Villa - Quinta de Santa Luzia

The location is stunning, and we had an amazing stay. The rooms really need fans, though, and the kitchen was very poorly stocked, so bring your own serving utensils if you can. It feels like the place needs a bit more investment to make it more modern and functional.

The gardens are lovely, and the house itself is great. The pool is nice too.

We came for my sister’s wedding, and the place made a lovely setting for it. It felt warm and cosy, and everything seemed to fit together really well. We were too late to book a room, but got to look around. The pool and tennis court were great extras. Just watch out for that hill! Walking up to the Quinta reminded me why I joined the navy, no mountains for me. I’d get a car or taxi.

Andrew made the week even easier, helping with taxis, restaurant suggestions for traditional dinners, and arranging an excursion. He even brought my mum’s iPad and Kindle back after she left them behind. He was a fantastic help throughout. We spent a week at the main house with three families, 16 of us, ranging in age from 11 to 85. There was plenty of room for everyone in the beautiful, spacious house. The ocean and harbour views were stunning, and the gardens were lovely. We made good use of the piano and pool table, and enjoyed the big library of novels and books about Madeira. Everyone also swam in the large, clean infinity pool overlooking the garden. I couldn’t smell chlorine, though I don’t know how they manage that. It was a fantastic week.