Hotel Monte Palace – The Whole Truth About the Abandoned Hotel in the Azores

Hotel Monte Palace is the name of the former 5-star hotel that was in operation from April 1989 until the end of 1990 on São Miguel Island in the Azores (Portugal).

It remained closed and under constant surveillance until the year 2011. However, due to the lack of payment for these services, the hotel was abandoned and subsequently suffered vandalism. See the photo gallery of before and after below.

Located at the Vista do Rei viewpoint, where it is possible to have a panoramic view over the Lagoa das Sete Cidades, the now-abandoned hotel catches the eye of everyone who passes by and has become a spot for various photos and visits from the curious.

Monte Palace was composed of 88 rooms (one of which was a presidential suite, 4 luxury suites, 4 double rooms with a sitting area, 27 standard double rooms, and an additional 52 suites).

Equipped with two restaurants, the “Grill Dona Amélia” and the “Restaurante D. Carlos” (the latter named in honor of the Portuguese kings who visited Sete Cidades during their reign, hence the origin of the name Vista do Rei given to the viewpoint). Visitors could also enjoy a bar, three conference rooms, game rooms, a nightclub (“Night Club Chamarrita”), a bank, a tobacco shop, boutiques, and other stores.

Photo Gallery (Before and After)

Browse through the image gallery below that shows what the Hotel Monte Palace used to look like.

The History of Hotel Monte Palace in Documentary

The documentary below, created by Jorge Loures, allows us to understand and visualize the entire history of Hotel Monte Palace – The Story of Unbridled Ambition. The true story about this location.

Currently, the hotel is for sale for 1 million and 494 thousand euros, looking for investors who have the capital for its complete restructuring and revitalization of this space, which has great touristic and scenic potential. It has a footprint area of 2,396 m2 and a total construction area equivalent to 13,104 m2.

While a new owner has not yet been found—and despite there being various theories about its future and reopening—at the moment it is just an abandoned site that receives thousands of visitors and curious onlookers throughout the year.

Update as of November 1, 2017: According to the Açoriano Oriental newspaper, the Hotel Monte Palace has reportedly been sold to a group of Asian investors. Sale confirmed: Former Hotel Monte Palace to Reopen in 2021.

As of 2023, the hotel remains abandoned and is awaiting a license for its restoration.