A relaxing time in Sao Miguel

the Azores | Oct 8 - Oct 12, 2023

This hotel is solely focused on relaxation and high quality service. We loved having 24 hr access to the thermal pool and botanical garden, which allowed us to use both without the crowds. The restaurant was also excellent - we at there for almost every meal and were never disappointed.

Natacha was just amazing. She took the time up front to understand what we were looking for and then modified the tour as appropriate. Given the unpredictable nature of the weather on Sao Miguel, she maximized our day to take advantage of the "breaks" in our overcast day, and we really got to know a lot about the culture of the Azores as well as the physical beauty.

Caveat for this review - our tour was eventually cancelled (hence the 3 stars). That said, I will definitely try a whale watching tour with this company if I return to Sao Miguel. The staff is very professional, clearly focused on conservation and learning about the animals. The briefing was very thorough and the focus on safety is also very clear. We suited up and actually went out of the marina into choppy water (we were told that up front). The swells were bigger than anticipated (8-10 ft - my estimate), and the captain very quickly turned us around for safety reasons.