Madeira is Portugal's volcanic archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, famous for its dramatic mountain peaks, laurel forests, centuries-old levada irrigation channels, and year-round mild climate. The main island rises steeply from the sea to Pico Ruivo at 1,862 metres, creating a landscape of terraced vineyards, sub-tropical gardens, and coastal cliffs that draw hikers, botanists, and cruise passengers alike.
Luxury hotels
Five-star and palace properties.
Belmond Reid's Palace
Madeira's most storied address, open on the Funchal clifftops since 1891, with terraced subtropical gardens, a private sea-bathing platform reached by lift, and a tradition of afternoon tea on the Sea Terrace dating back over a century.
The Cliff Bay - PortoBay
A cliffside resort on the São Martinho headland with landscaped gardens, a private lift to a sea-water lido and Il Gallo d'Oro, the two-Michelin-starred restaurant led by chef Benoît Sinthon since 2004.
Choupana Hills Resort & Spa
A design-led retreat set roughly 400 metres above Funchal in native laurel forest, blending Asian-influenced bungalow architecture with an extensive spa and an infinity pool that looks down over the bay.
Casa Velha do Palheiro
A 19th-century manor house inside the Palheiro Estate, attached to an 18-hole championship golf course and mature camellia gardens, run as an intimate country-house hotel with fewer than 40 rooms.
Savoy Palace
A contemporary 300-room hotel on Funchal's seafront avenue with a rooftop infinity pool, two indoor and two outdoor pools, and one of the largest multi-floor spas in the Algarve's peer islands.
Quinta Jardins do Lago
A former general's residence above central Funchal, furnished with period antiques and set inside a mature botanical garden of dragon trees, cycads and palms around a small outdoor pool.
Quinta da Casa Branca
Madeira's first design hotel, built around a restored 19th-century quinta inside a two-hectare botanical garden close to central Funchal, combining contemporary architecture with the original manor house.
Fine dining
Michelin-starred and chef-driven restaurants.
Il Gallo d'Oro (The Cliff Bay)
Two Michelin stars since 2017 and a Michelin Green Star since 2022. Chef Benoît Sinthon's tasting menus draw heavily on Madeiran produce, some grown in PortoBay's own vegetable garden, alongside premium European ingredients.
William Restaurant (Belmond Reid's Palace)
The fine-dining room at Reid's Palace, named for the hotel's founder, presenting refined tasting menus in a formal clifftop dining room with sweeping views over Funchal Bay.
Uva Restaurant (Savoy Palace)
A rooftop restaurant atop Savoy Palace pairing seasonal Portuguese tasting plates with Madeira wine pairings and a panoramic terrace over the bay, popular for sunset dining.
A Morgadinha (Estrada Monumental)
A long-established Macanese and Southeast Asian restaurant in a quinta-style dining room, known for slow-cooked Macau specialities rarely found elsewhere on the island.
Restaurant at Casa Velha do Palheiro
An elegant estate dining room serving modern Madeiran cuisine built around produce from the Palheiro grounds, with a wine list weighted toward Madeira fortified wines and mainland Portuguese labels.
Exclusive experiences
Bespoke and once-in-a-lifetime activities.
Private Yacht or Catamaran Charter from Funchal Marina
Charter a private sailing yacht or motor catamaran from Funchal marina for a day along the south coast, with dolphin and whale watching, snorkelling stops and an onboard catered lunch
Helicopter Tour Over Madeira's Interior and Coastline
Scenic helicopter flights departing from Funchal over Curral das Freiras, the central mountain peaks and the north coast cliffs, giving an aerial view of terrain that is otherwise only reachable on foot
Private Guided Levada Walk with Picnic
A privately guided walk along one of Madeira's centuries-old levada irrigation channels through laurel forest, ending with a curated picnic featuring local cheeses, Madeira wine and regional charcuterie
Blandy's Wine Lodge Private Cellar Tasting
A private after-hours tasting through Blandy's historic Funchal wine lodge cellars, sampling vintage Madeira wines dating back decades under the guidance of a resident cellar master
Private Day Trip to Porto Santo by Boat or Air
A private charter flight or fast ferry crossing to Porto Santo island, followed by chauffeured time on its nine-kilometre golden sand beach and a round at the Porto Santo golf course
Palheiro Golf Private Coaching
One-on-one coaching at the 18-hole Palheiro Golf course above Funchal, set among camellia gardens and offering views down over the bay between holes
Spas & wellness
World-class spa retreats and treatments.
Ocean Spa at Belmond Reid's Palace
A clifftop spa combining marine-inspired treatments with a private sea-bathing platform, hydrotherapy pool and treatment suites overlooking Funchal Bay
The Spa at Choupana Hills
A forest-set spa built into the hillside with an extensive treatment menu drawing on local botanicals, an indoor pool and yoga pavilion set among laurel trees
The Cliff Bay Spa
A cliffside spa with sea views, offering thalassotherapy-influenced treatments alongside direct access to the hotel's private sea-water lido
Savoy Palace Spa
A large multi-floor spa built into the hotel's lower levels with an extensive hydrotherapy circuit, sauna, steam room and rooftop pool access
Casa Velha do Palheiro Spa
An intimate estate spa using treatments derived from the surrounding camellia gardens, paired with access to the adjoining golf course and outdoor pool
Luxury transport
Travel in style.
- Car
- Private chauffeur service available from around €150/day ($162); luxury car hire (Mercedes, Range Rover) from around €180/day ($194) at Cristiano Ronaldo Madeira International Airport
- Air
- Private helicopter transfers between Funchal and outlying resorts from around €300 ($324); scenic helicopter tours from around €150/person ($162)
- Airport
- VIP fast-track and meet-and-greet service at Cristiano Ronaldo Madeira International Airport from around €60–€100 ($65–$108); private car transfer to Funchal hotels typically takes 20–30 minutes given the airport's cliffside runway