Leaders in Sustainable Tourism in The Azores: Hotel Opening 2021
Stay in eco luxury on the island of Sao Miguel
Stay with hosts who share your values and your belief in responsible and sustainable travel. Our sustainability initiatives focus on supporting the local economy, protecting and promoting natural and cultural heritage and safeguarding the environment.
Our buildings and infrastructure are being planned with consideration given to the landscape and natural heritage. We are maximising use of local materials and sustainable design and focusing on endemic plants for our landscaping. The estate will create long term employment opportunities for local residents with training and development opportunities for staff. We focus on local cuisine and regional products, and partner with Azorean entrepreneurs.
SOLAR BRANCO: Solar (Portuguese) /mansão, casa de campo grande/ noun-Meaning; Large country house. Branco (Portuguese) /branco, brancura/ noun-Meaning; White.
The citrus trade of the 1800s: At first the English merchants came out to the Azores at the start of the season to supervise purchase and loading, but by the mid-19th century many, along with their families lived permanently on Sao Miguel in their large country mansions. Citrus was a luxury fruit, available in season from November to May only, and at its peak of desirability for the Victorians was Christmas, when oranges and lemons were the fruit to have on the table, most coming from the Azores. In 1854, 60 million oranges and 15 million lemons were imported to London on at least 70 vessels from the port of Ponta Delgada. Read more.
– David Sayers, Bradt Travel Guide to The Azores
LUXURY & PRIVACY We hold a firm belief that luxury and sustainability can be done without compromise is core to what we do. Each house ensures privacy and distance. Bring the outdoors inside with views of the surrounding countryside. Breathe in the air of the Atlantic Ocean, just 5 minutes from the capital city of Ponta Delgada.lose to the main city of Ponta Delgada, located on top of a hill, surrounded by peaceful farmland, overlooking the quaint town of Livramento and the ocean beyond. Our experiences aim to highlight and support the local economy. We hope to inspire you and enable you to leave your mark on our wall of memories to revisit one day.
Luxury Accommodation
Sustainability does not mean forgoing luxury, it means making a careful and conscious balance in what we do each day, and the impact we have on the environment. We ask our guests to support us in our mission as we source and buy local products, improving our own wellbeing as well as those who live and work in the Azores.
The Solar Branco Eco Estate is proud to be a leader in this growing movement. Our hotel and experiences eschew exotic or unnecessary products and foods, opting for local over global and removing unnecessary plastic throughout.
Enjoy Azorean wine on arrival as you sit back and watch the sunset over the green hills to the ocean beyond. Feast on our free-range, fresh eggs from the ladies who roam on the estate. Drink our locally infused Azorean Gin Baleia.
Turn your phone off. Breathe. Take some time for yourself.
HERITAGE Azorean culture is strongly reflected in the house and surroundings. The main house or Solar in Portuguese was built in the 1800s. Honouring the Portuguese explorers and the trading route with England, we are restoring an orange grove with heritage trees, and taking the land back 150 years. At the same time, we are reinventing styles, details and ways of living, to connect the past, present and future. The connection with fauna and flora represents a key part of the Solar Branco Eco Estate. We invite you to take a walk around the grounds, to experience Shinrin Yoku classes which enable guests to step back from their fraught and fast-paced lifestyles, enjoying the calm, serenity and peace that comes from connecting with nature.
A perfect location
Step into a beautifully restored, Azorean mansion and estate, overlooking green hills to the ocean beyond. Perfectly located within a 5-minute drive to the bustle of Ponta Delgada, the serenity of the beach at Populo and within easy reach of the town of Ribera Grande in the north of the island.
This is a home from home. Take time out and enjoy the surroundings or explore the island from the land to the sea. Your options are endless, and we are here to help you in person and with our guides.
Contact us anytime if you have a question. Enjoy your time on The Solar Branco Eco Estate and São Miguel.
Our exclusive eco estate EXPERIENCES aim to showcase the spectacular nature of the Azores with unique and small group experiences for visitors and guests staying on with us. The Gin Library is a world-famous attraction, showcasing the locally distilled gin, Rocha Negar and soon our in-estate gin, Baleia. We also invite you to take a walk around the grounds, to experience Shinrin Yoku classes which enable guests to step back from their fraught and fast-paced lifestyles, enjoying the calm, serenity and peace that comes from connecting with nature. For dinner we have private dinners that include a vegan cozido or sushi, made by our partner and top chef, Joana. See more.
The Gin Library
Visit The World’s Largest Private Collection of Gin here on the island of Sao Miguel, part of the Azores. Enjoy a gin experience like no other. Taste the local Azorean gin, Rocha Negra as you learn about the history of all things juniper at The Gin Library. Or taste on the gins on display, choosing from over 450 in the collection. Bring your own bottle of craft gin and you and a guest will enjoy a complimentary Azorean Gin Tasting. More details here.
Ali is the brand ambassador for the Rocha Negra Gin brand. He has spent the last 20 years travelling the world, tasting and collecting one of the world’s largest collections of gin. These travels inspired him to craft the perfect Gin & Tonic. He was the first to bring the Gin Sonic, a lower sugar variant of the G&T from Japan to Europe.
SUSTAINABILITY We believe in leading the way in the Azores in the world of eco-hotels and sustainability. We believe that the responsibility belongs to all of us involved in tourism to do more for the world we live in and we invite our guests to partner with us on this. Each building is being carefully restored on the estate, respecting its history and breathing new life into it in preparation for a bright future. Our work will always be ongoing on the estate and we are happy to share our ideas, and hear yours. From the beginning of the project, we wanted our hotel to lead in the area of sustainability. You can read more on our commitment to sustainability and eco-tourism here.
Whale Heritage Site
The Solar Branco Eco Estate & the Word Cetacean Alliance (WCA) are working with partners Futurismo Whale Watching and Terra Azul to to support the designation of Sâo Miguel as an internationally recognised Whale Heritage Site. Highlighting the international importance of the archipelago to our understanding, preservation and conservation of these majestic creatures of the deep blue ocean. Through sales of Baleia Gin, our in-house gin created with the Rocha Negra distillery, for each bottle sold a donation is made to the WCA.
Ali is the brand ambassador for the Rocha Negra Gin brand and passionate conservationist. He has spent the last 20 years travelling the world, tasting and collecting one of the world’s largest collections of gin. These travels inspired him to craft this gin, using botanicals only from São Miguel.
EVENTS & NEWS There is always something new happening on the eco estate. From renovating a hundred old country house, to our monthly events and sustainable programs we love living in the Azores and are keen to show you the best that the island of Sâo Miguel has to offer.
The eco estate is committed to sustainable projects, from leading the way in the Azores and the hospitality industry, to donating funds to Casa do Gaiato (Ponta Delgada’s Children’s home) as well as founding the Whale Heritage Site on Sâo Miguel, the first island in the Azores. Read more here.
Breathe in the clear Atlantic air as you walk through the citrus-inspired gardens. Take in the view over green hills to the ocean beyond. Hideout, forage, think in peace.
Enjoy this beautiful heritage home, built over 100 years ago, lovingly restored and brought back to life.
Sleep in the big, dreamy beds. Hike, run, read. Relax. Put your phone down. Laugh out loud. Dream. Enjoy life with those around you.