Ponta Delgada Paradise: Avenida's Neat Hotel Awaits!
Ponta Delgada Paradise: Avenida's Neat Hotel Awaits! - A Messy, Honest Review
Alright, folks, buckle up. This isn't your sanitized, PR-approved hotel review. This is the real deal, straight from a weary (but hopefully still enthusiastic) traveler who just spent a week at the Ponta Delgada Paradise: Avenida's Neat Hotel Awaits! Seriously, that name is a mouthful, isn't it? Should've just called it "Hotel Avenida," easy peasy. But hey, marketing, right?
(Metadata: Hotel Review, Ponta Delgada, Azores, Accessibility, Spa, Swimming Pool, Wi-Fi, Restaurant, Cleanliness, Safety, Avenida Hotel)
Let's Dive In (Before I Need Another Coffee)
First impressions? Okay, the "neat" part? Accurate. Everything looked spiffy. Modern, clean lines, that minimalist-chic vibe. My initial reaction was, "Alright, this is promising. Now, where's the coffee?” And, thankfully, coffee was plentiful, which is practically a life-or-death requirement for me.
Accessibility - The Good and the "Almost"
Okay, important stuff. Accessibility: This is crucial, and I'm happy to say they tried. Elevator: Check. Facilities for disabled guests: Seemed to be available, but I didn't personally need them so I can't give a super detailed assessment (apologies!). Wheelchair accessible: A definite plus, seems like the hotel offers accessible pathways. Exterior corridor: Not applicable, because I hate exterior corridors, so good job here.
Now, the "almost" part? This is where things get a little… complicated. On-site accessible restaurants/Lounges: hmm, maybe. I'm assuming it is, because again, the hotel offers facilities, but double-check if you need it. Always call ahead, people! Planning is your friend!
Internet - The Digital Lifeline (and My Constant Companion)
Okay, internet. Essential. I need to check my emails, upload my travel pics, annoy my friends with my adventures… you know, the usual.
- Free Wi-Fi in all Rooms! Glory be! Massive win.
- Internet Access – Wireless: Absolutely. No problems.
- Internet Access – LAN: They had it, but seriously, who uses LAN cables anymore? Unless you're a hardcore gamer (in which case, you probably brought your own) Wi-Fi is the way to go.
- Wi-Fi for Special Events: I didn't attend any, but good to know they've got it.
- Internet Services: Standard stuff, nothing to write home about.
Things To Do - Ways to Relax (aka, My Exhaustion Therapy)
Alright, the fun stuff. Ways to relax: I came here to relax! Not to climb mountains (though the Azores offer those too!).
- Pool with View: AMAZING. Seriously, the view from the pool was postcard-worthy. I could have stayed there all day, every day. The water was a perfect temperature, and the sun… well, the sun in the Azores is just different. It hits differently. Emotional reaction mode engaged!
- Swimming Pool [outdoor]: See above… sighs contentedly
- Fitness Center: Yes, it had one. I intended to go. I packed my gym clothes. They remained stubbornly, tragically, unused in my suitcase. Blame the pool, the wine, and the general Azores-induced laziness.
- Spa/Sauna, Steamroom: Also available, and I did make it to the sauna once. Excellent for sweating out all the travel stress and questionable food choices. But damn! after the pool, nothing beats the feeling of wet hair.
- Massage: The front staff tried to get me a massage, but they were all booked. Bummer. Lesson learned - book this immediately when you arrive. Frustration level: medium.
- Body scrub, Body wrap: Uh, I think they do that. I didn't investigate. I was too busy swimming.
Cleanliness and Safety - The Post-Pandemic Reality Check
Let's be honest, these days, this is a HUGE deal. And Ponta Delgada Paradise seemed to take it seriously. Thank goodness.
