Quinta Bela São Tiago

Quinta Bela São Tiago is a four-star hotel at Rua Bela de São Tiago 70, in the São Pedro district of Funchal, Madeira. The quinta stands on the slope above the old town and the fort of São Tiago, a short distance from the Zona Velha, the Mercado dos Lavradores and the cathedral, and it is set in tropical gardens. The airport is about 20 kilometres to the east. As a quinta, it follows the Madeiran tradition of a country estate converted into a hotel, giving a more garden-centred and residential atmosphere than the large resorts of the Lido zone. Its guest rating is about 3.9 in the data held for this guide, and prices are in the lower mid-range bracket. Accommodation includes standard rooms, suites, family rooms, a presidential suite and a penthouse suite, so the property can host couples as well as small families. Facilities include a freshwater pool set in the gardens, a gym, a sauna and a Turkish bath. Dining centres on Restaurante O Pórtico, which serves breakfast and evening meals, and a sunset cocktail bar offers drinks with views over the city and the bay. A late check-out offer is listed, which is useful for guests with evening departures. The tropical gardens give the hotel a calm setting close to the centre, and the walk down to the old town is short, although the return is uphill through steep streets, so taxis are often used. Service is traditional, with staff able to arrange excursions such as levada walks, Monte, Cabo Girão and the north coast. The property suits couples and travellers who prefer a garden setting to a seafront resort, and who want to be close enough to the old town to explore on foot. Visitors should expect older buildings and gradients within the grounds, a feature of many Funchal quintas.