Hotel The Cliff Bay

Our first time in Madeira and booked Cliff Bay for a special occasion based on previous reviews.|There is no doubt the hotel sells itself with the stunning views from it's cliff top setting.|It may have been 5 star in it's prime but falls a bit short of that these days in my opinion.|We had a Funchal and seaview junior suite which was well laid out and comfortable, albeit a little dated with some stains on the carpet. Towels were changed twice a day and we were provided with a decent range of toiletries in the bathroom. Unfortunately there was a sickly smell of sewage several times during our stay. This was reported to reception.|The view from the balcony was picture perfect.|All of the staff we encountered were very professional, friendly and helpful.|Our "special day" meal in Avista was lovely. The same cannot be said for the Rose Garden where it was a mixed experience.|Breakfast was ok with a fine selection of fruits, bread and cold cuts. The egg station lady did a fine job with the fried eggs and omlettes. The bacon and sausages were not to our liking. Cheap looking little sausages and fatty bacon which is not becoming for a five star hotel.|We took a three dinner package for the Rose Garden which I had booked prior to our arrival and I can only say thank god I didn't take the five dinner one. If you are a fish lover you may be ok. Other than that the menu lacked any imagination with small portions and became a bit samey every evening and was a bit too pretentious to say the least. |Pre dinner happy hour drinks between 5 and 6pm with live music was good value and quite popular as most of the outside seating was fully occupied so unless you were down early it was inside seating only.|Later in the evening there was more live music but was very quiet on the evenings we did visit. Maybe the full price drinks put people off.|Overall we had a pleasant week in Madeira which is a beautiful island.|Not sure if we would return to Cliff Bay but if we did it would be on a B&B only basis as there is a large choice of restaurants to suit all budgets nearby.

This was our second year at this lovely hotel. My wife and I returned with my mother in law and our daughter. ||All the staff are excellent and nothing is ever too much. There is a full and varied choice at breakfast and to sit on the veranda as the sun comes up is special. ||The hotel was promoting a coffee tour and our guide for this was the general manager Antonio Pais. His knowledge and passion for the coffee grown on the island was second to none. While walking round the very local but small producers plantation we had the opportunity to try the various fruit also grown on the site. Again Antonio's enthusiasm for the islands produce shone through. To finish with coffee and biscuits plus a glass of limoncello capped off a wonderful morning.||The spa is well worth a visit, I had the destress massage and enjoyed the most relaxing 90 mins I've had in years. My daughter thoroughly approved of her fascial.||I truly can't fault this hotel and would recommend it anyone who just enjoys being well looked after.

Wonderful hotel built on a cliff. We stayed 2 adults and one child in this accommodation. Lovely rooms, great facilities including children indoor play area/playground, swimming pools indoors and outdoors, super friendly babysitting service. Attentive staff, tasty morning breakfast including plant based food. We enjoyed our stay. Would recommend.

A fantastic experience spending a week here on holiday. It's one of the quieter hotels that I have stayed at with the guests mostly being retired. This means that any entertainment is relatively low key, but certainly doesn't lack quality. There is very little that can be criticised; everything is clean & tidy, the food is great and the service is awesome. the team that work there all take pride in their work if they're running the restaurant or helping to set up the sun loungers by the pool. Be aware that there is a dress code (particularly for dinner) and unlike most places it is enforced. So don't think that you can turn up to dinner in flip-flops and your football shirt. It's all very discreet and well managed, but it is there. This makes the whole experience more valuable. If you want to relax in a great location, I'll highly recommend this. You'll find cheaper hotels, but you will have to go a long way to find a better one.

It’s quiet and peaceful resort with direct access to the sea, which is used jointly with its neighbor Les Suites. Advantages: indoor pool, heated indoor pool, good variety for breakfast, quietness, good service team and very nice music shows during breakfast and dinner. Disadvantages: the furniture, carpets and overall little bit outdated and required maintenance. The basic dinner restaurant is 55Euros for starter/main course/desert, but IMHO not tasty (but this could be questionable). GYM is also quite outdated and small.

Unanimous decision: 10 out of 10. We stayed for 5 nights in late August. Perfect location, excellent facilities grounds, rooms, service, staff, ambiance, food. This was our final destination on a two-week-long vacation (Faial, Sao Miguel, Madeira). What a great location from which to explore Madeira. You cannot go wrong. Neither my husband nor I have one negative comment to issue, and we can’t wait to return!! Thank you, Cliff Bay, for truly delivering a 5-star experience!

I am currently staying at the Cliff Bay Hotel and have been thoroughly impressed with the overall experience. The service is exceptional, with staff consistently demonstrating a high standard of professionalism, attentiveness, and genuine hospitality. The hotel's elevated position offers breathtaking views, enhancing the serene and luxurious atmosphere. Furthermore, the culinary offerings are outstanding each meal has been expertly prepared and elegantly presented. The Cliff Bay Hotel truly excels in providing a refined and memorable stay. Lastly, for those wondering: yes, you can swim in the sea. The hotel provides two lifeguards on duty at all times by the water, ensuring guest safety. The sea is remarkably clear so pristine, it almost feels drinkable. A visit to the Cliff Bay Hotel comes highly recommended and should be made without hesitation. The best!

