Hyatt Ziva Madeira

The setting is stunning, like the rest of Madeira, and the Kids Club was a real highlight for our family. The team was warm and attentive, and did their best to help our son feel at ease even though he doesn’t speak English. He loved going there and looked forward to it each day. The space is nicely designed, welcoming for children, and full of activities. Our younger daughter is under four and couldn’t stay by herself, but she was able to play there with us and enjoyed it too. It was reassuring to know the kids were in such caring hands, and we’d recommend the club to other families. Everyone we dealt with was kind and helpful. We did have to switch rooms twice in six days, which was a lot to manage with two children, but the staff worked hard to make each move as smooth as possible.

The resort was in great shape after its renovation, and the food and service were impressive for the price. The restaurant booking system worked smoothly and helped keep the dining rooms from getting overwhelmed. We also had a great time with the entertainment team during tile painting, bingo, and soap making. It’s a peaceful place, which is not always what you get at a family resort. I’d rate our stay 4.5 if I could, so it was close to a five. The weaker part was the later entertainment. It felt like the team stopped working after a certain hour and the later activities depended on how much energy the guests brought. At the silent disco, for instance, people ended up sitting at the bar and picking their own music instead of dancing. We’d have liked the staff to keep involving guests through to the end, as they had at other Hyatt Resorts we’ve visited.

The meals were generally good, with a varied breakfast, and we tried carvao, sabor, and the French brasserie. But the restaurants don’t all open every night, and you can’t make your own bookings days ahead. I had to set an alarm for 8:30am to get a table at sabor. Thanks especially to the Carvao and The Brasserie teams. The foreign staff were the ones who smiled and seemed to care about guests, and they worked hard to help us. I wish the Portuguese staff had more training in being friendly. The building and room were great overall, and our room was spacious and clean. The door insulation was the problem: it connected to the next room, and for the one night we had neighbors we could hear their music, talking, and shower. We were surprised to find parking cost an extra 10€ a day. At an all-inclusive five-star hotel in an isolated location, we hadn’t expected an additional charge for parking our rental car. Check-in was rushed and came with little information about things like breakfast hours or where facilities were. Check-out took two minutes, with no final bill for the extra charges and no one asking how the stay had been.

There are lots of loungers and Balinese beds by the pools and the pebble beach, and the staff were attentive throughout. The rooms are comfortable, though getting around means some walking up and down slopes. We waited a few days for a maintenance problem in the room to be fixed, and on checkout day the cleaners kept entering from 10am even though checkout was at noon. The hotel is about a 15-minute drive from the airport and has plenty of paid parking. All five à la carte restaurants are included in the all-inclusive option. There isn’t a properly heated outdoor pool, though the spa has an indoor one for an extra charge. I’d recommend the place and would stay again.