More about Pestana Carlton Madeira
Don't pass this wonderful place, go there!
by TripAdvisor Member Olga444
Dear travellers,
Not long ago I was staying in Pestana Carlton Madeira hotel in Madeira, Portugal. The hotel is fantastic: the location is perfect - on the ocean and very close to Funchal, the capital of Madeira, the rooms are very cosy and comfortable, the staff is freindly, helpful and efficient, there are a lot of flowers everywhere, so everything is fantastic. I usually don't go to the same place twice but I was in this hotel half a year ago and I was really looking forward to return to it again which I actually did. The island itself is also fantastic, it is so different and you don't know which part is better but one thing unites all these parts - flowers, flowers are everywhere and they are so beautiful! There are wonderful parks here which simply captivated me. I had different trips along levadas which are wonderful walking tours. I had sailing trips which were also very nice. A special theme is food - it is very natural and tasty, fruit is sweet and juicy. The climate is another plus - you'll find eterntal spring there. So I'm so full of wonderful impressions that I couldn't but share them with you. I love this place.
Olga
dosen't quite make it
by TripAdvisor Member nekia
Selected hotel as a five star adjacent to Reids . Madeira a wonderfull island to visit , however Pestana Carlton fell someway short of expectaions.Junior Suite had no air conditioning for four days - no alternatives or solutions offered.Amenities excellent but buffet meals quite average.Breakfast offers no alternative to an average buffet breakfast.Staff not always aware of what the hotel has on offer,whilst everyone seems keen to push the timeshare schemes the Pestana group has on offer.
On the whole an excelent week but the hotel should be rated as a good four star .
My Wife And I Were Treated Like Royalty
by TripAdvisor Member roger25
Exchanging our timeshare to visit Maderia was the best exchange yet and we cannont wait to visit this splendid hotel again on 6th November 2006. The staff were wonderful the complex and hotel facilities were higher than first class. We are sure to visit the Carlton Madeira for many years to come. You cannot beat perfection.
Bad start to the day
by TripAdvisor Member johnoscar
Our room was excellent. Pool and sea view. Everything worked. Large terrace with two good sunbeds, footstools and a table. Bathroom with separate toilet. The only downside was the breakfast (buffet style) which was far short of a five star hotel. Regardless of what time we ate (i.e. beginning or end of breakfast time) the cooked breakfast was never hot. The bacon was always in an unpleasant heap either under or overcooked but always cold or barely warm, likewise the eggs fried and scrambled.
The Good and the Bad and also a bitt Ugly
by TripAdvisor Member Dutchvegas
The room we had was nice and roomy. We had a pool view room and sea view, which are the rooms down by the pool with the oversized patio`s with two sunbeds and footstools. The balcony`s in the main tower are small, really small. Like sitting in a plane. The room has a really nice bathroom, its 5 star al the way. But the living part is nice but thats it. The beds are the most uncomfortable I have ever had in a hotel. But I know thats my personal opinion. The are just rock hard thats not my thing.
To be honest the Hotel did not live up to my expectations. They have al the 5 star facilities but they do not have a five star feel to it. The outside of the building ( build in 1972) looks like a prison and it shows age. But thats in my opinion everything in Madeira. Al the Hotels on the Lido area look like they been in service since the seventies. The hotel staff is there but they do not seem to bother about you as a guest even when you tip them or when you are friendly, a smile is hard to come by. But maybe thats their culture I don`t know. Its not like they are not kind to you, its just they are present and do what you ask but thats it.
Certain areas of the hotel give you a feeling that you stepped back in time to a cheesy seventies movie, at least the decor.
The pool in the garden is nice, lotts of beds and a poolbar, with towels for free but an umbrella you have to pay for. ( 5 star ???)
The atlantic pool down by the ocean is just a square pool but the beds are plenty again and also a poolbar. There you have acces to the ocean for some diving and swimming. Only the last two days the wind blew very hard and the ocean acces was closed.
To be honest we did like our one week holiday here but its not the hotel i expected, they really aren`t 5 star al the way.
The guests are mostly in their late 50 or 60 . So don`t expect a lott of noise or party atmosphere. After 9 PM the hotel goes dark, and I mean dark, al the outside lights go out.
The buffet for breakfast is good, the food choices are plenty. We ate one time at their evening buffet, italian evening, which was also very good.
The PUB restaurant we also ate once , and its a nice place to have drink and a bite to eat. Not so many choices but enough.
My wive liked the fact that they have between five and six a violin player in the bar with live music. It was indeed a gifted player.
To sum it up. Madeira is a nice place to visit, but for us a bitt to outdated. The Hotel itself is nice but when you book and expect it to be a gem and a real 5 star property ... no...
But its not bad either.
