Madeira Panoramico

Fantastic hotel in great location. This was a great choice for us - smallish hotel with stunning views from the dining terraced area across Funchal and out to the coastline. The staff were friendly, cheerful and very helpful. The hotel was very clean. And the food was good quality - we booked bed and breakfast as we normally do, but if I had known how good the hotel buffet was going to be I’d have booked half board. Maybe past experience has given me low expectations of hotel buffets. The pool area was relatively small but enough for the number of guests using it and they had a system of guests being provided with a towel for the pool area which they could exchange for a clean one from the pool bar in the morning. A free shuttle bus was available to take people into the city if pre-booked the day before.

Only minor negatives (but still giving it 5 stars): we were a bit put out that we had to wait an hour for our rooms to be ready after being up at 3am for our early morning flight. We were encouraged to sit by the pool when we were wearing the clothes we’d spend a day travelling in (so remained indoors to wait). Some aspects of the rooms appeared a little tired and dated but everything still in working order. The hotel is up a hill and a 40 minute walk from the city centre, so would not recommend it as somewhere to stay for anyone with mobility issues if they didn’t want to rely on the shuttle bus.

We stayed in two separate family rooms with a sea view. The hotel was fantastic. The staff were polite and helpful and the atmosphere was very relaxed. The location is a bit out of the main tourist areas and the nearest shop is a decent walk away, however the hotel offers a shuttle bus regularly into the centre which is a great idea. This needs to be booked in advance. The view from our room was amazing and even better at night when you can see all the lights on the hillside. The only negative was the room decor, I would say they need a refresh especially the bathroom however they are spotlessly clean and the maid service is great. The best part of the hotel is the buffet service at breakfast and dinner. The variety is really good and they change the menu every day for dinner. The restaurant staff work really hard and ensure that the tables are kept clean and tidy. A special mention to Sonia who was so friendly and couldn’t do enough for us. The omelettes at breakfast are brilliant! The evening entertainment was good and offered different musical styles to suit all tastes. The pool is lovely although a bit small, we never struggled to get a sun bed and the atmosphere was great. The food at the pool bar is good and the drinks are reasonably priced. We also used the squash courts a few times which was a nice change of pace.

We would have no hesitation in coming back to this great hotel. Thanks for a great holiday.