- Anti-viral cleaning products, Daily disinfection in common areas, Individually-wrapped food options, Room sanitization opt-out available, Rooms sanitized between stays, Safe dining setup, Sanitized kitchen and tableware items, Staff trained in safety protocol, Sterilizing equipment: All the things! It felt safe, which made a HUGE difference in actually enjoying the trip. I felt comfortable enough to eat inside and not go into full-on germaphobe mode.
- Hand sanitizer: Everywhere! You can't escape it. (Which is a good thing!)
- Physical distancing of at least 1 meter: Mostly observed. Sometimes a little tricky in the breakfast buffet.
- Hygiene certification: Presumably had it, though I didn't see the certificate itself.
- First aid kit I felt pretty safe knowing they had it.
- Doctor/nurse on call: Better to have and not need, right?
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking - Fueling the Adventure
Ah, the food. The real test.
- Breakfast [buffet]: Pretty good, but as with all hotel buffets, it's a race against the clock. Get there early for the freshest pastries!
- Western breakfast, Asian breakfast: Options for anyone.
- A la carte in restaurant, Buffet in restaurant: All available.
- Restaurants: There was a restaurant, but I'm not going to lie, I spent most of my time exploring the local eateries. I'm not really one for in-hotel dining unless I absolutely have to.
- Coffee/tea in restaurant, Coffee shop: Crucial. See the coffee comment above.
- Poolside bar: Yes! Perfect for those afternoon cocktails while contemplating life and the beauty of the Azores.
- Bar, Happy hour: Yes, yes, and yes!
- Snack bar: Convenient for those midday pangs of hunger.
- Desserts in restaurant: Yes, and I sampled far too many of them. No regrets.
- Soup in restaurant, Salad in restaurant: Healthy options! I tried to eat more of these than I ate desserts, but… well, you know.
- Asian cuisine in restaurant, International cuisine in restaurant, Vegetarian restaurant: Good variety to choose from.
- Room service [24-hour]: Praise be! Perfect for those late-night cravings or early morning coffee needs.
- Bottle of water: Provided. Always appreciated.
Services and Conveniences - The Little Things That Matter
Okay, let's run down the list, rapid-fire style:
- Air conditioning in public area, Air conditioning: Crucial in the Azores heat.
- Cash withdrawal: Yes, ATM on-site.
- Concierge: Helpful, but not overly chatty.
- Contactless check-in/out: Nice touch.
- Daily housekeeping: The rooms were spotless, and the staff were efficient, but the cleaning sometimes came at the most inconvenient times. Slight grumble.
- Doorman: There was one!
- Dry cleaning, Ironing service, Laundry service: Useful, but I didn't use them.
- Elevator: Yes, thank goodness.
- Facilities for disabled guests, Elevator, Luggage storage: All present and correct.
- Invoice provided: No issues.
- Meeting/banquet facilities, Meetings, Meeting stationery, On-site event hosting, Outdoor venue for special events, Seminars, Xerox/fax in business center, Audio-visual equipment for special events, Projector/LED display, Wi-Fi for special events: Did not use any of these.
- Essential condiments, Food delivery: I did see some local food delivery services.
- Gift/souvenir shop: Yes.
- Indoor venue for special events, Shrine, Smoking area, Terrace: All available.
- Safety deposit boxes: Always a plus.
- Babysitting service, Family/child friendly, Kids facilities, Kids meal, For the kids: I didn't see many kids, but it seemed like they were well-catered to.
- Car park [free of charge], Car park [on-site], Car power charging station, Taxi service, Valet parking: Good options.
- Check-in/out [express], Check-in/out [private]: Pretty efficient.
- Couple's room, Proposal spot, Room decorations: If you are looking to propose, this is the place.
- Front desk [24-hour], Security [24-hour], CCTV in common areas, CCTV outside property, Fire extinguisher, Smoke alarms, Safety/security feature: Secure feeling.
- Hotel chain: This might be one of the reasons the hotel is so efficient.
- Smoking area: Not available.
