Which are the best and cheapest places to stay on Flores? How much does it cost to stay in summer and low season? Read in this chapter.
Where to stay on Flores
Flores is a small but very rugged island, so it's a good idea to give some thought to your choice of accommodation.
Fajã Grande
Europe's westernmost municipality is also the best place to stay.
It is around the west coast of Flores that the most beautiful places are found and where most of the hiking trails start.
While there are no classic hotels in Fajã Grande, you'll find the largest concentration of mostly great-rated apartments and even a budget hostel.
We recommend booking at least 4 months in advance to get the best choice. Deals disappear quickly, especially in high season between May and September.
Prices and availability - Fajã Grande
The lack of a traditional shop may be a disadvantage - you will only find a small minimarket. On the other hand, restaurants and cafes are in satisfactory abundance in Faja Grande.
Santa Cruz das Flores
The largest town on the island is ideal for accommodation if you like facilities like restaurants and supermarkets always close at hand.
Santa Cruz das Flores is also the best choice if you don't want to rent a car. From here you can easily take the bus along the northeast coast (Cedros, Ponta Ruiva, Ponta Delgada), to the town of Lajes, as well as to Fajã Grande.
Santa Cruz is also home to all the tourist agencies where you can pay for boat trips or guided tours of the island.
Only here, in addition to apartments, you will also find classic hotels.
Prices and availability - Santa Cruz
Lajes
The second largest town is on the south side of the island, where there are the fewest marked hiking trails, but if you have a car, it's a good place to live quietly in a place with basic facilities like a supermarket.
In addition, due to the high competition, accommodation prices in Lajes are slightly lower than in the more popular town of Fajã Grande.
Accommodation prices and availability - Lajes
Our tips and where we stayed
It was clear from the start of planning our trip that we wanted to stay on the west coast.
We chose the cosy Palheiro da Assomada apartment with its own house converted from a former shepherd's hut. The wonderful accommodation in a very quiet part of Faja Grande has a beautiful garden, a fully equipped kitchen and good prices (we paid 70 eur per night).
The downside is the lack of sunshine and high humidity, but that is solved with a dehumidifier.
Prices in Palheiro da Assomada
We originally considered staying in a very nice hotel as well Aldeia da Cuada. Each guest here has their own cottage, built in the style of historic country houses but with modern facilities.
However, since Aldeia da Cuada is completely outside the city and we wanted to go for evening walks, we ended up choosing the aforementioned guesthouse.
Flores hotel prices
Accommodation on the island is not among the cheapest. On the contrary, it is one of the most expensive locations within the Azores.
Prices between June and September normally range between 90 eur and 130 eur per night in a double room. However, you can find many accommodations on Flores for only slightly higher prices, with an entire villa available for 6 or more people.
Prices in winter are between 50 eur and 100 eur per night.