Lovely Hotel
by TripAdvisor Member MrsMessy
We have just had a fantastic week at this hotel and it's all you would expect from a five star hotel. Our room had a sea view and overlooked the pool with an enclosed balcony so you could sit out even when it rained (which it unfortunately did!). The room was modern with a leather sofa, desk, two single beds put together (very comfortable) and mini bar. The ensuite bathroom had a bath and shower with a massage shower head (lovely!), lots of free toiletries, hairdryer, shaving point and two large mirrors one of which had individual lights.
We had breakfast included which was a very lavish buffet style, even including a glass of champagne if you wished! The facilities were excellent - three pools, one which was indoors with a super jacuzzi plus mini golf, tennis courts, games room and a wide range of shops.
The only problem we had during our stay was with our television and we told reception who sent an electrician immediately and this was 9pm at night! We used room service for meals twice who were excellent and the food was presented beautifully. We also ate a meal in the hotel's Os Arcos restaurant which was an international buffet - very good, especially the wide choice of desserts. I am a vegetarian and the hotel cooked me special meals and were very accomodating.
The only negative was the hotel provided tea and coffee making facilities but this was only a welcome courtesy and you had to pay for extra supplies. We had a super week and would definitely stay there again. We would also recommend the jeep safari tour (we went offroading!) and afternoon tea at Reid's Hotel. The cable car to Monte was fantastic but the toboggan ride back was a bit disappointing. We also found that there were lots of annoying tour guides pedalling their wares along the harbour, you have to keep saying no and walk past them.
Great New Year at the Carlton
by A TripAdvisor Member
We spent a week over the New Year 07 at the Carlton. It is a very good hotel with friendly, helpful staff, situated close to Reids but within walking distance from Funchal centre. Our sea view room was modern with LCD TV and comfortable beds. The New Year's eve festivities were pricy but enjoyable - a lavish buffet with free drinks, amazing views of the fireworks from the 18th floor roof and a good disco to follow. We stayed B&B, and there are a number of excellent nearby restaurants. The hotel has a good health club, with great massages, indoor pool, jacuzzi and sauna. It also has plenty of space around the outdoor pool, which has great views too. There are two bars: a pub and a comfortable lounge with music. We enjoyed a tour of the west of the island with Strawberry Island tours - check their website - who ae much better value (and friendlier) than others. We would certainly recommend the Carlton as a good place to stay.
Nearer 4 star than 5
by TripAdvisor Member OldWilly
Good rooms, good location but a few quirks. First hotel I remember that doesn't give you soap.
You must go for the sea view rooms as the other side is on a busy, noisy road and the side rooms also get the road noise.
Only one restaurant for breakfast and one for dinner. Food not bad but a limited, expensive menu in the Taverna. Better to eat across the road in the Chalet restaurant or the Red Lion.
You can eat in the hotel pub, if you don't mind wide screen football and Abba. Service not good in the Taverna bar, nor the pub.
Hotel for seniors
by TripAdvisor Member mala77
Firstly I would like to say that we stayed there at Christmas and Funchal is the most beautiful at this time...never seen so many christmas lights in my life...apparently firework display on New Yers Eve is also funtastic but we have't stayed there that long.
The hotel itself is very nice, food in restaurant avarage so the breakfast....not so good for 5 star hotel. Rooms clean and comfortable, there was just one small bar open at the time plus there is a nice pub just next to the hotel, and an evening entertiment was nice. I will deffinetely recomend this hotel for a seniors as there was not a lot of young people staying there...if you are before your 50...choose a different place to stay :-). The highlight of the holiday was a curry house just next to the hotel....funtastic food highly recommend that.
This Hotel Will Take Some Beating
by TripAdvisor Member robinBerkshire
Having worked for my national airline I have stayed in very many hotels around the world, and have never writen about any of them.
But I have to say that the MADERIA CARLTON IN FUNCHAL is the best I have stayed in. On our arrivel we were met at the door and taken to reception, regestered with them and escorted to our room, we had requested a high floor away from any noise we were given 1531 which was large with seperate bathroom shower and toilet in very clean conditon and sea view.
We had booked bed& breakfast but after trying the local eating places
we decided to try the hotel. the food was so well cooked and served and as much as you wanted to eat we did not go any where else.
I must mention the Head waiter mr Melim Arios (hope I spelt it right)
for the excellent runing of his staff all were 1st class and for his approach to guests, the pool was large and spotless with plenty of sun beds an the meals served at the pool were very good.
Due to a death in the family we had to cut our holiday short and return to England early I must thank Miss Sofia Fernades at recepiton
for helping us to arrange tickets and transport to the airport she saved us a lot of work.
In all this hotel is rated 5 star which it lives up to and more and when I next go on holiday I will look for the name Pestana before any
others.
Sign in with Facebook
