Porto Mare Madeira

Having been told that we MUST visit Madeira by a friend, a native of the island, we decided to go for our main summer holiday four years ago. Deciding on the hotel was tricky as there were just so many good 4 and 5* offerings in Funchal. Luckily, I took the advice of a client and booked the Porto Mare Hotel. For our family it had to be the best choice. Perfectly situated in front of the Lido, in the Hotel Zone on the outskirts of Funchal, surrounded by a variety of shops, bars and restaurants. The hotel shares the grounds with it's sister property the Eden Mar. The design is very clever in as much as the facilities of the two are joined underneath by the indoor pool, spa and two of the restaurants. The landscaped gardens are very well maintained and beautiful, it was an absolute joy to sit on the balcony first thing in the morning and see the array of tropical plants, flowers and trees. Most rooms face the sea and are well furnished, with all modern amenities. Our children particularly loved the free form pool and enjoyed swimming from the outdoor to the indoor pool with a quick stop at the hot tub! There is also a recreational area for kids too with table tennis and mini golf, as well as what looked like a well maintained play room. The spa was a hit for me with a relaxing rejuvenating facial and the gym was well equipped according to the other half. We choose to just have breakfast included which was varied and of excellent quality, this meant we could enjoy eating out most evenings. I would recommend travelling in to Funchal for a more authentic and reasonable choice of eating establishments rather than eating at the restaurants in the area around the hotel which can be expensive. Having said that, our out and out favourite was the Il Basilico restaurant in the hotel, situated on the promenade opposite the Lido. The home made pasta was excellent as was the selection of tapas. Our children also enjoyed the home made ice cream. Since our first visit in the Summer, we have also enjoyed a spring break at Easter at the Porto Mare and are looking  forward to our next visit in August this year. The hotel is consistently rated very highly on many hotel review websites and in my opinion deservedly so. If you would like to know more about the hotel or Madeira in general, then please email or call me for further information, I would be delighted to help you plan your  holiday.