December 10, 2025
To choose the right São Tomé roça hotel, you must first understand the Roça. This term is unique to São Tomé and Príncipe. It refers to the vast cocoa and coffee plantations that once defined the islands. These were not just farms, they were self-contained industrial towns with their own hospitals, schools, railways, and rigid social hierarchies. For visitors, São Tomé Roça hotels are the clearest window into that history.
After independence in 1975, these estates were nationalised. Most fell into ruin or were occupied by local communities. The “Hotel Roças” listed below are rare exceptions, properties that have been reclaimed. Staying in one is a direct engagement with the island’s history of colonial grandeur and labour exploitation. When you choose between São Tomé Roça hotels, you are deciding how closely you want to step into that legacy.
| Hotel | Location | Status / Vibe | Key Features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roça São João | East Coast (Santa Cruz) | Cultural & bohemian | Tasting menu, art space, naturally ventilated rooms, rustic decor. | €€ |
| Roça Santo António | East Coast (Ribeira Peixe) | Heritage comfort | Air conditioning, swimming pool, backup power, modern tiled rooms. | €€€ |
| Roça Bombaim | Central interior (jungle) | Remote & basic | Shared bathrooms, generator only, no signal, quiet forest setting. | € |
| Roça Saudade | Central highlands (Monte Café) | Highland guest house | Mountain views, cooler climate, simple rooms, Sunday lunches. | €€ |
| Mucumbli | West Coast (Neves) | Upmarket eco-lodge | Bungalows with sea views, hot water, near black-sand beaches. | €€€ |
| Roça Belo Monte | Príncipe (north-east) | Luxury resort | Villas or suites, private beach access, pool, museum, high-end service. | €€€€ |
These plantation stays vary widely in atmosphere and comfort, so a closer look at each property helps clarify what you will experience on the ground. Some roças function as cultural centres with strong local ties, while others offer a more polished lodge-style setup.
The profiles that follow outline the character, facilities, and access for every roça currently operating as guest accommodation on São Tomé and Príncipe.
Selecting between the São Tomé Roça hotels depends on how much comfort you want and how remote you are willing to go. Coastal properties such as Roça São João and Roça Santo António give easier access and a wider range of facilities, while interior options like Roça Bombaim and Roça Saudade offer quieter settings but with more limited services. Mucumbli and Belo Monte sit at the upper end of the scale and work well for travellers who prefer a lodge-style experience linked to plantation heritage rather than a pure historic house.
The key differences come down to access, climate, and how much restoration each property has undergone. Whichever São Tomé roça hotel you choose, get outside and visit the countryside. The landscape is not shaped only by these buildings; the people and the communities are part of that history as well.
The Backstory
On Príncipe, Belo Monte represents the Roça-Cidade plantation city model. The HBD group restored it into a luxury boutique hotel. Unlike the rustic conversions on São Tomé, this is a polished, high-end restoration. Although located on Príncipe, it sits at the luxury end of the São Tomé Roça hotels spectrum.
The Guest Experience
This is a refined, museum-centred hotel experience rather than a rustic plantation stay. The property houses the Forever Príncipe museum. It is positioned on a cliff with expansive views but has no direct beach access. The hotel operates a shuttle to Banana Beach.
What Real People Say
• The Consensus: Reviews reflect expectations at a luxury price point, with emphasis on service quality and restoration standards.
• The Detail: Guests frequently highlight the museum and the quality of the restoration as justifying the cost.
Status: Luxury heritage hotel
Location: Príncipe Island, above the coast.
Atmosphere: Roça Belo Monte is formal, polished, and curated. It is distinct from the rough-edged experiences on São Tomé and suits travellers seeking comfort, history, and service consistency. Without a doubt the finest São Tomé roça hotel.
Rooms and facilities:
Room style: Luxury suites with high-end modern finishes.
Climate: All rooms have air conditioning.
Pool: Outdoor swimming pool.
Power: 24-hour power with backup generator.
Dining:
Restaurant: Fine dining restaurant.
Bar: On-site bar and lounge.
Logistics:
Road access: Paved road followed by plantation track on Príncipe. Hotel provides transfers.
The Backstory
Deep in the central rainforest lies Roça Bombaim. Its defining feature is the ruins of a colonial bullring (Praça de Touros). Bullfighting was a Portuguese tradition, but constructing an arena in the equatorial jungle was highly unusual. Today, the moss covered stone stands remain as a surreal relic. Among São Tomé Roça hotels, Bombaim occupies a narrow niche, appealing primarily to hikers and travellers drawn to creative decay.
The Guest Experience
This is a hostel style refuge rather than a hotel. Electricity is generator dependent and usually limited to evenings. There is no mobile signal and no Wi-Fi. Access is difficult, especially in the rainy season, and the final approach from Trindade requires a 4×4 vehicle.
What Real People Say
• The Consensus: Reviews come almost exclusively from hikers and nature focused travellers. The location is described as feeling like “the end of the world” in a positive sense and is valued as a base for exploring Ôbo National Park.
