Miradouro da Papalva Guest House Inn — Hotel in Lajes do Pico

Had a 3-night stay at Miradouro da Papalva. First thing that caught our eye was the beautiful location of the guest house. A bit higher up in São João granting you a wide look-out point over the south seaside of Pico. There's even binoculars at the porch in case any whales or dolphins are close enough to the coast to be spotted from land (which does happen occasionally, as was told by the owner).

Talking of the hosts, they were extremely friendly, helpful and knowledgeable about the Island, what to do, what to see, where to eat, etc. Without asking we were brought a map of the island in which the host circled all points of interest while guiding us around. Breakfast can be flexible in case you need it earlier (when you go whale watching or climbing mount Pico for example). There's attention to detail and unexpected kind gestures (we had some chocolate cake waiting in our room the day we came back from a long hike to the top of Pico, which put a smile on our face after an exhausting day).

We stayed in the Atlantico room (front sea view), which was large: separate seating area with new furniture (not yet shown on pictures at booking.com), a balcony and a fridge. Very comfortable bedroom with balcony. Smaller bathroom but you had everything you needed. Breakfast is outside in a wind/rain covered area with a nice view. The breakfast itself was plenty and had some local bread, cheese, jams, etc. There's an outdoor kitchen for guest to use and a small fridge with cold drinks, as well as some snacks (drinks and snacks are to be paid at the end of the stay). Each guest room has a free to use parking spot.

There's a small supermarket a few minutes away at the cafe. Lajes do Pico is less than 15mins with the car. Madalena around 25-30mins.

All in all, we felt right at home and have absolutely loved our stay. Would recommend to anyone...

Miradouro da Papalva is like a home away from home. Our host, Helena, is one of the sweetest people and is constantly finding ways to help us out on our journey. She knows a lot about the island and about what to do/where! She also knows a number of people around the island and they are all just a call away.

The room is lovely (we stayed in the Nathan suite) with a comfortable mattress and such amazing pillows. And the bathroom in this suite is out of this world huge (it was an old bedroom before being redone).

Also, as we are on our honeymoon, Helena surprised us with an amazingly thoughtful and romantic welcome decoration in our room.

Our stay here has been such a relaxing time and Helena has made it all the more smoother.

PS: breakfast here is...

Beautifully located guest house. The staff are warm, friendly and always willing to lend you a hand, be it driving you to a place, picking you up from the airport or giving a recommendation for a restaurant or boat trip. The house itself is really pretty, with comfortable rooms, a small but nicely laid out garden and multiple outdoor eating/relaxing areas. The view of Pico from Sao Joao is stunning, as is the Guest House's proximity to the sea. As its up a country lane, the area is quiet at night. Bathrooms are well fitted, while the beds are extremely comfortable. There is no food served, not even breakfast, although the corner shop down the road does provide the bare essentials. This is, nevertheless, the perfect spot for a bit of...