We stayed over Christmas in what is called a Superior Studio apartment on the 8th floor. Nice big apartment with an excellent view over Funchal and the harbor. The Staff was very friendly and provided an excellent service, the room, the beds and the toilet in good and clean condition. We had the Christmas diner included in the price and were a bit disappointed about the menu, which was traditional English style with (very dry) roast turkey and plum pudding. No other choices were available. However, what we found really disappointing was the hotels choice of music accompanying the Christmas dinner. For more than 3 hours we had to listen to very loud Latin American music. Not a single Christmas melody or anything in that style. Another thing that surprised us was that the price for using Wi-Fi in the lobby area for 7 days was €28. There ought to be free Wi-Fi in a 4 star hotel, especially when most restaurants, bars, and open parks and places in Funchal offer you free Wi-Fi.

The hotel is just a few metres from the sea. The breakfast buffet was good. Staff very friendly and eager to help.

My feelings about this pestana aparthotel are mixed. Compared to several other Pestana Hotel i have been to, this is probably the lowest rated. However, put in the context of being an aparthotel and not a luxurious hotel, i have to say this hotel does exactly what it says on the tin. Hotel facilities are above some other low quality 4 star hotels in madeira. Apartment was clean, and it was definitely a plus being able to make your own sandwick or cook your own pasta some times during your holiday. Breakfast was simple but nice, not so much choice of salty and sweet things, this was a bit unexpected, as we were expecting the same variety of some other pestana hotels we have been before in madeira. overall i still think it was a great experience. All this review assumes you get a lower rate than you would get in pestana casino, pestana carlton or pestana promenade. if you get same or higher rate, than go to the other pestanas rather than this one.

I want to warn you of an unpleasant feature of The Pestana Hotels. My story is about Pestana Palms 4* in Madeira. In September 2011 me and my husband decided to spend our summer holidays on Madeira. It is significant to note that we had already been to that place a year before. Everything was excellent (including the hotel – Pestana Palms) – that’s why we’ve decided to come back the second time. At once we’ve agreed that we go to Madeira again only on condition that it would be just the same hotel (remember it, it’s very important for understanding to what had happened subsequently), but if it’s not – we’ll go some other place we’ve never been before. So we were lucky enough, and our travel agency got the confirmation from Pestana Palms. It was a month before vacations. We were happy, but than…
When we reached the hotel reception with our trunks, tired as a dogs, we’ve got a nasty shock – they said there were no free rooms, so we should move to another hotel – Pestana Carlton! Only imagine our feelings that moment!
The same situation was with two yang ladies from Russia (notice that they booked their rooms in Pestana Palms in June!!!).
We’d been discussing the problem with the hotel director for about two hours and decided nothing. We all were so exhausted that finally had to move to Pestana Carlton and stay there. We just had no choice.
I should acknowledge for justice' sake that we were provided with the best services, additional advantages in Pestana Carlton, just as an excuse from the Pestana personnel for our misadventures. But I really didn’t expected a trick that kind from such a respected hotel chain!
So be careful if you are planning to visit Pestana Palms the second time or under somebody’s advice. May be you won’t be lucky twice… or maybe they just don’t like and don’t respect their regular guests for some reasons…
But I wish you to have good holidays anyway!
Olga I. (Moscow, Russia)