Madeira is a gorgeous Portuguese archipelago of four islands situated off the north-west coast of Africa. We had long wanted to visit it, as friends had spoken off its subtropical climate...
The thought of sipping Madeira wine every evening was proving irresistible. It seemed the ideal starting point for of our Portuguese adventure. We chose Hotel Quinta Jardins do Lago as It is a small luxury botanical garden hotel, steeped in history and sitting atop one of the green hills that surrounds Funchal. We could enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the hotel and journey downtown in pursuit of the bright lights easily.
On our arrival at Quinta Jardins do Lago, the manager welcomed us with the words
‘It’s the best hotel, and when you enter this hotel, you will never want to leave”
– and this was to prove so true!
We stayed in a spacious room with a garden view. On our arrival we found a big bowl of fruit and an envelope containing information about the hotel. Also, on the arrival we found a bag with sanitiser, gloves, and masks in the room – which is unusual for the hospitality industry nowadays.
We fell in love with our room instantly. It had a pallete of cream, peach and the softest sage green. Our room was dominated by a beautiful lace-trimmed four poster bed. On one side there was a comfortable, carpeted sitting area with sofa and on the other, huge sliding doors leading out to our private balcony which overlooked the amazing gardens. The marble bathroom was both elegant and spacious. We had a perfect night’s sleep because of the comfortable bed and the blackout curtains.
The gardens are another stunning thing of the hotel and all rooms and suites overlook them. They cover 2.5 hectares and have more than 500 different plant species.
The Beresford Restaurant is where I honestly spent most of the time of our stay. The food is so delicious, the manager and waitresses are so attentive and professional. The service was impeccable. The menu is written in four languages and equally tempting in all! There is fresh fish and vegetarian options and the produce is incredibly fresh as it is locally sourced.
We had dinner al fresco in the garden, and it was one of the most romantic events of the trip. For a more casual meal, the Colombo Bistro nestles in the tropical swimming pool.
The main feature of the hotel is not only the property and the garden, but the people. They are so thoughtful, attentive and kind that you really feel home away from home. They solved all our problems, big and small e.g. we needed to urgently locate a clinic for our PCR test and the lady on the Reception solved this issue in just five minutes. For more than 20 years, they have had the safety and well-being of their guests as their top priority.
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