Quintas outside Funchal, gardens above the city or vines on the north coast. Casa Velha do Palheiro, from about €320, if you want a restored 1804 hunting lodge beside the Palheiro Gardens and golf, with dinner at MICHELIN-listed Oxalis; Hotel Quinta do Furão, from about €245, if you would rather have two hectares of vines on the cliff at Santana and the Caldeirão Verde levada 15 minutes' drive away.
The hideawayA restored 1804 hunting lodge on a 150-hectare estate above Funchal, with gardens, golf and a MICHELIN-listed dinner at the door.
€€€From about €320 a night
Choose Casa Velha do Palheiro if
The catch
Funchal is a taxi ride, not a walk: the Sé is 18 minutes by car off-peak but about 70 minutes on foot, much of it steep
The escapeA clifftop vineyard quinta on the north coast, with pools, fireplaces and the island's great walks a short drive away.
€€From about €245 a night
Choose Hotel Quinta do Furão if
The catch
A hire car is close to essential: Santana's centre is a 51-minute walk along the road and Funchal about 50 minutes' drive
| Best for | Casa Velha do Palheiro | Hotel Quinta do Furão |
|---|---|---|
| Best spa hotels in Madeira | On the list | Not on the list |
| Best value hotels in Madeira | Not on the list | On the list |
| Best quiet hotels in Madeira | On the list | On the list |
| Best hotels for food and drink in Madeira | On the list | Not on the list |
Casa Velha do PalheiroHotel Quinta do Furão
Casa Velha do Palheiro
Hotel Quinta do Furão
The verdict
Quintas outside Funchal, gardens above the city or vines on the north coast. Casa Velha do Palheiro, from about €320, if you want a restored 1804 hunting lodge beside the Palheiro Gardens and golf, with dinner at MICHELIN-listed Oxalis; Hotel Quinta do Furão, from about €245, if you would rather have two hectares of vines on the cliff at Santana and the Caldeirão Verde levada 15 minutes' drive away.
Hand-picked: only the best, one version of each, researched so you don’t have to.
The west, by jeepFrom €695(650)
Whales, on a big catamaranFrom €354.6(7,900)
The sunset sailFrom €504.8(2,600)
The tall shipFrom €454.6(2,300)
Questions people ask
Quintas outside Funchal, gardens above the city or vines on the north coast. Casa Velha do Palheiro, from about €320, if you want a restored 1804 hunting lodge beside the Palheiro Gardens and golf, with dinner at MICHELIN-listed Oxalis; Hotel Quinta do Furão, from about €245, if you would rather have two hectares of vines on the cliff at Santana and the Caldeirão Verde levada 15 minutes' drive away.
A historic quinta for gardens, golf and long dinners, a taxi ride above Funchal rather than in it. Check availability for the Double Golf Wing. A small, historic country house in gardens and woodland above Funchal, where the estate, the spa and dinner are the holiday and the city is a taxi ride down. It suits slow days, golf and walks more than nights out.
It has indoor and outdoor pools. There is no beach; the nearest is a drive away.
The quinta to book when the walks are the point: a vineyard on the cliff, the levadas and Pico Ruivo within half an hour, and a fire and a pool to come back to. Check availability for a Premium Room. A mid-sized, quiet country hotel on a vineyard cliff, far from Funchal and made for walkers: you drive out to the levadas and peaks by day and come back to the fire, the pools and dinner on the estate. Strong sense of place at a fair price.
It has indoor and outdoor pools. There is no beach; the nearest is a drive away.