King Fisher Village

Named for the kingfisher that nests along this stretch of shore, King Fisher Village is a low-rise hotel on the north coast of Santiago, in the fishing town of Tarrafal. Rooms and apartments are simple and sun-filled, each with a balcony or terrace, air conditioning, a fan, and a mosquito net for the open window at night. Ceiling fans turn slowly over tiled floors. You can hear the birdsong that gave the property its name most mornings from the terrace. The grounds run to 7,000 square metres and include a garden of more than 30 food plants, from bananas and papaya to sweet potato and herbs, tended for the kitchen. Solar panels cover more than half the hotel's electricity use. A desalination plant installed in 2022 turns seawater into drinking water, up to 25 cubic metres a day, used across the property and for irrigation. Furniture in the restaurant and sun loungers on the beach come from local carpenters. Breakfast bread is baked around the corner in town. Fish arrives by small wooden boat, netted close to shore. The pool sits away from the beach, a short walk through the garden. Tarrafal itself stays quiet, its harbour still active with small-scale fishing.