Guest User
February 4, 2025
Arrived on Christmas Eve. Half board. Transfers from and to airport are short and efficient. Greeted with a glass of prosecco and rushed to room before attending cocktail hour and gala dinner. No vegetarian canapes with the cocktail. A very watery chick pea curry as vegetarian main course for the Gala. The room was fantastic - in the new building - spacious, great bed and shower, terrace with access to a large sun terrace with loungers. Indeed, the hotel's environment generally was very pleasant. Entertainment every night in the restaurant bar (good) and the downstairs bar (of varying quality). There was an indoor pool, steam room and sauna which were welcome, but the sauna was often not working. The staff were pleasant. The real disappointment was the food. It was buffet style (there was an a la carte but other guests told us is it was the same food). Breakfast and salads at dinner were fine. However, 13 euros for some leaves and a few walnuts for lunch in the pool bar was a rip-off. The hotel advertises that it caters for vegetarians and there was indeed a vegetarian and a vegan option every night. These were mostly watery stews with over cooked vegetables - one night, rotten potatoes that were inedible. Another night, one of a couple sitting next to us, who also happened to be vegetarian, found a large, live slug in her salad! Management gave her a bottle of wine to compensate but I think the damage, both for them and us, had already been done! There was no dry white available, which is strange because I really like the Portugese Vinho Verde. The chefs need some training in tasty vegetarian/vegan cooking. It was a half hour walk to the town but we didn't mind this. Funchal is very touristy, with large cruise ships docking in the harbour.