Pestana Bahia Praia Nature & Beach Resort

I've never stayed in a hotel that tells you there is an additional charge for using the safe in the room. Why irritate guests this way? Staff not very welcoming. During our five day stay nobody asked us how we were or whether we needed anything. I was chastised for wanting to pay for some drinks with cash which meant that the barman had to go and get some change. Only ate breakfast and based on that experience we didn't want to try any other meals. Breakfast buffet just about acceptable but hot drinks dispensed out of an old machine tasted foul. No tea/coffee making facilities in the room. Our family stayed in two sea view junior suites which had large comfortable rooms. It's a shame that in such a beautiful setting, our hotel experience can best be described as soulless.

The grounds were gorgeous the lobby grand!! The room windows and balcony door filthy never cleaned and carpet stained. Bathroom very outdated. Breakfast should be opened to guests earlier than 7:30 line of folks waiting to get in. Restaurant staff rude. Marcia front desk rep was exceptionally friendly kind and professional.

Pestana Bahia Praia is a very nice hotel in a very nice setting. The way it is set up it is secluded from the public black sand beach. Rooms are spacious, bathrooms are spacious. Safe is in a room but cost additional 2 euros per day to rent which was unexpected (they give you an activator pin that has to be inserted into a safe to make it work). I travel extensively all over Europe and have never seen this before. Overall hotel is very relaxing, clean, grounds are also nice and clean. If I make any recommendation for improvement it would be for food. Breakfast buffet set up is all over the place and creates unnecessary traffic jams. It is almost like they need a better organization so people don't get into each others way. For example a milk should be next to cereal, instead it is next to grill where cook makes egg omelets. It makes no sense. So people are walking around looking for stuff. Why not to put milk and yogurt next to cereal so people looking for cereal don't get in a way of people in line for omelet? Also, only 1 person making omelet and a line is always long. Why not 2 people making omelets during peak morning hours? I do recommend that hotel brings a professional organizer who can observe and make recommendations to improve traffic jam in the buffet breakfast area. Another area of improvement is dinner buffet. We tried it and were not impressed. The food desires to be better. They need a better chef. Period.

We stayed here for a week and it was great. The location of the hotel is great, right next to the beach but it’s quiet and secluded. You definitely need a car to get around but the hotel is centrally located for all destinations. Breakfast was good, lots of choice and our sea view room was fantastic. The beach bar/cafe is a 5 min walk and serves great food. This is a great place to stay if you’re looking for quality accommodation in a great location

Very nice room, spacious and clean. Breakfast was good. The front desk and house keeping were very nice. We love Ms.Priscila Bernardo is awesome, very hospitable and friendly. The hotel location is awesome, right next to a beach, One of the best in Sao Miguel. I love looking out the balcony and let the cool breeze come in, see the mountains and the sea, hear the frogs call at night. The aircon in the room wasn’t cool enough, but we did not call anybody about it. The air coming from the balcony sufficed for us. I love the hotel where it is , away from the busy towns. It is so nice to drive to this beautiful hotel after long hours of hiking, shopping, or driving.

We spent 2 nights at the Pestana Bahia Praia after having spend 4 nights at the Azor Hotel. While the location and grounds are gorgeous, (much nicer than the Azor) the hotel staff and food were very disappointing. The first contact we had was with trainee, Ana Silva, at the front desk. We arrived at noon and asked if we could check in early. Her response was an emphatic - NO. She advised us the policy was no early check in, it was 2 pm and not before. She was not very friendly or welcoming. Ms. Silva was at the front desk each day of our stay and her disposition never changed. On our last day, we asked for a later check out (1 hour) and received the same response from Ms. Silva, another emphatic no. When I asked to speak with the manager, she said that was not possible. I advised her she was a trainee and there must be a supervisor available I could speak with. All of a sudden her demeanor changed and we were granted a late check out. The front desk staff should be friendly and welcoming - even if they are unable to accommodate the requests of the guests, this would leave a much better lasting impression of the hotel. Unfortunately, the food was also disappointing. I would recommend the hotel because of the beautiful rooms and surroundings but advise that the food and front desk staff could be drastically improved.

We loved the hotel location, staff and amenities. The breakfast was wonderful and we had dinner there one night. It is close to Villa Franco de campo and has a peaceful, beachside location.

Great place to stay and dine. Staff is amazing. All was perfect.

Amazing hotel, amazing staff, receptionist Nelson helped us a lot. Great food, staff in the restaurant were so nice. Room with the sea view, pool, gym and all facilies are absolutely worth of money. Unforgetable stay!!! Paradise!

Although a late arrival due to bad weather we were treated in an excellent manner by the Night Manager. The room had a fantastic view overlooking the sea and coastline,the rolling waves transfixing. The Night Manager was exceedingly helpful providing a map on which he marked the various sites and eating out places. A great place to chill out.