Boavista 9, Praia da Vitória, Portugal
Quiet, modern property set across road from the coast
10- to 15-minute walk to the beach and town center
Bright, contemporary rooms with minibars, hairdryers, and balconies
Junior Suites have kitchenettes, dining tables, and living areas
Ocean-view outdoor pool with adjacent hot tub and cushioned loungers
Free, substantial buffet breakfasts with raved-about coffee
Lobby bar serving various drinks and snacks
Sauna and small gym with cardio machines and free weights
Outdoor playground and indoor play space
Free Wi-Fi and on-site parking
No full restaurant
Lower-category rooms have small, unfurnished balconies
The 28-room Atlantida Mar is a contemporary, upper-middle-range property set in a quiet area across the road from the coastline, a five-minute drive from the center of Praia da Vitoria. Rooms have a bright and modern, if simple design, as well as flat-screen TVs, kettles, minibars, and shower/tub combos. Junior Suites add kitchenettes and living spaces. On-site features include a sleek ocean-view outdoor pool with adjacent above-ground hot tub, a sauna, playground, and gym. There's no full restaurant, but a bar serves snacks and all rates include buffet breakfasts with bread and pastries, eggs, pancakes, cold meats and cheeses, and yogurt, plus well-regarded coffee. Although not as modern, it's worth comparing rates with Terceira Mar Hotel in nearby Angra do Heroísmo, which has a restaurant serving regional and international fare, and a spa offering massage treatments.
Scene
Bright and modern seafront hotel attracting peace-seeking travelers
Opened in 2011, the Atlantida Mar is a bright and modern hotel on Terceira Island’s coastal road. Its clean lines stand out in stark contrast to the rolling countryside -- with roaming cows -- on one side, and the sea on the other. Housing just 28 rooms, the property is compact, yet it offers a lobby bar with outdoor terrace, and bright breakfast room that leads out to the ocean-view pool deck. Common areas are decorated in soothing, neutral tones, while rooms add a touch of aqua or magenta for some style. The hotel's setting a 10- to 15-minute walk from the beach and town center allow for a quiet atmosphere, which attracts both couples and families wanting a tranquil vacation.
Location
On the Terceira coast road, a five-minute drive from Praia da Vítoria
Atlantida Mar has a quiet setting along Terceira Island's costal road, a five-minute drive from Praia da Vítoria's center. There, travelers will find several restaurants, bars, and shops. This areas, as well as the beach, can be also be reached in about 10 or 15 minutes on foot. The coast is across the street from the hotel, but there's no beach. The hotel is a five-minute drive from the small town’s port, which offers access to the other islands in the Azores. Lajes Internacional Airport is a seven-minute drive away. Nonstop, two-hour-and-fifteen-minute flights from here are available to Lisbon.
Rooms
Pleasant rooms with minibars, flat-screen TVs, and balconies, plus kitchenettes in suites
Standard Rooms are on the small side, but they're bright and contemporary. Expect black wood furniture, including four-poster beds, beige carpeting, white walls, and necessary pops of color in aqua blankets and patterned throw pillows, and pale-blue-and-tan striped accent walls. Desks, armchairs, flat-screen TVs, minibars, air-conditioning, and closets with electronic safes and tea- and coffee-making facilities are provided. Mountain-view rooms have small, unfurnished balconies and overlook the parking lot and road, which may create noise issues. Sea-view rooms, meanwhile, have more pleasant vistas and larger balconies with chairs. Suites are spacious and swap the aqua palette for magenta and lilac tones. They have living spaces with sofa beds and dining tables, kitchenettes with microwaves, and large furnished terraces. Bathrooms across the board are modern but compact, featuring shower/tub combos, bidets, free toiletries, and hairdryers.
Features
Ocean-view outdoor pool and free, extensive buffet breakfasts, but no restaurant
A highlight at the Atlantida Mar is its ocean-view pool, which is well-sized and surrounded by cushioned loungers under umbrellas. Off to one side is an above-ground hot tub, as well as a playground. Another kiddy play area is inside, though it's just an open, small space. Although there's no spa, a sauna is available, as is a gym with windows overlooking the sea, cardio machines, and free weights. The property also lacks a full restaurant, though there's a bar on the lobby level serving drinks and snacks, and all rates include a substantial buffet breakfast with cold meats and cheeses, pastries and breads, fruit, yogurt, and raved-about coffee. Wi-Fi and parking are both free.