One of the top luxury hotels on this island in the Atlantic Ocean complete with Michelin star dining:

The flower island of Madeira prides itself to be one of the oldest tourist destinations in the world. And the Reid’s Palace, a Belmond Hotel, is definitely the grand old dame here. It has welcomed guests to its luxury retreat for over a century, among them many famous ones. And it really has something to offer. Be it the setting on cliff tops in subtropical gardens overlooking the sea or the traditional appearance celebrating the hotel’s British heritage. For my husband and me it was clear that we wanted to find out how it is staying and dining at the Reid’s on our second visit to Madeira. When we had traveled to this island for the first time, we had already enjoyed dinner here. And now we wanted the whole experience.

If you care for travel information on Madeira, find here everything you have to know when thinking about coming to this island.

For an overview on where to find a truly luxurious hotel in this destination, head here. Now to the essentials of staying and dining in style at the Reid’s Palace in Madeira.

Location of the Reid’s

As mentioned, the Reid’s setting on craggy cliffs above the Atlantic Ocean is breathtaking! The lush sub-tropical gardens that envelope the property are incredibly beautiful. Strolling here and gazing out at the sea was one of the best things I have experienced at this hotel.

The hotel’s location is favorable, in the west from Funchal’s center and in walking distance to it (22 minutes by foot). And you have splendid views of the water, Funchal and the cruise port – if you like the going-ons at the latter.

History/Renovation

As I informed in my post about where to go in Madeira for luxury hotels, the Reid’s was the first upscale accommodation on this island. It was built by the Scotsman William Reid, who got rich in the Madeiran wine trade. He ordered that the ground be strewn with several tons of rich soil. This in order to create the foundation for the lavish sup-tropical gardens he had planned here.

Unfortunately, he did not live to see his hotel opened to guests in 1891. Instead, his two sons continued his work. The Reid’s family was in charge until 1937. Then the Blandy family of Madeiran winemakers took over. After owning it for almost 60 years, the Blandys sold the property to Orient-Express Hotels in 1996. And in 2014, this company changed its name to Belmond Hotels.

Many illustrious guests have passed through the Reid’s doors. To name a few, Winston Churchill, the British statesman, George Bernard Shaw, the Irish writer, Margaret Thatcher, the first British female prime minster, Gregory Peck, the American actor, or “Sissi”, Empress Elisabeth of Austria, were here in the course of years.

The hotel underwent a thorough renovation in 2006. Guest rooms got an update, and some communal spaces received a new design. Furthermore, a spa was added. While the refurbishment apparently brought a brighter feel to the Reid’s, the respect for its heritage and the period furnishings was maintained.

About the Belmond hotel group

Since the acquisition of the iconic Hotel Cipriani in Venice in 1976, Belmond has continued to expand its portofolio of exclusive properties for staying in style. These include the illustrious Venice Simplon-Orient-Express train or the Hotel Splendido in Portofino.

In 2014, the company changed its name from Orient-Express Hotels Limited to Belmond Limited. In 2019, it joined the world’s leading luxury group LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton.

Ambiance at the Reid’s

As already hinted, the Reid’s Palace in Madeira is a traditional hotel, with everything that entails. The hotel’s English heritage is well remembered. This involves the interiors as well as some old British customs, which are kept alive. There is for example the famed afternoon tea on the terrace or the dinner dances complete with preceding dance classes. Having said that, the ambiance at the Reid’s is not stiff. The hotel exudes a somewhat relaxed elegance. At certain times and places on our stay, the atmosphere was even lively, however never (too) loud.

There seems to be quite a number of repeat guests at the Reid’s, often from the United Kingdom, I suppose. Furthermore, I had the impression that much of the clientele come here for lounging poolside or seaside. Already before breakfast, many of the (best) sun loungers were taken, either in person or with a placeholder. And of course, the latter is a no-no!

Staff/Service

While the service at the Reid’s Palace in Madeira is generally good, there were a few hiccups on our stay. Some staff had the most perfect attitude, others less so. Upon arrival, a nice lady at the reception showed us around the premises and pointed out all the important things to us. Before that, there was no doorman when we arrived by rental car at the hotel entrance. Unsure what to do, we got the luggage to the reception ourselves and had to find someone to tell us what to do with the car (you have to park it yourself at another spot). This is not really the way how you receive arriving guests at a luxury hotel!

What I also found special, was the fact that there was always a queue for the breakfast service. Every morning between 8:30 and 9:00 a.m. you had to wait about a quarter of an hour for an available (outdoor) table. That was not the fault of the gracious lady at the reception desk but because of no vacancies!

