Pestana Vila Lido Madeira Ocean Hotel

The location of this hotel is fantastic - directly on the ocean. I believe each room has a view of the water. The staff could not be nicer, offering tips for restaurants and answering questions. The water was rough while we were there, but we are good swimmers, so we were able to swim and snorkel 4 out of 5 days while there. The pool is crystal clear and beautiful and located right on the ocean as well. The rooms are not fancy, but are clean, comfortable and have all that you need, including a small refrigerator with complimentary water and juice upon your arrival. It is lovely to watch the sunrise and moonrise from the balcony. Breakfast was good and offered a nice variety of foods. It was nice to sit outside, once again with a view of the ocean. They had happy hour and live music on some evenings and there were stores and restaurants nearby, which was great if you were jet-lagged. We walked into Funchal several times from the hotel.

Pestana Vila Lido is a super hotel if you are looking to chill out and have instant access to the ocean. Bedrooms are a good size with a really good en suite, especially the shower ! You don’t need to bring shampoo and body wash as it is already provided. I would suggest you bring with you mosquito spray or a plug in as we both got bitten quite a fair amount. Breakfast is well worth paying for as the choice is massive and delicious- the buffet is open until 11 so we tended to have a later breakfast and therefore didn’t need any lunch. The breakfasts cater for all allergens and dietary preferences such as vegan, lactose free etc. just be wary when buying the buffet dinner that this does not include wine and we had an unexpectedly high bill for three glasses of wine coming in at €28! The pool staff are very attentive and will come and grab a parasol and set it up when they see you arrive on your sunbed. The pool is quite a good size however perhaps not big enough to do hardcore lengths in- however,the ocean is very close which you can dive right into ! There is a sauna and steam room however these are quite small and don’t seem to be open every day. There is also an outdoor gym which can be used however again, it is rather small and as it is outside, it does tend to be rather in a sunspot making it harder to use.

We have never stayed at this hotel, but have stayed nearby for over twenty years, and regularly used the bar here. In the past, over a two-week holiday we would drink here on at least nine evenings, plus some early happy hours. There have always been two or three staff taking orders and serving drinks. Not this year however. There was one young lady on her own, trying to take orders from all the tables and bring out drinks for everyone. Although she was doing her best it was taking a long time for orders to be taken and drinks to arrive, and then ages again to receive any change. On one occasion, whilst we were at an outside table, some people sat at the table on the grass, waiting to be served. After twenty minutes or so they gave up and left. Some more people then arrived and sat at the same table - after a while they also gave up and left. So this year, instead of at least nine visits, we only made two. What is needed is for someone like the very professional Luis Santos to return and sort things out.