Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Left
Royal Savoy pool complex
Right
View from Quinta Bela de São Tiago
Accommodation Tips
!
Price and
*
Peak Seasons
direct-dial telephone, a
garage or parking facili-
ties, a restaurant and a
bar. The star grading sys-
tem is not, however, a
measure of service, ambi-
ence, character or quality.
%
Quintas and
Location
On Madeira, location has
a big influence on price.
City-centre hotels tend to
be cheap. The luxurious
five-star hotels with sea
views, along the Estrada
Monumental to the west
of the city, command the
highest prices. Further
west, in the hotel zone,
prices fall the further you
go from the city centre
and from the sea.
@
A Room with
Madeira is popular
with Portuguese escap-
ing the summer heat of
the mainland, so hotels
tend to be busy during
July and August, when it
is best to book well
ahead. Other popular
times are Christmas and
New Year, the Carnival
and Flower Festival, and
the weeks before, during
and after Easter. At all
these times, room rates
can be double the norm.
Estalagens
Estalagens
(inns) or
quin-
tas
(manor houses) are
usually hotels of some
age and historic charac-
ter, often set on an
estate with mature trees
and fine gardens. In most
cases, the bar, dining
room and lounges are
located in the old house,
while guest rooms may
be in modern blocks in
the grounds.
^
Rural Tourism and
a View
Some hotels have been
designed so that every
room looks out over the
sea. Where this is not the
case, you will find that you
pay significantly more for
a room with a sea view,
especially if it has a sunny,
south-facing balcony.
£
Beware of Noise
(
Winter Breaks
You can secure some
exceptional bargains by
visiting Madeira between
November and March,
when even Reid's Palace
has been known to offer
discounts. Look out for
offers in newspaper travel
supplements, or check
with Madeira specialists.
d
Strawberry World: www.
madeira-portugal.com
• www.destination-portugal.
co.uk • www.saga.co.uk
• www.travellersway.co.uk
)
Breakfast and
Country Hotels
Farmers and landowners
on Madeira are being
encouraged to convert
redundant agricultural
buildings into cottages.
To find one, look for green
signs with the words
Turismo Rural
, ask at
local tourist offices or
check out Madeira's rural
tourism website, through
which you can book
some 20 such properties
around the island.
d
www.madeira-rural.com
&
Children
If you are sensitive to
noise, make sure that
you tell the hotel. Some
rooms with so-called
“mountain views” actually
look out onto one of the
island's busiest roads,
the Estrada Monumental.
You may also have trouble
with noise if your room is
located above the hotel
restaurant, especially if it
has live music or a disco.
Half-Board
Hotel prices on Madeira
usually include a buffet
breakfast (cereals, fresh
fruit, juices, pastries,
cooked meats, cheese,
tea and coffee). Cooked
breakfast is an option at
deluxe hotels. Opting for
half-board, with dinner in
the hotel restaurant, can
be good value, though
your choice may be limit-
ed to just two dishes per
course, rather than the
full à la carte menu.
$
Grading Systems
Most hotel rooms are
designed for double
occupancy, but you are
welcome to ask for an
extra bed or two for chil-
dren. Some hotels have
family rooms that sleep
four to six people.
Madeira's grading sys-
tem is a fairly accurate
guide to the facilities you
can expect. All four- and
five-star (and most three-
star) hotels offer heating,
air-conditioning, television,
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