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São Miguel is not only the most visited island in the Azores but also the largest one (it takes around 4h30 to go around the entire island). There is SO much to see that it is crucial to wisely choose where to stay in São Miguel island.
Luckily for you, I lived long enough on the island to help you make such an important decision.
No time to read a long article? Here’s a summary
Ribeira Grande: overall best choice
++ Strategic location, half an hour from pretty much everything in the island.
++ Very safe (much safer than Ponta Delgada).
Best hotels: Volcanic Charming House, Hotel Verde Mar & SPA, Quinta do Charco and the amazing Vivaz – Ribeira Cottage.
Furnas: for couples on a romantic getaway
++ Magical place, with plenty of things to do.
— It’s the most expensive spot in São Miguel.
— It’s not exactly very central.
Best hotels: Octant Furnas, Terra Nostra Garden Hotel. Furnas Lake Forest Living and Landescape Furnas.
Best apartments: Furnas Springs and the Furnas Azores House.
Ponta Delgada: for young people who love to dine out
++ Largest city in the island, with plenty of restaurants.
— Just 10 minutes driving from the airport.
— Full of drunks and drug addicts – it just doesn’t feel safe.
Best hotels: Senhora da Rosa, Tradition & Nature Hotel, Octant Ponta Delgada, Grand Hotel Açores Atlântico.
Best apartments: Solmar Alojamentos, Apartamentos 3 Praias, Villa Esmeralda and Toi et Moi Apartamentos
Mosteiros: perfect for families with young kids
++ Quiet location with the best sunset in the world!
— Not central at all – it is in the most Northwest point of São Miguel.
Best hotels: Mosteiros Place.
Best apartments: La VIGIE de CASTELROCK, Verde Água Family Home, Casa Estrela do Mar and the Cantinho do Sol apartment.
What are the best areas to stay in São Miguel island?
In my opinion, if you’re deciding where to stay in São Miguel island there are really only four regions to consider.
I listed them in my order of preference, explaining the advantages and disadvantages of each region. I also included a few suggestions of hotels and apartments in each region. I hope it proves useful to you!
Ribeira Grande
Why stay in Ribeira Grande?
Ribeira Grande is a small town on the north coast of São Miguel island. It is undoubtedly one of the best places to stay in São Miguel, for several reasons.
First of all, it has a wonderful location, very central. It is half an hour away from everything that is important to know – the famous lagoons near Sete Cidades, Lagoa do Fogo (which has a beach that is considered one of the 7 Best Beaches in Portugal), Furnas, Nordeste… .so, if you are an explorer who wants to travel from one end of the island to the other, Ribeira Grande is the best option for you.
On the other hand, it is a very safe city and where you can find everything, from a large supermarket, fruit shops, cafes, pharmacy, petrol station and even a laundry. It is, on top of that, right by the sea, which is great :)
Ribeira Grande is the best place to stay in São Miguel island for travellers who want to really explore the island.
What is the catch?
There are none, really :) I really think that the answer to the question: where to stay in São Miguel island REALLY is Ribeira Grande for its convenience and safety.
The only thing that could be upsetting for some travelers is that it is a 30 minutes driving distance from the only airport on the island. But for me this is an advantage, not a disadvantage!
Best places to stay in Ribeira Grande
There are sooooo many nice places to stay in Ribeira Grande. I’ll start with the Volcanic Charming House, a 7-minute walk from the beach, with free private parking, a garden and a shared lounge AND, more importantly, a SUPERB breakfast.
Another fantastic option by the beach is Hotel Verde Mar & SPA, which has the particularity of having a fitness center, a decent restaurant, an indoor pool and a sauna.
If you are traveling with family or friends, then Quinta do Charco, with its large open spaces and private pool surrounded by nature, is FANTASTIC.
Another place I feel in love with is Vivaz – Ribeira Cottage. With its jungly-like garden it is really really cute and very romantic :’)
If you prefer a farm stay, I recommend you Quinta dos Sabores Farm Houses because even though the rooms are modestly decorated, they have an AMAZING view.
