Thinking of the Cape Verde Archipelago, the soft voice of Cesaria Evora immediately comes to mind, as well as the plethora of “all-inclusive” hotels bordering the beautiful beaches of the Pacific Ocean. Still, it’s important not to forget this island chain located 300km away from the Senegalese coasts can offer some of the best hotel experiences – only if you’re willing to go farther than the main islands. The great Belgian entrepreneur Serge Hannecart sure understands that what makes the beauty of these islands are not only the fine sandy beaches, but also their volcanic grounds. Falling in love with the small island of Sao Vicente, Hannecard called on POLO, a Antwerp-based architecture agency, to design a building that would melt into the landscape. The project consisted in creating a hotel and a few villas using only the materials found on site. The result is a one-of-a-kind brutalist piece made of only wood and stones. A place you definitely want to settle in. Sao Vicente has managed to remain authentic and preserved from the outside world, which only makes it one of the top destinations for connoisseurs. You can be one of them, and with only a three-hour time difference with France, there’s nothing stopping you from experiencing your piece of paradise.