ive just found some reasonable flight prices for 5 nights beginning of dec as its hubbys 40th birthday i wanted to take him away for a short break, ive looked around and got a few different options and madeira was 1 of them, we have travelled extensively to over 30 different countries so i love travelling but never been to madeira so im happy to get any feedback about the island, 1 of the main reasons im thinking about madeira was the temps in dec are still reasonable compared to other destinations in main europe. just to let you know the sort of places we like ; ive been to a lot of short breaks recently including marrakech, prague, budapest,ljubljana & warsaw which we loved, going to istanbul in oct and also we have our main long holidays of about 2 weeks a few times a year to usually turkey, so hoping that madeira has something to offer us, we like to site see and have nice scenery and to take it fairly easy, not that keen on hiking or anything too energetic lol. i like the sound of the boat trips with dolphins etc any other suggestions before i make a decision would be great, or if you think madeira isnt for us, then an honest opinion would be appreciated as i do have about 8 other countries with good flight prices thats a possibility, thanks
karen
Hi ya Karen,
Madeira is a beautiful island and the scenery magnificent, a lot of people do go for the walking but you don't have to do it, We went in April/May but made the mistake of staying in the middle of the island, Funchal is the place to stay and from there you can catch local buses for a tour at your own pace or join an organised island tour. Funchal is a very smart cosmopolitan city with lovely gardens and attractions. We will probally return next year, in the meanwhile we await a trip to Madrid in September have you been there?
Dave.
Madeira is a beautiful island and the scenery magnificent, a lot of people do go for the walking but you don't have to do it, We went in April/May but made the mistake of staying in the middle of the island, Funchal is the place to stay and from there you can catch local buses for a tour at your own pace or join an organised island tour. Funchal is a very smart cosmopolitan city with lovely gardens and attractions. We will probally return next year, in the meanwhile we await a trip to Madrid in September have you been there?
Dave.
thanks for your reply dave, ive been to a lot of spanish places but not madrid and to be honest not so keen on spain, i do prefer unusual places hence loving marrakech, ive been to israel too and that was lovely. ive just noticed madeira is near the azores and ive been there and i enjoyed the azores, so if madeira is like the azores and not the canaries which i wasnt keen on then i should like madeira, its so tricky deciding where to go as theres still so many countries i want to see, but 5 days wouldnt do many of them any justice. i was thinking about krakow too but i think it would be freezing in december, hence thinking that the weather would be better in madeira and the photos ive seen do look stunning
karen
karen
ive just noticed Madeira is near the azores
Not really, its still a very good distance away.. I've worked in Madeira, and my daughter is in senior management with Pestana Group there, which is the largest hotel group on Portugal. Let us know at which hotel you will be staying.
just looking for a cheapy break, as ive had 3 other big holidays this year, twice to turkey and once to tunisia with 2 more hols booked for turkey, so looking for a b&b or cheap hotel in madeira, any suggestions welcome, ive found a few and looked at their feedbacks all seem good
Ellie, you can't have too any holidays! I've already mentioned that my daughter works for this group so here is the website.
