Villa ao Mar

We regularly visit Cape Verde in the spring. In March 2024 we visited Santa Maria, Sal and decided to book an apartment at Villa ao Mar for March 2025. We specifically asked for a first floor room (great views over the beach to the sea, no-one walking by, some privacy) and paid a deposit on apartment no. 3 - this was confirmed on our receipt for the deposit. We paid in full several weeks before arriving. We arrived March 2025 to be shown to apartment no 1 - a ground floor apartment. We disputed this immediately - we had the confirmation of our booking of apt. 3 with us. After much discussion, including that we might ‘move’ in a few days, and even a refund if we wanted it (offer later withdrawn) we had to remain where we were for 14 nights. Had we not seen the apartments beforehand we’d probably just have accepted it, but fair to say this spoilt our holiday to a large extent. We couldn’t leave the metal shutters open at the front of the property, couldn’t leave anything on the terrace as a main thoroughfare and constant stream of people pass approx 4m away. The kitchen and bedroom at the back of the apartment looked onto a communal area, being used by a guy fixing his wind sail when we arrived, then as suitcase storage for a large party checking in, bins opposite. So we had the curtains closed most of the time. In addition, right outside apt. 3 is a corridor running the width of the building from the street to the beach. The doors were constantly being left open. Also an outside tap right beside the terrace - by surfers, small children filling up water bottles, and everyone going through the building to wash their feet whether staying there or not. Sitting on the terrace we were regularly accosted by groups of children asking for food - which is a terrible situation, but it became a regular event. We were even asked by one passing couple how much we’d paid for the apartment. Hardly the peaceful holiday we’d planned when we booked a year previously when we were told apt 3 was vacant.. We were told that there was a new booking system in place and that specific room requests could no longer be met. Surely the ‘new system’ could accommodate bookings already confirmed. We were told the ground floor apt and first floor apartments were exactly the same in layout, size and style. Perhaps but there’s a world of difference between ground floor and first floor. We suspected it was easier to take one complaint from us, who were there for 14 nights, than complaints from the 3 or 4 groups of people who stayed in the first floor apt. 3 while we were there. The time to tell us our booking contract, made in good faith, couldn’t be met was when the new system was installed or even when we contacted them to make the full payment. They admitted this was an error. We were offered payment for our airport transfers and given a bottle of wine - which was kind, but didn’t make up for what felt like shabby treatment. Yes, the apartments are lovely, well situated, bu