Amares Pousada Santa Maria Ds, Azores

Advantages: Smaller hotel with good sea views in old town area
Disadvantages: Staff are not pro-active in leisure areas and only helpful when asked

...Normally we stay at Porto Santa Maria in the old town of Funchal but as the hotel was fully booked we located Quinta Bela Sao Tiago in the same area. The idea of a smaller hotel appealed but sadly the facilities and service were well short of those experienced at Porto Santa Maria. The negatives were a lack of coffee or food preparation facilities in the rooms, a steep walk to the hotel so not suitable for the elderly without transport, poor organisation at breakfast and many items of food not replenished when consumed so an early start is needed, little service in the pool area (normally one would expect a waiter to be around to serve drinks/sandwiches) and a general lack of atmosphere. Room and reception service were very good and as expected for a 4 star hotel. If we re-visited Madiera again we would definitlely book earlier... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Mosaics, district
Disadvantages: a bit further out of the centre.

...Santa Maria in Trastevere is one of the oldest churches in Rome, which is, in itself, quite an impressive credential, in a city where churches spring up with almost alarming regularity. So what makes it different? Well, most of the Roman, indeed, Italian churches have a unique selling point, and Santa Maria in Trastevere really has two. Firstly, although not one of the largest churches, in fact, it is surprisingly compact, it is decorated with mosaics which make a difference from the elaborately painted decorative designs more commonly found. It is a church built in a soidly byzantine style and as such, it is, although not an oddity, worth a wander into, if you pass it. Which brings me to it's second 'selling point'. Location. In the surprisingly (!) named Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere, this is the heart of the Trastevere... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: affordable value carribean
Disadvantages: you will need insect repellent!

...9 hours on a cramped Thomas cook charter flight was worth it after finally arriving at the Melia Cayo santa maria.From the airport(Santa Clara) to the hotel is an hour and a half by road across an amazing dual carriageway which joins Cuba to the island of Santa Maria.This is similar to the Florida keys road seen on many tourist photographs and meanders curling around like a snake with the sea feet away on both sides from your coach. The hotel itself has modern low rise (2 storey) blocks scattered throughout the complex all tastefully furnished and air conditioned (boy do you need that!),It has two glorious free form swimming pools with a swim up bar and plenty of places to eat.You have two reservations per week at the two a la carte restaraunts (the best by far is the mediteranean where the fillet mignon is superb!)and the 24 hour pool... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful