Terra Nostra Garden Hotel

We stayed for just two nights, but every moment was thoroughly enjoyable. While the room rate was on the expensive side, the overall experience made it worthwhile. Having exclusive access to the thermal pools after public hours, shared only with a few other hotel guests, was a true luxury. Strolling through the breathtaking garden early in the morning felt absolutely magical.||The staff were courteous and accommodating. Our room was spacious and spotless, though it didn’t offer much of a view — not that it mattered, as we spent most of our time exploring and only returned to sleep. ||Breakfast was excellent, with a wide variety of high-quality options. We dined at the hotel both evenings, trying both the main restaurant and the sushi bar — both were fantastic. The food was delicious, and the attentive, friendly service made each meal a pleasure.||Using Furnas as our base to explore the eastern part of the island was a smart decision, and our stay at Terra Nostra Garden Hotel was truly memorable.

We loved our stay! Definitely stay here if you want to relax without worrying about crowds. The access to the pool and garden after the general public was amazing. There were a few times where we were the only ones in the pool/jacuzzi. The rooms were on the smaller side, but comfortable. The breakfast is okay in terms of food options, but the service is excellent. The Gardener Bar had great food and live music at night. Overall the staff is so nice and always willing to help. The location is great, very easy to get in and out to explore the rest of the island (parking on site is a plus).

It truly is an awesome experience staying here. The hotel is styled almost like you’re on a big boat, it feels like a cruise ship. The staff are very helpful and kind. Having access to the park at night is magical, its unlike any other hotel experience we have ever had, and we made sure to go out into the natural thermal pool / hot tub every night we stayed there. Highly recommend! One note, everything on the property from food to drinks is very expensive.

I really wanted to love it! After 2 years of planning and extensive research I decided to make the Terra Nostra Garden Hotel our final destination in Portugal. It was to be the relaxing and soul replenishing grand finale to our 17 day trip. The people are lovely, the gardens exquisite and the toiletries and the linens were pure luxury. Boy oh boy did that body wash ever smell amazing! We splurged on the very pricey cozido in the dining room our first night and had the best most deep orange eggs and fresh juice at breakfast. The first room we got had body fluid stains on the sofa and we were changed to another room. Room 138. Apparently, the only other option in the entire hotel. The double bed was tiny, the furniture dated and there was very little room to put out our things. Even the night table was full of wires, the lamp took up too much space and the electrical outlets were sparse and hard to get to. There was nowhere to hang our robes and the towel hooks were up high adjacent to the counter. The hand towels bar was adjacent to the toilet which was weird and unhygienic to put it quite simply. We were there for 2 nights and it was the absolute worst sleep I have ever had in any hotel. the tiniest double bed I have ever slept in. In hindsight, for this reason, we would have been better off staying 2 more nights in our 5-star ocean view king room at Ribeira Grande and simply done the 31 minute drive to the Furnas area for the day. Sadly, what I thought was going to be the best for last was in fact a lead balloon. Like I said, we really wanted to love it!

The Terra Nostra Garden is a pretty high profile, upper tier hotel, and lives up to that in some areas, but in my experience there's room for improvement. To begin with, the hotel was much larger than I had expected after reading about it on the web, with some 3-4 floors of rooms. The rooms are nice and clean, with a size that can be expected. Our room was on the first floor right next to some trees, which made the balcony a bit less inviting than they probably are on the higher floors. The staff is abundant and welcoming. The access to the botanical garden is a treat, we loved it for a morning run for example. Unfortunately the outdoor jacuzzi in the garden was closed when we were there, which was disappointing since that is one of the selling points to be able to “enjoy the jacuzzi beneath the stars”. The thermal pool is, well, a big, muddy, warm water pool. Our kids did enjoy the indoor pool though! The gym at the hotel hardly passes as a gym, with a couple of cardio-machines and a few dumbbells as the only equipment. The breakfast was good, with lots of things to choose from, and the dinner we had at the restaurant was very good. We had some lunches and before dinner drinks at the "The Gardener" which serve good meals and is nicely situated on the edge of the botanical garden.|In my view it's not exactly the "cosy, hidden gem" that it wants and purports to be, but in summary I found it to be a nice hotel, albeit a little pricey.

My husband and I stayed two nights in a garden view room, which was lovely. Clean, everything we could need, nice view over the deck below and the garden. As a gardener and hot springs enthusiast, I was looking forward to this place, and am so glad we stayed here. Enjoyed the hot pool outside on several occasions, once during the day with all the day trippers. And the gardens were extensive and a delight. Rick is not a garden person but even he enjoyed them and wanted to explore them. And to enjoy the hot springs and garden before and after the day people - priceless. Food was good too. We're returning with my sisters in May.

