Pestana Miramar Sao Tome

Facing the Bay of Ana Chaves, Miramar São Tomé puts the capital's waterfront a few steps from the lobby. The hotel was built by a German baron, whose name now marks Le Baron, the main restaurant, where the menu reads like a newspaper and includes pizzas baked in a wood-fired oven alongside Santomean and Portuguese dishes. Rooms open onto balconies with views of the pool or the sea, set among gardens of tropical trees that shade the paths between them. The pool itself has small cascades and a terrace of loungers. There are two more places to eat or drink: Café Passante, an open-air terrace over the bay good for a coffee or a sunset, and Bar Safú, tucked into the garden for a cocktail or a local gin. It is a compact stay, with a gym, sauna, Turkish bath and massage room covering the wellness side, and a congress room that seats up to 100 for meetings or events. Fridays bring a Santomean buffet with live music at Le Baron. Beyond the grounds, São Sebastião Fort and its small maritime museum sit nearby, and the clear cove of Lagoa Azul is a short drive for swimming or snorkelling. Check-in runs from 2pm, and free parking is available on site.