THERE CAN be few times that you ask a four-year-old what their favourite thing about a holiday was and they say ‘the hotel’, but this is precisely what my son said as we (with heavy hearts) said goodbye to Madeira, and I have to concur. The Savoy Palace is a flawless experience and could easily be described as a 6-star hotel.
The hotel boasts an endless array of bedazzling features, including an enormous number of pools. There is a kids pool, an indoor pool, a spa pool, two rooftop infinity pools and the piéce de resistance – a lagoon-like central pool spanning the entire length of the hotel (the island’s largest) and lined with towering palm trees.
The variety doesn’t end there – the hotel has even more dining options than pools. Pau de Lume was our particular favourite with its stylish, fresh interior and focus on typical Madeiran dishes. We also loved Alameda with its delicious Mediterranean cuisine and relaxed atmosphere next to the pool, and Orchidaceae for its staggeringly varied buffet breakfasts and dinners.
There are also fine dining options such as the cosmic-inspired Galaxia with views of the city’s skyline at night, or for a more casual option there is divine stone-baked pizza served poolside. This is by no means an exhaustive list, there are even more dining options and even a gelateria with house-made ice cream!
Swimming pool
Hotel reception
The suites are cleverly designed to accommodate families and give parents their ‘me time’ – with very generous-sized rooms able to be split into two by sliding doors creating two separate bedrooms.
Guests who book suites are automatically given the ‘premium experience’ which includes valet parking, daily treats in the room, access to intimate rooftop dining and VIP infinity pool, and 24-hour Whatsapp access to a dedicated concierge team.
Between the outstanding hospitality from the staff, the exceptional spa treatments, the amazing food, the beautiful rooms and the exceptional provisions for children, it would be impossible to pick the best thing about this hotel. Simply know that any stay in beautiful Madeira will be enormously accentuated by choosing this hotel.
by Nicola Kavanagh
Room rates start from €195 per night savoysignature.com