Travelling should begin with anticipation, not uncertainty. Yet for people with reduced mobility or other accessibility requirements, choosing accommodation can involve questions that many other travellers never need to ask.

Terrassi Villa is an accommodation project in Angra do Heroísmo, on Terceira Island in the Azores, created with those questions in mind. Founded by Daniela Guilherme, the project brings tourism, health and accessibility together with a clear ambition: to create a welcoming place where inclusion feels like part of the hospitality experience, rather than an additional service.

01What is Terrassi Villa?

Terrassi Villa is an accessibility-focused local accommodation project developed in Angra do Heroísmo. It emerged through StartUp Angra, the municipality’s local business incubator, which identifies accessible tourism as the project’s sector and Daniela Guilherme as its founder.

StartUp Angra presents Terrassi Villa as the first accessible local accommodation project of its kind in the Azores, with the objective of connecting tourism and health while expanding the opportunities available to visitors in the region.

That positioning is important. Terrassi Villa is not simply an accommodation business to which accessibility has been added as a secondary consideration. Its purpose is rooted in the idea that more people should be able to experience the Azores with greater confidence, comfort and independence.

02A project built around a more inclusive idea of travel

Accessible tourism is sometimes reduced to a small number of physical adaptations. In practice, the subject is much broader.

Different guests may have mobility, visual, hearing, cognitive or other access requirements. Some travel independently, while others travel with relatives, friends, carers or young children. The barriers they encounter can also appear at different points in the journey, from researching accommodation and arranging transport to navigating the destination itself.

The United Nations describes accessible tourism as enabling people with different access requirements to participate in and enjoy tourism experiences. This requires more than attention to a single building. Information, transport, services, communication and the surrounding destination all contribute to the experience.

Terrassi Villa represents a local response to that wider challenge. Its ambition is to make inclusive thinking part of the accommodation experience from the beginning.

03Why accessible accommodation matters

For a traveller with specific access requirements, choosing the wrong accommodation can have consequences beyond inconvenience. A vague description, an unexplained step or an unsuitable layout may affect someone’s independence, comfort or ability to use the space safely.

Accessible accommodation can remove some of that uncertainty by considering how different people move through, understand and experience a property. Just as importantly, it can help travellers decide whether a place is genuinely suitable for their individual needs.

No single label can answer every question. The word “accessible” may mean different things to different guests, which is why specific, honest information matters more than broad promises.

Useful accommodation information may eventually include:

  • Clear descriptions of entrances, routes and internal spaces
  • Relevant measurements where they affect a guest’s decision
  • Current photographs showing the property accurately
  • Information about available support or adaptations
  • A direct way to ask questions before booking
  • Honest explanations of any remaining limitations

This approach does not guarantee that one property will meet every possible requirement. It gives travellers the information they need to make a more informed decision.

Accessible travel begins before arrival

A guest should not need to arrive at a property before discovering whether it meets their needs. Clear descriptions, useful photographs and direct communication can remove uncertainty while the journey is still being planned.

04Clear information is part of accessibility

The accommodation itself is only one part of an inclusive experience. Its digital presence must also help people understand what to expect.

Research published by VisitBritain on travellers with mobility needs highlights the importance of detailed information, measurements and visual material when people are researching a trip. When those details are missing, travellers may need to contact several businesses, search across multiple platforms or abandon an otherwise suitable destination.

For hospitality businesses, communicating accessibility well means being precise without becoming overly technical. It also means avoiding claims that cannot be supported.

A useful accommodation page should answer practical questions in straightforward language. It should show the property honestly, distinguish confirmed features from future plans and make it easy for guests to discuss individual requirements.

This is particularly important for Terrassi Villa. Its website and wider digital presence are still being developed, so the priority is not simply to increase visibility. It is to build a reliable source of information around the property, its purpose and the experience it aims to provide.

05Experiencing Angra do Heroísmo and Terceira

Terrassi Villa’s location places it within one of the Azores’ most distinctive destinations. Angra do Heroísmo sits on Terceira Island in the middle of the Atlantic, surrounded by volcanic landscapes, coastal scenery and a strong sense of local identity.

The city also carries considerable historical importance. The central zone of Angra do Heroísmo has been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983, reflecting its role in Atlantic maritime routes and the architectural heritage preserved within the city.

For visitors with access requirements, however, the appeal of a destination must be accompanied by practical planning. Historic streets, natural landscapes, transport and visitor activities may present different conditions from one location to another.

Inclusive tourism therefore depends on cooperation across the wider destination. Accommodation providers, tour operators, restaurants, transport services and local organisations all influence whether a visitor can experience a place with confidence.

Terrassi Villa can contribute to this wider network by helping guests understand not only the accommodation, but also the options available around Angra do Heroísmo and Terceira as reliable information develops.

06Accessibility should still feel like hospitality

An accessible property should not need to feel clinical, separate or designed for only one type of guest.

The strongest inclusive hospitality experiences combine practical consideration with the qualities every traveller values: comfort, personality, warmth, privacy and a genuine connection to the destination. Accessibility becomes part of good hospitality rather than the defining limit of the experience.

This is central to the promise behind Terrassi Villa. The project is intended to welcome guests with different needs without reducing them to those needs. It reflects the belief that an inclusive stay can still feel personal, relaxed and unmistakably connected to the Azores.

07A digital presence that grows with the project

As Terrassi Villa continues to develop, its online presence will play an important role in helping people discover the property and understand its mission.

Studio 17 is currently supporting the development of that digital presence. The work is ongoing, and no unfinished features or future outcomes should be treated as completed. The immediate objective is to communicate the project clearly, build trust and create a useful foundation for future discovery and guest enquiries.

Terrassi Villa is ultimately about more than promoting a place to stay. It is part of a broader conversation about who gets to travel, how confidently they can plan and what thoughtful hospitality should look like.

By placing accessibility at the centre of the concept, Daniela Guilherme is helping to create a more inclusive way to experience Angra do Heroísmo and the Azores—one in which a warm welcome begins well before the guest reaches the door.