- **B
Alright, buckle up, buttercups, because this isn't your average, sterile travel itinerary. This is my actual attempt to navigate the Azores, and I'm writing this from the slightly-too-firm bed at the Neat Hotel Avenida in Ponta Delgada. Let's see if I can survive this, shall we?
Day 1: Ponta Delgada - A Baptism by Cobblestones (and Existential Dread)
- 1:00 PM (ish): Arrive at Ponta Delgada airport. Okay, first impressions? BEAUTIFUL. Like, seriously postcard-worthy. Then, the airport… a charmingly chaotic, slightly-understaffed cluster. Found my rental car (a tiny Fiat that looks like it should be on a go-kart track) and promptly drove in the WRONG direction. Twice. Note to self: Azores driving is a contact sport. The real contact sport, which involves a small metal box being propelled by a very loud engine.
- 2:30 PM: Check into Neat Hotel Avenida. It's… neat. (Get it?) The room is tiny, but the AC works and the view overlooks… another building. Still, the promise of a hot shower is a siren song after the car adventures.
- 3:30 PM: Wandering the streets of Ponta Delgada. Oh. My. God. Cobblestones. Everywhere. My ankles are already screaming. The city is picturesque, though. White buildings, black basalt trim… it's straight out of a storybook, but my feet are writing a horror novel. Found a tiny grocery store and bought some local cheese. It's glorious. Gloriously stinky.
- 5:00 PM: Attempt to find the Portas da Cidade, a famous landmark. Got lost, again. Walked in circles. Questioned my life choices. Finally found it, took a picture, and immediately got distracted by a stray cat. (He was very fluffy.)
- 6:00 PM: Dinner at a local restaurant near the marina. Ordered grilled octopus. They gave me the whole thing… tentacle by tentacle. It tasted… surprisingly good. I'm pretty sure I made eye contact with the octopus's "eye" during the meal. Deeply unsettling. Definitely a win for the octopus though, he got to be my dinner.
- 7:30 PM: Drinks at a bar near the marina. The Azorean beer is good, the conversation with the bartender, non-existent thanks to my broken Portuguese. Started contemplating the meaning of life while staring at the Atlantic Ocean. Conclusion: The Atlantic is vast, and I'm probably going to need therapy after this trip.
- 8:00 PM: The streets of Ponta Delgada are beautiful. I'm walking through the streets, and I see the streets. I see the buildings, and I see the lights. I can finally feel the calmness.
- 9:00 PM: Bedtime after the shower, trying to avoid the smell of the cheese.
Day 2: Sete Cidades - Blue Lakes, Broken Dreams (and a Whole Lot of Hikes)
- 9:00 AM: Breakfast at the hotel. The cheese smells are still lingering. Ate whatever I could stomach before the cheese smell got to me.
- 10:00 AM: The scenic drive to Sete Cidades. Oh, the views! The Miradouro da Vista do Rei viewpoint? Jaw-dropping. Blue lake, green lake, fluffy clouds… I almost forgot my existential dread. Almost.
- 11:00 AM: Hike the trails around the lakes. This is where things got real. First, I got lost (again). Then, my hiking boots (which I thought I'd broken in, are now actively trying to break my ankles. Finally, I was passed by a grandma on a cane, who'd probably done this hike 10 times before breakfast. Humbling.
- 1:00 PM: Picnic lunch by the lake. (Cheese, of course. Can't escape it.) The peace was shattered by a rogue seagull that tried to steal my sandwich. Nature, everyone.
- 2:00 PM: Attempted to kayak on the lake after watching the ducks. My kayak skills? Nonexistent. I spent more time spinning in circles than actually moving forward. Decided to give up before I capsized and became a lake-dweller.
- 3:00 PM: Drive to other viewpoints, desperately trying to recapture the initial "wow" factor. It was still beautiful, but the earlier broken ankles had taken their toll.
- 4:00 PM: Stopped at a local cafe for coffee and a pastry. (Needed the sugar rush after the kayaking fiasco.) The pastry was amazing. Worth the ankle pain.
