Sul Villas & Spa – Seaside Villas Resort on São Miguel in the Azores

It’s not really a surprise that Sul Villas & Spa, Portugal’s newest super-simple seaside hotel, is owned by a champion surfer. The vibe is chill like that.

The 12-suite hotel is the passion project of Rodrigo Herédia, who won a national championship in the 1990s and continues to surf.  He is one of the partners in the larger Santa Barbára Eco-Beach Resort, but here, the style is more stripped-down.

It’s a mistake to call it minimalist, because even though the walls are pure white and the design—by local architect Rui Sabino de Sousa of SAL Works—is simple, it’s not cold.  Rather, it’s warm, calm, and soothing.

All 12 of the rooms face south, so they have dynamic ocean views.  Some have plunge pools on their private terraces. One has a gorgeous bathtub by the window.

Sul is a place to take it slow. Savor Azorean products over an all-morning breakfast (for now, the only meal available, though that will change). Have a massage or take a sauna in the small spa.  Read a book, or just stare at the sea.