Reid’s Palace, Funchal, Madeira

Reid’s Palace

In Funchal, the hotel is located on the coast about 25 minutes by car west of the Madeira Cristiano Ronaldo Airport (FNC). Madeira is well connected by air to most of Europe’s major cities, but being a Portuguese island, flights to and from Lisbon and Porto are most frequent.

While we rented a car, you can also get a taxi on arrival or arrange for a transfer through the hotel. To really explore the island, however, I recommend renting a car. Like in the US, you drive on the righthand side of the road, and driving in Madeira is a pleasure with good roads and not too much traffic. The hotel’s valet will park your car and parking at the hotel is free.

From the moment you arrive, you will notice the exceptional service. John at Reception, Lucia at the Pool Terrace for breakfast, and many others all took time to ensure our needs were met. At a time when truly personalized service seems to be dwindling on so many fronts, its presence at Reid’s was a breath of fresh air and made all the difference.

Rooms and suites are either in the historic main building or in the much larger, modern garden wing. Our room in the garden wing was wonderful and overlooked the pool and sea, but next time we will request a room in the main building as the rooms there have a bit more character. Still, our room was lovely and spacious with very comfortable beds and wonderful linens. Non-alcoholic drinks in the minibar are complimentary.

There are four restaurants at Reid’s: 1) the Michelin-starred William, 2) Villa Cipriani for Italian, 3) the Gastrobar for drinks and informal meals in the evening (with a stunning view of Funchal, especially as night falls) and Reid’s famous tea in the afternoon, and 4) the Pool Terrace for the hotel’s wonderful breakfast and casual meals during the day. As mentioned, the hotel is in Funchal, so there are numerous dining options off property, too, many within walking distance.

Reid’s also has three pools, two heated pools on the Pool Terrace level and one pool beside the sea. An elevator or stairs take you to the seawater pool and its terraces — they are private and heavenly, and we’re already planning our return! Despite it being early March, the weather was perfect for sunbathing. Finding a sun lounger and umbrella was not a problem, and poolside, too, the service was impeccable.

While it would be easy to spend your days poolside at Reid’s (we were torn between leaving our sun loungers and staying put ourselves!), Madeira itself has so much on offer. And it’s so, so clean! We spent some of each day hiking and walking different parts of the island, from the mountainous interior to the beautiful and mysterious Fanal forest to the famous lavadas, to name but a few options. If you want to spend time at sea, you can go whale and dolphin watching too.

As I’ve mentioned, we visited Madeira in early March, and the weather was wonderful. There really isn’t a bad time to visit Madeira — temperatures are moderate all year round. If you’re comfortable driving, rent a car, so you can see more of the island. As for the hotel itself, if you appreciate a classic, personalized, somewhat old-world hotel experience, Reid’s can’t be beat on the island — nor can being seaside in the sun on one of its loungers! Go to Reid’s to relax and to Madeira for its climate, natural beauty, cleanliness and friendly people. Reid’s and Madeira are great for solo travel, couples, families and groups, and I’d be happy to help you plan a visit!

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to Portugal. In need of further inspiration? Check out Clara Raposo’s guide, A Day in Cascais, Portugal.