- 5:00 PM: Return to Ponta Delgada. My legs were jelly, my soul was a little lighter. Think I'm starting to like this place.
- 6:00 PM: Dinner at another restaurant. This time seafood. At least I'm not eating the octopus again.
- 7:00 PM: Evening walk again? Or shall I sleep early? I think I will.
- 8:00 PM: Bedtime after the shower, now I have the perfume of the seafood…
Day 3: Furnas - Boiling Water, Volcanoes, and the Power of Nature (And Chocolate)
- 9:00 AM: Starting Day by eating breakfast. And I'm already running late.
- 10:00 AM: Drive towards Furnas. More stunning scenery, less driving in circles, finally perfecting the art of Azorean driving… sort of.
- 11:00 AM: Explore the Furnas area. Holy moly, the geothermal activity! Mud pots bubbling away, hissing vents, and the smell of sulfur that will haunt my dreams.
- 12:00 PM: Lacustre Furnas. Lunch! The famous Cozido das Furnas. A stew cooked underground with the help of geothermal heat. The best meal I've ever eaten maybe. It was…unforgettable! The most amazing food I have ever eaten!
- 1:00 PM: Stroll the Furnas Lake and its botanical garden. This thing is magnificent. The perfect end to a perfect meal.
- 2:00 PM: Visiting Terra Nostra Park. This place is magnificent. I'm completely lost for words…
- 3:00 PM: Bathing in the thermal pools. The water is perfect. This is what heaven looks like.
- 4:00 PM: Chocolate and cake time.
- 5:00 PM: Back to the Hotel.
- 6:00 PM: Dinner and drink in front of the hotel!
- 7:00 PM: Relaxing time in the hotel
- 8:00 PM: Bedtime after the shower
And so on…
This is just a snippet. Because there will be more adventures, more screw-ups, more moments of pure bliss, and probably more ankle pain. The Azores, I already know, are far more complicated than the travel blogs make them seem. But that's the beauty of it, isn't it? It's messy, unpredictable, and utterly unforgettable. Stay tuned. I'll try to keep you posted.
Pattaya Paradise Found: Siam View Residence Awaits!
Ponta Delgada Paradise: So, About That Avenida Hotel... (and My Sanity!)
Okay, Real Talk: Is the Avenida Hotel Actually 'Neat'? Because Hotels Always Lie.
Alright, deep breaths. 'Neat' might be pushing it. Let's say... efficiently designed? Look, I’m not gonna lie. After a red-eye flight from, like, the literal NORTH POLE (okay, not literally, but it FELT like it), finding the Avenida felt like finding a mirage. Everything's clean, yeah. Modern. My room, for all its efficiency, had… a surprisingly comfy bed. And trust me, I’m a mattress snob. So, 'neat'? Depends on your definition. I’d say… it's a solid basecamp. A place to strategize your escape to the actual beauty of São Miguel. And the lobby smells faintly of soap and... hope. Always a good sign.
Breakfast: A Make-or-Break Moment. Spill the (Coffee) Beans.
Oh, breakfast. This is where the Avenida started to win me over. Okay, it wasn't a gourmet spread that would make a Michelin-starred chef weep with joy. BUT! They had pão de queijo (basically, delicious cheesy bread balls of heaven). And let me tell you, after the aforementioned Red Eye of Doom, I needed that cheesy goodness in my veins. Plus, fresh fruit, decent coffee (essential!), and... and this is important... they had little tiny packets of honey. I *love* those tiny honey packets. Don’t judge me. Look, it's not the Ritz, but it's fuel. And the staff? Super friendly. They even put up with my attempts at Portuguese. Bless their hearts.
Location, Location, Location! How Painful (or Pleasant) is it to Get Around?
