Stayed in May and were quite satisfied, but nothing more.

Guests were mainly British and 60+, though that appears to be a feature of Madeira in general. They also get quite a few curious tourists looking in but try to channel them towards their afternoon tea offering, which thus attracted a much less glamorous crowd than in former times.

Rooms were as expected in a heritage hotel, meaning on the small side and noise insulation was not great.

Most guests gather around the pool, so securing a good sunlounger can be tricky. We preferred to be down at sea level anyway, though they did not consistently offer drinks service there on all days.

Food in the main restaurant was good, but some dishes could have been better executed. The head waiter provided lovely service, however. We also much enjoyed the set menu at Villa Cipriani.

Two service incidents stood out to us: When we asked for sunscreen they produced a sticky, long expired bottle with the most rancid smelling sun lotion you can imagine. Hard to believe we were the only ones to ask for sunscreen since that bottle was opened 20 years ago…

Secondly, we forgot our sweaters in one of the restaurants and when we inquired they did not seem very invested in finding it and in any case it was strange they never turned up.

Nevertheless, overall we had a good time and value for money felt appropriate. Hotel grounds and location are certainly very enjoyable.