Estalagem da Ponta do Sol, Ponta do Sol, Madeira - Explore & Book
"This is not a designer hotel that erases the past in favour of the future; it works with it to create something far more interesting. It's centred on a graceful two-storey quinta, once a sugar cane estate irrigated by those famous levadas, which is perched on an ocean promotory above the pretty little village of Ponta do Sol. Whale-spotters used the clifftop as a lookout, lighting fireworks to alert neighbouring harbours to passing pods. A century on, the artfully restored quinta houses a chic bar, with a wraparound terrace and an intimate restaurant upstairs. Up on the clifftop, there's now a sun deck with a perfectly blue infinity pool, a wellness room with sauna and indoor chromotherapy pool, and an open-air bar which hosts 'Purple Friday' parties for sociable guests and digital nomads. It's that sort of place. Funky. The views are to die for, though it's worth looking inwards too: the marriage of old quinta with modernist annexes is inspired. A lift whisks you up the cliff and across open-sided bridges to the main courtyard, where sculpted loungers sit beneath swaying palms. Around it, the 54 bedrooms are simple, white and supremely comfortable. Ponta do Sol is one of the most charming - and sunniest - spots in Madeira. A long-standing favourite of i-escape reviewers and guests, this boutique hotel is a superb, stylish and surprisingly affordable base for exploring this mesmerising island. Highs The views: soaking in a cliffside hot tub as the sun sets over the Atlantic can’t be beat The uplifting modernist architecture combined with the prices attracts a more youthful crowd than other hotels on the island The excellent 'modern Madeiran' cuisine beats most local restaurants: you can dine in without feeling you are missing out On your doorstep are several levada walks and a swimmable beach It's great value, especially considering that transfers to airport and levadas are included Lows The hotel car park is small: parking is tricky but not impossible The accommodation looks a bit blocky from the outside, but the interiors are sleek and bright Lots of steps (though the cliffside lift takes most of the strain) Sea-facing balconies and pool terrace can sometimes be windy, but there's no shortage of sheltered spaces to chill out" - Michael Cullen
