First things first… if you’re reading these reviews because you’ve just booked this place on an all inclusive package holiday, then relax. It’s a lovely hotel and you’re going to have a very nice time. This a very nice A.I. tourist hotel with excellent staff. The food is very good AI food. We stayed for 11 nights and, of course, you’ll see some repeats. The food is hot, fresh and there were always choices for veggies and pescatarians. The staff in the restaurant were very attentive, I’d go so far as to say this was the best run restaurant of its type I’ve come across in my thirty years of travelling. The snack bar by the pool has great snacking food all day, much better than some of the other AI places we’ve stayed at. Our room was on the seventh floor towards the sea and faced out towards the hotel next door (with a side view of the sea). I have to say that we weren’t bothered by any noise but we weren’t right on the front of the hotel by the main road. The pool area is kept very tidy by the staff (despite the odd entitled slob leaving their coffee cups by their Sun lounger). The bar service is one of the best we’ve seen (on a par with what we’ve had at a Melia A.I.). The bar staff are great. The drinks are great and the measures are big. If you come expecting Hendricks Gin and Johnny Walker included in your AI package well….grow up. The pool is clean and well tended. I saw samples being taken for chlorine and turbidity testing and it’s cleaned every morning. However, given its March, it was colder than a witch’s wotsit, which is to be expected at this time of year. The demographic mid-March definitely errs towards the boomers which makes for a nice, peaceful if rather shuffly vibe. But there were some young families here too. Some tips- 1) if you’re planning to go on an excursion, check the website for cruise ship arrivals in Funchal before you make any plans and try and avoid the times when there’s three massive ships in port this will make cues much shorter for you. 2) If you’ve done the toboggan ride down from Monte don’t pay the taxi fee to get back. There’s a number 19 bus right opposite where the toboggan rides end of the taxi rate stands. It will take you into Funchal for a couple of euros. Google Maps is your friend. 3) Do the Blandy’s Madeira wine tour it’s fantastic the people are lovely and the Madeira is gorgeous. 4) If you plan to do the toboggan ride get up early and catch the first cable car up. Spend some time in the Monte Palace Gardens, do the toboggan and get the bus back down to Funchal. (See tip about checking cruise ship arrivals). 5) The bus service is great. There’s a number one and a number two bus that runs from the stop at the hotel just next door (Pestana) and will take you straight into town. It’s €1.95 each way. They take cash. 6) If you want to know a bit about Madeira and it’s history, there’s a nice little museum (Madeira Story Centre) just by the cable car station and it has a pleasant enough coffee shop & restaurant on the roof. 7) If you tire of AI food there’s a number of nice restaurants down at the seafront (you can access the front via a gate in the right hand corner of the pool area using your room card). The Italian (Pap Manuel Lido) is decent and keenly priced given it’s right on the seafront. Restaurant Il Basilico is further along an a bit more poncey but very nice. 8) If you go to the Mercado dos Labradores (market) be aware; the vendors there have three prices…locals price, tourist price and idiot price. Don’t be fooled into spending forty quid on a handful of mangoes. Ask the price per kilo and then ask the weight and do the maths. Don’t be succumbed by offers of tasting. There’s plenty of good fruit at the hotel. Have a lovely time.