Quinta Bela São Tiago

Quinta Bela São Tiago

Quinta Bela São Tiago A Sea View Room View from a balcony over the pool to the harbour The hotel's pretty gardens Example guestroom The reception and lobby Breakfast on the terrace The hotel stands just behind the São Tiago fortress View across the pool to the banana plantation

Quinta Bela São Tiago

Madeira and Porto Santo › Funchal & South-East Madeira › Funchal

Situated in Funchal's Old Town, this attractively restored and extended manor house has been turned into one of the island's most appealing hotels.

Until recent years there were no hotels of quality to be found outside the 'Lido' area of Funchal but Quinta Bela São Tiago was the first to correct this oversight. Set to the east of the bay above the cobbled streets of the old town it was imaginatively converted from a 19th century manor house, the former home of a wealthy local family, and has retained the air of privilege along with part of the original banana plantation.

With the addition of a sympathetic extension it now has 60 guests rooms, most with a covered balcony looking out over the pristine pool and the bananas, past the church spire and rooftops below to the whole sweep of Funchal's bay. As one would expect, each of the air-conditioned rooms has a telephone, cable television, minibar and safe and the marble bathrooms come complete with fluffy bathrobes and hairdryers.

The public rooms are all elegantly furnished with pale polished beechwood floors creating a light and stylish effect whilst the chequered paving and wicker furniture of the upper terrace is reminiscent of colonial days. In the mornings, a full buffet breakfast is laid out in the Winter Garden area which opens onto a large terrace above the pool. In the afternoon, Madeiran ladies often gather here to take tea and in the evenings guests can enjoy an aperitif in the intimate bar.

Days can easily be spent lounging around the pool or reading in the shade of the banana and papaya plants. For a little variety a five-minute stroll downhill will take you to the heart of the old town and the seafront promenade, whilst the colourful covered market, the beginning of Funchal's main shopping street and the city's old Cathedral are just a few minutes further and easily reached on foot. The Quinta's original formal dining room is now the hotel's delightful restaurant but on evenings when something simpler appeals there are plenty of small, atmospheric restaurants in the narrow streets and small square of the old town. However, you may well choose to return to the hotel for coffee and liqueurs on the terrace, in order to savour the lovely night-time views over the bay of Funchal, an especially good spot for watching the New Year and June fireworks.

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