Abandoned Azores hotel stands frozen in time after decades of decay

A grand hotel’s rise and fall in just one year. Now, its hollowed halls whisper of broken promises and the Azores’ forgotten ambition.

, and Administrator

2025 November 24 . 10:01 AM

1 min read

In this image I can see a poster which has so many buildings and text highlighted on it.

Abandoned Azores hotel stands frozen in time after decades of decay

The Monte Palace Hotel in Sete Cidades, Azores, remains an abandoned landmark decades after its brief operation. Once the region’s first five-star hotel, it now stands as a decaying tourist attraction, plagued by vandalism and uncertainty. Plans to restore the site have faced repeated delays, leaving its future unclear. Inaugurated in 1989, the hotel operated for just one year before closing due to weak revenues and low tourism. Despite employing over 100 staff and winning awards, financial struggles forced its shutdown. Over time, the empty building became a target for looters, reducing much of its interior to exposed concrete. The Monte Palace Hotel’s fate hangs in the balance, with no clear timeline for its revival. Years of setbacks and vandalism have deepened its decline. Without further action, the once-grand building risks remaining a relic of the Azores’ past.