Estalagem Encumeada Hotel

2 readers found this review helpful

st back from a week at this hotel and although we love Madeira the staff at this hotel seemed to never want you to come back again.
We arrived at 9pm on a Saturday and could not get parked as their was some party going on. Eventually got to reception and was made to feel welcome by one girl (who we never saw again...she must sacked for smiling) the rest just glared at us.
In alJul the staff were a very unpleasant bunch and just appeared miserable all the time... No thanks you's at all.
The first nights food was eaten near the bedrooms as we where relegated upstairs and was almost unedable apart the salad and desert. And this was at 13.5 euros each (we found a restuarnt called Dorisol down the road that charged 20 euros for a superb meal and service).
Now to the Hotel decor.... The stair carpet was worn and in two places ripped (a real danger). The corridor stunk of sewage and the bathroom had a sewage smell coming from the vent in the floor. Each day we found creepy crawly's in the bathroom. The beds were OK apart from only being provided with one tiny pillow, so that sleeping was not easy.
Add to that a bunch of school kids shouting and slamming doors!!! EEK
On the final day I settled the bill and without a thank you I was presented with a metal safe box and told that I could leave a tip ...... I was speachless
All in all we can put up with a lot..but rudeness NO.
Please do yourself a favour and pay a little more and don't go to this hotel

3 readers found this review helpful

Well, What can say. Madeira is a beautiful island and the Hotel is well located mid way up into the mountains, miles from anywhere and very peaceful and quiet. (This is not a place to go if you want the high life) but perfect for a tranquil setting. You definately need a car to stay here.
The hotel itself is very clean, tidy and quiet and now the downside. The staff are the most unhelpful depessed bunch of individuals I have ever come accross and go to great pains to be as miserabe and unhelpful as they can. The buffet which is served for breakfast and dinner is at best uneatable and at worst cold cheap trash. The staff seemed relucatnt to offer the Half Board menu in addition to the buffet served but the meat on a skewer from this menu is the only edible food available and you are lucky to sometimes get a side salad and sometimes frozen chips with it.
Saturday is wedding day and as a guest you are relegated to eating in reception area whilst the dining areas are given over to the wedding parties. This means the food is left from 7.00pm and is cold if you arrive after 9.00pm and the closing time is 10.00pm.
Please and thank you from the staff is non-existent and in truth I felt during the two weeks I was there I was made to feel "in the way".

6 readers found this review helpful

I would suggest that the previous reporter's travel agency were at fault here. The area of Encumeada is definitely NOT one for young people expecting a lot of entertainment and things to do. It is a beautiful, tranquil mountain area, perfect for those who appreciate nature, peace and quiet and everything those things have to offer. You need to take a good book and enjoy walking, hiking, plant and bird watching etc
I would suggest that next time the last reviewer does her homework before booking a holiday - if you want MTV, discos, cinema, fish and chips and Watney's Red Barrell this hotel is not for you - stick to the Algarve or Benidorm (which personally I would not go anywhere near)
As regards the hotel - the price is 40 euros per night and you can't expect five-star luxury for that. The rooms were adequate (although in need of a bit of a make-over) and the view from ours was fantastic. The bathroom could have been better. BUT they were both perfectly clean.
The food was NOT 'awful' but was typical Portuguese middle of the road buffet food. Again - if you don't want to try local food don't come here. It was perfectly edible, although not anything to rave over. But in general the food in Madeira was not too special - I'm afraid food catering to mass-tourism has taken over here (a tip - look for reataurants and cafes that are full of portuguese-speaking people and off the beaten tourist track - you will eat much better and more cheaply and in Madeira everyone speaks English)
As regards transport from the hotel there is in fact a daily bus service into Funchal and possibly other towns, so no need to take expensive taxis. Again, even the bus drivers speak English!
As regards the hotel staff, we found that they DO speak English. Even though we speak Portuguese most of them were all too eager to speak English to us.
I had a long conversation with the reception staff before I left, firstly in Portuguese and then in English, regarding the fact that a few improvements were needed to update the rooms, and perhaps provide a bit more 'entertainment' The hotel staff agreed with me.
No, we enjoyed our time there
Do yourself a favour - only go there if you are the sort of person to enjoy what it has to offer - otherwise stick to Benidorm etc and leave places like Encumeada to those who appreciate it!