Residencial Vila Camacho

Have just returned from the Vila Camacho and we were very pleased with the hotel, especially as the cost was so reasonable. We booked a standard room with no balcony/view but the room was well appointed, was cleaned every day and fresh towels left, in fact one day we had 10 towels between two of us. We had a small enclosed patio that we shared with the room next door. We took half board and the food was lovely, (try the homemade coffee ice-cream)! The staff were very friendly, despite being busy most of the time, but put themselves out to help. Breakfast on the terrace was a joy, even when there was no sun. The hotel is a bit of a climb out of Funchal so suits walkers but there is a regular bus service nearby and the taxis are not expensive if the climb is not for you. All in all thoroughly recommended.

From Tracey, Worcester ,England Stayed at Vila Camacho in February 2007. Having read previous reviews was not expecting much and was not disappointed. Was not asked if we wanted to upgrade our room as some in previous reviews had been. We were given a room in the building across the street. The corridor and room had a distinctly musty smell which remained throughout the week we stayed, however the room was clean, maid service was excellent in that there were clean towels left in bathroom everyday,bins emptied and bed made daily. The bed was clean and comfortable,shame about the german next door who did keep us awake with his snoring!!!! The hotel was full and I can only presume that the delay in waiting for breakfast every morning was due to the fact that there were only ever two staff waiting on tables. Overall for what we paid for the holiday I was happy with the service and accommodation. A basic,functional,no frills hotel that really is only suited to people who are active and are out all day. I wouldn't recommend it for anyone just wanting to sit by the pool all day.

We were fortunate to stay at the Vila Camacho in Funchal, Madeira. We found the hotel very welcoming and most thoughtful. Our arrival was delayed until after 8 pm in the evening but there was a meal kept for us and they were most attentive. We had a room with a balcony and stayed on a half-board tariff. The room was adequate and was kept very clean. Linen and towels were changed regularly. The outdoor part of the dining facility was very pleasant with good shade supplied by trees and bushes. The staff were very friendly, communicated well in English and German, and efficiently dispensed food and drinks. The food was good with sensible portions. The menu was varied with plenty of choices. The pool area was clean and privately tucked away. It was a bit of a steep climb back from the town and port areas but not too bad if you took your time. I am 59 and fit, my wife is a little younger and unfit! We always walked into town! Taxis were easy to find in Funchal and reasonably priced. Not too much of interest near the hotel but this is made clear in its literature, as is the need for strong legs for climbing the slopes. We were a little apprehensive, having read one poor review and some half-hearted ones but our fears were unfounded. The hotel is welcoming and a very good base, we noticed many residents were on walking holidays, but may not suit the ‘pool and sun, stay round the hotel’ type of visitors All in all we enjoyed our stay our stay and would recommend the hotel to others on this basis.

My sister and I both active late 60s have just returned from two weeks spent at the villa comacho it was a very enjoyable two weeks the food was excellent on half board the choice was good for the evening meal and we found the staff very cheerfull and helpfull our room was a basic one which is what we had paid for but very clean maderia is a beautifull place and very easy to get around by bus and cheap the maderian people were so friendly we were pleasantly surprised after reading some of the tripadvisor comments about this hotel but I think once again you get what you pay for its no good expecting 5 star luxcury at basic prices I would call it small and friendly

We picked this hotel because it was a small and quiet hotel. We toured around the island for a week and stayed for 4 nights in this hotel. We got a room in another building across the small street and it was a step back in time! A very old room and two awfull beds, it felt like sleeping on an iron plate! It looked if it wasn't cleaned for weeks, so much dust on the floor and furniture! Breakfast was not enough for us, 1 pistolet and 1 piece of bread per person, we were so relieved that we had a fresh fruit salad per person as well! Diner was good, excellent kitchen and dining on the terrace was lovely. But as in former revieuws i admitt that the dead cockroaches on the terrace was not a great sight! If i had known, i definitely had chosen a big hotel than i had have a better room and an area to relax! Oh and the waiting staff were indeed very friendly!

Having booked Villa Camacho for our Honeymoon we were in high spirits on arrival expecting a wonderful backdrop to what should have been an excellent two weeks. Aspects of the hotel are good and should be pointed out notably two of the waiting staff who were particulary helpful but then there are elements that let the hotel down. We were disappointed to hear every new arrival being asked if they would like to upgrade their room when every customer derserves the right to a comfortable room when they have already paid to go to the hotel. Things the hotel could improve are definately the facilities within the hotel; no room has a fridge,TV or seating area making the suite we stayed in look very sparce. Maintenance was being carried out all the time we were there which included painting the corridors and rooms and improving the area around the pool. This doesnt make pleasant sunbathing. I understand winter is a popular tourist time of year but surely those who travel in the summer deserve the same right? A small investment i would reccomend the hotel making would be buying new beds room 49 was awful hard as nails not pleasant for newlyweds!! Cleanliness of rooms was good but two cats visited most mornings for breakfast on the garden terrace along with the dead cockroaches, it made breakfast quite unusual. Glad to get back to rainy England!!

