Avenida Dom Joao III 29, Ponta Delgada, Portugal
Bright, mostly contemporary hotel in residential area
Clean rooms with flat-screen TVs, minibars, and work desks
Indoor/outdoor pool and hot tub surrounded by loungers
10 minutes’ walk away from the seafront promenade
All rates include breakfast of hot and continental options
Small but decently equipped gym and a sauna
Kid’s playroom with art materials and toys
Free, secure underground parking
Interiors are on the dated side
Located is far removed from the center of Ponta Delgada
Guests report difficulties connecting to the Wi-Fi
Complaints of the beds bring uncomfortable
An impressive swoosh of white metal sitting in a residential area of Ponta Delgada, the mid-range Lince Azores Great certainly stands out. This property is bright and modern, with clean-cut interiors and an indoor/outdoor swimming pool, as well as a small gym and hair salon. While the hotel is a 10-minute walk from Ponta Delgada’s seafront promenade, it's quite removed from the center of town at a 20-minute walk to the old part. The 154 rooms are generic and starting to look dated, but they're spacious and outfitted with minibars, flat-screen TVs, and safes. Guests looking to stay closer to the center of the city might want to consider the Hotel Talisman.
Scene
Some lovely elements, but decor on the dated side
The Lince Azores Great makes a first impression with its great swoosh of white metal and glass standing out in an otherwise unremarkable residential neighborhood. Interior spaces, however, are on the dated side with old-fashioned bucket chairs in various colors and little decor aside from a few pieces of generic artwork. The indoor/outdoor pool with modern wood decking and floor-to-ceiling glass is easily the most up-to-date feature. The hotel attracts both leisure couples and business travelers who are less concerned with the removed location.
Location
10-minute walk from the promenade, but removed from the center of town
Although it’s only a 10-minute walk from the promenade that runs along the sea, great swathes of Ponta Delgada are not within a comfortable walking distance of the hotel The historic center of town is 20 to 25 minutes away on foot, or 10 minutes by car. Fortunately, a bus to town stops right outside the hotel entrance. The hotel itself is located in a residential neighborhood out toward the edge of the city, and while there are a few restaurants and a supermarket nearby, there’s very little in the way of amenities. Expect transfer times to Joao Paulo II Airport to take between 10 and 15 minutes by car.
Rooms
Clean, though dated rooms with minibars and flatscreen TVs
Even the smallest of the 154 rooms at the Lince Azores Great offer enough space for armchairs and a coffee table. Though decently sized and mostly well-maintained, decor is on the dated and generic side with boxy blond-wood furnishings, white walls, and neutral-tone linens in many. Also on the downside, a good number of guests have complained of the beds being uncomfortable -- largely due to sagging mattresses. Bathrooms have a shower/tub combo, bidet, hairdryer, and wall-mounted toiletries. Also standard are a flatscreen TV, safe, minibar, and free Wi-Fi, plus work desks.
Executive rooms are pretty much the same, although they are carpeted and guests get a fruit basket and some mineral water on arrival, as well as a bathrobe and slippers. Suites are larger, with a separate bedroom and lounge housing a couch and dining table with four seats, plus a small terrace with views of Ponta Delgada and the Atlantic.
Features
Indoor/outdoor pool, buffet meals, hair and nail salon, and four meeting rooms
Features at the Lince Azores Great are limited but largely sufficient. A standout is the indoor/outdoor pool with an adjacent hot tub and loungers. Other leisure amenities include a hair and nail salon, and a small gym a few pieces of equipment and a sauna. A kids’ playroom with books, art materials, and toys is also available. The buffet restaurant is open for all three meals, while drinks are available at the bar. There are four meeting rooms, the largest of which can hold 250 people. There is free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, although some guests report difficulties in connecting, plus free secure underground parking.