Barbora Veselá
Beautiful traditional hotel in a fantastic location with amazing views of the ocean. The staff were incredibly kind and helpful, and really made our stay feel warm and welcoming. It’s close to Funchal and the hotel offers a free shuttle twice a day. There are buses going to different towns around the island too, which makes it easy to explore. The food was excellent every day (especially the desserts) and breakfasts were made extra special by live music every morning – guitar or piano – which added a lovely, relaxed atmosphere. Room service was excellent too!
The hotel is suitable for everyone: elderly guests, young couples and families. There are several pools, plenty of sun loungers, a mini golf, a tennis court, and even a simple spa and a gym. I loved how close it was to the beach, with an elevator leading down the cliff straight to the sea – very convenient, and the waves were great fun!
The only minor issues were a slight damp smell in the cupboards (all my clothes smelled even after arriving home and washing the clothes in the washing machine...), and the coffee, which wasn’t great – if you’re a coffee lover, you’ll probably want to find a café outside the hotel.
Overall, we had a wonderful week, met lovely people, and left with great memories. I’d definitely recommend this hotel and will happily return!
Chris Adams
We stayed in room 606 which was a lovely large room with a large balcony and a great view.its easy to nit pick and point out areas which overall are not quite perfect, but the staff were lovely and very helpful, especially in the restaurants.
The breakfasts were truly excellent with everything you could think of available.
The evening meals were very good also , truly excellent salads and fantastic deserts .
The location of the hotel is very good , about a 1 mile walk into Funchal which we liked very much . Walk in then get the bus back .
There is a very good shopping centre about 300 metres towards Funchal and on the other side of the road.
Overall I would give this hotel a 5 star rating and we were sad to go home.
Wendy Barry
Enjoyed our week at Pestano Royal immensely.
Service, food cleanliness was very good.
A few improvements could be made to warrant 5 stars in all areas we felt but overall a very nice hotel.
Lots of choice in restaurant, healthy options too.
The Mediterranean night was a little disappointing and also the Italian restaurant not that great to be honest.
We booked a couple of trips through hotel during our stay which we enjoyed but could have been a little better informed about attire
I.e good footwear, jacket or pullover and definitely a rain coat. The weather changes a lot during trip.We had to buy rainmacs as it rained heavily during our trip. Apparently rain is very common on the East coast trip,we were not informed when we booked.
So good tip is to set off well prepared.
The West coast is drier! and very beautiful to see. Also valley of the nuns is amazing too.
Madeira did not disappoint!
Neil McGonigle
We had a wonderful stay at Pestana Royal. The whole place feels clean, welcoming, and very well cared for. Staff throughout the hotel were genuinely friendly and professional, which really added to the experience.
Parking out front on site was plentiful and extremely convenient, and although there’s a small daily charge, it’s very reasonable for the convenience. The hotel grounds are beautifully landscaped with lots of greenery between the buildings, creating a calm oasis-like atmosphere. It feels close to nature—nothing like those concrete-heavy resorts you sometimes find.
The pool areas were a highlight. The main pool is lovely, and the guys at the pool bar were great, even making a selection of alcohol-free cocktails. Down at the lower-level adult pool, there’s a proper hot sauna (thankfully at a real sauna temperature!) and a jacuzzi. Being able to move from the sauna to the cooler pool was fantastic. There’s also a heated indoor pool with another sauna and a small but well-equipped gym.
Food was excellent every day. I especially enjoyed the turkey escallops, but the overall variety was excellent. Live music at breakfast was a really nice touch—sometimes a pianist, but my favourite was the gentleman playing classical guitar who performed a mix of well-known classical and pop songs beautifully.
There’s plenty to do around the hotel too: mini golf, table tennis, bowls, a pool table, and even a lift with access down toward the sea. I also recommend swimming in the nearby natural rock pools, just a five-minute walk away under the tunnel.
We stayed in a Family Suite and were lucky enough to have one of the best views in the hotel—from the 11th floor overlooking the ocean. The balcony was spacious, sunny in the afternoon and evening, and perfect for watching the sunset. Inside, the suite was ideal for our family, with two separate rooms so the kids had their own space and beds.
Entertainment was offered every night at 8pm in the main ballroom area, with a great bar and a variety of shows—karaoke, live bands, singers, and more. A fun way to end each day.
Overall, a fantastic hotel and a very memorable stay. Highly recommended for families or anyone looking to relax in beautiful surroundings.
Dominik
Beautiful hotel and even lovelier staff. We stayed for seven nights. Close to Funchal, Uber cost us only €6 to take us to town centre and the hotel offers a free shuttle twice a day. The only negative for me was the damp smell in the cupboards and the cupboards did not have enough shelves. However there were drawers around the room which helped. The shower was in the bathtub and wasn't too great neither. Other than that, the location is beautiful, the staff very friendly (This was a huge plus), Halder at reception was a super star ⭐ and gave us plenty of information about tours and the hotel, really helpful young man. The food was tasty and well made, wish the choices were slightly different but all in all it was good. Pools were great and we had sun loungers regardless of the time we went down. The place has a lot of nice extra touches that add to the positives. Definitely would recommend but if they just sorted the damp smell in the cupboard it would have been perfect.
My Booking
