Saccharum

I have nothing to complain about regarding the location, rooms, or the service provided. We had to catch an early flight, so we closed the bill the night before. The bill was very confusing—six pages in total—with prepaid amounts and additional charges mixed together. It was difficult to determine what had already been paid and what was still outstanding. At first, we signed the bill and returned to our room to pack. However, the total seemed too high, so I reviewed each itemized bill and discovered that dinner had been charged twice, even though it was already paid for. We spent nearly 30 minutes at the reception trying to resolve this issue. Additionally, the hotel automatically adds 1 euro for charity and includes a recommended extra 10% tip on all services—drinks, food, and massages. At the reception, we were told, “You can take it out if you don’t want to.” This is not the United States, and it felt as though we were being pressured to tip, even though service charges should already be included in Europe. I noticed other reviewers mentioned the same issue. When staying at a 5-star hotel, guests should not feel the need to scrutinize their bills or feel guilty for not leaving additional tips. We were disappointed with this experience. After emailing the hotel to express our concerns, we received only a generic apology in response.

Really good experience overall. Very large hotel rooms. Quiet area with low noise. Luxury is feeling hotel. Multiple different areas for lounging. Amazing views really spectacular. Overall, the experience is very strong. Here are the only reasons why I don’t give it a five star. 1. For some reason, during our 5 days stay we had 4 cockroaches in our room. Even one inside the soap dispenser bottle somehow. 2. On the last two nights, there was a strong smell coming out from the shower drain we had to cover it. It smelled like sewer. 3. Hidden cost like extra for the lounging beds should not be a thing you’re paying for access to the hotel.

We stayed at Saccharum and initially had a good impression. The property is lovely, the rooms are comfortable, and breakfast with the premium experience was excellent (Whitney was our server every morning, and she was a joy to interact with). The staff were attentive while we were onsite, and we especially enjoyed access to the spa’s warm indoor pool (a nice touch, since the outdoor pools were far too cold to enjoy even with the warm weather we experienced). However, the premium experience at €90 extra per person ultimately didn’t feel worth the cost, as the benefits were limited. What truly soured our experience was what happened after checkout. We realized we had accidentally left several shirts hanging in our room and contacted the hotel within 36 hours of departure. Despite multiple emails and at least seven phone calls, we received no meaningful response for several days. When we finally reached someone, we were told nothing had been found, only for Guest Relations to later confirm via email that our shirts were indeed located. By that time, due to the hotel’s delay, it was too late to have the items sent to our next destination in Portugal, which would have been feasible. Instead of taking accountability or assisting with a reasonable solution, we were told we’d need to arrange our own shipment back to the US (a personal cost of roughly $300). Because of the lack of communication and urgency, our belongings are now effectively lost to us. It’s a shame that such a beautiful property with generally good in-person service is undermined by such poor follow-up and customer care. We left feeling disappointed and unlikely to return.

Our stay was, as always (just like the last three times), perfect. From the warm welcome to the excellent service – everything was wonderful once again.||The spa area is beautiful and offers a peaceful, relaxing atmosphere. The massages were outstanding – deeply relaxing and performed by very skilled therapists. We also loved the excellent food and drinks; every meal was a highlight, both in flavor and presentation.||A big thank-you to the entire team for making our stay so special. We truly enjoyed every moment and it’s always a pleasure to see familiar, friendly faces when we return. We’re already looking forward to our next visit!

Advertised as a wellness design resort I realize they want to set themselves apart from other hotels, but the entire hotel is too dark. In an effort to promote peace and tranquility, it feels more like a cave. Suites, foyer and even lifts could use some better light whilst still keeping with the wellness/peaceful theme.||Food was good, no complaints though for those who have all inclusive as we did, lunch options were very limited.||The grounds of the hotel are absolutely lovely, but at least one of the outdoor pools could have been heated |as they were a bit too chilly.||All in all a good resort but I wouldn’t necessarily say it was 5*.

We stayed for two nights at the end of September-25 we had the premium experience and stayed in suite 422. Our suite was lovely, bed was very comfortable and the views were outstanding. The suite was also well cleaned. However the bathroom was a bit disappointing and the doors were very hard to slide open and closed. The sofa bed was very uncomfortable. The plunge pool was supposed to be heated but wasn’t. The premium experience gives you a few extras like access to the spa and indoor pool which was nice. You also can go to the club lounge for drinks (wine, beer, juice, soft drinks), snacks and breakfast. You also get to access the premium beach club.. We enjoyed the extras however it would have been nice to get cocktails in the premium club lounge even if they have to paid for separately. You also get daily treats e.g cake, wine, chocolates etc. as great as the extras were, I don’t think the premium experience is worth the additional cost. All the staff were very friendly and helpful. The service was 10/10. Location: the views are wonderful however the location of the hotel isn’t the best if you want easy access to actives, restaurants etc. Overall we had a great stay!

This was my second stay at this hotel – and definitely my last. We are traveling with our 4-year-old child, who unfortunately has a high fever (>39°C). During breakfast, we mentioned this to the staff, hoping for at least a minimal level of understanding or support. The only response we received was that we were not allowed to take any porcelain to the room. Not a single word of empathy. No “Do you need anything?” No “Can we help you?” — nothing you would expect from a 5* hotel. On the next day, we wanted to order a pizza to the room for our child. Although pizza was available in one of the hotel restaurants, they neither deliver it nor allow you to pick it up. Once again, we explained that we could not bring a child with a >39°C fever to a restaurant. The answer was simply no. In the end, I had to walk to a restaurant near the port to get food for my sick child. The complete lack of empathy and basic service is unacceptable. This kind of behavior is something I would expect from a 3-star mass tourism hotel, not from a hotel that positions itself as a Luxury Hotel. Very disappointing.

