Furnished in a traditional style. Beautiful gardens. The staff were exceptional, from room service to all the Waiters and Waitresses who could not do enough to make all of the dining experiences a pleasure. The hotel is about 2km from the centre, easy walk down but a lot of uphill on the return. The hotel provides a frequent shuttle service. We met several people who were returning guests. For one lady it was her ninth visit. I cannot recommend this hotel more highly.

It was all around a wonderful place. The food was exceptional, especially dinner. Amazing and relatively affordable for that level. The staff were above and beyond.

What a wonderful hotel, from the moment we arrived until we left the staff could not do enough for you. We stayed on a b&b basis but did eat in the restaurant on a few occasions. The breakfast is the best I've had anywhere and the food in the restaurant is superb, beautifully cooked and presented. There's a courtesy bus that will take you into Funchal (saves walking down a steep hill) and picks you up when you're ready. The weather was lovely, we swam in the pool and had lunch on occasion at the pool bar, again delicious 😋. Colombo, a giant tortoise lives at the hotel and is so friendly, 65 years old!

Nothing, everything fabulous. We cannot find fault with anything and can't wait for a return visit.

Location uphill with great views. About a 15 minute walk to town but there is a regular courtesy bus. It is possible to walk back if you are reasonably fit (don’t have to be an Olympic athlete as some reviews claim!). Breakfast amazing with plenty of choice. Food at dinner in the restaurant was superb. The service is fabulous and very personalised - the staff remember what room you are in and the things you like. They go out of their way to ensure you are happy. The pool area and gardens are gorgeous - no one could be disappointed with these. Colombo the tortoise is an added pleasure. The icing on the cake for us was the bubbly and chocolates left in our room on our silver wedding anniversary. Oh and Chega at breakfast who made sure my husband got the pasteis de nata he liked! We were presented with two boxes of them to take home on our last morning - so kind!

Nothing.

The property is amazing. Exceptionally beautiful gardens - they are actually a botanical garden. The pool was very clean, sunbeds very comfortable. There is also a nice jacuzzi. Room was big and had a stunning view over the hills and city. Also very clean. Housekeeping was every day there. Breakfast is half a la carte and half buffet, in the gardens. A variety of cooked eggs and toasts. The most friendly and professional staff I encountered so far. I would mention only one moment when we had an issue with our rent a car company and could not get a car. The staff helped us find a car, had it delivered to and from hotel etc. The hotel also offers valet parking and complementary shuttle bus to and from the city at specific hours. There are also some buses that drive near the hotel and of course taxis.

Nothing. The hotel is not within walking distance of the center of Funchal, but that we knew beforehand.

This is the kind of hotel where you feel like royalty. The staff goes above and beyond to serve you. All is perfectly clean and well looked after. For example, we had a very late arrival due to airtraffic delay. We called to inform we would be later than indicated. When we arrived, the restaurant was closed, but the staff had foreseen a cold dinner in our room (which was vast by the way). That was so welcome after a long flight day and living on airport food. They did not charge it, it was fully complimentary! We very much appreciated that service! The pool is great! We were there in March, did not expect to find the pool open yet, but it was. The weather was extremely nice, sunny and warm, so many chose to swim and enjoy the sunshine and still there were enough beds by the pool. It's not like in those all-in resorts where people put their towel on the bed in the morning to reserve a spot. The breakfast area is also supernice. You can eat inside when chilly, or on the porch in the open air in the morning sun, or in the garden itself. The food itself offered anything you can think of, lots of healthy choices too.

what's not to like :-)

We had a warm welcome from the start with the Receptionist giving us a quick tour of the building before taking us to our room. The room was just as photographs, large comfortable bed, cosy armchairs, nice bathroom and a balcony looking out over the garden. The garden is a destination in itself, full of amazing plants and lovely to wander around. Breakfast served at your table is generous and so varied and the diningroom staff are delightful, welcoming us every morning and evening, asking how we slept and how our day had been. The food deserves a Michelin star. We chose our dishes from the set menu, three instead of the full five. We could also have chosen from the A La Carte menu. We didn't use the pool as it was too cold but it is beautifully positioned in the middle of the garden and we were able to have lunch beside the pool one afternoon in lovely weather. A real find and I could not fault it.

Absolutely nothing

We stayed in a superior room which was gorgeous and a good size with two comfortable armchairs alongside a very large bed. The decor was in keeping with the property and the wardrobes had generous hanging space. The view from the balcony of the garden and hillside was stunning. The gardens took our breath away, they were so beautiful. In the afternoons we chose to sit under a large arbour of Bougainvillea beside the pool which was pretty near perfect. The pool itself was a good size and a second small pool for very tiny tots. The hotel ran a regular shuttle service, several times a day, to and from Funchal which was helpful. My wife thought that the breakfast was very good but I would have preferred a better selection of pastries. We sat on the balcony overlooking the gardens which was a fabulous start to the day. The service was always courteous and prompt. Dinner was generally excellent - perfectly cooked and seasoned with immaculate service. What makes this hotel so special is the people who work there. All were courteous, kind and couldn’t do enough to ensure our stay was as perfect as possible. I also need to mention the wonderful Colombos, the resident Giant Galapagos tortoise who stole both our hearts. We loved it so much that we will definitely go back.

The service around the pool was a tad slow. We had two quite long waits for lunch time snacks and coffee took a while to reach us. It wasn’t a huge issue for us and I have no doubt that this will be addressed by their very efficient team.

The highlight of this location are the exceptional tropical gardens. The rooms, lounges, and dining facilities were first class. Super breakfast cooked to order with exceptional buffet choice. The staff were numerous and the service was unfailingly charming. Cuisine was of a high standard too.

The location is not within walking distance of the town centre, but the tranquil location more than compensates for that. Taxis are plentiful

The property, garden, pool area are fabulous. The staff is excellent, you get a real treat there. We had few dinners in the hotel and the food was really good. Breakfast is also very delicious, besides buffet, one could order eggs, pancakes, toast, porridge, so for every taste! The garden and pool areas are so beautiful that you just want to stay there all day.

A bit far from the city centre and beach, but if you have a car (and it is a must in Madeira), then it is a perfect place to spend time on the island.