Cantinho das Buganvillias

Cantinho das Buganvillias is an aparthotel resort on São Jorge Island, suited to a stay where you want more room than a standard hotel room and enough on site to make a wet-weather afternoon perfectly workable. English and Portuguese are spoken by the hotel staff, and the website is also available in French.

The set-up makes sense if you are travelling by car, staying for several nights, or simply prefer having a kitchen and dining area available rather than eating every meal out. There is a restaurant, a bar, two pools, a spa and a gym, so the day does not have to end when the sea has had its say.

The resort sits in Queimada, on São Jorge Island, close to Vila das Velas and the local airport. The sea is about 0.1 mile away, close enough to keep the coast part of the daily routine without describing the property as beachfront.

The island setting gives you access to organised outings through the hotel, including trips to the fajãs, São Jorge cheese visits, adventure outings and sea excursions. A car is particularly practical here: parking is available, and vehicle hire can also be arranged.

The accommodation range is broad, but the useful distinction is simple: rooms suit a straightforward stay, while the apartments give you somewhere to sit, eat and keep provisions. The one- and two-bedroom apartments are the sensible choice when you want separation between sleeping and living space, or when travelling with another diver and a little more personal room matters.

The better-equipped apartments include air conditioning, a fridge, kitchen, microwave, dining area, coffee facilities, Wi-Fi, television, safe and soundproofing. That is the practical advantage after a long day outside: cold water in the fridge, somewhere to prepare something simple, and a door that helps keep the evening contained. Some apartments also have blackout blinds, while a superior two-bedroom apartment includes a balcony.

Every listed room category has a private bathroom, apart from the basic run-of-house listing where no further room detail is attached. Standard, superior, studio, cottage and apartment options cover different ways of travelling, including single occupancy, couples, and groups needing two bedrooms. The family-room category is also available.

Breakfast is served as a buffet from 08:00 to 10:00. The restaurant serves dinner on its terrace from 18:30 to 22:00, Wednesday to Sunday, giving you a clear evening option without having to leave the resort. There is also a bar for the less formal part of the night.

The restaurant operates seasonally, and it closes from 15 September to 1 May. Its dinner space can also host weddings, baptisms, birthdays, business meetings and themed dinners. Meal arrangements depend on the rate you book, so check what is included before treating the buffet as part of the plan.

Two pools give you an easy choice when you want water without putting a mask on: an outdoor pool and a heated indoor pool. Pool towels are available, and the indoor option is useful when the Azores are doing their familiar trick with the clouds. A sun terrace and garden provide places to sit between swims.

The spa includes massage, sauna and jacuzzi facilities, while the gym has strength-training equipment, cycling bikes, cardio treadmills and a yoga room. Group classes are also available. For something more local, the hotel can arrange cultural excursions, fishing, boat outings, adventure trips and visits connected with São Jorge’s fajãs and cheese.

Airport transfers are available through the hotel, either privately or as a shared service, and should be arranged with the property. The resort also offers vehicle hire, free parking and free Wi-Fi. A lift and accessible facilities are available, and the property is entirely non-smoking.

Check-out is at 12:00, and the front desk remains open until midnight. Laundry, ironing, luggage storage, a safe and excursion assistance are available. The hotel also has a business centre, meeting facilities and a conference room, although most divers will probably have better things to do with their time.