We have stayed in many wonderful hotels all over the world, but Reid's has to be in the top 3. The sevice, all the faclities, the gardens all make this a very special place to stay. We should have spent less time on the Portugal mainland and more time at Reid's on Madeira Island.

My wife and I visited Reid's Palace in late September for vacation. We stayed at the hotel three nights before departing to Porto. Overall, the property is beautiful and the majority of employees are polite and attentive. A few things that stood out (both good and bad):

The Good
- The saltwater pool at the the base of the cliff is amazing. I've never experienced or seen anything like it. We only had one good day of weather, but this was the highlight of the visit.
- Everyone we met at reception was outstanding. They are informative, welcoming and a pleasure to be around. LIkewise, the bartender and piano player were both great.

The Bad
- Our room (and our floor for that matter) were warm compared to other areas of the hotel. Our bed was two Temperpedic twins pushed together rather than one king or queen. The two twin beds coupled with a warm room made for sleepless nights.
- A few Reid's employees were less than friendly. One pool attendant and one restaurant server were standoffish. These were exceptions to the rule overall.

Reid's is a large property with a good bit of history. We were lucky to stay there. Not good or bad (more of an FYI), the crowd skews a bit older and the hotel can be very formal.

Most of the Cruise Ship tourists elbow for space for "tea at Reid's" but a very good light lunch with one of the best views in Funchal can be obtained on the terrace of the Cocktail Lounge without prior booking. This is very good value for a luxury hotel - better than the more substantial meal at the poolside.

We arrived at Reid's following an exhausting few weeks. It is a grander hotel than we usually pick but it was everything we wanted -- service was exceptional. We found the restaurant a bit too formal but that was no probelm as there were lots of good pleaces to eat just a cock's stride away. Breakfast was to die for! A remarkable place and strongly recommended for rejuvenation!