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Paradise Beach at Algodoeiro Bay, Sal

Work started at last but stops and starts again.

This development was rocked by the irish Commerical Court case between some of its backers. One of the seven original investors has now left and leadership seems to have been assumed by the Edward Cotter Partnership from Cork. Work proceeeds as and when money comes in and there is a hope that at least a part will be habitable during 2011.

Building work ceased in November 2008 but has restarted

D from Cork chose Paradise Beach and felt initially that she had a bargain.

"Paradise Beach cost me €120,000 for 86sqm plus 26sqm of terrace for a frontline development. But Vila Verde is offering prices from €116,000 for 92sqm. This does not seem to be double the price for half the size, but around the same price for an equivalent size."
But she is now having second thoughts
"My solicitor informed me today that only a provisional building licence is in place . Until it has a full licence I should not sign anything nor send off my €29,000 stage payment. A finish date of January 2008 is promised"

R from London is also concerned.

"I spoke to my solicitor who informed me that there are still outstanding issues and that he cannot advise me to proceed until they have been resolved. He is waiting for the construction licence and apparently the land is not currently registered in the company name which appears on the contract."

T from Birmingham thinks it has a better site than Vila Verde.

"Sal is mainly desert! From the airport, you drive through desert to Santa Maria. On the way the land is extremely flat, although there are a couple of small oases. Santa Maria is OK. Very friendly people. Bars and restaurants serve excellent food - particularly the fish. The beach is wonderful and the sea is really clear. My daughter went swimming and we could actually see her body through the breaking waves! There is always a cool breeze, so although it's hot and sunny, you don't really feel it. There was a power cut while we were in Santa Maria - lasted 36 hours, but I understand that this is unusual. We went out to Murdeira to see the land proposed for the new resort. Again just desert at present. The bay where Paradise Beach is being built is really beautiful. It is in front of the land where Vila Verde is to be built, so although Vila Verde seems to be getting loads of hype through UK real estate agents, Paradise Beach is a much better location. In fact, Vila Verde residents have to pass through other developments to get to the beach."
M from Cork feels happy that problems are now sorted out.
"I have purchased 2 units in the resort for a number of reasons. 1. The project is bonded to guarantee delivery of your unit. 2. The project is being supervised by ECP who have done work on many international projects in the past. 3. The resort is a genuine front line site. My solicitor has checked all of the documentation and confirmed that all is in order with planning etc. It did help that I knew the developers by reputation. "
N from Dublin did not think that it was paradise.
"I was there two weeks ago and I was lucky that I wasn`t locked into a contract and have decided to pull out. They have promised that they will remove the rocks and top layer of black volcanic sand greatly to improve the beach. They say it will be totally different. It`s not the beach that let me down: it was the brochure and name "Paradise Beach" that made me feel as if they were trying to make fools of people. I`m going to buy at Santa Maria beach because that lived up to all my expectations. "
C from Ireland has checked the beach.
"I went down to beach on Sunday; wanted to go for swim; couldn`t even get into water because of rocks, if you dont believe me go look yourself."

E from London has second thoughts

"I think Vila do Atlantico looks a great development. I've already bought a couple of places including Paradise Beach but I rather wish I'd held out for Vila Do Atlantico. I went up to a presentation London a few months ago , The developer was a very engaging fellow. Honestly, he was Italian and he had us all in fits of laughter. I think it's a great location that they've got in Santa Maria. I'm going out there next week and to look at how Paradise Beach is coming on and flying to Sao Vicente to look at our other site. I think I might check out the site for Vila Do Atlantico while I'm there!"

G from Ireland believes that work has ceased at Paradise Beach.

"My solicitor is trying to find out whats going on out there. I paid first instalment of €30,000 in October 2006 and have not heard a thing since then. I have also paid my solicitor €4,200 so far and heard nothing from them either. I have friends who have property over there and they told me they had heard rumours that builders had not been paid and work had stopped. That was 4 months ago and now I picked up an Irish paper and it`s front page news. I dont want to scare people because I don`t know full story but I`m very worried about my money and will not be handing over any more money unless I get legal advice that it`s OK. It does not look good "

F from Lancs has doubled her stake, blindfold.

"I have bought 2 properties at Paradise Beach. I have never been there and just hope it is as good as they say, Could anyone let me know what it is truly like and how they are getting on with the develoment"

A from Essex still hopes that work will restart

"They wouldn't be drawn on the reason for the contractors leaving the site, said that it was a major contractual issue which they were working hard to resolve; they weren't in talks with any other contractors and didn't believe it would go to court. No work has commenced on the hotel. The amount of work that still needs to be done on site is really quite immense, there is no way it will be finished within six months - realistically even if an army of contractors start tomorrow it will be 2010 before completion."

K from London is more dubious

"We can't see the completion being within the time frame given and nor are we happy to pay out more money if they should get back to construction on the resort. This whole issue has given us serious doubts whether to ever trust Cape Verde Development again, given the lack of information in the last year almost. Are we willing to part with and possibly lose even more money?"

C from Sussex is losing patience

"Talking to the same people, who don`t know any information, and if they did, they are not disclosing any of it. Sounds like the position is exactly the same, no workmen on site, no building, no information. nothing has improved in 6 months. Did you ask the BIG questions? Is there any money to pay any builders?,Has the project manager left? How much longer do we wait with NO INFO? MY COMPLETION DATE HAS PASSED, without any correspondence from developer whatsoever. Talk about keeping people in the dark, not caring. I have already asked via solicitors for my money back. Big joke."