Editor Pick
Hotel Madeira
- May 13, 2006
- Rated 3 of 5 by
Harrod from Salford, United Kingdom
We are regular visitors to Madeira. It is a great place to relax. A wonderful climate throughout the year, pleasant, green mountainous scenery, no hassle, no clubs and bars, no lager louts. We spend most of our time just relaxing, wandering around Funchal, eating, drinking, snoozing or reading. Not exciting but just what you need when you want to re-charge your batteries away from work and away from a cold northern European winter.We have stayed in several different hotels over the years. Because we like to be near things and not to have to spend too much time in buses or taxis we like to find a hotel in Funchal city centre, not out in the Lido area to the West. Many of the hotels in the Lido are very good, but the location doesn’t suit us. Our favourite hotel is the Porto Santa Maria in the old town. Built about 5 or 6 years ago it is a good, modern hotel, well run in a great location. But these days it is so popular it has gone outside our price range. On this trip we tried the Hotel Madeira. It is one of Funchal’s older hotels built in the 1970s and in some respects it is now showing its age. But it has a great location.On a corner just above the Municipal Gardens it is right in the centre of town. Two minutes takes you down to the Marina or across to the Cathedral Square. Restaurants and shops are all around. Buses and taxis are all handy if you want to travel around the island. The reception area is small, some of the carpets on the stairs are a little worn. But this gives the wrong impression. The rooms are a good size, well kept and well decorated. Good, clean bathroom, very spacious wardrobe to hang all my wife’s holiday outfits and not just one, but two balconies looking out over the gardens. There’s a rooftop terrace with a small pool which these days is just not up to the standard you might expect. Just a few sun loungers and chairs. No bar, no snack service but nevertheless a good place to spend a couple of hours relaxing in the sun and enjoying the view out over the city and of the hills behind running up to the church at Monte. A basic buffet breakfast of bread, cheese, fruit, cold meat. Scrambled eggs is the only hot dish available, but the kitchen will cook eggs in other ways if you ask. No restaurant but you wouldn’t want or need one as all the restaurants in Funchal are just at your door. A basement bar is quiet and serves small snacks as well as drinks but don’t expect any entertainment. Hotel Madeira is at the budget end of the price list but if you want something in Funchal city centre you probably can’t find a better deal.
From journal Madeira, Garden Island