This was our first visit to Madeira and we were more than happy with the hotel. We had a room in Block C which had a side sea view and got the sun in the morning. The room was very spacious with a big bathroom and lots of storage. We were handy for the spa, both pools (indoor and outdoor) and the restaurant. We ate in the hotel a few nights - good buffets with plenty of choice and the breakfasts were very good with something for everyone. Our room had a kettle which was a bonus and was spotlessly clean.
The hotel is a long way from the centre of Funchal but there was a frequent and good bus service that stopped just outside the hotel.
The hotel staff were so pleasant and friendly. They were helpful and amenable at all times as were all the Madeiran people we met. The weather was gorgeous after all the snow at home and the flowers on the island are amazing.
We took two island tours with Lido Tours (much cheaper than the ones offered by the hotel) and these were excellent value with knowledgable guides and comfortable vehicles.

I would recommend this hotel to anyone. I would certainly go back if I revisited Madeira.

The Golden Residence comes in 3 separate blocks A,B & C. C block houses both outdoor and indoor pools along with spa facilities, hairdresser, restaurant and bar/entertainment area. It is joined to A & B by an underground corridor so no need to get wet if it is raining. Reception is in B block. Our room C0101 was in C block on the same level as the hairdresser, restaurant and bar/entertainment area and outside patio/pool area. Whilst this was very convenient and meant we could pick up the wi fi signal in our room,sadly it also meant that we found it hard to get to sleep before midnight with people making merry out on the patio which was just outside our room. Our room was spacious with large double bed and wet room which would be great for handicapped and comes complete with pull out washing line and a hairdryer (always handy). We also had TV, Free safe, kettle and empty fridge (saved finding a home for all the mini bar stuff we never buy). There is a supermarket 3 minutes walk away so no problem in filling the fridge with things you do want. The indoor pool is free to use but sauna and steam room are charged if used before 5pm (free after). The indoor pool was a little dark and depressing as it is mostly underground and the Jacuzzi was kept a little on the cool side for our liking. The outdoor pool looked nice but in January we were only going to look! Breakfast had a nice variety but at 11 euros we found it a bit pricey and availed ourselves of supermarket fare. Dinner we also thought expensive and found better deals to be had at the local restaurants. In January there was little entertainment, only a couple singing twice during our 10 day stay. The staff were all very pleasant, helpful and all spoke English. The local bus stops right outside the hotel and offers better value and travel cards for 3//5/7 days than the tour bus which cost 12 euros for 2 days and only goes on a circuit of the area in one direction and finishes at 1700hrs. Car parking in the underground cost 5 euros a day but we managed to find a spot in the street for free.
Happily we did not have any problem with ants like nuzzonick reviewer.

Tip: If you do not want to walk up the hill to the main road, there is a door from A block onto the street that you can access by lift from B block.

We have just arrived back from the hotel and I can not say any bad words about it. Very clean, modern hotel, with an amazing staff. The staff is very helpful, they are nice and they really try to make your stay the best. The hotel has a very nice Spa section, where you can relax. The location is amazing, it is situated on the top of a cliff. The beach is approx 200m. Shops, bars, restaurants are just in a short walk. The bus stops at the front of the hotel and takes 10 min to be in the town center.
I highly recommend this hotel if you would like to relax and enjoy all the beauties of the island.

We stayed for 2 weeks in January in a room in Block C overlooking the pool with great side views of the sea and the hills.The room was clean with plenty of storage space and a kitchen area with a microwave and 2 cooker rings. A good shopping mall within 5 minutes of the hotel with plenty of restaurants in the area. This modern hotel was clean with good indoor facilities. Great pool sauna and spa. The breakfasts were very good and varied and all staff extremely friendly, polite and helpful.We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and would go again.