Quinta Da Bela Vista

My wife and I spent a week at the Quinta da Bela Vista hotel in Funchal at the end of May this year. It was everything that the Internet description and brochure claimed and we enjoyed our stay very much indeed. The hotel and its beautiful gardens were a haven of peace and tranquility whilst being only a short distance from Funchal city. The range of facilities at the hotel was excellent and in particular, the a la carte restaurant was superb. The quality of service at the hotel was first class with all of the staff being quietly professional; nothing was ever too much trouble and the unhurried, but very efficient, atmosphere created made our stay that much more relaxing. I would not hesitate to return to this hotel - in fact, we are planning to go back in October this year - nor to recommend it to others.

If you want first class five star service given to you by friendly helpful staff, then Qunita Bella Vista is for you. Set in the quiet hills overlooking Funchal this old manor house hotel is set amongst amazing gardens with views over Funchal. Our clean and comfortable air conditioned room overlooked the gardens with a view of Funchal. We ate in the two restaurants that the hotel have, one offering a set menu and one A La Carte. The main restaurant, a fresh and bright room, had a view of the garden and offered a set menu which was a varied, four course well presented meal and delicious. The A La Carte restaurant in the Old Manor House is more silver service, a beautiful room and house filled with family antiques again offering a wide range of food, all freshly prepared and of the highest quality. A walk in the well kept gardens after dinner is required! The pool side bar, which in itself is a summer house in the gounds of the old manor house, overlooks Funchal and offers a good food and drinks menu all day. There is a tennis court and gym to work off the fantastic food and comfortable sunbeds to soak up the sun! It wasnt just the hotel, locatoin and food that made the holiday for us, it was the helfpul, attentive and friendly staff. Nothing was too much trouble, they took the time to make sure that your stay with them was relaxing and enjoyable. This is not a huge modern hotel, it is a family run first class hotel offering comfrot and service - go and see it for yourself!

We recently returned from our 5th visit to the Quinta Da Bela Vista, and found it, and Madeira, more beautiful than ever. Arriving in the late evening the air is filled with the perfume of roses and lilies. We were greeted like old friends. The hotel is large enough to offer all you need for a serene and relaxed holiday, but small enough to feel intimate and homely. It’s a bit like 'Upstairs Downstairs' if you remember that programme, where the guests get to be 'Upstairs' but not a bit stuffy and very relaxed. The staff are charming, gracious and helpful. Most faces don’t change over the years. The buildings and grounds are beautiful and the restaurants superb. Having drinks on the terrace in the evening, watching the lights go on across Funchal is magical, better than any show. For those of you who want a bit more activity there is a swimming pool and a small gym. But once you get there and relax that may seem too much like hard work. Just one word of warning, don't try to walk into Funchal (as we did on our first visit) - it’s further than it looks, and very steep. The courtesy bus will have you there in a few minutes and makes frequent trips. Madeira is about 3.5 hours flight from London, and being due south is in the same time zone, no jet lag or long-haul fatigue. Having been back at work for a week I am ready for my next trip to the Bela Vista.

We were looking for a quiet and comfortable hotel on Madeira. It was our first visit and we were booking on trust of the Quinta's brochure. We were a little worried when we approached the area from the airport as we passed through a suburban area, but once we turned into the gates of the Hotel we were transported to another world. It met every promise and much more, the staff were wonderful, very friendly and very efficient, the surroundings were superb, a Botanical Garden right there by the rooms. The room was quiet and beautifully furnished, as were all the common areas and even the corridors. All in all we cannot praise it highly enough and cannot wait to return.

A delightful country house style hotel,full of beautiful antiquesand with elegant style. Welcoming,courteous and very efficient staff. Comfortable,well-appointed room. Spacious,well-tended gardens. Relaxing poolside area. Superb views across Funchal. We greatly enjoyed our second stay at the Quinta da Bela Vista-highly recommended.

We've just returned from a relaxing week's stay at Quinta da Bela Vista and we were happy with just about everything. The hotel and staff conform to high standards all round, and the breakfasts were the best we've experienced in any hotel stay. We ate dinner at the hotel twice and it was good value, although Madeiran food generally is not to our liking as we find it a bit overcooked. However, the Saturday evening Madeiran buffet was very good, and with a buffet it is not difficult to find something to please everyone. If there is an improvement to be made I would suggest the hotel introduce a more international theme to the menus, especially since the hotel attracts so many nationalities, which incidentally makes for a great atmosphere. I agree with the previous posting about central Funchal being disappointing. We also found it to be polluted with vehicle fumes; although this is not the case at the hotel, which benefits from being outside the town centre. Pedestrians should be careful as there are few pavements in the residential areas and the drivers are fast and impatient. Because we weren't driving, we found the courtesy bus useful and very efficient. Personally, I think the hotel should consider running (chargeable) coach excursions for guests to the more remote regions. One observation we made was that there are an awful lot of taxis making an awful lot of tours/journeys. While this is obviously an important source of income for locals, so many individual journeys are undeniably bad for the environment and ecology. This is something tourists and Madeirans should take very seriously because it truly is a most beautiful island that should be preserved at all costs.

