- Madeira Holidays
- Ponta do Sol
- Estalagem Ponta do Sol
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Estalagem Ponta do Sol
Portugal, Europe
Ponta do Sol
This unique hotel offers breathtaking panoramic views out over Madeira's cliff-lined south coast. The hotel enjoys a fabulous location from whence wonderful views are to be had out over the little town of Ponta do Sol, the terraced hillsides, the coastline and the sea. The beach at the foot of the cliffs as well as the traditional centre of Ponta do Sol may both be reached on foot within 10 minutes and it is some 5 minutes to the fishing village of Ribeira Brava. The centre of Funchal is approximately 20 minutes away (complimentary hotel shuttle bus service runs from Monday until Friday) and it takes about 45 minutes to reach the international airport.
This impressive hotel is housed within 2 restored manor houses as well as 3 newer, 2-storey buildings and comprises a total of 54 rooms. Facilities include an elegant foyer with a 24-hour reception desk, safes, lifts, a lounge with a bar and a covered outdoor terrace, a games room, a library, a TV room, an air-conditioned à la carte restaurant with a non-smoking area and highchairs for infants as well as a public Internet terminal. Room and laundry services as well as a bicycle hire service are on offer and those arriving by car may take advantage of the hotel car park and garage facilities.
The tasteful, modern rooms are air-conditioned and each come with a bathroom with a shower, a hairdryer, a direct dial telephone, satellite/ cable TV, a minibar/ fridge, a king-sized bed, carpeting, central heating, a hire safe, panoramic windows and a balcony or terrace (selected rooms enjoy views out over the sea).
Facilities
- Billiards
- Please note some facilities may incur an additional fee
The Local Area
Tripadvisor Reviews
4.5 Excellent833 reviews
Excellent
66%
Very Good
23%
Average
6%
Poor
3%
Terrible
2%
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
Stunning setting and design let down by poor service and a lack of attention to detail
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.
Review by Rebesinc Kingston upon Thames, United Kingdom
Almost perfect
We had a the loveliest week at the Estalagem: super friendly staff, beautiful setting and gorgeous food made for incredibly relaxing surroundings. The 'garden view' room had a side sea view and despite being a light sleeper, I slept really well for the first 6 nights (there was some road noise and the sound of the waves). I agree with other reviews that the interior looked a little worn in places (bathroom floor & furnishings, cracks in wooden floor) and some of the furniture appeared a little cheap (lamps, thinly disguised plastic chairs, balcony furniture). However, this didn't really bother us too much.
When "Purple Friday" was announced we were initially curious despite the fact we don't particularly enjoy techno. But the reality of the event and how it was managed had more of an impact on our last day than we would have considered reasonable. Our last dinner was fairly noisy & chaotic with people getting lost on their way from reception to the pool area and the (otherwise lovely) kitchen struggling to cope with demand. Even the poor reception dog was visibly distraught and tried to hide at the kitchen door. A brief visit to the party tent was followed by a rather sleepless last night due to noise from the bar below late into the night and a sad goodbye the next morning to a pool area littered in fag ends. It was just such a disappointing end to an otherwise perfect stay which left us puzzled as to why the hotel hosts these curiously ill-placed events. I imagine that the degree of bother will largely depend on which rooms you're in - those facing the pool get a lot of the party action, those facing the bar get the later noise. Presumably the top building with SE facing rooms (4xx/5xx) is relatively unaffected.
I'm still not sure what my overall verdict is. It was a perfect holiday until the last day. Would we visit again? Probably not on a Friday night if Purple Fridays are still on.
Review by Suhamafe Southampton, United Kingdom
Cliff top splendour
This hotel setting is incredible however be prepared to walk for ages and take up to three lifts to get to your room! Reception is after the lift from the car park entrance and is manned by good friendly professional staff. Breakfast is up one floor from there and was ok without being exceptional. The second lift takes you further up the cliff(with lovely gardens) , across a walkway and onto the third lift to the room. The room was a good size, functional,as was the bathroom. Both could do with a little tlc. Two single beds, pushed together, made the double. They were firm but relatively comfortable. Porto do Sol is very nice with a great array of good restaurants. We ate twice at the Caprice ,which was excellent. Parking is in a small narrow car park and is not nearly enough for all the guest rooms. Roadside parking is also available but on a road frequented by large truck traffic, through the day. Finally the views across the ravine and down to the sea are what makes this hotel stand out as do the sunsets which were amazing.
Review by Ossy-Lizzy Northallerton, United Kingdom
The Panicle of Ponta do Sol
Great place to relax and look over beautiful Ponta do Sol. We had Rm.401 both near the pool and self-serve bar at the point of the property, and an amazing balcony view east of the south coast. Hotel and restaurant staff were friendly, helpful and multi-lingual. Room and grounds were very well designed and maintained. But, as others have noted, a hotel built into a cliff requires multiple elevators AND a lot of stairs. Worked for my wife and I on this trip but, unfortunately, we could never stay here with our wheelchair bound son. Finally, as others have noted, there are much better restaurants a short walk into town than the one here onsite.
A Dreamlike Architectural Hotel with Magical Sunsets
We spent nine wonderful days at the Estalagem da Ponta do Sol design hotel – already our third stay there – and enjoyed every single minute of it.
The Estalagem, a modern four-star hotel, beautifully combines a historic quinta with contemporary minimalist architecture. The entire property is spectacularly located on a cliff plateau high above Ponta do Sol – one of the sunniest places on Madeira.
From our room, we enjoyed breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean, the charming village of Ponta do Sol, and the impressive sunsets. In our opinion, all rooms benefit from an excellent location, regardless of the direction they face. What makes this hotel truly special is not only the architecture and the harmonious layout of the buildings, but above all the people who work there. The photographs online are absolutely authentic and reflect reality perfectly.
One of the highlights is the infinity pool with its magnificent view across palm trees towards the open Atlantic. Experiencing the sunrise over the mountains from the pool in the early morning and watching the sun set into the sea each evening from the terrace beside the lounge bar is pure romance for us. We happily spend time there every evening.
The culinary experience is equally outstanding. Breakfast is extensive and of excellent quality, with five freshly prepared egg dishes changing daily, alongside a buffet that leaves nothing to be desired. The restaurant offers both Portuguese and international cuisine at a very high standard. We dined there several times and thoroughly enjoyed every meal.
The entire property is maintained in immaculate condition. A large and dedicated team of staff takes exceptional care of the hotel every day, ensuring cleanliness and a welcoming atmosphere throughout. The service is attentive, friendly and genuinely contributes to the unique ambience of the hotel.
We would especially like to praise Mrs Graça Dionisio at reception. She looks after guests with exceptional attentiveness, warmth and professionalism, making everyone feel genuinely welcome from the very first moment.
We also appreciated the relaxed departure arrangements: rooms only need to be vacated by midday, which is particularly convenient for guests with late afternoon flights.
The guests are international and pleasantly mixed in age – from younger travellers to older guests, most of whom enjoy hiking and exploring the island. The value for money is absolutely right. The range of leisure and entertainment activities is extensive and clearly presented on the hotel’s website.
For us, the Estalagem da Ponta do Sol is truly a dream hotel. We always look forward to returning.
Our sincere thanks to the management for creating such a special place – and to all the staff for maintaining this unique atmosphere every single day.
Review by clauss835 Nordhorn, Germany
