Great hotel, very nice & clean rooms. Massive breakfast (including sparkling wine). Well worth the upgrade to sea facing balcony.

However, don't book any activities through the hotel. They are building a time share nearby and I saw a 'tour' going through the hotel lobby as a sort of model of how the new time share building will look. I suspect the tours run by the hotel are partly to sell them. Also, we hired a car through reception which turned out to be a bait and switch. The receptionist had given me a flyer for 'avis' car hire at E25 but when the car came it was from another company at E45 a day!! Plus it was filthy and had massive dents down the sides. By that point we didn't really have time to find another car and just took it.

So overall I would highly recommend the hotel, but book anything else through your rep or tourist office.

Read some mixed, but mostly favourable reviews of this establishment before booking so had an idea of the pros & cons.

The hotel itself is beautiful. The public areas, rooms, gardens & pool area are all spotlessly clean. We stayed on a bed & breakfast basis and didn't use any of the hotel resaurants at night so can't comment on the quality of the food served. Breakfast was very well presented with lots of hot and cold options. Served between 7.30-10.30 am and never any shortage of food even towards the end of service.
In the room itself, pool towels amd robes are provided and can be changed should you require this. Promenade runs right in front of hotel so some nice walks right on your doorstep. Courtesy bus runs into Funchal and plenty of public buses on the main road up from the hotel. A taxi from the cathedral to the hotel on Saturday night cost us 8 Euros.

Now for the negatives ! Staff attitudes did not compare favourbly with our experience of other hotels/restaurants in Madeira. I wouldn't say it was rude but it seemed like company policy was for staff to keep a discreet distance and not indulge in any chat. Also, it has been mentioned in previous reviews about the charges for tea and coffee in the rooms. This may seem a minor gripe, I thought it was, but if you sell yourself as a five star establishment and can provide robes and pool towels, surely it's not too much to ask for tea & coffee making facilities to be included in the cost of your say. Bottles of water (which we never asked for) kept appearing in our room and I was presented with a bill for these on checking out. A short discussion followed at the end of which I had to sign a note to the effect that the water remained unopened !!

All in all though, this is a beautifully appointed hotel. The positives far outweigh the negatives. You'll have a nice quiet, relaxing break if you stay here.

I read all the reviews and it is amazing how some people can get such different experiences from the sames place. Its a good thing we are all different. Almost all the reviews were good to glowing so using holidays direct .com we booked a last minute break with two friends. It is a very good hotel. I accept some reviewers comment it is more 4 star than 5 star but it is very good value at this time of year.
Plus side. Good location lots of 5 minute 'walk to' good restaurants/bars shops. Only 6 Euros to centre of Funchal or 50 minute walk along beach promenade. Worth paying £100 for a week extra to guarantee a sea view. Try to get the floors above 3 for best views.
Staff were in general very friendly helpful found a few a bit stressed but the helpful ones were excellent. Rooms were very clean modern large with lounge suite and good sitting area. Excellent breakfast but smoke salmon and delecacies go early and not replaced. Still loads of normal breakfast items.
Would definitely stay there again and would recommend it to friends.
Down side. morning smell in corridors from the time share owners cooking breakfast. You have to pay for top ups of tea and coffee sachets and soft drinks when your free samples are gone. Not what you expect in 5 star. A few staff not helpful but only at breakfast when they are really busy.
This is really being a bit picky and only because it is a 5 star.
Dont choose the Gala night to eat in. Entertainment poor and had to share large 10 person tables.
If you are staying B & B not half board then the three night meal offer at 99 euros each is great. If you choose the 20 euro upgrade to include the house wine its terrible. But choose it and choose better wine and pay the difference.

i stayed at this hotel in sept this year. first the good points the staff are excellent the rooms okay.the food is moderate and from what i could say overpriced i was on half board so was not effected.;you have to pay nine euros for internet access and tea and coffee are supplied a few sachets no milk and if you want more it costs five euros.the place seems empty at times it has no atmosphere they seem to be more interested in selling timeshare. this hotel is more three star than five unlike my usual hotel the cliff bay wgich is five star, however i had a lovely holiday in madeira my favourite holiday place and will return next year all going well not to this hotel but to the cliff bay.