We are just back from a weeks stay at this Hotel and before we left there we looked through the many reviews written in the Guests Book at the Reception area. From those which we could understand, as we saw German & French visitors in the week we were there, I must say the majority of the comments written were all very positive indeed. The only negative one seemed to be about the bed in Room 15 which seem to be uncomfortable, as we read two comments about that room, asking for them to change the bed. The hotel staff are indeed very helpful and friendly. The food was lovely every night but I would say this hotel is not suitable for people with pushchairs or elderly people who have trouble with steps. There are indeed quite a few steps there, which did cause problems for some people staying there. Our room was small and basic but it was kept very clean with fresh towells everyday. It was fine for us as it was only a base, as we were out for most of the day. We could have upgraded our room for a small cost but it depends what someone is looking for ~ a base or somewhere to spend alot of time in. We certainly had no complaints with this hotel at all. We give it the THUMBS UP !

My Wife and I recently stayed at the Vila Comacho with the pre-arrival notion that it was a small family run Hotel with all that implies. However no family was ever seen just a set of quite impersonal part time staff, who did not seem very conversant with their roles. Full Continental Breakfast was Quite good and served on the Garden Terrace-All meals waiter service, or served in the Bar/Resteraunt as per clients desire, some meals or courses did require use of the A la Carte as there is no choice to speak of on the basic menu. Quantity of food at Dinner was rather small and Quality occasionaly suspect (Note that this is against all trends of Madeirian Hospitality) with both quality and standard of service very medeocre! During our stay there was an incidence of ill health for several guests with no common factor other than that they were staying at the same Hotel, this was reported but no outcome was acheived of any kind! The samll pool located in the rear garden has warning notice's regards children and a life belt, but as there is no shallow end and is chest deep on a man,= all over with only a vertical ladder and 3 sunkensteps at the opposite end, this was felt to be very unsuitable for even older children unsupervised! The Gardens and terrace are pleasant and the location of the Hotel in an elivated position not far from the Barrios football stadium (Madeira play here and it was here that the Home Team once beat the Mighty Leeds United!) This is a residential area so there are no hooligans here or indeed anywhere on Madeira! Views are good down through the villas and gardens down to the Bay of Funchall and a 2 minute walk from the Vila Camacho brings you to a couple of seats affording the finest view day or night over the sweep of the Bay of Funchal and the Atlantic Ocean (The later being the only flat thing about Madeira!) At this point it has to be mentioned that we was first shown to a very second rate room and only on demand with a return to reception did we get the room (Twin-Shower-w.c.-balcony-sea view) that we had booked and paid for in England and even that was only after I had produced the original travel agents receipt and explained it to the reception Manager 4 times (on our return to reception later He was then all smiles and said sorry but He had got a bad paper) Strange as all is via computer direct from the UK, Some guests paid the upgrade again localy to get better rooms. A Taxi Office outside the gates of the Vila Camacho is handy for a ride to the center of Funchal (Some 2 Kilometre away) and only costs about 3 Euros the walk down is ok but it is a long drag back up the hill. For those who used the local bus, the stop is near the Vila Camacho and costs very little down to the Esplanade, a weekly rover ticket was bought by some Guests for a very small amount. As an alternative we found that the local Taxi service was both quick and cheep by UK standards, Also that a taxi was a good thing to book for a period i.e. A half or full day then you had your own personal transport and driver with indispensible local knowledge to take you to anywere on the island that you desired by the best possible route. A basic Lavada walk can be started near to the Vila Camacho but we found this only of value to try out the novelty of this kind of walking, as the best are away from the built up areas, and make no mistake about it Funchal is a City even though a garden City, it is still larger than we had anticipated. For those who are not elderly, infirm or have children then they may consider that the Vila Camacho is ok for them! But for ourselves the unidentifable smell in the Bathroom would put us off staying at the Villa Camacho again. However we would stay in the same area of Funchal.

A couple of rungs up from a backpackers hostel but not the place to feel pampered. A basic 'Residential' at a basic price. Clean, servicable and good value. Anyway, don't hang around the hotel, get out and explore. The established tourist area (Monumental Lido)is less than 1km away with buses and coach tour companies to take you all over the island.

spent 1 wk at the vila Camacho.Pleasant stay with no problems.Location could be a problem as it is a 30 minute walk to central Funchal but the hotel is on a regular bus service and has a taxi office by entrance of hotel,failing that get your walking shoes on and enjoy Madeira.