We stayed in late December and booked a suite as we were traveling with a toddler. Unfortunately, the suite with a “courtyard” view was extremely dark, with very limited natural daylight and a view directly into the spa windows, offering almost no privacy. Turning on the lights didn’t help much, as the hotel’s overall design is very dark like it was design not for leisure but for business purpose. We asked to change the room and were upgraded to a partial sea-view suite, which was excellent. My recommendation: don’t be tempted to save money here—book a sea view, partial sea view, or mountain view from the start. Overall, the staff were very friendly and helpful. Housekeeping did an excellent job. The suites are spacious and include a small kitchen area, which is very convenient. The hotel itself feels fresh and well maintained. The automatic 10% service charge on all orders didn’t bother us and actually made tipping during dinner simpler. During our stay, the hotel was only about 30% occupied, yet the buffet area felt crowded with staff. Waiters were constantly circulating and frequently asked whether we were finished and if they could clear plates, which felt a bit intrusive. Food quality and variety were very good and on par with a five-star hotel. Our only complaint is that many dishes were quite oily for our taste, and it seemed like a specific frying oil was used that had an unusual flavor. The kids’ room was very helpful for us, although it has no windows. The rooftop floors with pools are great. However, the complimentary sunbeds were not particularly comfortable—more like what you’d expect in a three-star hotel. More comfortable, cushioned sunbeds are available only to guests with the Premium Experience/extra charge. Overall we are satisfied with the hotel and a great location.

Great rooms, very elaborate breakfast which can be enjoyed on the terrace. Hotel is very much like a cruise ship with multiple restaurants and pools. Nice beach area- bring your water shoes.

For my first international trip post covid, I treated myself to a relaxing stay at Saccharum Resort & Spa in Calheta, a small beach town on the west side of Madeira Island, Portugal. It did cross my mind that I was paying to travel around the world just to gym, spa, and lie at the pool, all things I could do at home...but once I arrived at the resort, I felt a wonderful mix of serenity and invigoration from the terrain that would be hard to replicate. The Saccharum resort is built into the side of a hill, and our side ocean view room came with a balcony that looked at both the ocean and the hill. The stunning contrast of the vibrant blue and green landscape was breathtaking and made for magical sunsets. As the hotel was full of European tourists, English was the primary language spoken. As Americans, we found the staff very pleasant and welcoming to communicate with. With four restaurants, bars, a beach club, gym, spa, and four pools, the resort made it easy to not leave. However the main strip of Calheta is also an easy 5-minute walk away and has cute restaurants and a sizable Pingo Doce grocery store. I was surprised that the hotel restaurants closed fairly early, but their indoor/outdoor rooftop Fly Lounge Bar was a reliable go-to for sunset drinks, live music, and casual bites. Trapiche restaurant serves a larger dinner menu with an equally impressive outdoor setting overlooking their infinity pool. The daily buffet breakfast at Engenho has a large selection, plus a made-to-order hot bar, an impressive parfait station, Nespresso machines, and a pour-your-own mimosa station with fresh-squeezed juices. I definitely wish I made it out to more than just one breakfast, it is worth getting up for! I felt very safe here walking around both alone and with my friend. As this was a sleepy, small town, three nights felt like a suitable amount of time for staying in this part of the island.

This is a lovely property, ocean views, 3 different pools to swim in, plus a private beach area, a gym, spa & 4 different restaurants to chose from. Beds were cozy, they offer an array of pillows for your sleeping comfort. There's a morning buffet, loves the fresh made pancakes, the daily fruit needs improving, i.e. the watermelon was consistently poor, over ripped, while the pineapple was at times brown - this was over a 7 day stay. Their high end restaurant was a bit of a disappointment, they're working on it. Oh and there's nightly music, real bands, in their Fly Lounge. The spa was nice, don't suggest a facial, as all the gal did was put product on then wiped it off, no extractions, steam & a sparingly massage. The full body massages are nice, while their foot massage is solely your foot & not up to your knees. The concierge can assist with day trips & making reservations at restaurants. All in all I would recommend coming, spend at least 5 days & enjoy the sunsets.

We stayed at this hotel in March and I wrote down the name of the staff there to do a review upon returning home and just found that lil scrap of paper! I want to post this because unfortunately receiving above and beyond customer service is very rare thing at times. Our sons is special needs and he experienced an extreme case of airsickness during our flight to Madeira. He was so weak from it he couldn't stand. Upon arrival we were greeted by Diogo. His professionalism and ability to assess guests needs was evident immediately. He secured a wheelchair to help us transfer our son to our room, he helped us get checked-in and Diogo checked on us to make sure our son recovered. Diogo made all the difference to our family and set the tone for our stay at this beautiful property. If you're interested in staying at a luxury hotel where human kindness is equally important as amenities then look no further.

We are so blessed to have chosen this hotel. Everyone is super friendly and helpful, even the maids are adorable. They gave us chocolates, cookies, or candy every night after checking in to see if we needed anything. We relaxed a full day in the spa, and loved walking around in our savoy bathrobes and house shoes. The game room was fun . I was happy with the breakfast buffet... The swimming pools are fab. (In jan outside infinity pool was cold but still fun to sit by) It is 45 mins away from Funchal and costs 20 euros round trip to take their shuttle, but for us it was worth it . We wanted a quiet spa getaway and they successfully provided. Loved walking around, up and down the mountains. The hotel is gorgeous and we slept like babes.