Okay, here’s the gold. The Avenida’s prime location? GOLD. You're basically *in* Ponta Delgada. Like, stumble-out-of-the-hotel-and-you're-at-a-restaurant close. Seriously, I'm directionally-challenged, and I made it to the marina, the market (which, by the way, is AMAZING), and various pastelarias (all-important). The bus station is nearby too, which is handy if you actually plan on doing some sightseeing beyond the immediate vicinity... which, spoiler alert, you absolutely should.
Anything Annoying? Because No Hotel is Perfect, Let's Be Real.
Oh, where do I begin? Every hotel has its quirks, right? The elevator was a *teeny* bit slow. Like, really slow. I started thinking about writing a strongly worded letter to the hotel’s management, then I decided to take the stairs to lose weight. I didn't. Another thing? The air conditioning… it worked. Maybe *too* well. I woke up one night freezing, under what felt like three blankets. Now, maybe that’s my fault for not adjusting something, but, still. My advice? Pack your fluffiest socks. And maybe a jumper. Also, the sound proofing is a little thin. If you're a light sleeper, bring some earplugs.
Let's Talk Wi-Fi: Essential or Existentially Dreaded?
Wi-Fi, oh Wi-Fi. This is one of those things, like breakfast, that can make or break a trip for a modern traveler. And the Avenida's Wi-Fi? It worked. Usually. There were a few moments where it felt like dial-up internet from the Dark Ages, but for the most part, I could scroll through Instagram, coordinate my next adventure, and, most importantly, watch cat videos. Look, I'm a simple creature. Good Wi-Fi is essential for my well-being. And for the price, I sure couldn't complain.
Rooms: What's the Vibe? Big, Small, Modern, Dated? Give Me the Goods.
The rooms were… well, I wouldn’t call them sprawling mansions. Mine was cozy, you know? Functional. Clean, again. The decor was fairly minimalist – think clean lines, neutral colors, and… well, not a whole lot of personality. My room had its own tiny balcony, though. I did enjoy drinking my mini-hotel-coffee in the morning on there, watching the city wake up. The sunlight was glorious. And the shower? Ah, the shower was great. Good water pressure. Important. Overall? Solid. No complaints, but not exactly Instagram-fodder. That said, I spent very little time in the room beyond sleeping, because, hello, Azores!
Staff: Angels or Grumpy Gusses? Hospitality Report!
Okay, so, the staff. Top marks. Seriously. Everyone was friendly and helpful, even when I totally butchered my Portuguese. I think they were probably used to it. The people at reception? Always smiling, always willing to help with directions, recommendations, or just a friendly chat. They even let me store my luggage for a few hours after check-out, which was a lifesaver. They even managed to get me some extra coffee at breakfast one day when they'd apparently run out. That, my friends, is a sign of true dedication. Honestly, the staff are the real heroes.
Would You Go Back? The Final Verdict.
Honestly? Yeah, I would. For the price, the location, and the genuinely friendly staff, the Avenida? It’s a winner. It’s not the most luxurious hotel in the world, but it's clean, comfortable, and a fantastic base for exploring the Azores. This place is more a place to set your compass, get your bearings, and then get out into the beauty of the damn island. And the pão de queijo? Sold. I’m already planning my return. Just… I’ll pack extra socks. And maybe invest in a decent pair of earplugs.
Okay, tell me about this one experience you had, that's REALLY burned into your memory. Spill.
Alright, alright, buckle up. This is the one. I was there, jet-lagged to hell, starving, and desperately in need of a caffeine fix. I'd checked in and was ready to crash, but first... breakfast. And not just any breakfast, *the* first Azorean breakfast. So, I stumble into the breakfast room, half-asleep, and it's like… a blur. But then, *it* happened. The pastry. This little, innocent-looking custard tart. Pastel de Nata, I think it was. And… I took a bite. Oh. *My*. *God*. It was like a religiousHotel Hop Now
Neat Hotel Avenida Ponta Delgada Portugal
Neat Hotel Avenida Ponta Delgada Portugal
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