Savoy Saccharum Resort and Spa

Overall, we had a very enjoyable stay and would like to start by saying that the food was excellent throughout our visit, and the staff were truly outstanding. Every member of the team we interacted with was friendly, professional, and eager to help, which made a very positive impression on us.

As this was our first visit to Madeira, we would certainly like to return in the future. However, there are a few areas that we feel could be improved and are worth considering.

Upon arrival, the suite did not appear to have been cleaned to the standard we would have expected. There were visible soap and limescale marks in both the shower and sink, and several amenities that are typically expected in a suite of this category were missing, including shower caps, a dental kit, and a shoehorn.

The minibar fridge was also not functioning correctly and was warm throughout our stay. We requested a bucket of ice as a result and were surprised to find that this was charged to our room, despite the fridge not being able to keep items cool.

In addition, some of the furniture within the suite showed significant signs of wear and tear, with scuffs and marks visible on several doors and surfaces. The bedroom doors were also not closing properly. When we moved one of the stools in the living area, we found a considerable amount of dust underneath, along with a cork that had clearly been left behind by a previous guest. These details gave the impression that the room had not been thoroughly cleaned prior to our arrival.

One further point that we feel should be communicated more clearly is the distance between reception and some of the suites. The walk to our room was considerably longer than anticipated, and we believe guests should be informed of this before booking, particularly those with mobility concerns or significant luggage.

We share this feedback constructively, as we genuinely enjoyed many aspects of our stay and can see the potential of the property. The quality of the food and the exceptional service provided by your team were highlights of our visit. We would be very happy to return to Madeira and to your hotel in the future, but we felt it was important to bring these points to your attention so they can be considered and addressed for future guests.

After spending time at the wonderful Savoy Palace Hotel in Funchal, I was expecting big things from Saccharum. Unfortunately, it was a complete anticlimax and cannot be compared in any way! The location is amazing, right on the sea front in walking distance of the marina with its restaurants, a limited number of shops and a supermarket. The hotel is fairly large, but is so dark inside. Furthermore, the corridors and elevators are really hot. There are a large number of advertised swimming pools, but beware, the one on the second floor is just for show and the hotel tries to encourage you not to use it (they suggest going up to the 8th floor to gets a towel to use on the second floor pool? And there are no sun beds to relax in). The 8th floor pool area is busy as a result of the above and claustrophobic with many small areas to sit. The floor is astroturf which gets hot and there is no breeze to take the heat off. The rooms are well appointed, but frankly we did not sleep well after finding a huge spider / tarantula on the ceiling. The kids were afraid to sleep for the rest of the stay as a result. The front desk staff and one of the turndown team were very friendly and helpful, but the rest of the staff are woeful. In the hospitality industry, service is everything, a smile costs nothing. It felt like 50% of them resented the guests and hated their jobs (they were very pleasant with their colleagues so can do it), the other 50% were in a different world and had no idea what was going on. Most days we went to the beach club for lunch. If they could mess up the order, they did. At least half of our meals there were we wrong - it became a standing joke after we ordered the food……like Russian roulette, it’ll be interesting to see what arrives. The poorest service goes out to the guys providing towels at the beach - totally ignorant and always on his phone rather than focussing on guests needs. He even lied about not having towels, when I could clearly see them below his desk. Also, we were keen to finish the holiday on a high and were planning to eat at the rooftop restaurant. The evening before, we went upstairs to the podium where the smartly dressed greeter stood in a light blue jacket and unbuttoned white shirt……he just ignored us, he knew we were there, you couldn’t miss 4 people, but he just ignored us. My wife and I turned our backs to walk off and only then did he acknowledge us. What a rude arrogant individual. As a result, we decided not to eat there and found a restaurant at the marina. A message to the management would be to train the staff for the roles that they are working in. This just isn’t acceptable! How this is a Savoy Signature hotel beggars belief! Aside from the location, the stay was a complete disappointment and waste of money. The management need to get a grip!

We are currently staying in Saccharum Savoy Signature Hotel. 

Our first impression was how dark the hotel was, extremely dim lighting. Our room was not ready (but we were early) so we went for a complimentary welcome drink at the bar. I had cava and my partner had a beer...served in a champagne flute...how strange!

 We were allocated room 303 which we were not happy with, the room itself was fine but we requested a high floor on booking. When we told the receptionist she sorted it for us and moved us to room 703, which was much nicer and had a panoramic view of the ocean. 

The room is beautiful,  very spacious, huge bed, very large shower, separate toilet with bidet (could do with extractor fan) and large wardrobe, again could do with a full length mirror, but overall it is very nice.

The rooftop terrace is absolutely beautiful, stunning views and  comfy sun loungers.

The infinity pool is gorgeous with spectacular views! 

Breakfast in Engenho restaurant was excellent...something for everyone...omelette, pancake station was very good too.

In the evening the hotel has music entertainment, but we like to go out of the hotel and experience local bars, music etc. There is none if this in Calheta.

We ate out every night and the food was ok...the Indian restaurant Buddha Sukka was good, chicken tikka was yummy! Had an excellent Chateau brien in the restaurant right next door to the hotel, very authentic Portuguese setting.

Calheta has a few restaurants, a supermarket and a chemist, no other shops like souvenir shops etc. The beach is man made with imported sand and created by a harbour wall...we've been to some beautiful beaches, but this isn't one of them.

Overall nice holiday but we won't be returning to Calheta as too quiet in the evenings.