Vila Galé is opening its first hotel in the Azores

The Vila Galé Collection S. Miguel is the result of a refurbishment of a historic building in the centre of Ponta Delgada

The Vila Galé group has opened its first project in the Azores, Vila Galé Collection São Miguel, in the heart of Campo de São Francisco, in the centre of Ponta Delgada.

The Regional Secretary for Tourism, Mobility, and Infrastructure, Berta Cabral, representing the President of the Regional Government of the Azores; the Regional Secretary for Education and Cultural Affairs, Sofia Ribeiro; the Regional Director for Tourism, Rosa Maria Gouveia; José Andrade, Regional Director for Communities; Francisco Gonçalves Silva, Ombudsman of the charity Santa Casa da Misericórdia of Ponta Delgada; Teresa Gonçalves, President of SATA – Azores Airlines; and Mário Mota Borges, former Regional Secretary for Transport, Tourism, and Energy, were some of those present. Vasco Cordeiro, PS Azores MP, former President of the Regional Government and PS Azores President; Carlos César, PS President, and Francisco César, PS MP, were also among those present.

The event, which included a performance by Cuca Roseta, was also attended by actors Paula Lobo Antunes, Jorge Corrula, and Marcantonio Del Carlo, brand ambassadors, the national and regional press, tour operators and travel agents, Vila Galé’s partners and lifelong friends.

“This occasion is an important milestone not only for tourism in this region, but also for the revitalisation of our heritage, in a prime area of the city of Ponta Delgada. The investment in the qualification of this building, aimed at tourist accommodation, is an extraordinary opportunity to give new life to one of the city’s most important assets, our Campo de São Francisco, a place full of history and cultural value, both tangible and intangible, which hosts the festivities of the Lord Holy Christ of the Miracles (Festas do Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres) every year, the biggest religious festivities in the region”, emphasised the Regional Secretary for Tourism, Mobility, and Infrastructures, Berta Cabral.

“It’s not just another hotel in the Azores, it’s a hotel that is the essence of the Azores”,

Stressed the Vila Galé group’s founder and president, Jorge Rebelo de Almeida, alluding to the hotel’s theme. “We have to try to do things that are authentic, that are ours, in order to differentiate ourselves, and that means recovering heritage, it means making room for Portuguese culture. We have to preserve the authenticity of our historic centres, because if we turn everything into tourism, it loses its appeal and stops being interesting”, he said.

A historic boutique hotel with 92 rooms, the Vila Galé Collection São Miguel also has two restaurants – one with buffet service and the other à la carte – where the regional cuisine is highlighted, two bars, an outdoor swimming pool, a Satsanga Spa & Wellness with indoor pool and massage and aesthetic treatment rooms, as well as venues for events. Representing an investment of 15 million euros, the Vila Galé Collection São Miguel was set up in the building where the São Francisco hospital used to be, a historic property rebuilt and rehabilitated by Vila Galé and transferred under a 40-year renewable surface right concession by the charity Santa Casa da Misericórdia of Ponta Delgada. And it generated 48 jobs. This is a themed unit that praises the history and culture of the Azores and the Azorean communities in the world (diaspora) and the evolution of aviation in the Azores over time, as well as the Festivities of the Lord Holy Christ.

New features at the hotel

In this unit, you can enjoy some of the most typical national flavours every day in the “Seven dishes of Portuguese tradition” initiative:

• Monday: Portuguese Stew (Cozido à Portuguesa)
• Tuesday: triggerfish fillets with tomato rice
• Wednesday: fried liver with caramelised onions, bacon, and French fries
• Thursday: stuffed squids with mashed sweet potatoes
• Friday: crispy alheira sausage from Santa Maria with fried egg and sautéed broccoli rabe
• Saturday: fried codfish cakes with bean rice
• Sunday: octopus rice.

The daily menu, which can be viewed here, always includes Regional Steak, a São Miguel speciality. On Sundays, starting at 12 noon, there is also brunch for the whole family. Every Thursday between 9 and 11 pm there are live music sessions at Soul & Blues, the hotel bar, which is also open to external guests.

MAIN FEATURES

• 92 rooms, with the following types: 27 standard, 16 deluxe, 17 superior, 8 family, 16 junior suites, 7 junior suites with balcony, and 1 master suite with 66m2 and balcony facing Campo de São Francisco, with capacity to accommodate up to 8 people;
• Two restaurants: Versátil and Inevitável;
• Two bars: Soul & Blues and Splash;
• Cloister with an outdoor pool and a sun deck;
• Satsanga Spa & Wellness with three massage rooms – one for couples with a hydromassage tub and another with a Vichy shower -, heated indoor pool with two waterfalls, sauna, Turkish bath, and dynamic showers;
• One meeting room with capacity for up to 160 people in a theatre-style arrangement. This room can be divided into 3 different areas by means of removable panels;
• Nep Club with activities for children;
• Free Wi-Fi internet access;
• Access for people with reduced mobility;
• Parking.

Watch the video and see how it went: