Estalagem da Ponta do Sol

A very special place to stay. A very special stay 😊 From the elevator arrival, a spectacular view from the bridge to reception and on into the beautiful gardens and mesmerising view from our balcony, this is a unique and special place to stay. A few of the areas are showing signs of their age but everything is very clean and well tended. Eating in the garden restaurant be will hard to beat. The poolside was never crowded and nearby town offers plenty of evening choices plus ocean swimming not to be missed! 100% recommended - we’ll be sad if we can’t find time to return.

Really interesting building, with access to the various levels via external escalators. An intriguing Bond villain vibe! The staff were all lovely, facilities were very good, and the rooms were simple but pleasant. The spa area was sometimes a little understaffed, but the pool was very nice and clean, with beautiful views. The restaurant was excellent, as was the breakfast. Overall a really nice stay!

Stunning setting set in the cliff side and fabulous architectural design let down by poor service and the place being generally rundown. The hotel could be fabulous but when we stayed it was a mediocre experience with surly service and a lack of attention to detail. Rooms are fine (great sea view for those that have them) but basic and not very clean. Bathrooms are disappointing with very basic product. Everything just felt fun down and unloved. Poor broken beds by the pool with old cushions, for example. Cheap furniture elsewhere. Service was poor. We booked three sea view rooms six months in advance only to be told on arrival that one room was not available due to ‘a mistake’. No apology. And generally lack of inclination to help. Bright spot: an excellent breakfast.

We loved our stay at this beautiful hotel in Ponta Do Sol. Felt like a resort! Gorgeous grounds, pool and spa. Many spaces to sit and enjoy a drink. The views are exceptional throughout the hotel. Breakfast was amazing and offered a great variety. We highly recommend a stay here if visiting PDS

A great place - set in the cliff tops with amazing views. Great spa facilities, large comfortable beds, superb food, and friendly and efficient staff. The free shuttle buses/taxis to and from the airport, local walking areas and Funchal, meant we didn't have to hire a car, and there were also free e-bikes which were great. Ponta do Sol is quiet, but there are a few bars/restaurants which served great food.

This was our fourth visit to Estalagem, and it felt like we returned to familiar surroundings. Since our last visit there has been a new steam room and outdoor jacuzzi installed which are welcome additions. The breakfasts are of good quality (other than the cooked items which don't appear to be cooked to order), and drinks in the bar are very reasonably priced and generous measures. Evening meals were of good quality, but more expensive than most other restaurants that we ate at. The unreliable lift has been replaced and was in working order all week. The two log burning fires are great to sit by on chillier evenings (in January). The hotel was clearly stylish and well designed when open, but it is now showing signs of wear-and-tear and really ought to have an upgrade. Examples of some observations: ceiling damage in the restaurant patched up with a piece of paper; missing slate upstand in our bathroom; WC seat not fitted on straight in our bathroom; shower door ill fitting leading to daily leaks; damaged mirror panelling under sink in our room; stained furniture in the bar; all areas in need of painting and decorating; some disrepair to outside pool; damaged table tops in restaurant. On one day after our room had been cleaned we were left with 2 extremely dirty wine glasses (they were unused before the room was cleaned) - I suspect that cups/glasses are rinsed in the bathroom basin and wiped with a dirty towel. In a hotel such as this it would be appreciated if shampoo/conditioner/body lotion are provided in addition to the shower gel. In summary, we felt that there was little checking/auditing of standards. However, our biggest disappointment was the introduction of 'Purple Fridays'. We received an invitation to a 'vibrant, electrifying event for locals, guests and the digital nomad community' which are held each Friday evening. During the day much preparation was done to set up an outside bar, and we were informed that limited drinks would be available in the main bar. Those attending the event would need to purchase a plastic 'glass'. During the afternoon non-residents began arriving that were very different to the hotel's normal clientele. I was told that several hundred non-residents attended and think it highly unlikely that many, if any, residents took part. Being of a certain age, I could not describe the type of music the boom boom boom was that we heard from our room, but the day after I was informed that it was VERY 'techno, techno TECHNO' - completely inappropriate for the residents, and clearly aimed at non-residents as a money-earning event. Cordons were set up to direct guests away from bedrooms, but we were still aware of people exiting late at night. Late into the night we heard trolleys passing our room as staff were clearing up after the party. In the morning there was the usual detritus evident after a party - lots of cigarette ends etc despite staff busily trying to clear up. It was such a shame - a very in