Looking for a retreat in Paradise? Then the Terra Nostra Garden Hotel in the heart of Sao Miguel Island, Azores is for you. This hotel sits in what was rated one of the worlds best “Green Retreats” by Conde Nast Traveler and now I know why. Enjoy this guest post by Kanicia Cognard – Luxury in the Heart of the Furnas Valley

Luxury in the Heart of the Furnas Valley

As I approached the Furnas Valley I felt as if I was going to a hidden village in a lush tropical valley. The greenery that surrounds this area is really spectacular. Even in the winter, I immediately started to feel relaxed and couldn’t wait to see what this hotel had to offer.

The Terra Nostra Garden Hotel is a retreat nested within the Terra Nostra Garden, which is a botanical garden that dates back to 1775! Besides the beauty of this garden, one of the highlights is its natural thermal pools.

The hotel has a spa with different treatment options if you want to really indulge as well as a restaurant specializing in traditional Azorian food.

As we crisscrossed our way down into the valley we arrived at the hotel. The Terra Nostra Garden Hotel really blends into the natural settings, keeping with the soothing greens and browns surrounding it.

It is tastefully decorated hotel in the art deco style and really gives you the feeling that you are in a retreat in a secret garden. After checking in we headed to our room.

We had a garden-view room with a balcony, which allowed us to see the gardens up close. It was really relaxing just to sit on the balcony with a cup of tea. The room was relaxing and quiet, just the right place to be at to get away from it all.

One of the benefits of staying here is that as a guest you have access to the Terra Nostra Park which includes the warm thermal pools at no extra cost and at any time during your stay.

This is why you come here to relax! We decided to take a walk through the park and then decided to come back to experience the thermal pools in the evening. The park is open to the public but guests are able to access the park 24/7.

This means that if you want a quieter environment you can go to the park during the day and come to the thermal springs after the park is closed to the public. I’d definitely recommend going in the evening.

There’s something very unique about being in a tropical wonderland, relaxing in warm waters under the stars!

The Furnas Valley is on the other side of the island from the capital, Ponta Delgada, so you’ll have some unique things to see while you’re here.

The village has some restaurants that cook the traditional Cozido das Furnas Stew, which is cooked in the ground using the heat from the volcano. Definitely, try this at the hotel restaurant, they make it daily.

In addition to Terra Nostra Park, there are other thermal hot springs in the town and geysers which you can visit during your stay. Make sure to just take in the white buildings and idyllic streets of the Furnas Valley while you are here!

So if you want to relax, explore or just want a unique romantic getaway, add Terra Nostra Garden Hotel to your list!

Terra Nostra Garden Hotel

Rua Padre José Jacinto Botelho, 5, 9675-061

Furnas, S. Miguel – Açores, Portugal

Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a “sponsored post.” The company who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value to write it. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Antoine and Kanicia, two young travel bloggers from the United States are the voice behind Far And Away Places. They have been living and traveling abroad for the last four years while being based in the South of Spain. Their passion is discovering lesser-known destinations and sharing them on their blog and social media.