My wife and I stayed at the Quinta da Bela Vista for 8 days in May and endorse much of TripAdvisors' reviewers positive comments. Rooms are excellent, very clean and the garden relaxing and beautiful. Facilities are somewhat limited to the pool, a tennis court and a small fitness building. Service was good if a little formal and correct rather than friendly. The main restaurant is pleasant with excellent, wide choice breakfasts, particularly fresh fruits, and muesli. Cooked breakfast is standard hotel fare. Evening meals are good, if a little variable - and it is difficult to make them last more than 45 minutes as the service is over-efficient rather than relaxing. Location is about 10 minutes drive from central Funchal, which is a blessing as I really wonder what Funchal is for these days - apart from a 24 hour stopover for all the cruise liners which disgorge thousands of trippers each week. Over developed and very little charm apart from some older areas with the market and decorative pavements. The rest of Madeira is a much better bet - particularly the northern coast and central nature reserve areas. Don't try and walk from the hotel into town - there are very few pavements and the traffic can be diabolical - the hotel runs a very good courtesy mini-bus service.

We chose thr Quinta Bella Vista to celebrate our Pearl Wedding Anniversary. Spending most holidays self catering we wanted a bit of luxury, something special, and we found it. All of the staff we encountered were polite, helpful and above all cheerful. All of our needs were catered for, from booking a hire car for a couple of days to having champagne and fruit deliverd to our room for our anniversary wake up! The food was excellent, both in the main dining room, and also the a la carte in the old house. There was always plenty of choice, and for dinner, always a meat, fish and vegetarian option. We ate most nights in the main dining room as it seemed such excellent value. I particularly enjoyed the local fish dishes. The cooked breakfasts were well above average standard for a buffet, as the food was hot and appetising, and regularly replenished. There was also an abundance of fruit, yoghurts, cereals, breads and pastries for breakfast. Our room had a small balcony overlooking the garden. Although we didn't use it much as it was often wet and usually shady, it was lovely to open the doors for the sights and sounds, and the breeze. Sheets and towels seemed to be changed daily, and the cleaners did a thorough job . We never had a problem finding space around the pool, and clean white towels were always provided. The poolside snack bar was very useful for lazy days and we ended most evenings sitting on the pool terrace overlooking the lights of Funchal. We found that the hotel offered us a comfortable degree of luxury in a very relaxing and exotic environment. John and Hilary Addison, Lincolnshire

We have enjoyed our third visit to Madeira,and our second visit to Quinta da Bela Vista. It was my husband's choice of venue to celebrate his 65th birthday. The hotel recognised the occasion from their computer records and responded by a surprise delivery of a cake and Madeira wine to our room,complete with a charming waiter to light a candle!The service by all the friendly staff, and the room was impecable, and attention to detail as in flowers in the room and cleanliness was much appreciated. Both restaurants served excellent food with great presentation and variety. We particularly enjoyed breakfast where their was always a good selection of hot and cold dishes and loads of fresh fruit which I love! After busy days walking the levadas or sightseeing in a rented car, it was a delight to return to the hotel for tea and cake by the pool and to enjoy the view over the harbour, then to take a leisurely bath and dress for dinner at one of the hotel restaurants. We were so impressed by the standard of the cuisine, that this time we did not bother to go down into Funchal for any meals. The shuttle service to Funchal is very useful on days when you do not have a car. The reception staff were very obliging and booked our guided walks and car hire for us, saving us the trouble of telephone calls or finding places in Funchal. On days when we wanted to relax, the beautifully furnished lounges offered a choice of comfortable pleasant places to sit and read. We came home feeling very relaxed having enjoyed our stay enormously, and full of praise to our friends and neighbours about our stay at Quinta da Bela Vista.

The Quinta da Bela Vista is set on the hillside just above Funchal with superb views over the town and the sea. A courtesy coach gives regular service down to the sea front. This Hotel is built in the grounds of an original Mansion and the gardens must be over one hundered years old. They are beautiful indeed. The Mansion forms one of two superb restaurants. Whether it's drinks or lunch by the pool, excercise in the gym or on the tennis courts, a stroll in the gardens, or dinner in either of two restaurants,the Quinta da Bela Vista has it all. The service is impeccable by well motivated and attentive staff. If you can tear yourself away from the Hotel, the Island is beautiful indeed. Go to Funchal market, go up in the cable car, visit the church and gardens at the top. Visit the Botanical Gardens by a trip on the local bus,[Number 31]. Go for a day trip in a coach or share a taxi for the day which you can book at reception. The Quinta da Bela Vista is in total harmony with the beauty of Madeira.