Fleur-de-Lys, Madeira

Advantages: amazing scenery, not very family or children oriented
Disadvantages: no beaches, not very family or children oriented!

...I have always got Madeira, Majorca and Menorca confused, so when I got the opportunity to go on holiday to Madeira in January I had no idea where it was, let alone what it was like. BACKGROUND Madeira is an island (I just about guessed that), lying 380 miles west of Morocco and 260 miles north of the Canaries. The island is quite small and measures roughly 35 by 12 miles. Madeira is part of Portugal so Portugese is the predominant language. LANDSCAPE AND CLIMATE Madeira is volcanic in origin and a range of mountains up to 6,000 feet high run east to west across the island. Virtually the whole island is hilly which makes agriculture difficult and car journeys extremely ear-popping! Because Madeira has a very stable climate, with temperatures rarely moving from the 16-24C band all year round, the island is lush... Read review

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Advantages: Beautiful picturesque island, not too hot in summer
Disadvantages: Hilly, poor restaurants, no sandy beaches

...are of an older design, for example 'The Carlton'. It is a large block concrete about four storeys high near from where we stayed, it looked ugly from the outside, but apparently it is a good hotel to stay in with a five star rating. We stayed in a smaller modern hotel called 'Quinta de Casa Branca' which is also reviewed here on Ciao, it was a great hotel to stay in. Apartments in Madeira seemed few and far between, which is why we stayed at the QCB. I felt that generally the hotels in Madeira seemed to be well built and maintained. One thing you should try and make sure your hotel has is a decent swimming pool. The hotels along the front have the biggest and best pools, whilst our hotel had a good pool for the guests. A hotel with out a pool is not a problem if you are within a few minutes walk of the 'Lido' as this gives you good access... Read review

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Advantages: A fantastic holiday experience
Disadvantages: Location, in particular for those with mobility problems although the hotel is disability friendly.

...INTRODUCTION The Riu Palace in Madeira sits like a white-washed fairytale castle with terracotta turrets, corner towers and grand archways looking out over the sapphire-blue sea. The grounds house brightly coloured flowers and palm trees making you believe you are on a Caribbean island far away. The Riu Palace is located right on the seafront at Canico de Baixo, only 10 minutes drive from Funchal Airport and 20 minutes drive to the city of Funchal. On arrival at the airport everything ran smoothly and quickly apart from me not recognising my own suitcase!!! We were driven to the hotel in a small mini bus with 5 other people and half an hour later we were sunbathing by the pool. Now that's what I call service. CHECK IN From the moment you check in at the impressive, grand reception area with its polished marble flooring, elegant... Read review

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