As Flores is our favorite island in the Azores, every time we return to the archipelago we want to step on it once again, return to the places where we have been happy and get to know new places. From our experience after having stayed in different parts of the island, this post is born with first-hand tips to choose your accommodation in Flores.
In this article we are going to explain in detail what are the best areas to stay in Flores, the advantages and disadvantages of each one, the accommodations in which we have stayed in RandomTrip in our different visits to the island and recommendations in each of the areas.
Don’t miss anything on the island with our complete guide to Flores.
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Best areas to stay in Flores
Although Flores is one of the smallest islands of the Azores, it is the most beautiful one for us at RandomTrip (and we know them all). Apart from being beautiful, it is the westernmost territory of Europe (more specifically its islet, the ilhéu de Monchique) so when you are enjoying the sunset in the best place on the island to do it (and our favorite place to look for accommodation), Fajã Grande, you will know that you are the last person in Europe to do it (along with those who accompany you on the island, of course). As we explain in our complete guide to Flores, we consider the ideal time to visit the island to be between 5 and 7 days.
We have divided the island into three areas, which you can see below on the map, and below we indicate the advantages and disadvantages of staying in each area. As, in general, from almost anywhere on the island you will be a maximum of 30 minutes away from most places by car, you can choose a single base or split your stay without any problem. The only place where we would not recommend you to stay in Flores is Ponta Delgada (yes, Flores also has a Ponta Delgada) as it is a bit more remote to make daily plans around the island.
At RandomTrip we have already stayed in different places in Flores: the first time we stayed a week in Santa Cruz, and the second time we divided the stay in 2 areas (a few days in Fajã Grande, in Aldeia da Cuada and Villas do Mar, and a few days in Santa Cruz, in Casas da Quinta).
No option is better or worse, and it depends a bit on your tastes, budget, how many days you have on the island, if you are going to rent a car or not, if you don’t mind driving at night for dinner, etc.
Here are the advantages and disadvantages of each area:
- Fajã Grande:
- Our favorite area of the island
- Several accommodation options (although they are usually sold out), some restaurant options.
- One of the best areas on the island to watch the sunset.
- Several areas for swimming in the sea
- Easy parking
- Santa Cruz das Flores:
- Capital of the island and main town
- Plenty of accommodation and restaurant options
- The boat to Corvo leaves from here, so if you stay here you will get up less early.
- Several areas for swimming in the sea
- Easy parking
- Lajes das Flores
- Slightly less touristic area compared to the other two.
- Some accommodation and restaurant options
- It has a small beach where you can go for a swim
- Easy parking
Best accommodations and hotels in Flores.
Where to stay in Fajã Grande and Fajãzinha
In our opinion, Fajã Grande is the best area to stay in the island both for its proximity to some of the most interesting spots and for its natural beauty and for boasting the best sunsets. However, its accommodation offer is limited so if you do not arrive in time to book something here (we recommend you do it in advance because they sell out fast), do not worry, because Flores is a small island and you will be half an hour away from this place if you stay in the other places that we suggest below as Santa Cruz or Lajes.
At Randomtrip we stayed in two accommodations in Fajã Grande, in the incredible Villas do Mar overlooking the Atlantic and the photogenic landscape of Fajã Grande (with a highlight for the Poço do Bacalhau waterfall), and we also enjoyed rural tourism in a cottage in the famous Aldeia da Cuada (3 minutes drive from the impressive Poço da Ribeira do Ferreiro) so we can say that we tried some of the best options in the area and we tell you everything in detail. You can see the stories we did those days in Flores where the accommodations are listed in this link
Villas do Mar (from 95€/night) is probably the best (or one of the best) accommodation on the island and also the westernmost accommodation in Europe.
Located in the middle of Fajã Grande, in these comfortable villas of different sizes (one, two or three bedrooms) you will enjoy breathtaking views of the sea, the Poço do Bacalhau waterfall and the last sunset in Europe.
At Randomtrip we stayed in the Deluxe Villa with three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a huge living room with breathtaking views, a spacious kitchen with all kinds of utensils and access to the outdoor barbecue with the impressive Poço de Bacalhau waterfall as a backdrop. A dream accommodation from which we did not want to wake up/leave.
The good thing is that when we said goodbye to Villas do Mar we didn’t say goodbye to the island but headed to the most famous accommodation on the island, just a few minutes away by car.
Aldeia da Cuada (from 107€/night) was born from the conversion and recovery of the stone houses of an old abandoned village into a rural tourism complex with a restaurant and heated pool.
Each of the houses of the former inhabitants of the village were transformed into 16 renovated houses of different sizes (1, 2, 4 or 6 bedrooms) with their own kitchen and outdoor space with table and hammocks, keeping the name of the last person who lived there or the function it had in the village.
At Randomtrip we stayed in a one-room cottage with kitchen and garden that was the old village barn, the “Palheiro da Quinta” cottage.
Access to each of the cottages is by a nice old cobblestone path of the village where you have to go slowly and carefully and even the entrance to the houses themselves is done through stairs so it is not a rural complex accessible for people with reduced mobility.
If, unlike Randomtrip, you are a suitcase person and not a backpacker, don’t worry, in Aldeia da Cuada they ask you if you need help to carry your suitcases to your cottage (they have staff to do it) both at check in and check out. Also, you can ask to stay in a house closer to the entrance/reception if available. It’s perfect for resting, you won’t hear anything else besides nature sounds.
Furthermore, Aldeia da Cuada is a 3-minute drive (or 20-minute walk) from the most impressive place on the island: the Poço Ribeira do Ferreiro with its lagoon reflecting the imposing succession of more than a dozen waterfalls.
