Sensi Azores Nature & SPA

I was blown away by the care and quality at this luxury-level hotel. It's among the top five places I've ever stayed. The staff were so warm and attentive, and remembered that we eat pescatarian, making sure the restaurant catered to us without needing a reminder. We loved the varied, delicious breakfasts, and the evening meals were sophisticated. The spa was incredible. The elegant rooms were absolutely beautiful, and the peaceful setting, with birdsong and stunning ocean views, made it a wonderful place to reconnect with nature and unwind.

We ended up eating at Sensi every night because the food was so good. My wife and I are vegetarian, and there were always menu options for us. Everything we tried was outstanding, so we didn't need to drive 30 minutes into São Miguel for meals. The staff were just as impressive, welcoming, attentive, professional, and always willing to accommodate us. We also had massages there and arranged a magnificent sunset horseback ride through the resort. With the beautiful views and calm atmosphere, Sensi exceeded my expectations. We'd go back in a heartbeat, and I highly recommend it.

We planned to have dinner at Momo once or twice during our 9 day stay, but the food and the personal, attentive service kept drawing us back. We ate there on 7 of the 9 evenings. On one of the other nights, we had a small meal at the bar, and the restaurant staff stopped by to ask about our day and say hello since they hadn't seen us. That personal warmth really touched us. Before we arrived, the Sensi team had helped arrange some wonderful island experiences, and even though we got in late, they found us a dinner reservation at Momo. The food was superb, with a lovely local touch. Sensi felt like a peaceful little island of its own, full of friendliness and heartfelt hospitality. We also enjoyed massages in the small, beautiful spa, which helped us relax and enjoy our time there. It's a fantastic place, and we really want to come back.

The scrub and massage were very good, and the woman who treated me did a great job with them. The facial, though, was just a basic wash, toner, mask, and moisturizer, nothing special or unique. I could have had that anywhere for half the price, probably in a nicer setting. The property itself was beautiful, but the whole booking and check-in process was clunky and got my visit off to a bad start. They wouldn't book spa services by phone, only by email, which meant a frustrating back and forth with missing details and incomplete answers. My treatments cost 300 euro, and when I asked if I could use the pool and sauna beforehand, I was told that would cost extra. In all my years visiting spas around the world, I've always thought basic pool access came with booking multiple treatments. There was also confusion about my appointment when I arrived. The spa itself didn't match the rest of the property, it was small, basic, and had no ambience. For me, it was a pretty mediocre experience, with fancy names on the menu and prices that didn't feel justified.