http://www.pestana.com/hotels/EN
Another link would be of interest to you:-
http://www.atlanticholidays.net/
and of course:-
http://www.madeira-web.com/
Looking through the webcams there always make me a trifle "homesick"
I've already mentioned that my daughter works for this group so here is the website. http://www.pestana.com/hotels/EN
Another link would be of interest to you:-
http://www.atlanticholidays.net/
and of course:-
http://www.madeira-web.com/
Looking through the webcams there always make me a trifle "homesick"
dan i totally agree but wish my hubby would lol, he says not another holiday 
anyway thanks for the links but think these hotels are mainly 4* - 5* , im looking for more b&b for this holiday, we were in a 5* all inc in june for 2 weeks and the amount of holidays we have each year i cant afford 5* all the time lol, i would rather have a few cheapies so i can have about 6 hols a year than say 2 hols of 5 *, we are off again in just over 2 weeks for 2 weeks to turkey , the hotels ive found that seem good prices are duas torres, do pedro garajau,orca praia,savoy gardens,residencial americana,estrelicia,vila camacho, the best reviews but dearest is ocean gardens, any thoughts on these hotels
karen
anyway thanks for the links but think these hotels are mainly 4* - 5* , im looking for more b&b for this holiday, we were in a 5* all inc in june for 2 weeks and the amount of holidays we have each year i cant afford 5* all the time lol, i would rather have a few cheapies so i can have about 6 hols a year than say 2 hols of 5 *, we are off again in just over 2 weeks for 2 weeks to turkey , the hotels ive found that seem good prices are duas torres, do pedro garajau,orca praia,savoy gardens,residencial americana,estrelicia,vila camacho, the best reviews but dearest is ocean gardens, any thoughts on these hotels
karen
ellie-meg. you have a pm.
Hello again Kate,
I am at my daughters at present going home Sunday will send you when I get home what looks like a good BandB in Funchal 30€ per room per night.
Dave
I am at my daughters at present going home Sunday will send you when I get home what looks like a good BandB in Funchal 30€ per room per night.
Dave
thanks dave any recommendations would be a help, as ive no idea where is good or not and which area is best etc, im a light sleeper so i wouldnt want to be near airport or traffic noise and would prefer if possible not to have too many steps to climb or really steep hill etc as i have a bad back, so with this in mind i need to choose carefully as well as trying to be on a budget if i can .
i think i need some sort of therapy for booking too many holidays, im a holiday addict
. i think i need some sort of therapy for booking too many holidays, im a holiday addict
ellie-meg. in reply to the pm. A 3 course meal in the Old Quarter is around 30 - 40 euros. There are plenty of restaurants there. They are all small.
This is a typical view from inside one:
Bottle of wine will be from 5 euros upwards. Ask for Vinho Velho which is a young cheap wine and great! if I remember the Brasilian restaurant cost 25 euros with wine extra and it was "east a much as you want". You have a little flag pole on your tablewith a green flag, and the waiter comes around and offers you all different sorts of meats; vegs and salads are on a side table and you just help yourself. When you've had enough you just stick a red flag on the pole to inform the waiter you're full! You wont want extra courses! It is on the front road of Madeira Shopping Centre in Hotel Zone.
Here is the Centre:-
http://www.madeira-web.com/PagesUK/madeira-shopping.html
This is a typical view from inside one:
Bottle of wine will be from 5 euros upwards. Ask for Vinho Velho which is a young cheap wine and great! if I remember the Brasilian restaurant cost 25 euros with wine extra and it was "east a much as you want". You have a little flag pole on your tablewith a green flag, and the waiter comes around and offers you all different sorts of meats; vegs and salads are on a side table and you just help yourself. When you've had enough you just stick a red flag on the pole to inform the waiter you're full! You wont want extra courses! It is on the front road of Madeira Shopping Centre in Hotel Zone.
Here is the Centre:-
http://www.madeira-web.com/PagesUK/madeira-shopping.html
hi dan
i really appreciate the help you 2 are giving me thats great, the link is opening very slowly probably my pc so ill try again tomorrow, but will definitely try that brasilian restaurant that sounds great, sadly i only like asti spumante and my hubby likes beer so doesnt look like ill be getting a bottle of that as 2 glasses ill be on my back never mind a bottle, im a lightweight in the drinking dept grr
karen
i really appreciate the help you 2 are giving me thats great, the link is opening very slowly probably my pc so ill try again tomorrow, but will definitely try that brasilian restaurant that sounds great, sadly i only like asti spumante and my hubby likes beer so doesnt look like ill be getting a bottle of that as 2 glasses ill be on my back never mind a bottle, im a lightweight in the drinking dept grr
karen
Hi Ellie-meg,
I stayed at the Estrelicia last September. It's part of a group of 3 hotels situated together, 2 of which have been updated. Unfortunately the Estreclicia hadn't and quite honestly the room was so bad we asked to be moved. They moved us to one of the other hotels (Buganvilea) which was fine. They're all up a steep slope but realistically, everywhere you go in Funchal is VERY hilly.
