Golden Residence Hotel

The front terrace is gorgeous, with fabulous views, sunsets, and a peaceful feel. The outside area and restaurant are lovely too, and the pool gets afternoon sun. I imagine it could get very busy in summer. We didn't use the indoor pool area because it felt dark and claustrophobic. Our room was very basic, just a bed, table, and bathroom, with no pictures or cushions to make it feel homely. Still, the whole place was very clean. There are lots of rules about returning towels and robes and not taking restaurant food to the bedroom, with hefty fines for breaking them. The staff were lovely, though most seemed to be German and didn't speak Portuguese (?). The bed was very firm, but they kindly added a mattress topper when I asked. There aren't any double beds, but they can arrange the twin beds as a double if you ask.

The breakfast was a highlight, with a full English plus cereal, pastries, cheese and coffee. It got busy quickly, so going early helped. Food and service were both really good. We were visiting the island for an athletics competition and stayed in building C by the pool, so this is just based on what we experienced there. Our room and bathroom were clean and roomy. The beds felt a bit hard for us, though it wasn't a major problem. We ate out each evening because the hotel restaurant seemed a little expensive, and found some excellent local places instead. We hired a car and were told by staff about free parking between the hotel's two buildings. We found a spot each time, which saved us money. A couple of nights, though, the bar service was very slow. Waiting 15 minutes just to order a beer before dinner was too long. Still, we had a wonderful stay.

Breakfast was great, and the staff were lovely. The outdoor spaces are also a real draw, with beautiful coastal views from the garden and pool area. We couldn't use the outdoor pool because of the strong winds, which was a shame. The bar and restaurant are very nice, though quiet for much of the day. The rooms were clean but felt quite basic and low quality for a four-star hotel, and could use some renovation to bring them up to the standard of the rest of the property. Soundproofing was poor, so wind and sea noise made it hard to sleep at times. The indoor pool and spa were easy to access, but also need updating, and the hot tub wasn't warm enough. It's a nice hotel in a lovely spot, but some areas need investment. Next time I'd probably choose somewhere closer to central Funchal. This was my first visit to Madeira, and it's a beautiful island.

There were ants all over both of the rooms we used. The bath area also felt unclean and not comfortable. The hotel sits in a marvelous spot by the sea, and the garden has a huge sea view. It's a nice place for breakfast, which was full of flavor and well prepared. Some rooms have lovely sea views, though in other rooms the view is less clear. The balcony doors in our room wouldn't close properly, or at all, which felt like a security issue. The location is fine, and public transport to Funchal works well.