If you stay here, you can enjoy a heated outdoor swimming pool overlooking those same impressive waterfalls and the sea!
The buffet breakfast with delicious local products (my mouth is watering every time I think of that Flores butter) is served in the resort’s restaurant. The restaurant has delicious dishes and is open so you can try their dishes (book in advance as it gets busy) even if you are not a guest.
Other accommodations we recommend in Fajã Grande:
O Palheiro (from 80€/night): 1-bedroom cottage 10 minutes walk from Fajã Grande beach.
The Cão and The Calf (from 88€/night): house with several rooms, some with seaview, some with terrace.
Monchique Islet View House T2 (from 92€/night): two-bedroom house with nice sea views and well equipped in the best area of the island for accommodation
Palheiro da Assomada (from 95€/night): cozy one-bedroom house with sea view, terrace and barbecue
Oceanus (from 100€/night): a nice option in Fajã Grande, one minute walk from the beach, the accommodation has one bedroom and large living room with terrace
SÃtio da Assumada (from 130€/night): idyllic wooden cottages with 1 or 2 bedrooms and a garden.
Spot Milasmar (from 130€/night): one-bedroom villa with sofa bed in the living room that stays up to 4 people. The garden has a whirlpool bathtub.
Moinho da Cascata (from 210€/night): a cottage right next to the Poço do Bacalhau waterfall, the most beautiful on the island. It can accommodate up to 6 people
Fonte da Via (from 215€/night): two apartments with two bedrooms each, for a maximum of 8 people between the 2 apartments, ideal if you are traveling in a group/family but are looking for some privacy. It is also possible to rent just one apartment for a maximum of 4 people.
You can see more accommodations in Fajã Grande and surroundings here:
Where to stay in Santa Cruz das Flores.
The first time we visited Flores we stayed in the small capital of the island, Santa Cruz das Flores, and the truth is that although it was not our first choice (we did not find availability in Fajã Grande) it was a pleasant surprise both for its gastronomic options (as for example in O Moreão and its very fresh fish, booking in advance) and for the incredible natural pools.
Also, if you are planning to visit the neighboring island of Corvo (something we highly recommend), staying in Santa Cruz is very practical since there is the port from where the boat from Flores to Corvo departs, so you will have to get up less early.
At Randomtrip we stayed at Casas da Quinta and we loved it. It is an ideal option to stay in Santa Cruz das Flores because despite not being a very busy area, in this accommodation you are in the capital but away from the center where cars pass by and the only thing you will hear are the birds and other sounds of nature. You can see the stories that we did those days in Flores where the accommodations are shown in this link.
Each Casas da Quinta house has a kitchenette, bathroom and terrace overlooking the Florentine greenery and the sea.
Casas da Quinta also has a barbecue area, snorkeling equipment rental, bike rental, reception and laundry service (1 washing machine – 20€).
At Randomtrip we stayed in a studio at Casas da Quinta with a double and a single bed, kitchenette and a small living room with sofa and access to the terrace with two sun loungers, table and chairs where we enjoyed the wine and cheese that was left for us as a welcome.
Other accommodations we recommend in Santa Cruz das Flores:
Apartamentos do Farol (from 60€/night): one bedroom apartments with terrace and sea views in the capital of the island of Flores.
A Quinta das Flores – Casa do Corvo (from 85€/night) with one bedroom and 1 bathroom accommodating up to 4 people or Quinta das Flores – Casa do Miradouro (from 110€/night) with two bedrooms and 4 bathrooms accommodating up to 6 people, both with well equipped kitchen and garden with barbecue and sea views
Paradise Apartments II and Paradise Apartments III (from 95€/night): one-bedroom apartments with kitchen, living room and terrace. Despite the proximity to the airport, don’t worry as there are no flights between 9 am and 5 pm. It can be a good option if you have an early flight because although in Flores, really, everything is close, you always save a few kilometers.
You can see more accommodations in Santa Cruz das Flores here:
Where to stay in Lajes das Flores.
Although we didn’t get to stay in Lajes in any of the visits we did in Randomtrip, we considered doing it since both Lajes and Santa Cruz are excellent options to look for cheaper and/or available accommodation if you can’t find something in the wonderful Fajã Grande. In addition, Lajes has several restaurants for lunch and / or dinner and a nice beach where you can take a dip.
Being the island of Flores, the westernmost island of Europe and Lajes being the westernmost municipality of Flores, Lajes das Flores is, therefore, the westernmost municipality of Europe.
Accommodations that we recommend in Lajes das Flores:
Casa dos Avós (from 80€/night): two-bedroom house with bathroom, kitchen and terrace.
Casa das Flores (from 87€/night): 1 bedroom apartments with sea view.
Casa dos Morros (from 95€/night): remodeled one bedroom house with bathroom, kitchen and terrace.
Vila Flor (from 152€/night): apartment in Lajes with two bedrooms, one with double bed and one with two single beds, living room, equipped kitchen and patio.
You can see more accommodations in Lajes das Flores and surroundings here:
Remember that all prices mentioned in this post are approximate and may change depending on the type of room and the season of each accommodation.
Disclaimer: SC Turismo (Aldeia da Cuada and Villas do Mar) and Casas da Quinta invited us to try their accommodations in Flores mentioned in this guide but all opinions and information expressed in this post are our own.
Hopefully this post based on our own experiences from the trips we made to our favorite island in the Azores will help you decide in which area and which accommodation to choose in Flores. The place where we return after each trail, dip or waterfall and where we wake up to start a new day of travel influences (to a greater or lesser extent depending on the importance you give to it and the budget you have to dedicate to this part) to make it more special so we hope we have helped you to have clearer ideas and…. Have a nice stay, Randomtripper!
