My wife and I spent a mixed week at the Hotel Baia Azul from 2nd. to 9th. of April,2008. The Hotel and rooms were spacious and the staff very friendly and efficient. A good sea view - as requested - and lovely weather for the first four days. Then an Atlantic storm blew in, washed out the annual Flower Parade, and flooded the Reception area on floor 6. Staff were magnificent in brushing/mopping the water and removing soggy carpets, but guests were paddling out of the Hotel!
(Flower Parade just made it the next day.)
FAULTS: 1. From Hotel entrance up to main road or down to shore is very steep. My wife's knee replacement didn't like them, and I wouldn't try pushing a wheelchair up and down them. We had to go to the main road to eat, because......
2. the Hotel dinner was not very good, and the greedy management kept booking in coachloads of German tourists for one or two nights, and people who had booked half-board were turned away until the dining room emptied around 8.30 p.m.
RECOMMENDATIONS: We loved the 'O Almofariz' restaurant across the main road. Good honest, fresh, local food at a ridiculously reasonable price, [3 courses for 9 Euros , including Madeira, coffee 1 Euro, decent wine 10 Euros - total bill 30 Euros for two!] Also tried 'Summertime' - 250m or so towards Funchal -
more up-market, but also more expensive, but a very enjoyable meal.
I usually hire a car, but the roads were so narrow and twisty we decided to use taxis instead. A good move! On the dull days we found a lovely driver called Joao (John) who drove at a sensible speed and took us to all the coastal villages and up into the mountains, stopping for photos at all the best views, for coffee when we felt like it and told us the names of all the local flowers
and trees, (in English) plus the history and habits of the
populace! It cost no more than going on the offered coach trips, and was much more convenient as we were picked up from the Hotel entrance and didn't have to climb the steep slopes!
One taxi driver, however, tried to charge 12 Euros for a return trip from the Madeira Shopping mall, but it onlycost 7 Euros to get there, so I refused to pay more. Watch them!

Stayed in the Baia Azul for one week, from the 11th of May. It was a most enjoyable last minute break. Weather was very poor, so i would advise bringing jeans, hoodies and a brolly , as your proximity to the mountains probably increases your chances of rain!
The hotel itself is very good, if not very dated and old fashioned. Our room faced out to the road which wasnt too bad and not at all noisy, you got to see what was happening and the numerous walkers every evening for their constitutional.
The staff overall were helpful and courteous and polite save for one man.....the pool man. The hotel provided fresh clean towels daily for the pool , unfortunately you had to approach the very unapproachable pool man. The next time i travel to this hotel i shall take my own beach towel to save myself any unnecessary grief.
The rooms were dated but very clean and comfortable. The television was great, caught lots of my favourite american dramas which were ahead of the UK and home, handy when sheltering from the rain and cold of an evening.
The rooms were cleaned daily and the breakfast was excellent, with every taste catered for and everything re stocked frequently. The staff here also very nice and helpful.
Overall very nice hotel and i would return.
Location very good, seems to the last of the hotels on the hotel strip from Funchal, but well serviced by buses and taxis. There are plenty of bars and restaurants and shops in the immediate vacinity.

I have just returned from a week at the Hotel Baia Azul with Justyou a company who specialise in holidays for adult single people. The hotel is very comfortable, staff on the whole extremely willing to help. My room had a balcony, which overlooked the very tidy and beautiful garden, full of little birds. A nice place to sit and have a quiet drink and read after being out all day. The hotel was full but the staff coped, although food around the pool took a little while to arrive.

We found this hotel clean, quite a decent pool, & football lovers they show most of the top games on a large screen in the TV room, we booked B/B and found the breakfast fine, typical hotel food, but plenty to pick from. We stayed in the hotel for evening meal one night and it was really good. Plenty of places to eat nearby.We had no problems the whole week.