If you are looking for cheap accommodation in São Miguel – Ribeira Grande, nothing quite beats both Areal de Santa Bárbara Guest House and Costa Norte Guesthouse. You’ll have to share the bathrooms with other guest though.
Furnas
Why stay in Furnas?
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Furnas, and I don’t even know how to explain why. It is an area that has a mystique of its own – imagine a small village, located in a valley surrounded by forest, with hot springs rising from the ground and a beautiful lagoon. that’s more or less it :D
Furnas is one of the obligatory stops during your visit to São Miguel, because not only is there the Furnas lagoon, where you can go for walks, but also the famous Terra Nostra garden and Dona Beija hot springs (both are listed in the my list of the best things to do in São Miguel).
Furthermore, it is the geothermal zone where you can visit two active volcanic sites where you can see the boiling heat in action, which is basically where they cook the famous Cozido stew on the ground! Yes, I wrote it correctly. On. the. ground.
Furnas is an incredibly romantic place, full of activities and amazing places, and hence if you are traveling with your partner and still don’t know where to stay in São Miguel island look no further; Furnas is the right place for you.
Furnas is the best place to stay in São Miguel island for couples on a romantic trip 🙂
What is the catch?
There are two problems with staying in Furnas:
– The first one is that Furnas is undoubtedly the most expensive area to stay in São Miguel island. It’s where the best hotels are located, like Terra Nostra Garden Hotel and the Octant Furnas (which I LOVE). So if you are a budget conscious traveler and are unsure of where to stay in São Miguel island, Furnas might not be the best spot for you.
– the second problem is that Furnas is not exactly centrally located. Furnas is 45 minutes from Ponta Delgada airport and 1h15 from Sete Cidades, just to give two examples.
I personally don’t care too much about this because I love driving and the access road to Furnas is to die for, but if you don’t like driving, maybe it’s better to choose another area.
Best places to stay in Furnas
In my opinion Furnas has the most sophisticated options when it comes to places to stay in São Miguel island. My two favourite hotels are the iconic Terra Nostra Garden Hotel and the Octant Furnas. Even though Terra Nostra is more famous (mostly because of its gardens), personally I enjoyed more my stay at the Octant Furnas because it has a marvellous spa with a float bed, Vichy Shower, Sauna, Hamam and a Fitness Center. And trust me, after a long day hiking in São Miguel island, you’ll need one of those :D
Now if you prefer to stay in a room with a kitchenette, I got you. I already stayed at a few in Furnas (have I told you I love this area?!) and my favourite ones are Furnas Lake Forest Living as it has a fabulous restaurant. If it is already sold out, look for Landescape Furnas as it has a very similar vibe, or even Atlantic Furnas.
If you prefer to rent an entire house, then I definitely recommend you to look into either Furnas Springs (up to 5 people) or into The Furnas Azores House (up to 6 people).
Ponta Delgada
Why stay in Ponta Delgada?
Ponta Delgada is the largest city in the Azores, home to 46,000 people.
It has a very central location, just 10 minutes from the airport, and it has sooooo many options in terms of restaurants, bars, hotels and apartments. It is actually quite exciting!
Because of this, it is one of the cheapest areas to stay in São Miguel.
There is no shortage of shops here – some of them quite cool – as well as a large shopping center with a large supermarket and several international stores.
Ponta Delgada is the best place to stay in São Miguel island for travelers who want to have it easy, and try as many different restaurants as possible 🙂
What is the catch?
I thought long and hard if I should write this publicly (especially because I am Portuguese), but here it goes.
Ponta Delgada currently has a huge problem with drunks and drug addicts. You will constantly find drunks in the street screaming, or sleeping in public gardens, or rummaging through the garbage.
Although nothing ever happened, I never feel comfortable in Ponta Delgada (especially after waking up to a bunch of drunks beating up a couple of other drunks).
It is a terrible situation, which has worsened greatly during the pandemic, and which has yet to be resolved by local authorities.
Is the city objectively dangerous? No.
