Santa Barbara Eco-Beach Resort

In travel terms it’s Portugal that’s perhaps the hottest destination in Western Europe at the moment — and it’s a phenomenon that’s not limited only to the mainland. The Azores, those little volcanic specks in the middle of the Atlantic, are raising their game as well, and hotels like Santa Barbara Eco-Beach Resort, on the northern shore of the island of São Miguel, are leading the charge.

Hotel architecture is having a moment in Portuguese travel as well. Santa Barbara’s modernist villas are nothing if not photogenic, their rough and rustic materials formed into perfect Euclidean shapes. And they’re pleasing to more senses than just the visual — luxe contemporary comforts put you at ease, especially in the top-of-the-line Retreat Villas, and your tranquil surroundings do their bit as well, whether you’re looking over the gardens or the sea.

The beach club has its own restaurant serving casual daytime fare, and the bar, with its picture windows, is a fine place for a sunset cocktail. And as for the main restaurant, as Portuguese cooking is in the ascendant, Azorean cuisine follows suit — you’ve likely never had fresh seafood quite like you’ll have it here, from traditional dishes to sushi and sashimi just yards from the Atlantic.