We drove across the island using the Southern route, through three different seasons and views which would make the most stonehearted crack and cry. The hotel treated us with 5 star service from the start, carrying bags from the car and polite to a fault. We spent our time floating in a natural thermal spring, during the morning, afternoon and, most ethereal of all. In the middle of the night. A rare experience. The hotel offers a sauna (both Turkish and Swedish) a delightful indoor pool, and a magnificent resturant. If you need to unwind from reality, this is the place to go.

I cannot say enough good things about this hotel. The gardens are simply amazing and having full access to the as a hotel guest as well as private access after public closing times was so fun. The hot bath springs are such a nice way to relax. The hotel itself is beautiful with spotless and well equipped rooms. The staff is very attentive and kind. The breakfast is really good as well. I could go on an on. This is my favorite hotel I've ever stayed at and it's really special.

This was such a cool experience. The dish that we were excited about was the food cooked by the hot springs of the volcano. It is buried at 4 am and cooks until noon. You get a hint of the small me in the food. The other dish, the steak was also delicious. The waitstaff is highly attentive and caters to your needs.

Stayed here for one night and had both dinner and drinks at the bar It is pricey for the island but worth it. Service is very very good. The food is fresh and more modern and their drinks are delicious.

We came to this restaurant specifically to eat cozido. It's an upscale restaurant with excellent service but it doesn't feel uptight. The cozido, which essentially consists of several meats and vegetables cooked underground volcanic soil, was hearty, definitely recommend having this for lunch not dinner. The price for the cozido as compared to other local places was steep but the taste was delicious, especially the beef and pork belly. We also ordered an assorted selection of local Açores cheeses, some were soft and creamy others were more firm, all were absolutely delicious. They have an excellent wine selection, including dessert wines. After you dine at the restaurant they offer a voucher to visit the gardens and thermal pools which are open to the public for a fee.

It's a very nice restaurant with good service, but the food was just not that interesting. I had the weirdest chicken dish I had ever had in my life... chicken stuffed chicken. And though I love chicken, it just didn't do it for me. The vegetable cozido was pretty good. It was our one chance to try something cooked in the ground since that dish is usually done with a variety of meats. Terra Nostra was the only place with a vegetable version so points for that. But, I'm not sure I get it otherwise.

This isn't expensive by many standards, it is however the most expensive place in town. It's very formal and I (being a San Francisco Bay area kid) am dressed in a short sleave t-shirt and jeans, perhaps a bit under dressed. Being from the tech centre of the world that's what I'm comfortable in that's how I roll. It's all good. A bit stodgy but good food. If your over 50 and have money this is absolutely the place for you to come if you need service to feel important, you fit right in. There are nothing but self indulgent rich white people chillin here. The one thing I am going to say about that group is that they do appreciate good food, and good service. It's top notch. The cozido here is about half the portion and double the price of other places in town. It's a little bit the same and a little bit different.

Very good quality food in a casual outside setting adjacent to the parque terra nostra. Some vegetarian options (rare in Furnas). Upscale setting but ambiance is worth it. This is the bar of the Terra Nostra hotel and great for drinks, snacks, coffee or food items. My spouse had a veggie burger with cheese which was above average and I had a Portuguese sausage sandwich with cheese, pickle, & special sauce on a bolo levado bun which was interesting & tasty. People watching the thermal bath parkgoers on the bar's outdoor patio added to the afternoon fun

I stayed at the TNG hotel for two nights on a recent trip. I pre-reserved dinner at the hotel restaurant for the first night and had such a great experience, I requested a reservation for my second night. I had no problem with getting a last minute reservation due to it being off-season but would still suggest reserving in advance. Everything was top notch from the service to the quality of the food and wine. Both evenings started with a unique amuse bouche and bread with flavored butter. Standouts included the heirloom tomato appetizer, beef tartar, pork collar entree, and fish of the day. The absolute favorite dish was the lamb cozida for two with couscous. If you enjoy lamb, I would highly recommend this dish. If you're in Furnas and looking for well-prepared food, great wine at a reasonable price point, and professional service in a classy yet casual setting I would highly recommend this restaurant.

Amazing food. Very upscale atmosphere. Try the cozido (beef stew). If you consume €30 per person entrance to the hot springs is free. The staff was great.

