Quintinha São João Hotel & Spa

It’s hard to know where to start as everything and everyone about this special place deserves a mention. It is without doubt the best place we have stayed in. The hotel is in a great location, beautifully thought out and decorated with traditional art and antiques. Outside you will find stunning, well maintained gardens and grounds with an astounding array of plants of Madeira along with a lovely peaceful pool area with amazing views. There is a steepish hill walk down into Funchal centre (and of course back uphill on the way back!) which takes around 15 minutes but there is also a courtesy bus that runs twice a day. The rooms are super comfortable and very spacious, with a large bathroom and lots of space for belongings. Breakfast is excellent with a fabulous choice of fruit, breads, cereals, meats and cheeses, plus you can order from the kitchen if you want hot food, which is made to order. I would highly recommend dining in the hotel restaurant, A Morgadinha, as the food is delicious and provided us with the best meals we had during our stay in Funchal. The food is beautiful (try the rack of lamb, it is amazing!). The service is impeccable - the staff are friendly, courteous and professional with a personal touch. All the staff are wonderful - from reception staff, bar staff, restaurant staff and housekeeping, all took pride in their roles and gave exceptional service which made our stay extra special. Thank you to Felipe, Antonio, Bernardo and Marco (your wine knowledge is fascinating), and anyone else I may have forgotten. I would say that even though this hotel is indeed a beautiful place to stay, what really makes it extra special is the little personal touches and the obvious pride all the staff (and the manager!) take in making your experience the best it can be. We genuinely miss being there and hope to return as soon as we can. Thank you for making our holiday so special.

Set in a beautiful two acre garden in one of the most exclusive residential areas of Funchal, I am able to reach the town's chicest shopping section within a gentle twenty minute downhill stroll, or if feeling lazy, take the hotel's courtesy bus, or even invest five or six euros in a cab. This very special 42 room property, where I am treated as a very special and treasured guest, is reminiscent of a luxurious English country house hotel, the staff are always pleased to greet me, whenever I return to what has become my home in Madeira. The beautiful neo classical building's interior, is spacious, full of light, and furnished with traditional English style furniture, much of which is truly antique. My guest room is huge, with a generous bathroom, super king-sized bed, has a delightful sitting area with a sofa, TV and minibar, leading on to a large sun filled balcony, nicely furnished with table a chairs. There are two pools, a lovely spa offering me a wide range of treatments, a gymnasium, a games room, and if I decide to hire a car, a generous underground garage. The bar here is open from 11.00am until midnight. It is extremely well stocked, the experienced staff created every cocktail on Earth, food is served all afternoon, and there is regular relaxed entertainment on offer on many evenings. Breakfast here is a delight, offering an excellent buffet, a full A la carte cooked selection, even unlimited bubbly or Bucks fizz, should you prefer it. The hotel restaurant is exceptionally good and offers a broad and exciting menu of international cuisine, all beautifully presented and elegantly served. As you would expect in a restaurant of this standard, there is a comprensive and first class wine list. Truly luxurious accommodation then, for the discerning traveller.

Quintinha Sao Jaoe was fabulous. Spacious, well equipped room. Excellent friendly staff and homely feel to hotel. Had half board and food was fabulous and plentiful. Spotlessly clean with comfortable beds. Excellent Spa. Definitely 5*