Santa Barbara Eco-Beach Resort

We stayed here for 5 nights as a family of 4 in a Blue & Green villa with hot tub. The villa space worked well for us and the hot tub was a nice touch. The breakfast staff were all cheery and helpful, and our rooms were kept lovely and clean by housekeeping each day.||We loved with location. The scenery was peaceful and relaxing, and being so close to the beach was perfect for surfing - highly recommend the surf school and the beach bar which had a fun, laid-back vibe. It was also a good base for exploring the rest of the island. ||We have not given the resort full rating due to issues with the dinner service and reception team. The first time we ate dinner at the resort, many items were not on offer and the staff were stressed, the whole meal felt rushed. On our last night, we decided to try again, but as before the service was poor with the team making us feel like we were inconveniencing them. I did mention the poor service to the reception team at the time but they did not appear overly interested. In fact they even giggled as I walked away, which we found highly unprofessional for such a highly-rated establishment. ||We would consider staying again due to the location, but would choose alternative dining options.

Beautiful hotel next to a really nice beach with amazing sea views.||We were travelling with our 2 (boisterous) kids and this place welcomed all of us! The staff were all friendly and helpful, and gave extra golf cart rides for our kids to have fun when they were helping us with luggage to and from the room. ||Having our own jacuzzi was lovely especially in the chilly spring rain. ||I loved the spacious rooms, and having kid sized slippers and bathrobes made my kids feel very special :)||Breakfast was not buffet, but we could order as much as we wanted with a good hot and cold selection available, freshly cooked. ||We wished we could have stayed longer than 3 nights, it was a relaxing and fun stay. We stayed at a couple of other places on Sao Miguel, and felt this one was the best value for money (I did book quite far in advance and got a good rate).

Possibly one of the best hotels we have ever stayed at. The hotel grounds surrounded by nature is just incredible. Every direction you look you just see gorgeous nature. The rooms were all spacious and so nicely designed. The food was 10/10. And the staff were all super nice and helpful and so sweet to our kids. Claudia at the front desk was awesome! We loved it so much, we are definitely coming back here again!

This resort blew our family away. We stayed in the two bedroom Retreat. |Each bedroom has their own bathroom and in the middle there is a living space with kitchenette. The unit is very pleasing to the eye and minimalistic. Shortly after checking in a bottle of Champagne and a platter of fruit and chocolate was delivered! Off to a good start!||Prior to arrival, I had worked with Laura Olivera in on-site reservations to pay a nominal fee to upgrade our room to the retreat. It was wonderful to be top tier for the ocean view and to have our own hot tub, which we used more than expected. She was very patient answering all of my questions and it was great to thank her in person during our stay. Check in was very smooth and throughout the week we would see what exceptional customer service this property has. ||The resort does everything it can to promote relaxation. From the plush robes in the room to the trays of sleep tea that were delivered nightly, it was easy to unwind. In addition, they give you a phone to utilize doing your stay. We used their maps for directions, made local phone calls, and made several requests via their phone chat. Brilliant idea. One odd request we made was asking if they happened to have thinner pillows, and they responded that they didn't have them currently on property as other guests were using them, however, they would send someone over to their sister property and get some. AMAZING! ||Breakfast is included and it was very good. When sitting down, they automatically bring you over the fresh juice, and fresh fruit of the day, warm rolls, jams, meats and cheeses. We do not eat meat or cheese so told them before they set it on the table. You could then order eggs, pancakes, yogurt bowls, coffee, etc off the menu. Service was always wonderful, servers, Jessica and Sarah were very kind and welcoming. ||We ate dinner on property twice and their tenderloin fillet was the best we had of the trip. You do need to make reservations for dinner. ||I really loved this property, it was a wonderful place to return after a long day hiking. |Thanks to Barbara, Claudia, Jessica and Sarah for your exceptional service!

A real treat! This was a wonderful way to spend a few days. Beautiful location and fantastic accommodation. Lovely staff and great food. You can easily access the beach. A lovely place to stay for a really relaxing stay. Don’t hesitate booking.

We truly enjoyed the accommodations, the room, the pool, the short walk to the beach. We especially appreciated Claudia and Fabiana at the front desk. They expressed the highest level of client relations anyone could ask for. We enjoyed their generous help and attention to detail both inside the hotel and in learning more about the island. Those are fond memories. We would like to come back again soon.

We didn’t stay at the hotel but had lunch there! The food was very fresh, the service great and the drinks delicious. The bread with its assorted condiments were delicious. The asparagus pumpkin salad and octopus ceviche were so fresh. Would go again and recommend.

The resort and views are beautiful and our Resort Villa with whirlpool was spacious and stylish. Unfortunately, because it was so windy, we couldn't use a lot of the hotel, like the pool or beach area. The staff is very friendly The spa is disappointing. Over all it's a nice stay but we would have expected a bit more for the price point.

Great room. Great food. Great location. Great beach. Great cocktails. Great hotel staff and waitstaff. I highly recommend staying here when u visit São Miguel. I preferred it over the luxury hotel I stayed at in Ponta Delgada. I suggest ordering the fish of the day (boca negra in my case) and the Santa Barbara cocktail. The local cider (Bandidas) on tap is solid too.

This place is a gem - stunning view of the ocean, modern design with the traditional features, delicious meals and fantastically friendly people. The restaurant's menu features local food, but is also surprisingly tilting to Japanese cuisine. It's doing a great job at both. Also the burger is more than delicious. After the meal one can walk down to the beach and from there go to Ribera Grande. Sta Barbara is a wonderful place to visit on this side of Sao Miguel island!

I went in to pick up my take away order for 2 persons, and right there standing behind the bar in full view of guests is the bartender (who had a beard) WITHOUT a mask preparing things at the bar! I told them I did not want my food because I have no confidence that proper Covid procedures are being taken at that establishment. It is Government mandated that masks are to be worn indoors, and yet the bartender isn't wearing one! The young lady restaurant hostess that I spoke to said "we always wear masks". How could she say that when right in front of she and me is the bartender WITHOUT A MASK ON??? This is supposed to be a high-end hotel and restaurant, and yet the bartender is IGNORING GOVERNMENT MASK MANDATE right in front of me and everyone else there!

This place was a 5 star experience, food was incredible & beach vies were breath taking. This is worth the voyage from wherever you are staying. Highly recommend the sushi, tuna dish, chicken dishes as well as the filet. Service was fantastic and attentive. This is a must when on the island.