Appreciate this is bumping a very old thread, but we have just returned from a week at Pestana Porto Santo so I can give an update for anyone who may be considering a holiday on Porto Santo.
The hotel was completed in 2008 and still looks brand new - very modern with excellent facilities. Rooms are set in blocks of about 25 'villas' with 3 storeys set around extensive free form outdoor swimming pools - no deeper than about 4 feet. These are in extensive very well maintained garden areas.
Each villa appeared to have about 15-20 rooms. There are also some villas with small private pools set away from the main pool area. We didn't like the first room we were offered as it was ground floor, out of the sun and faced the main driveway into the hotel. We asked to be moved and there was no problem moving to a ground floor room facing the swimming pool which was much better.
Part of one of the main pools is covered with a glazed structure so handy if it is sunny, but you don't want small children getting sun burn or handy to get out of the regular strong winds.
There's also an indoor pool with full spa facilities, sauna, steam room, gym etc. and a small children's pool adjacent to their play area. The outdoor pools are unheated and were cool until you got used to them - indoor pool was 27-28 degrees.
Lots of loungers and a few day beds. The pool areas are so large you can be near the busier restaurants, pool bar and games areas or away from everyone for peace and quiet.
There's a children's entertainment team employed by the hotel which appeared to do lots of activities, but there was never a formal introduction to them or what they actually did. This was a missed opportunity, I suspect as a result of them not being employees of Thomson or First Choice.
We did mention this to the manager and the tour reps and they are going to consider an introductory meeting for parents with younger children to introduce the 'animation team' and provide a timetable of events for each day so hopefully this aspect will improve.
The hotel is all inclusive, which we were apprehensive about when we booked, but we thought the range, quantity and quality of food was excellent. Three serveries full of food. Full english breakfast, continental breakfast, pancakes and omelettes cooked to order, cold meat platters, salads, fresh fruit, fresh bread. Lunchtime saw at least two meat and two fish dishes, salads, cold meats, vegetables, potatoes, rice, pasta with 3-4 sauces. 4-6 deserts plus ice cream. Evening meals were similar offerings with cheese board added. One night they did espatadas (fillet steak kebabs freshly cooked in the restaurant) and these were fantastic.
The pool bar also serves hotdogs, burgers, pizza slices, salad bar, sandwiches, crisps, chips and desserts from 11am until 6pm. There's also an Italian restaurant included in the AI - which has to be booked. We went once for a change of venue, but we preferred the main restaurant as the Italian food was very basic. There's also a €17 per person a la carte restuarnt, but there's a min age of 8 so we couldn't go with our young daughter.
Drinks were free flowing from breakfast (wine available, including sparkling for Bucks Fizz!) to 1am. Local beer available in sizes up to a pint, some unbranded sprits (apart from proper Gordons gin (clear bottle, not the 37.5% vol cheap green bottle UK stuff)), but the white rum and brandy brands I had were more than acceptable. Plenty of Madeira, but strangely for Portugal no Port. Red, white, rose and sparkling wine - available in bottles, as much as you want and offered at lunch and evening. Coke, diet coke in branded cans, fizzy orange, lemonade, slush puppies, still orange, still and fizzy water, fresh juices, machine made and freshly made tea, espresso coffees and hot chocolate also all available.
Hotel is on the beach - about 6 miles long. Turn left for the main town - 30-40 minutes walk, turn right for the western tip of the Island also 30-40 minutes walk. Walk back on the 'main road' but you won't see much traffic.
The hotel is isolated, the nearest bar/restaurant is about 10 minutes walk away and there's a small shopping centre with newsagent and small supermarket about 15 minutes walk. Hotel does do bike hire if you want to go further, but away from the main coast road you will come across many hills. Moped, quad bike and car hire is also available, but car hire is €60 a day and within 3 hours you will have been on every tarmacced road and some unmade ones just to fill the time but it's worth it to get up the peaks and see the north coast. Petrol is also pricy at €1.68 a litre, but €10 will be enough for a day out. Quite a few organised trips on offer - the Jeep Safari appeared to be enjoyed by all who went on it, €32 per person for half a day. You can also visit Madeira for the day, about €120 which includes return ferry (2.5 hour trip each way) and an island tour.
All in all we enjoyed it as it is very relaxing (weather was hit and miss - 4 cloudy days 19-25 degrees and often breezy. We also had some light rain), but 7 days was long enough as there is so little to do for two weeks and the food would become monotonous - there is an exellent golf course if that's your thing.
The hotel guests were a mixture of nationalities - lots of Portuguese visit in July/August, there were a few in May. There were also French, German, Dutch and Swedish holidaymakers, but during our visit most visitors were British.
Eating out is an option, but expect to pay about €50 for a two course meal for two excluding wine - add another course and a bottle of wine and you could be into €100 territory. The hotel provides a free shuttle minibus which operates to the main town for a couple of hours in the morning and the evening. Taxis are plentiful (no idea on cost as we didn't use them). We did see buses, but not many so they can't be relied upon.
Over the years Porto Santo will develop, but there's not a lot of land adjacent to the beach to go round.
There was a large development next to the Pestana which was mid build, but appeared to have stopped. Pestana have plans for a large development of holiday villas for private ownership (starting at €235,000) planned adjacent to the hotel but this has also stalled due to Portugal's current financial position - it was due to be completed this year, they haven't started it yet. Ronaldo also has plans for a resort nearer the western tip, but this was announced in 2008 and no sign of it yet.
If you want a quiet relaxing week away go while the prices are still reasonable. The price we paid was definately excellent value for money for a 4-5 star AI resort considering the cost of food in the local restaurants.
