We recently returned from our 5th visit to the Quinta Da Bela Vista, and found it, and Madeira, more beautiful than ever. Arriving in the late evening the air is filled with the perfume of roses and lilies. We were greeted like old friends.

The hotel is large enough to offer all you need for a serene and relaxed holiday, but small enough to feel intimate and homely. It’s a bit like 'Upstairs Downstairs' if you remember that programme, where the guests get to be 'Upstairs' but not a bit stuffy and very relaxed.

The staff are charming, gracious and helpful. Most faces don’t change over the years. The buildings and grounds are beautiful and the restaurants superb.

Having drinks on the terrace in the evening, watching the lights go on across Funchal is magical, better than any show.

For those of you who want a bit more activity there is a swimming pool and a small gym. But once you get there and relax that may seem too much like hard work.

Just one word of warning, don't try to walk into Funchal (as we did on our first visit) - it’s further than it looks, and very steep. The courtesy bus will have you there in a few minutes and makes frequent trips.

Madeira is about 3.5 hours flight from London, and being due south is in the same time zone, no jet lag or long-haul fatigue.

Having been back at work for a week I am ready for my next trip to the Bela Vista.

We were looking for a quiet and comfortable hotel on Madeira. It was our first visit and we were booking on trust of the Quinta's brochure. We were a little worried when we approached the area from the airport as we passed through a suburban area, but once we turned into the gates of the Hotel we were transported to another world. It met every promise and much more, the staff were wonderful, very friendly and very efficient, the surroundings were superb, a Botanical Garden right there by the rooms. The room was quiet and beautifully furnished, as were all the common areas and even the corridors. All in all we cannot praise it highly enough and cannot wait to return.

A delightful country house style hotel,full of beautiful antiquesand with elegant style.
Welcoming,courteous and very efficient staff.
Comfortable,well-appointed room.
Spacious,well-tended gardens.
Relaxing poolside area.
Superb views across Funchal.

We greatly enjoyed our second stay at the Quinta da Bela Vista-highly recommended.

We've just returned from a relaxing week's stay at Quinta da Bela Vista and we were happy with just about everything. The hotel and staff conform to high standards all round, and the breakfasts were the best we've experienced in any hotel stay.

We ate dinner at the hotel twice and it was good value, although Madeiran food generally is not to our liking as we find it a bit overcooked. However, the Saturday evening Madeiran buffet was very good, and with a buffet it is not difficult to find something to please everyone. If there is an improvement to be made I would suggest the hotel introduce a more international theme to the menus, especially since the hotel attracts so many nationalities, which incidentally makes for a great atmosphere.

I agree with the previous posting about central Funchal being disappointing. We also found it to be polluted with vehicle fumes; although this is not the case at the hotel, which benefits from being outside the town centre. Pedestrians should be careful as there are few pavements in the residential areas and the drivers are fast and impatient. Because we weren't driving, we found the courtesy bus useful and very efficient. Personally, I think the hotel should consider running (chargeable) coach excursions for guests to the more remote regions. One observation we made was that there are an awful lot of taxis making an awful lot of tours/journeys. While this is obviously an important source of income for locals, so many individual journeys are undeniably bad for the environment and ecology. This is something tourists and Madeirans should take very seriously because it truly is a most beautiful island that should be preserved at all costs.