Do I personally feel safe in Ponta Delgada? Unfortunately, no 🙁
Best places to stay in Ponta Delgada
I may not love Ponta Delgada but I reckon it has plenty of great options to stay in São Miguel island!
I am not sure what your vibe is, so I will list here a few options for everyone :)
- Great hostels: if there is one thing about Ponta Delgada is its sophisticated hostels, that provide both cheap accommodation for young travellers as well as great private bedrooms for savvy travellers like me.
Let me start pointing out how exquisite Out of the Blue is; with a fantastic porch, a great breakfast and a design that made me feel like I was sleeping in a spa :)
I also love THE HOLY COW – I stayed there for 10 days, at a private room, and I can’t recommend it enough – Gonçalo, the owner, is a well of knowledge about the island, you can ask him anything!
I also love A Bica Hostel because it is one of the few hostels in Ponta Delgada that has black curtains around the bunk beds, so it gives you a great feeling of privacy and security.
If you are looking for more recommendations, read my article about the best hostels in Ponta Delgada. - Great hotels: my favourite hotel in Ponta Delgada is Senhora da Rosa, Tradition & Nature Hotel because it has a GREAT breakfast and a swimming pool inside a pineapple greenhouse. Yes, you read that correctly and yes, it is as cool as it sounds :)
Other fantastic hotels to stay in Ponta Delgada are Octant Ponta Delgada and Grand Hotel Açores Atlântico, both with fantastic restaurants.
If you prefer a farm stay, go no further than Casa do Pópulo, as you will feel truly immersed in nature.
- Great apartments: there are plenty of great apartments to stay in Ponta Delgada, I am starting with Solmar Alojamentos because they have a strategic location – right by the ocean and on top of a Shopping Gallery – Solmar Avenida Center. Apartamentos 3 Praias are also a great choice, because they are large and come with a terrace with a fantastic view over the ocean.
When it comes to beauty, nothing comes even closer to Villa Esmeralda apartments, with its large rooms and luxurious gardens.
If you are looking for a larger apartment, Toi et Moi Apartamentos is AMAZING – just check the photos and you’ll understand why :)
Mosteiros
Why stay in Mosteiros?
It is impossible not to fall in love with Mosteiros, the most northwest point of the island.
Basically, Mosteiros has it all: it has a fantastic beach, which is one of the best places to watch the sunset on the island, it has natural pools, it has great restaurants. It is a small idyllic village, right by the sea, perfect for a peaceful holiday. It also has a small mini market and even an ATM.
In addition, it is close to some of the biggest attractions in São Miguel, such as Lagoa das Sete Cidades and Ponta da Ferraria.
Mosteiros is the best place to stay in São Miguel island for families with kids who just want to arrive at a destination, unpack and enjoy some lazy days at the beach 🙂
What is the catch?
In my opinion the only significant disadvantage of staying in Mosteiros is that it is far from practically everything (this for those who don’t like remote locations – I love it).
To give you an idea, Mosteiros is 45 minutes from the airport and 1h20 from Furnas.
In that sense, it might not be the best area to stay if you want to properly explore the island.
But if you are just looking for some relaxing time with your family… go for it! You won’t regret it 🙂
Best places to stay in Mosteiros
As expected, there are not many accommodation option in Mosteiros (it is a small village – you’ll get it when you get there!). Still, it has some great options.
One place that I like it Mosteiros Place, a 4 star aparthotel where you can get an apartment with an AMAZING view of the ocean. It also has a great pool, too.
As for apartments, if you are traveling with your partner I recommend you to stay at La VIGIE de CASTELROCK because it has a really cute oval bathroom covered in traditional Portuguese tiles :)
Verde Água Family Home is also a very romantic place to stay as it has a very cute, girly decor, and it fits up to 5 people.
If you are traveling with a larger group, Casa Estrela do Mar is amazing – it has a garden and even paddocks that will make you feel completely relaxed. It fits up to 8 people and if you are traveling with a group that size and Casa Estrela do Mar is sold out, try Cantinho do Sol as it is also great.