We came here specifically so my friends could have the cozido, it was awful. We tried the fish and vegetarian options. Both were absolutely tasteless and the fish was overcooked to the point of being inedible. The waitstaff had actually recommend I change my order from other food to this which I was very disappointed with. We basically left full plates of food on the table and paid more than we had for a full day of food at other locations. Very disappointing, would not recommend. Side note, the outside bar had amazing drinks and much better looking food.

Not impressed at all! My wife and I are big foodies and we were looking forward to lunch here. It was way too stuffy and overpriced for the area!! The Waite staff were unsociable and like robots. Not a fun lunch. The good news is my steak was excellent and prepared well. However the vegetables were way to salty (I'm guessing the Salt shaker broke on top of them) and the French fries limp and soggy. My wife did enjoy her fish, it was OK. The people working there need to lighten up and at least act like they enjoy there job!!! Especially our main server!! Very unpleasant. Don't waste your time, go elsewhere!!

Set on a beautiful place! The restaurant and the staff are upscale and also the food! Make reservations in advance to make sure that you will have a table. The food is great and also the deserts! It's a great place to come with family and friends. Make sure you come with time for a walk in the garden!

The restaurant looks very nice visually and the service is very good, but unfortunately the food is disappointing, especially considering the fairly high prices. The meal began positively - my starter of beetroot risotto was lovely and creamy and also presented well. For main course I had the traditional codizo stew and was expecting to have meat and vegetables together with a delicious sauce. However, the meat and vegetables were served separately and so were quite dry, despite the broth that the waiter then poured over the plate. I also found the vegetables overcooked and the meat very fatty so did not really enjoy the meal. The dessert was also a disappointment for me. I chose the "Pineapple soup" which I expected to be light and refreshing. Instead, a very think, very sweet, pineapple custard was poured over a spiced crumble. I found this very sweet and sickly, and slightly artificial tasting. It felt like they were trying too hard to do something different and fancy, but unfortunately failed in the execution.

For the restaurant: It's been a long time since I've been treated as well at a restaurant as I was at Terra Rostra. The service was fantastic - they were staffed with great waitstaff who walked the line between attentive and interfering with aplomb. The food was well prepared and arrived in a timely fashion. The wine list was broad but particularly had a lengthy list from Portugal. The atmosphere is art-deco and classy. I'd feel a bit underdressed in jeans, but none of the diners were wearing ties. For the gardens: Definitely go. It's 6 Euros well spent. If you haven't booked your trip yet, I'd pick a time in the Azores when their hydrangeas are in bloom, as they cover the island. Alternately, Terra Nostra has an extensive collection of camellias, which (in San Miguel, anyway) bloom Nov-Apr. The garden is stunning any other time, but I'm sure it's something else to behold during that time.

The playboy mansion grotto has nothing on the natural spring pool here - except perhaps bacterial infections. It's a rare, and so far only, opportunity to follow in the footsteps of TV host / traveler's past and enjoy an experience that even Tony Bourdain didn't get on his trip here - or at least didn't get on camera. Sure we saw him cooking food in the sulfur springs a couple miles away, drinking in the local bars, and giving props to the unique culture and history of a truly remarkable yet little known part of the planet. But it is almost criminal he refused (I assume) to do a water scene due to his body dismorphia. No offense to Anthony - I'm a big fan - but he's discussed his dis(bour)dain in other episodes for any exposure of his calfs. In the 4+ series he's hosted over the last decade, have you ever seen him in anything but jeans and/or a wet suit except that one time in Sardinia? You haven't. Perhaps he's just upping his price for his playgirl spread, which is smart and makes me wish I hadn't sent them so many polaroids since they sent each one back in its own envelope. Harsh. The 'rejected' stamp was really redundant. And why a separate envelope for each rejected photo...? Anyway, this review is based solely on my experience in the spa pool, which you technically need not stay at the hotel to enjoy. And they say socialism should be feared. Don't worry - you still have to pay to get in. (Capitalism - you know I'd never cheat on you with socialism baby - I won't even share my leftovers I'd rather throw them away cuz they are MINE!!! not yours!!). Long story short you won't find this place unless or until you have some type of guide or happen to be one of my 50 or so yelp friends. If you've suffered through this rant-view thus far, here's why it's worth the trip: The hotel boasts an Olympic-sized natural spring pool that's heated by underground volcanoes (technically the island is a volcano), that is more than 100 years old and is surrounded by trees imported from all over the world from the eccentric British millionaire who built the grounds in the 1800's. I can only imagine what his playboy-esque parties must have been like to have a grotto big enough to fit a yacht inside. #EducatedGuess #Epic (trying to trend younger to secure new yelp friends). Long story short, you'd have to be crazy to come to the Azores and NOT visit this place. Not crazy like designing a torture regime that was an abomination (since we're name dropping I'm thinking of you John Jessen and James Mitchell). More crazy like paying those 'psychologists' more than 80 million dollars to do so (I'm looking at you clandestine shadow government / illuminati). I mean have you ever babysat toddlers? Seems like you could have tortured those guys a lot cheaper. Maybe made them watch 'Facts of Life' reruns or the movie "Leonard part 6" - which Bill Cosby was so embarrassed about he tried to buy the movie from the studio so it would never be seen #pattern#money&power=abovethelaw. Maybe Cos is a CIA operative... and a red dot just appeared on my forehead so I BETTER END THIS.

