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The Azores are a group of 9 islands, most of them very small, so there are not many resorts in this archipelago and there are even islands without a single resort. To make your life easier, I decided to make a list of the best resorts in the Azores – I hope it will be useful to you!
No time to read a long article? Here’s a summary
These are the best resorts per island:
- São Miguel: Octant Furnas, the Doubletree By Hilton Lagoa Azores and the the SENSI Azores Nature and SPA.
- Terceira: Caparica Azores Ecolodge is MAGIC.
- Pico: Aldeia da Fonte Hotel is a bit old, but it does the trick.
Best resorts in the Azores | São Miguel island
Octant Furnas
If I could only pick ONE resort in the Azores, Octant Furnas would definitely be the one as it is sooooo fancy. In fact the Octant Furnas, renovated in 2015 by a team of architects and interior decorators, is one of the most beautiful hotels in the Azores.
The 4-star Octant Furnas features swimming pools and a Spa & Wellness centre – and what a fantastic place since it includes 10 treatment Rooms, floatbed, Shirodhara (massage with oils flow), Vichy shower and Hydro massage, Sauna, Hamam and a fitness centre.
Moreover, its guests are welcome to enjoy Azorean meals at À TERRA restaurant, or a drink at the bar.
Last but not least, Octant Furnas is located in Vale das Furnas, site of the largest concentration of thermal waters in Europe and one of the best places to stay in São Miguel island.
Santa Barbara Eco-Beach Resort
I have stayed at the Santa Barbara Eco-Beach Resort twice and I am yet to find a single thing to dislike about this hotel. The rooms are beautifully decorated in sustainable materials – I especially liked the one where I stayed for a couple of nights, that had its own hot tub). There is a peaceful pool area, with shaded seating and breathtaking views of the ocean. Or, if you prefer, you have direct access (from the hotel) to one of the best beaches in the Azores, called Santa Bárbara.
Moreover, if you have dietary restrictions (vegetarian / vegan / gluten free etc), the Santa Barbara Eco-Beach Resort has a very accommodating restaurant, and breakfast has plenty of variety.
Pedras do Mar Resort & Spa
Despite its odd location, near the famous (for bad reasons) Rabo de Peixe village, Pedras do Mar Resort & Spa is one of the best resorts in the Azores.
In fact, Pedras do Mar Resort & Spa consists of 92 modernly decorated rooms and suites, all offering balconies with sea or mountain views, air conditioning and heating. Their guests can enjoy meals at the restaurant, or a drink at the bar. Massage services are on offer at the spa, along with a fitness centre, an indoor swimming pool and a sauna. There is also a tennis court and bike hire service. Other leisure facilities include a games room with billiards, a library and a children’s playground.
The only thing I didn’t particularly liked at Pedras do Mar Resort & Spa is that the pool is actually quite small, just you just need to go outside to have a swim in the Ocean :)
Doubletree By Hilton Lagoa Azores
I just love the Doubletree By Hilton Lagoa Azores as it feels like a proper resort for adults and not for families with children :P
In fact, the Doubletree By Hilton Lagoa Azores has everything you could ask for, including a restaurant, a proper bar, a year-round outdoor pool, an indoor pool, sauna, a hammam, on-request massage treatments, and a large, comfortable shared lounge.
Moreover, the location couldn’t be better – it’s in Lagoa, a village just 15 minutes driving distance both from the airport of São Miguel and from Ponta Delgada, the main city in the island (which I absolutely detest, something you may have noticed by reading my previous articles).
SENSI Azores Nature and SPA
The first thing I would like to do is to praise the good taste and attention to detail that exudes from the SENSI Azores Nature and SPA – in fact, some days I just didn’t want to leave the hotel at all, as I felt so comfortable there.
Located around 10 km from the famous Lagoa Azul, SENSI Azores Nature and SPA provides both outdoor & indoor pool, a sauna, a lovely garden and a terrace.
It also has a restaurant and a bar, so you can enjoy Providing a restaurant, the property also has a bar, so à la carte, continental or vegetarian meals can be enjoyed at the property – and the food is sooo good!
The only thing I didn’t like was not having a proper coffee machine in my bedroom, since I find instant coffee sachets to be distasteful.
Pestana Bahia Praia Nature & Beach Resort
Pestana Bahia Praia Nature & Beach Resort is one of the oldest resorts in the Azores. There, you can choose between 2 restaurants that serve international cuisine and traditional Azorean dishes. There is also a bar near the pool that provides live music and entertainment. This resort has 2 tennis courts and a large garden with a small 17th-century chapel. There is also a games room with billiards and table tennis.
However, I have to be honest and tell you that the Pestana Bahia Praia Nature & Beach Resort has a few problems.
First of all, the bedrooms feel very outdated, because the floor is covered in carpets (which is terrible for people with allergies like me!). Moreover, the spa area is a bit of a disgrace and the gym is practically nonexistent: only treadmill, bike, and free weights in a tiny room.
Best resorts in the Azores | Terceira island
Caparica Azores Ecolodge
Caparica Azores Ecolodge is probably my favourite resort in the Azores. I just love everything about it – from its strategic location near the natural pools of Biscoitos to its outstanding staff (thank you for everything, Carla!), everything was carefully thought off to make your stay an unforgettable one.
The Caparica Azores Ecolodge is not a very complete resort, as it does not offer some features such as a restaurant, but it makes up for this lack in the excellence of the features that it does offer. For instance, swimming in its sea water pool in a quiet, tropical garden is such a unique experience!
Moreover, Caparica Azores Ecolodge has a garden, a terrace and a shared lounge. Rooms are fitted with a balcony with views of the iconic Pico mountain.
The breakfast is probably the best one you will have in the Azores, with a good selection of delicious, health options (freshly cooked eggs from the kitchen, for instance), which was something to look forward to each morning :)
Best resorts in the Azores | Pico island
Aldeia da Fonte Hotel
I was a bit hesitant to include Aldeia da Fonte Hotel on this list of the best resorts in the Azores because, despite its obvious beauty, this hotel felt somewhat old and in urgent need of renovations. Nonetheless, we did enjoy our time there and hence I decided to include it on this article :)
Located on Pico Island in the Azores, Aldeia da Fonte Hotel looks like a village of stone houses in the middle of a tropical garden. It’s gorgeous!
Aldeia da Fonte Hotel provides yoga sessions, a Tai Chi garden, direct ocean access, a sea lounge and an Atlantic swimming pool with an astonishing view. It has a small fitness area, with large windows with a view towards the garden. Guests can relax in the free infra-red sauna. It also has a restaurant famous for its vegetarian dishes of Asian influence.
The location is very nice, close to one of the most important villages of Pico island, called Lajes do Pico.