• The Warning: Guests stress that facilities are basic and “rusty”. Hot water is not guaranteed. You are paying for location and atmosphere, not comfort.
Status: Remote rainforest roça stay
Location: Central highlands, interior of São Tomé.
Atmosphere: Isolated, overgrown, and immersive. This suits travellers prioritising nature and hiking over amenities.
Rooms and facilities:
Room style: Basic hostel style rooms with simple furnishings.
Climate: No air conditioning, cool rainforest climate.
Pool: No swimming pool.
Power: Generator power only, evenings only.
Dining:
Restaurant: Communal dining with fixed meals.
Bar: Basic drinks service when the generator is running.
Logistics:
Road access: Rough dirt track from Trindade. A 4×4 vehicle is essential, check out our car hire if you’re staying here.
The Backstory
Roça Saudade holds a prestigious place in Lusophone history. It is the birthplace of José de Almada Negreiros, a key figure of Portuguese Modernism. After decades of ruin, Joaquim Victor restored the main house to serve as a guest house and museum. Within the landscape of São Tomé Roça hotels, Saudade is defined by these artistic associations.
The Guest Experience
Located in the highlands near Trindade, the climate is cooler and fresher than the coast, so AC is rarely missed. The restoration honours the original wooden architecture. Guests have direct access to museum exhibits, including reproductions of the artist’s work.
What Real People Say
• The Good: This property holds some of the highest guest scores (9.0+). Reviews praise the “amazing hosts” (Joaquim and Emanuel) and the food quality, particularly the soups. The Detail: Guests appreciate the “new beds” and cleanliness, noting it feels better maintained than other interior roças. It is often called a “hidden gem.”
• The Warning: Guests stress that facilities are basic. You are paying for location and atmosphere, not comfort.
Status: Remote rainforest roça stay
Location: Central highlands, interior of São Tomé.
Atmosphere: Isolated, overgrown, and immersive. This suits travellers prioritising nature and hiking over amenities.
Rooms and facilities:
Room style: Basic hostel style rooms with simple furnishings.
Climate: No air conditioning, cool rainforest climate.
Pool: No swimming pool.
Power: Generator power only, evenings only.
Dining:
Restaurant: Communal dining with fixed meals.
Bar: Basic drinks service when the generator is running.
Logistics:
Road access: Rough dirt track from Trindade. A 4×4 vehicle is essential, check out our car hire if you’re staying here.
The Backstory
You must distinguish between Mucumbli (the lodge) and Roça Ponta Figo (the historical site). Mucumbli is a modern eco-lodge built by Italian owners. The nearby Roça Ponta Figo is a working community with a gritty history, including the 1953 Batepá Massacre. Although not a classic plantation house, guides group it with São Tomé Roça hotels because it serves the same traveller type.
Mucumbli features wooden bungalows on stilts overlooking the ocean. There is no AC; it depends on sea breezes. It is the upscale base for the north-west coast. The restaurant blends Italian pasta with Santomean ingredients.
What Real People Say
• The Good: Views are universally praised as “paradise.”
• It is widely considered the best accommodation on the west coast.
• The Bad: Guests caution that the “beach” is rocky (black stones, not white sand) and hard to swim in.
•Service is “Leve Leve” (slow), with recent reviews noting restaurant staff can seem inattentive.
•Wi-Fi is often limited to reception.
Status Modern eco-lodge with historical adjacency
Location: West coast, near Neves.
Atmosphere: Relaxed, open-air living with a focus on ocean views and sunsets. It offers a sophisticated, European-influenced take on the tropical lodge experience.
Rooms and facilities:
Room style: Detached wooden bungalows on stilts.
Climate: No air conditioning, ceiling fans and sea breeze.
Pool: No swimming pool, direct access to rocky beach.
Power: 24-hour electricity.
Dining: Restaurant: Open-air restaurant serving Italian and Santomean cuisine.
Bar: On-site bar.
Logistics: Road access: Short dirt track off the main west coast road. Suitable for any 2WD, check out our car hire if you’re staying here.
Staying in one of the São Tomé roça hotels is not about luxury alone. It is about context. These former plantation estates sit at the centre of São Tomé’s history, landscape, and rural life. Comfort levels vary sharply, from restored heritage houses to basic rainforest refuges, and choosing the right São Tomé roça hotel depends on how much isolation, simplicity, and authenticity you are comfortable with.
What all of these stays share is access to the countryside. From coastal plantations to highland estates, roças place you closer to farming communities, forest trails, and daily island life than conventional hotels. Facilities can be limited inland, power cuts are normal, and travel times are longer than distances suggest, but these are part of the experience rather than drawbacks.
Accommodation options on São Tomé are limited and demand is high, particularly in peak travel months. Booking ahead is essential. Approached with realistic expectations, a stay at one of the São Tomé roça hotels offers one of the most grounded and memorable ways to experience the island.