Most of my restaurant reviews are positive and I normally don't make the time to post negative reviews. I make an exception here as the sorry excuse for a Sommelier at Terra Nostra has forced my hand. We came to the Azores looking for whales but I discovered a Great White Shark in the form of a young, slick ( in his own mind ) sommelier who starts out by trying to upsell me a bottle of wine that only costs $1,000 euros... It's a true story. Maybe he thought I was someone famous ( I wish ). My response was maybe tommorow night. It gets even worse from here as the bottle I did eventually order for $45 euros he comes back to tell me is sold out. He upsells me to an $85 bottle. Then a MGR returns to tell me that $85 bottle isn't available either. I seize this opportunity to ask him about the $45 bottle which he says IS AVAILABLE! The sommelier returns still filled with self confidence, bravado and the $45 bottle telling me I got lucky as they found the last bottle. After dinner I find an opportunity to completely roast this lying sack of shit by asking the MGR to save me another bottle of that wine for tomm night. He says ok we have 3 bottles left. You see how weird this is getting?? It's a shame as this place is rated as best restaurant in the Azores blah blah blah. But when your dining experience feels like a used car dealer trying to pull your pants down your appetite went out the window. I came with my beautiful date hoping for a classy romantic experience. This punk ruined it for us and the rest of the staff as they were all dressed to impress and seemed professional. $170 was the bill - most expensive meal we had in 3 weeks in Azores. We didn't punish the waiter and tipped him well as he wasn't an accessory to this despicable behavior. I'm not even gonna talk about the food.

This was one of the best meals I've had in a long time. We had Christmas dinner at the restaurant and between the service and the food it was a great overall experience. I am still dreaming of the lemongrass panna cotta I had for desert. It's also veg friendly and very reasonably priced for the quality of food and service. I highly recommend making a reservation if you plan on going since they seem to book quickly and you could end up waiting a long time or not getting a table without one.

Delicious food. Lots of local delicacies. Pricey give its convenient location at the Terra Nostra Garden. Very good service. Make sure to try out their signature cocktails.

Delicious and elegant restaurant. One of the three best we've found. Traditional cuisine. The service was outstanding.

Best meal on the island! We had a very positive experience, even with our 24 month old. They didn't bat an eye when we asked for a highchair and were very kind to our daughter. The food was great and expertly prepared. The service was great. I was worried that it would be "too fancy" for us after a morning hike with a toddler, but it was just fine. Please make a point to try this restaurant while in Furnas.

Eh. (1) The food is overpriced for what it is. (2) The portions are easily shareable, so don't get your own. (3) You can't take away your oversized overpriced portions, so order accordingly.

it costs 6 euros to visit the springs and gardens. a lowly fee for the beauty of the gardens alone! we parked at the hotel and were guided to the gate of the gardens. they rent towels for 2 euros. there are changing rooms, toilets, sinks, and cold showers. not refreshing in the winter, moreso for the summer! the hot pool is a very large round shallow pool. it is murky and may stain your swimsuit, but it is very, very nice. there are benches to put your bags on. it wasn't busy during the off season, but from the pictures online, it gets super busy in the spring/summer. i didn't notice any food options, other than the hotel, but the town of Furnas has options, specifically food cooked in the nearby underground hot springs, that is served in a few of the restaurants. after soaking for a while, we walked the enormous expanse of absolutely charming and beautiful gardens. there is a Camellia specialty, and their gorgeous blooms were everywhere from thousands of plant species. you could spend hours walking the canals, the mossy trails, the grottos.... absolutely worth the visit!