I had planned to stay at The Cliff Bay Hotel in October and was really looking forward to both the stay and dining at Avista Restaurant. Unfortunately, I decided not to stay and moved to another hotel due to poor handling of my booking and feedback. I communicated with the hotel via Chat Widget on their website and clearly requested a room for both 8th & 9th October. After I sent my personal details to confirm, the hotel left me waiting in the chat room without any reply until I chased them again the next morning and they replied to me in the afternoon — not what I’d expect from a 5-star hotel. At check-in, I discovered only one night was booked, and instead of acknowledging the miscommunication, I was blamed me for not checking the details carefully. When I spoke with a supervisor, Ms. Luisa, instead of apologising or showing empathy, she was defensive and even remarked that “in Europe we work differently from where you come from ( I am Asian ),” which I found unprofessional and unnecessary. My intention was only to share constructive feedback, but instead I felt challenged and dismissed. As a guest at a 5-star property, I expected a more professional and guest-focused approach. A simple acknowledgment of the miscommunication, a sincere apology, and reassurance that feedback would be taken seriously would have made a significant difference. The property looks beautiful, but the service I experienced fell far short of luxury standards.

The Avista restaurant is beautifully decorated with a gorgeous view. The seating is very comfortable, the drinks are good, the food is great. The shrimp and beef tartare starters are must-gets and the veal in beurre blanc was incredible. The rice that I got as a side was plain rice however it was the most flavorful plain rice I've ever had a restaurant. This would be a 5 star review had it not been for the terrible service. A member our party has a nut allergy and alerted our waiter to it and he kept asking her if it was just an intolerance or an allergy to which she kept replying that it was an allergy. He'd make a face and then take 5 minutes to write it in his notes. He barely checked on us throughout the night and proceeded to give us dirty looks when HE tripped near our table and almost spilled something on us. When we were ordering food (with the intention of taking some home so we could try more) he kept insisting it would be too much food for us and made us feel bad about ordering so much. I would have loved everything about this restaurant if it weren't for that waiter.

A stunning hideaway! Gorgeous views and delicious food. Great experience guaranteed:) The first floor has fish, steak, pastas, all you could ever dream of, combined with the view it really might feel like a dream! The second floor is sushi only and is only open on weekends- chef's choice in sushi assortment but everything we got we loved so trust the chef! Either way, a reservation is pretty necessary so be sure to make that with them or the concierge at your hotel. Be sure to get a glass of Madeira wine with your Tiramisu! Also if you get cold, they have heaters and blankets for you :) Thank you to Leonardo and João for taking the best care of us!!!

You will feel like you are in Positano or Torrey Pines, but better because this jewel box of a location remains relatively undiscovered by the masses. Yet every luxury demanded by even the most discerning international traveler is exceeded. Wow. Wow. And wow. Sit in the terrace for the view, then order a 5 star meal at Avista. Can't wait to return!

It's a nice property but the service from the administration is ridiculously poor. The snobbery, unfriendliness, and bad management are nowhere approaching professional. Perhaps they didn't like us. We were repeatedly approached to ask if we were staying there and treated like were were trespassers. We were staying for over a week. Very odd. After a full week at the hotel and constant poor service and just weird interactions bordering on offensive, we asked for a late check out and were immediately told no. I mean, immediately. Like she was taking pleasure in it. Like we were begging from her. Normally a top quality hotel will at least pretend to check to see if anyone else is taking the room. Perhaps charge us more money? Whatever. We were given a hard no. Yes, soooo sorry we spent thousands of dollars at your hotel and asked for an extra hour. My bad. I recommend stopping by for tea, if you want to see the property. Reid's is nicer. Then again, there are a whole lot of nicer places on the island that don't require you to receive service from the hotel people, bordering on abusive rudeness, certainly when it comes to the hotel staff (the service at the restaurant is good, meaning pretty standard). I do notice that most of these Yelp reviews are for the restaurant, not the hotel. Tripadvisor might be different. If you want a superior experience, look elsewhere.

Cliff Bay is a five-star, European spa of great style and refinement. Staff, food, facilities and service are top notch. Plan on dressing for dinner. I highly recommend the resort to American travelers seeking a high-end spa experience; Cliff Bay is a well-kept secret of German, French and UK guests. Dining, swimming in the sea, wine by the pool, spa treatments and working with reception on excursions around the island (whale watching, hiking and more) are all fabulous. My recommendations: join the Prestige club online first. Choose a premium package room with daily breakfast, and a water view. Book hotel dining reservations several weeks prior to arrival (at least). But if you don't, there are many options. Not to worry. Relax!

Great restaurant with a very vibey outdoor patio and great food; great for a date night.

We had a great sty the food is good but pricey. The staff at Avista (restaurant and pool) was great and fun to be around. These people deserve 5/5 The reason why only 3 out of 5 The management of this place is mediocre at best. When we arrived we had a lengthy and exhausting process of checking in. But where I lost my confidence in the establishment was when a 400$ bracelet went missing after the room was cleaned. The management was in no way accommodating or even thought of taking any responsibility and blatantly said "well go to the police then" (it was our last day). Their "investigation" into the matter was a bad joke. "We asked the girl who cleaned the room and she never saw it" -- sorry but not good enough. Hotel management was not trying to help but was defensive and deflected. Even trying to get them to recognize this incident at all was a fight. It was handled poorly and reflected atrociously kn the entire stay.