An old Dream Held by two Friends

By Francisco Sant’Anna of Santa Bárbara Eco-Beach Resort

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It all began in 2015, when the first eco-beach resort in the Azores opened on a piece of land right beside Santa Bárbara beach. The project was not just another hotel; it was the realisation of an old dream held by two friends, Rodrigo Herédia and João Reis, who first met on the island of São Miguel, home to the Santa Bárbara Eco-Beach Resort. 

The starting point was their passion for this beach and its black sand, which contrasts almost magically with the blue of the ocean and the various hues of green of the hills that frame it in the background. However, this joint dream mixed together many other passions too: a passion for the art of hospitality, for nature, for the sea and, above all, for the Azores. 

Their total respect for São Miguel and its unique qualities led them to design a resort from the ground up that integrated perfectly into the environment around it. It is no sur- prise, therefore, that the materials used, the architecture and the framing in the lands- cape have been the project’s three key concerns. The result is a resort where the island in all its entirety can be experienced, consisting of a total of 30 villas & studios offering a stay that is in perfect harmony with nature.