From the 5-star Pestana in the city to the Sundy Praia villas on Príncipe: the hotels and resorts where we send our clients, what each does well and who it suits.
Choosing the right hotel in São Tomé and Príncipe changes your trip. The country has no resort chains like the Caribbean: it has a few luxury hotels, each with its own personality, and many ecolodges and plantations where comfort means something else. This list brings together the hotels and resorts we know from the inside and where our clients stay, with what each one does well and who it suits.
In São Tomé city
Pestana São Tomé (5 stars)
The benchmark 5-star hotel in the city, on the seafront, with an ocean-facing pool and spa. It is the safest choice if you want international-hotel comfort: air conditioning, spacious rooms and service that works.
- Who it suits: those who want total comfort, business travellers, the first and last nights of the trip.
- Airport transfer: free.
- See also: our guide to the Pestana São Tomé.
Pestana Miramar (4 stars)
From the same group, on the city's waterfront and more affordable. It has a pool and is a few minutes' walk from the centre.
- Who it suits: those who want the Pestana guarantee at a lower price.
Omali (Príncipe Collection)
A boutique hotel near Praia Lagarto, a few minutes from the airport, with a tropical garden, pool and good food. It belongs to the Príncipe Collection, the same group as Bom Bom and Sundy Praia on Príncipe.
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Luxury Principe Island Holiday: 9 Days at Bom Bom Island Resort and Omali9 days / 7 nightsfrom 2,800 €
- Who it suits: couples and anyone who wants a charming hotel, smaller and quieter than a big hotel.
- Airport transfer: free.
- Tip: it is the perfect base for your first night before flying to Príncipe.
In the south of São Tomé
Pestana Equador (Rolas Islet)
A resort on a small island crossed by the Equator, a short boat ride from the south of São Tomé. Bungalows, a pool and the Equator monument within walking distance.
- Who it suits: those who want to sleep on an island and stand with one foot in each hemisphere.
- See also: the Rolas Islet excursion.
Praia Inhame (ecolodge)
One of the oldest eco-hotels in the country, by the sea in the south. It is simple: bungalows without air conditioning, an open-air restaurant and home cooking. It is not a luxury hotel and has no hairdryer (the bungalows cannot handle one, the power trips). But it is the best base for the south: Rolas Islet, Praia Piscina, the mangrove and Pico Cão Grande.
- Who it suits: those who put nature before comfort.
In the north and interior
Mucumbli (ecolodge)
Almost a jungle hotel, in the north beyond the town of Neves. Great bungalows with lovely views and excellent food. There is no sandy beach: the beach is rocky and reached by a long walk down.
- Who it suits: those who want to switch off, hike and explore the north at a slow pace. With two nights here you can visit Roça Diogo Vaz, the Santa Catarina tunnel and the black-sand beaches.
Roça Santa Luzia
An old colonial plantation in the middle of the forest, turned into charming accommodation. Simple, comfortable rooms and dinner made with local produce.
Featured trip
Luxury Principe Island Holiday: 9 Days at Bom Bom Island Resort and Omali
Luxury and nature in São Tomé and Príncipe: 5 nights at Bom Bom Island Resort, Roça Sundy, Sundy Praia and Agulhas Bay, with the inter-island flight and private experiences. International flights not included.
- Who it suits: those who want to sleep inside the history of cocoa.
On Príncipe Island
Príncipe is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and home to the most exclusive resorts in the country. You get there on a short flight in a small plane, with a 15 kg baggage limit. At Príncipe Collection hotels, the airport transfer is always included.
Bom Bom (Príncipe Collection)
Príncipe's best-known resort: bungalows between the forest and two beaches, and an islet linked by a wooden bridge where the restaurant and bar are. It is the hotel for our honeymoon trips.
- Who it suits: couples, honeymooners, anyone who wants beach and nature with comfort.
- Tip: the Pool Bungalows are the most affordable way to stay at Bom Bom.
- See also: the luxury Príncipe trip with Bom Bom and the honeymoon in São Tomé and Príncipe.
Sundy Praia (Príncipe Collection)
The most exclusive hotel in the country, a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World: villas scattered through the forest by a golden-sand beach, designed for privacy.
- Who it suits: those looking for the very best the country has and who want to be far from everything.
Roça Sundy (Príncipe Collection) — under renovation, reopening
One of the most historic plantations in Africa: here, on 29 May 1919, astronomer Arthur Eddington's expedition photographed the total solar eclipse that confirmed Einstein's theory of relativity. The main house is closed for renovation and will reopen as a hotel.
- Who it suits: history lovers who want to sleep in a place that changed science (once it reopens).
Roça Belo Monte (Príncipe Collection)
A restored colonial plantation overlooking the forest, a few minutes from the famous Praia Banana.
- Who it suits: those who want to combine history, comfort and one of the most beautiful beaches in Africa.
Are there all-inclusive hotels in São Tomé?
There are hardly any all-inclusive resorts like in the Caribbean. Half board (breakfast and dinner) is the norm, and lunch at local restaurants is part of the experience. If you do not want to think about anything, the answer is an organised trip: accommodation, guide, transport and excursions already paid for. See our all-inclusive São Tomé holidays.
How to choose: summary
| If you want… | Stay at… |
|---|---|
| Maximum comfort in the city | Pestana São Tomé (5 stars) |
| Charm and peace near the airport | Omali |
| A beach honeymoon | Bom Bom (Príncipe) |
| The most exclusive hotel in the country | Sundy Praia (Príncipe) |
| To sleep on the Equator | Pestana Equador (Rolas Islet) |
| Nature and silence | Mucumbli or Praia Inhame |
| The history of cocoa | Roça Santa Luzia or Roça Belo Monte |
| To sleep where Einstein's theory was proven | Roça Sundy (once it reopens) |
Our favourite combination for a week: start in the city, stay on a plantation and in an ecolodge, and finish with a comfortable night at the Omali before your flight. That way you see the whole country without giving up comfort. Ask us for a quote and we will put together the right combination for you.
Frequently asked questions
It depends on what you are looking for. In the city, the Pestana São Tomé (5 stars). On Príncipe, Sundy Praia is the most exclusive and Bom Bom the most popular for honeymoons.
Yes. The Pestana São Tomé is the benchmark 5-star hotel in the city. On Príncipe, the Príncipe Collection hotels offer the same level of luxury.
For beach and honeymoon, Bom Bom on Príncipe. To sleep on an island on the Equator, Pestana Equador on Rolas Islet.
The Pestana, the Omali and the Príncipe Collection hotels include the airport transfer.
