The Residence Porto Mare - PortoBay

Everything about the experience from check in, through support at the resort and fun things to do there to check out were all simple and easy. Overall as usual a wonderful stay! Clair and Cindy provided excellent guidance on things to do in the area too!

Wonderful hotel, with beautiful grounds, and good restaurants. We visited off season, and it was mainly older couples, so peaceful and quiet. The staff were great, and friendly, and spoke excellent English. I'm sure we'll be back!

The Porto Mare hotel and Residence Management and staff are first class in all respects. Helpful and available ant drinks evenings each week. Our needs were met in every quarter. From Andrea the General Manager, Alex the Rooms Manager, Luis Food and Beverages Manager, Virgilio in the bar, Betty in the Atlantida restaurant, the team in the Residence and Hotel receptions, The fabulous gardens and grounds are regularly attended by the gardeners and second to none I have seen on the island. The Apartments Junior suites and hotel rooms are beautiful and continually updated and maintained attended daily by the charming Isabella and her housekeeping team. The beds are spacious and very comfortable. The setting on the seafront is perfect for sea views with the micro climate on the south of the Island on the edge of Funchal bay. Food is excelllent in various restaurants on the premises and in particular we enjoyed the themed evenings in the Atlantida where the choices to meet all dietary needs were available and provided by the lovely chefs who constantly topped up the buffet. The numerous pools were cleaned and tested regularly and Paula the Spar Manager runs a team of well trained beauticians and masseurs who painted nails and did all manner of treatments. For 23 years we have visited Madeira in Winter January to early March and found the mild weather and friendly Portuguese people a joy with whom to spend time. We loved it so much we spent our Ruby Wedding and this year our Golding Wedding Anniversary here with numerous family and friends coming to join us. It became our winter home from home. This year the carnival was spectacular. The island trips to East and West over the Pico and stopping to do lavada walks and swim in volcanic pools followed by a stop for Poncha on our way back just rounded us off. Thanks you all at Porto Mare you deserve the highest rating. You have too many good people to name them all but they can be assured they are appreciated by John and Rita Hooper and our many family and friends alike.

The best hotel. Service, room, food and environment perfect.There are many great places in the hotel area. The spa is perfect. The hotel's orchid garden is incredible. Centrally located in Lido. The standard of the rooms is excellent. The beds are big and you sleep like at home. The bathroom is the heart of the room.

We arrived at the Porto Mare hotel at 2am after a delayed flight of 8 hours! We were shown to room 3001 in the residence. The room looked lovely until I looked out! We had a view of a road, a car park and a high metal fence with a huge spotlight shining in through the side window. Not a good start to our holiday especially as we had had such an awful tiring and long day. The next morning I asked to be moved to a room with a view of the gardens. Our other six friends all had lovely lovely, close together, over looking the gardens and pools. I had emailed the hotel three months ago and asked for a room with a lovely room! I was shown another room but with an even worse view - at the side of the hotel overlooking the road and shops. I gave up! Then, the manager contacted me and I was shown another room. This time it was a suite of rooms over looking the ‘private’ gardens of the rooms below. It was lovely. A very, very long way from the bars and restaurants though and situated under the outdoor pools. It was a 130 yards from the nearest lift. However, we thoroughly enjoyed the rest of our stay but I did find it a very confusing site as there wasn’t any restaurants or bars in The Residence. We had to walk to the Porto Mare hotel. Many of the rooms and apartments seemed to be time share and therefore we were not allowed into the lovely gardens. All very odd! The bar prices are very high! A beer and g&t was €16.00. Beers in others restaurants in the area was €2-3. Breakfast was €18 per person. The staff are very polite and efficient. Our rooms were cleaned to a very high standard. They were well equipped with very comfortable, huge beds. Linen and towels were changed several times. Although it is a lovely place, if you are lucky enough to be allocated a room with a beautiful view, I don’t believe I would stay there again.

The residence continues to be our favourite; fantastic location, beautiful gardens, friendly helpful staff and great facilities. You are spoilt for choice when it comes to a wide variety of restaurants that are within walking distance.