Belmond Reid's Palace

We stayed two nights after the Savoy Palace, and wished we had stayed at the Savoy... As others have said, Reid's is class old charm, rooted in history and tradition. It has a spectacular seaside setting, with a lovely pool and seating area, and another lounge area below, right at the sea. (A falconer walks around to keep birds and pests away.) Breakfast was excellent with a wide variety of options, fresh brewed teas, and the view across the pool out to the sea. There are meeting rooms, a pool room and a ballroom! We arrived around 1:30 and were first told to wait out on the lovely terrace, then told we weren't allowed to do so as it was nearly time for high tea. Our modest twin room was in the newer garden wing. It had all the basics included a somewhat blocked balcony. It did not feel special or in the same class as the public entry areas. What really surprised us was the convoluted connections between floors and wings, requiring stairs, elevators and weaving. There were historical pictures and artifacts along the way (Churchill pictures being the most intriguing) but otherwise felt poorly designed and unappealing. It's likely the high end suites in the main building are fabulous but I didn't see them. So I would not recommend this property based on our experience.

Amazing hotel in a beautiful location, excellent service and fantastic restaurant (William). It is a place with a unique environment, classic style but with a great attention to detail. It was a real treat for us.

Real luxury and calm. Every staff member exceeded expectations. Room was beautiful with superb view. The room was prepared so carefully both morning and evening. The pool area was peaceful and welcoming with exceptionally good service. We had to force ourselves out to visit other aspects of Madeira. All in all a wonderful stay and one certainly to be repeated.

We went for afternoon tea. It was as good as we had hoped. Professional attentive yet friendly service. The food was beautifully presented and plentiful with offers of seconds and thirds. Needless to say, we left feeling very repleat! We went for a walk round the stunning gardens afterwards it really was a memorable experience. Thank you.

For those looking for a hotel with amazing character and interest, you couldn't do worse than spend a wonderful week in Reid's palace hotel. It would be hard to fault. Out of many things, I just recommend their Ristorante Villa Cipriani. Don't miss it.