A&M House

We enjoyed the heated pool and appreciated being able to check out at 11am, later than the usual 10am here. Still, we likely wouldn't have booked if this had been described as a self-catering apartment suited to two people. Alexis had told us the price was for the whole “luxury” property, but we learned on arrival that the quoted price covered only two people. We had to pay the owners another £175 in cash for our daughter. The apartment is on the pool level, with two bedrooms and a kitchenette. The two floors above belong to the owners and aren't accessible, despite what the Google photos might suggest. It has four beds but only one toilet in the single bathroom, which was difficult for our group of four. There's one parking spot, and even our small Renault Clio struggled on the steep downhill slope while leaving room to shut the gate. The garage is for the owners. We know Madeira well and have stayed in Calheta before, a lovely quiet village, so we had other places to compare it with. Construction behind the property is ongoing, with noise and loud music from 8am to 5:30pm, Monday through Saturday. Next door are 16 chickens, including three roosters that crow from about 5:30 to 7:30 each morning. Bring earplugs. Hot water takes about 90 seconds to come through. They left only two toilet rolls for the week, but gave us more after we asked. No shower toiletries are supplied, and there was no midweek change of sheets or towels, so make them last. Ten minutes before our 11am departure, all the power was cut, leaving us to pack in the dark.

Madeira was a great place to unwind, and I'd definitely recommend staying here for a relaxed break. You'll need to rent a car, though.

The hill is quite a challenge, though there's a lovely little pizzeria and café within walking distance, even with kids. Alexis kept in touch regularly before we arrived, and our late arrival after an airport delay was no problem. A late checkout was possible too, which was great. We've rented holiday places all over Europe, and this apartment, its pool and the view are among the best we've had. They look just as good as the photos. No complaints at all.

The views were fantastic, and having a private pool and parking off the road was great. Everything was super clean and well equipped. The owner and family were modern and very, very helpful!