Unfortunately, my husband had a medical emergency on our stay and had to be hospitalized. Again, some staff reacted in an exemplary manner (the gentleman who stayed with my husband until the ambulance arrived or the lady at the reception desk who hugged me when I showed up alone for breakfast the following morning). Others did not, in particular an older gentleman at the hotel reception who first was reluctant to help me with arrangements for moving to our next hotel. And last but not least, there was no follow-up from the Reid’s as to how my husband was doing after my departure (my husband was still at the hospital at the time).

I am well aware that my stay at the Reid’s was overshadowed by the events around my husband. However, the true service character is revealed in difficult times, isn’t it?

Rooms/Pricing at the Reid’s Palace

158 rooms are at your disposal at the Reid’s Palace in Madeira. They vary in size and shape due to the old structure of the property. Many of them have sea views but pay attention to the fact that not all the ocean-facing ones feature unobscured views of the water. It may by hidden by trees or bushes. In case you put emphasis on having a sea view, I recommend requesting it at the time of booking. Rooms are available as from about 380 € (in low season).

Some accommodations are in the main building, others in the garden wing. All of them are furnished in an old fashioned yet charming way. And I think they were more refreshed and updated than thoroughly renovated in the last decade or so. Quite a few are rather small, especially the ones in the main building. If you care for more space, opt for a Junior Suite as my husband and I did.

Deluxe Junior Suite

You find this room category either in the main building or in the garden wing and the accommodations come with sea resp. garden view. They are spacious (37 sqm) with a sizable (marble) bathroom

and classic in style. Ours was in the garden wing (on the sixth floor) and featured a generous sitting area and a large balcony with great views of the sea, the gardens and the town of Funchal.

While it was not a state-of-the-art room and only received a light-touch renovation, it was very comfortable. My husband and I felt well at ease here. Local pastries, fresh fruits and Madeira wine were at out disposal.

We paid a daily rate of 900 € for the room including a (delicious) breakfast.

Facilities

As mentioned above, there are wonderful sub-tropical botanical gardens on site, which are great for a stroll. Regarding lounging by the water, there are two heated pools, one with seawater, the other with freshwater.

Alternatively, you can descend the stairs to the sea deck. There is no beach but steps leading straight into the ocean.

In addition, you find two tennis courts, a fitness room and a spa on the premises. We did not use the latter two, so I cannot comment on them. They are not located at the hotel buildings but in a separate one in a secluded corner of the gardens. The spa offers five treatment rooms, a couple’s suite, a solarium and a boutique. For kids, there is a children’s club onsite.

In terms of restaurants, there are four of them.

Restaurants at the Reid’s Palace

The signature restaurant is William, a one-star Michelin dining-spot. On our stay, it was only open on Wednesday evening. Here I enjoyed a tasty five-course tasting menu on one evening.

Then there is Ristorante Villa Cipriani, housed in a neighboring building, where we dined on our first day. We already knew the dining-spot from an earlier visit, quite some years ago. Both times we liked what we got, well-made Italian food with a twist, served in a relaxed ambiance.

The Gastrobar resp. the Terrace is the place to go for small bites in the evening. In the afternoon, you get here the traditional afternoon tea, for which you have to reserve well in advance as it is very popular with outside guests. We did not have dinner here, but once had dessert on the terrace. And of course, I had to try out the fabulous afternoon tea, which delivered what it promised!

If you feel like having a light lunch at the Reid’s Palace in Madeira, then head to the Pool Terrace. We did not eat here either but enjoyed a great breakfast every morning on our five-night stay.

Furthermore, there is also the chance to have a meal at certain locations, outdoors or at the historic Dining Room.

In case you should be interested how to dine in style at (Michelin) restaurants in Funchal, there will be a separate post on my blog in the time to come (including my experiences at the Reid’s Michelin-starred Restaurant William and at Ristorante Villa Cipriani).

Overall

Madeira’s grand old dame, the Reid’s Palace, is still one of the best options to stay in style on the island. If you are into old world charm, then the oldest luxury hotel on the flower island is the place to go. However, be prepared to dig deeper into your pockets for staying at the Reid’s than at other comparable accommodations in Madeira. And you have to be aware of the fact that rooms are more on the charming side than cutting edge. Nonetheless, residing here is quite an experience, immersing in a word long gone. And this without the dust and (mostly) without being stiff or stuffy. It is also a good address for gourmets with one of two Michelin starred establishments on the island.

If you want to know more about dining in style in Funchal, my post after next will go into it. First, I will bring another luxury hotel closer to you, Les Suites at The Cliff Bay, just next door of the Reid’s Palace in Madeira. For an overview of (really) upscale accommodations on this island, I have listed them here. In terms of everything you need to know when thinking about traveling to this island, I have put together all the essentials in a blogpost.

Date of stay: November 2021

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