They are the westernmost point of the European continent, the 9 islands that make up the Azores archipelago and are located in the North Atlantic Ocean, 1,300 km west of Portugal. On one of them, São Miguel, near the town of Lagoa during a hike Catarina and João Reis came across the ruins of an old mansion, which belonged to a wine-producing property, and overlooked the Atlantic Ocean. Taking inspiration from Santorini, the couple transformed the old building into the 10-room WHITE boutique hotel. The retrofit retained many elements of the architecture, blending them harmoniously with modern elements. The hotel’s all-white colour scheme is balanced with tones of black that reflect the volcanic rock on which the property is built.

Photos by Francisco Nogueira