You can eat very cheaply, alot of places do a tourist menu for approximately 12 euros per person and even a la carte isn't very expensive.
Hope you find what you're looking for.
I stayed at the Estrelicia last September. It's part of a group of 3 hotels situated together, 2 of which have been updated. Unfortunately the Estreclicia hadn't and quite honestly the room was so bad we asked to be moved. They moved us to one of the other hotels (Buganvilea) which was fine. They're all up a steep slope but realistically, everywhere you go in Funchal is VERY hilly.
You can eat very cheaply, alot of places do a tourist menu for approximately 12 euros per person and even a la carte isn't very expensive.
Hope you find what you're looking for.
thanks roswell thats very useful, im just waiting on confirmation that my son will come and stay with our dog and then i can book, flights havent changed in price , im swaying towards the savoy gardens or ocean gardens at the moment ,so if anyone knows any information about them that would be great. b&b dont seem much difference in price compared to these hotel prices ive got and hubby said if similar price he would rather have a hotel, with pool, sauna etc, i can get the savoy for £148 for a double for 5 nights which i think is a good price, less than £30 a night for both of us, the ocean about £50 more
Im going to Madeira first week of september and staying at the pestana casino park. Anyone ever been? Ive had a look at the hotel reviews on here but they are all from 2007 was wanting something a bit more up to date.
Hi Ellie / Dan / David
We wanted to visit Madeira for years. We've been to the Azores two years ago and we loved it. I found tickets with Easyjet for GBP 158 for two of us which I thought was great and we are flying for 4 nighrs in February. I only have to hope that the weather will be nice.
You mentioned Orca Praia hotel. I was thinking of booking it for two nights because the price seems very good. I just don't know where to stay the other two nights
David, would you mind sending me information about the B&B for Euro 30, please?
As it will be our first visit is it worth it to rent a car or do tours?
Thank you.
We wanted to visit Madeira for years. We've been to the Azores two years ago and we loved it. I found tickets with Easyjet for GBP 158 for two of us which I thought was great and we are flying for 4 nighrs in February. I only have to hope that the weather will be nice.
You mentioned Orca Praia hotel. I was thinking of booking it for two nights because the price seems very good. I just don't know where to stay the other two nights
David, would you mind sending me information about the B&B for Euro 30, please?
As it will be our first visit is it worth it to rent a car or do tours?
Thank you.
If you are confident about driving on mountain roads rent a car, but avoid Funchal! It's not the easiest place to drive around. Local taxi drivers are excellent for personal trips round the island - they almost all have nice comfy Mercs too. Trips are fine, but you are then stuck to doing what they want you to do.
Hi Zabka,
The web page for the B and B in Funchal is
mirasol.biz
I hope that this is some help you have the flights at the right price, Have a great time wherever you stay.
Dave
The web page for the B and B in Funchal is
mirasol.biz
I hope that this is some help you have the flights at the right price, Have a great time wherever you stay.
Dave
Post a Reply
Please sign in or register an account to reply to this post.
Similar Topics
-
MADEIRA - ADVICE PLEASE
Posted by scalder in Algarve/Portugal/Madeira/Azores Discussion Forum
- Taking my mother to Madeira...Advice Please
-
Good hotels on Madeira for kids (5 & 9) -advice please !
Posted by jdybnsn in Algarve/Portugal/Madeira/Azores Discussion Forum
-
Madeira
Posted by lowater in Algarve/Portugal/Madeira/Azores Discussion Forum
-
Should we go to Madeira now?
Posted by mostb in Algarve/Portugal/Madeira/Azores Discussion Forum