving the hotel area. They also arranged a dinner with Sao Tomean live music at a view point halfway to the beach one of the nights. If attentive one can actually see a whole range of birds already from the broader hotel area. I managed to see both grey parrots and the two main types of kingfishers. The pool is on the smaller side but it is fully possible to swim in it and you will anyways prefer to go to the beach (the hotel arranges an included shuttle service to Praia Banana, including towels and snorkeling equipment, on demand and there are several other nice beaches to visit on walking distance, many of them amongst the best I have seen on the Western side of Africa). Unlike many places in the region, it is generally safe to swim at the beaches. The snorkeling trails are amongst the better I have experienced in the region where I saw beyond a dozen species of fish, starfishes, morays, sea urchins, rhodolites and even small squids and a turtle. The turtle night tour to Praia Grande, I would strongly reccomend and the hotel offer a large range of activities. The museum on the premises is well worth an early visit. If you are new to the region, you can see many tropical plants and butterflies in the immediate area (bananas, cocoa trees, pineapples, mango trees, sapsap trees, cotton trees etc). The staff are service minded and really keen to make you feel at home. I stayed in the Manor House Luxury Suite and would definitely recommend one of the rooms in the Manor House for the stunning view and practical location. I had a little balcony with sea view directly from the bed room and there was also a French balcony overlooking the courtyard from the living room. The only point of improvements is that while the food was by all means fully satisfactory, not fully a five star option as the rest of the stay. This is probably partially due to the remote location practically limiting options but they could for instance have more juice options for the breakfast and more variety for the dinner (as a vegetarian, they were very helpful and flexible in providing very good options so I was indeed very happy with the food). There are actually more options than they always put forward for the breakfast such as cerals with milk, bread and tea. As is to be expected and common in this part of the world, there are ants around the venue. I had initially planned to visit Bombom resort but booked Bela Monte as Bombom is undergoing a renovation. I did not regret this and would definitely book a stay at Bela Monte again if I return to Principe. Highly recommend - you wont regret your stay!

Absolutely stunning view, though in our eyes the whole hotel is overrated due to the very (!) relaxed service and the normal, basic food. Staff, however, is very forthcoming, friendly and lovely. They really make you feel at home. Some of the minor drawbacks: Plates were often dirty and had to be cleaned again. Breakfast and dinner buffet were late most of the time, but then again, you are not in a rush on Príncipe. A laundry rack would be great to have in the rooms, since clothes do not have a chance to get dry in Príncipe's climate without one. What we loved: The lovely garden, the lush pool area (pool enclosure itself will need restoration soon) and the trips to the beach which are quite a treat. The museum is very informative. All in all, if they put a bit more effort into the quality of the food, the cleanliness of the dishes and work a bit on a structured hotel environment, it is the perfect place to forget the world around you for some days. We would always come back.

One of the most amazing places I’ve been to! Genuine, friendly, spectacular views from the balcony in the main building. Great selection of outings and adventures. Excellent service from the Manager and Event Manager. Nice and interesting museum on the premises. Nice walk down the hill to the fantastic beach “Praia Banana”. Snorkelling easy off the beach, always something new to see. Perfect swimming and playing in the ocean but maybe not so good for small children. We loved the relaxed and laid back atmosphere. Very good Wi-Fi.