Hotel Baia Azul

1 reader found this review helpful

Hotel and staff are great, always very helpful. We book a sea view room which was fantastic. Unfortunately we were woken up in the early hours, three times out of the 6 nights stay by the boom!!boom!!boom!! from a local nightclub and shouting and screaming from people along the road. Even with the balcony door shut we were kept awake for a few hours most nights. So for that reason only I would not stay there again.

1 reader found this review helpful

My wife and I booked the Baia Azul just 4 weeks before we arrived on the 18-08-08. We were dissappointed when we arrived to find we'd been allocated a top-floor room facing the main road (and not the sea-view as we'd hoped).
The room was comfortable and included a fridge/safe TV and air-con. The fridge was not that large but big enough to store a few bottles of water, annoyingly though, whenever the maid had been in to clean the room the fridge was left unplugged (which defeated the object of having a fridge).
The rooms were cleaned daily with fresh bedding and towels left.
The hotel was clean but dated (somewhat stuck in a time-warp).Reception staff were helpfull but unfriendly, the pool-side staff and restaurant staff were absolutely miserable!
Facilities were not as good as advertised with no Hairdressing salon (closed for over a year) i-net usage and other passtimes were pricey.
Outside of the hotel the area was very pleasant with many shops and restaurants within easy walking distance, the downside was the steep walk back from the sea front.
We braved the cable-car ride to the Botanical Gardens and enjoyed the Tobboggan ride down the hill afterwards.
We had plenty of warm/sunny days, a little cloudy at times but no rain.
On the whole, we enjoyed the break and it was a shame the Hotel staff couldn't have made our stay more enjoyable and relaxing.

1 reader found this review helpful

We already have a timeshare in Madeira but not until September so we booked a quick deal via Bath Travel/Palmair to the Baia Azul, great price, meal on aircraft, no suitcase or fuel surcharge, great service from dear old Bournemouth airport - our local. What we were quoted we paid, makes a change nowadays.
Hotel itself is in the ever expanding tourist zone heading beyond the Lido, it is not a new build amongst the mass of concrete,it is dated in some areas but is clean and tidy, true the aircon is not the greatest but it is in a good location (splash out for a seaview) and is close to a number of good eating places. Breakfast offers a good selection, cooked, fruit, bread and cakes etc but needs a proper toast machine. Dinner at the hotel is by way of buffet at around €17 with lots of courses and of course the al la carte is more expensive but offers more choice, ideal for that first night meal after travelling. New shopping centre just across the road including supermarket Pingo, the Asda of Madeira. Free coach into Funchal which is useful. Lots of facilities in the hotel squash, gym, ping pong, sauna etc all in separate areas. Good bar and terrace with interesting cocktails, even more so during happy hour!
Poolside is good but is sadly lacking in umbrellas and although free surely the hotel could scrounge some more from it's beeer and wine suppliers? Pool attendants are sombre individuals who never smile and point you any free umbrellas unlike the rest of the staff who are very helpfull and friendly. Sun beds are free too but need to be quick on a sunny day.
Overall a good holiday experience, good location unless you simply have to be near Funchal centre, shops and restaurants nearby, mostly friendly staff. Slightly dated (aircon, decor in rooms) but good value. Just cheer up the pool attendants and get some more umbrellas!!

Very good holiday. Nice location. Rooms with nice view over the Atlantic, all with balcony. Breakfast varied and good. Staff and service excellent. Honest and relaxed attitude from the staff and people in general in Madeira.
Wide range of restaurants along the Promenade, all good. Highly recommend the Clube Navale de Funchal, situated just behind Baia Azul, on the waterfront - restaurant excellent and incredibly cheap.
I would recommend to hire a car and see the rest of the island, it's just like a vast garden, beautiful landscape and incredible cliffs.