The location of this hotel is fabulous and for anyone wanting a getaway from it all stay, I would highly recommend this hotel. The village itself has a few amenities, but the main attraction is the fact that it is a village, not a tourist resort.
The hotel was cleverly designed and makes best use of the fact that it is on a cliff overlooking the ocean and mountains. It has a good sized indoor and outdoor pool with plenty of space to sunbathe. Rooms are somewhat narrow ( a meter wider would have made a big difference) but fairly comfortable.
Air conditioning is okay, but if ( like me) you want the temperature low at night, the best bet is to open the window.
On the down side, and for some it might seem irrelevant, the hotel could be greatly improved with a little bit of TLC. For example, a bit of thought to the aesthetics. Surely a few pictures here and there wouldn't cost a lot? The dining room was both noisy and very uninviting. During meals it was a bit of a scrum when it came to accessing the buffet. Sunbeds were virtually worn out as were sun parasols. There was no gym.
I had the feeling that the chef was working on an extremely tight budget so whilst the food was adequate and edible, it lacked any finesse or imagination.
All in all, I think it is a real shame as with some investment, this could be a really special place.
- Monte Mar Palace Hotel
- Monte Mar Palace Ponta Delgada
