Residência Machado

You can see Mount Pico from here, and the location is good. The downside is the hotel bar below, where the noise carries on late into the night. The staff speak very little English, so we used Google Translate to communicate.

The price was nice, and the room was comfortable, with a pleasant kitchen and a small bathroom.

Be careful with your money here. I booked four months ahead through booking, using an option that allowed cancellation. I canceled three months before the stay, still within the cancellation period, but a month before the dates I found that 50% of the rate had been charged to my card. I complained to the site, and even though they ruled in my favor, I still hadn't been refunded almost two months later. It worries me that someone could lose money this way if they don't check their statements closely. I also found accounts online from other people who said this had happened to them, which makes me more suspicious. I'd advise staying far away from this property.

Our apartment was downstairs and had no air conditioning, though there were fans. One of the beds was in the living room. The beds were large and comfortable, and the apartment itself was spacious. It was very clean when we arrived, and parking in the area was easy and free. The location was great, and the receptionist was really, really friendly.