Muthu Raga Madeira Hotel

There were some thoughtful surprises, including a complimentary bottle of wine on my birthday, which shows they check passports, and a glass of Madeira wine with a slice of Madeira cake before checkout. I enjoyed my stay at the Muthu hotel. The staff were very friendly and helpful, the room was modern enough for this class of hotel, and the breakfast buffet was excellent, even for a vegan. If I'm ever in Funchal again, I'll definitely stay there.

The views of the Atlantic are stunning from this hotel on a hill in the Lido area, especially from the Mezzanine floor overlooking the pool. My apartment was reasonably priced, nicely decorated with artwork above the TV and feature walls in a rouge pain effect, and had a small balcony with a mountain View. A mini fridge was a welcome extra, though it defrosts, including the ice box, when you remove the key card from the wall control panel. There may be construction around the mountain View rooms from about 9am onwards, but it didn't affect my stay much. It would have helped to list the available TV channels in the Guest book, including English-speaking ones. There was no kettle or cups in the room. I asked Reception twice for a kettle, and Innes, the young lady receptionist, said she'd get me one, but it never arrived. I eventually got one from a cleaner after spotting a spare on their trolley. That felt inconsiderate. I also asked Reception about using a PC for internet access, since WiFi doesn't always work for tasks I'd rather do on a computer than a phone. Nobody could suggest a place. Tourists can use free PCs at the Funchal Municipal library, where I went during my stay, and Reception should know that. There was no iron or ironing board in the room, despite this being a 4 star hotel. Reception said hiring an iron cost 5 euros, with a 45 Euro deposit. I was flabbergasted. The 5 euros is minor, but I would expect an iron to be free, and a 45 euro deposit is more than the roughly 30 euro replacement cost. On my last day, I had cardboard and plastic to recycle. Madeira is beautiful and tidy, and the city centre has recycling facilities, so I expected the hotel to have a proper sustainability policy for guests' cardboard and plastic. Nothing was mentioned in the guest book. When I asked Reception that morning, the receptionist had no clue and seemed ignorant of green issues. For these reasons, I won't stay here again.

The bar and restaurant staff were lovely, and the rooms were comfortable and clean. Still, the dated rooms had dingy bathrooms, and the walls were so thin we could clearly hear our neighbours' conversations. Breakfast was generally bad, and this felt a long way from 4 star, even if it's kind of OK for an easyjet package holiday. Reception staff seemed disengaged and unhelpful. They looked shocked when we asked for a plug so we could have a bath, and the younger woman in particular was aloof and unfriendly, as if she thought we were lucky to be staying there. I suppose you get what you pay for, and it's reasonable value for money all things considered, but I wouldn't rush back.

Housekeeping serviced our room every day, and we had a comfortable bed, a bath, and a small fridge. Raga has a good heart and hard-working people. It's good value for money, with nice lounge areas to sit and relax. The pool is cold, but showering first helps cool your skin. Car parking is free when available, on a first-come basis, which is a bonus. The aircon wasn't working right and would be challenging in summer. We looked up the error code online and think it needs more coolant. I found the evening door banging and crashing noisy, and the sound carried. There are new buildings going up nearby, so expect drilling from cranes during working hours too. Closing the double-glazed balcony door helped cut that noise. I'd suggest a high floor for a nicer view than a low one.