Sao Miguel, PortugalFurnas
Octant Hotels Furnas
Volcanic mineral bathhouse
Furnas Sao Miguel, Portugal
Renovated
2024
Price
$$$
Rated for
Wellness Design LocalOutside the door
The house
OctantVolcanic mineral bathhouse
The hotel operates as a modern thermal bathhouse, piped directly with iron-rich spring water that steams day and night.
“Set on a green, tree-filled property on the edge of town, the hotel blends seamlessly into its surroundings, while inside, modern decor mixes with dark walls and hanging plants.”
What it’s good at
Remarkable
Natural hyperthermal spring pools open around the clock beside volcanic mud treatment suites.
Notable
A glass-roofed bathhouse and volcanic basalt tones shaped by designer Nini Andrade Silva.
Notable
Traditional cozido stews simmer underground in steaming caldeiras for dinner at À Terra.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
Also in Condé Nast Traveler and AFAR.
The hotel, a clever reworking of a historic thermal center, is striking in its own right.
Somewhere quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Steaming caldeiras bubble across the village, and Terra Nostra Garden is a ten-minute walk down the road.
The rooms
Select ground-floor rooms open onto terraces with private geothermally heated plunge pools. Other rooms take their slate tones from the volcanic terrain.
The thermal pools
Bring a swimsuit.
Indoor and outdoor pools are fed by volcanic mineral springs, flanked by timber decks and green hedges.
The spa and gym
Treatment suites offer volcanic mud wraps and hydrotherapy baths. In the gym, treadmills look directly over the thermal pool.
Restaurant
À TERRA
Wood-fired ovens and a Josper grill turn out Azorean meats and market seafood under a canopy of hanging ferns.
The hotel boasts 54 rooms of various sizes with something for parties of every size (kids included). Every room is spacious, has small vintage details like Marshall speakers, and comes with robes and slippers
At the table
The glass-roofed lounge serves pineapple caipirinhas and Azorean liqueurs among hanging lanterns and stacks of firewood.
How it began
The building reclaims the old Furnas Thermal Center, which had stood shuttered since the 1990s over the valley's mineral springs.
Sao Miguel
More like this
Senhora da Rosa, Tradition & Nature Hotel
“Pineapple farm estate”
White Exclusive Suites & Villas
“Basalt cliffside hideaway”
Santa Barbara Eco-Beach Resort
“Eco-modernist surf lodge”
Moinho da Areia
“Restored surfside watermill”
Aqua - Pópulo Eco Village
“Sustainable coastal apartments”
Octant Hotels Ponta Delgada
“Geometric marina hotel”
Sul Villas & Spa
“Minimalist clifftop villas”
Villa Sal
“Clifftop fisherman villas”
The app
Like this one? There are so many more.
Swipe any city’s hotels and heart the ones you love. The app gets your taste.
Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.