10 of the best hotels in the Azores, Portugal

There are many reasons to fall in love with the Azores, a Portuguese archipelago located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean that is often called the Hawaii of Europe. Carrots are green. They’re lush. They are beautiful. A lot of delicious cheese. They also remain largely devoid of mass tourism, and are home to a growing number of delightful boutique hotels. These are some of the most beautiful.

pico

lava houses

Not a traditional hotel but more of a collection of 14 contemporary homes dotted down a steep hillside, Lava Homes began with the owner’s own home in Pico. She has outgrown her original vision, but still has the love, care, and attention to detail that an intelligent, creative person would put in her home.

Adegas do Pico

This is another group of small homes owned by an islander who immigrated to the US and then returned to their roots. She acquired a collection of 13 old stone houses and hired local craftsmen to restore. The bedrooms are simple yet comfortable, and the living spaces are great.

Adeja do Fogo

The owner of Lava Homes has converted a distillery on the most picturesque part of the island into a six-bedroom vacation home. It is a private oasis (for exclusive use) from which to settle into the slow rhythms and stark beauty of Pico. The pool has a perfectly framed view of the island’s namesake volcano. There are plenty of impressive architectural details, but the place impresses with its traditional Azorean hospitality.

third

Caparica Azores Ecolodge

It’s hard to be more closely connected to nature than sleeping in this sparse hotel near the village of Bisquitos. (The town’s name means “biscuit,” and you can eat some of the good stuff.) The rooms are small, self-contained cabins dotted around the woods, with private balconies and entire walls of windows. The road to reach them can be tricky on rainy nights, but the views make up for it.

Posada Angra do Heroismo

This hotel is located inside the 16th-century São Sebastião Castle, which was once the scene of victories against pirates and pirates. The cliff-top location, above the historic and UNESCO-recognised ancient city of Angra do Heroísmo, offers a wonderful view of the city and the Atlantic Ocean below.

Sao Miguel

Solar Branco Eco Estate Company

Still in its soft opening phase, Solar Branco (“The White Property”) is the passion project of one of the Azores’ biggest dreamers. It is a thoughtful restoration of a 19th century property that balances heritage, luxury and sustainability. The eight rooms enjoy panoramic views of the countryside and ocean, as well as access to an innovative system that gives guests real-time updates on their energy and water consumption, with savings being donated to a foundation that supports marine conservation. Its bar is home to the largest selection of gins in a European hotel.

white

Six years ago, this cliff-top hotel pioneered luxury hospitality on the islands. And after its revamp last year, it remains the standard bearer. The new design is more associated with the volcanic island, with generous doses of calm and craftsmanship. Black floors and basalt shower tiles in some rooms give a sense of place, and some rooms retain original architectural features, such as vaulted ceilings from a former wine cellar and an old kitchen fireplace.

Herdad do pineapple

Among other things, the Azores are known for producing some excellent pineapples (the only pineapples grown in Europe), and staying on a pineapple farm is a treat. The owner of Herdade do Ananás has transformed his ancestral home into a small boutique hotel with a collection of simply decorated guest rooms, ornate tiles in the bathrooms and whitewashed doors as wall decor. Downstairs, the glass-walled dining room offers garden views. Of course, there is fresh pineapple on the breakfast buffet.

Rose lady

The work is a labor of love by an island hotelier who built her career in Lisbon and abroad before returning to her island. The main building on her family’s farm now houses 33 rooms and suites, all with balconies overlooking the flowers and greenery. But the best rooms are the old-fashioned garden lodge pimps (grain stores) on farms in the 19th century. They’re set on stilts, scented with cedar wood and as romantic as can be. Their terraces, in front of the lush banana trees, are so well sheltered that they can enjoy being there when it rains.

Eight ovens

This is the hotel that brought the simple and elegant design concept to the Azores. After its rebranding (formerly Furnas Boutique Hotel), it is a modern renovation of an old hotel with thermal waters, where people used to go in the hope of healing from a variety of ailments. (You can still sample the 22 medicinal thermal waters right outside the property.) It’s elegant and quiet, with a good restaurant to match.

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