Lee
Google
I booked this hotel through Jet2 as “4-star plus” accommodation on a half-board basis at a cost of £2,000 for seven nights including flights. Although the hotel markets itself as 5-star and was advertised as being in Funchal, it is not—it’s actually located in São Martinho, which is about a one-hour walk from the outskirts of Funchal.
The room was adequate and offered a lovely sea view. However, we encountered several issues: the mini fridge was broken, the bed was extremely hard, the pillows were unusually large, and no towels were provided for the pool.
On a positive note, the cleanliness of the hotel was exceptional—credit to the housekeeping staff. In contrast, the reception staff we dealt with were unfriendly and rude. For example, when we asked about pool towels, we were made to feel as though we had either taken them or were too foolish to notice them in our room. When we reported the broken fridge, the response was similarly dismissive. At checkout, no one asked whether we had enjoyed our stay or wished us a safe journey.
The food is the main reason this review is reduced to one star. It was entirely inadequate for a hotel with this star rating. The buffet lacked variety, the organisation was poor, and the overall quality was very disappointing. The on-site restaurants were acceptable, but if you must stay here, I would strongly recommend eating elsewhere.
Finally, the pool was unbearably cold—like taking an ice bath.
