Villa Camelia

Maria took such good care of us, and Berta made nice things for breakfast. The people are the best part of this guest house. A lot of work has gone into renovating the building. There are still some things that would make the stay more comfortable: the front door lock needs attention, since other guests asked us for help getting in; the room was cold and a little damp, with no temperature control; and the shower drained poorly even after someone checked it. Also, the glass sliding shower door doesn’t close, so there’s very little privacy.

The building is old and attractive, with thoughtful decor, and the rooms looked new and clean. The location worked well for us, with Funchal and the start of the PR1 hike both a short trip away. There’s also a good restaurant at the nearby gas station. We had room 6, the smallest of the four places we stayed in Madeira, and the bed was quite narrow. There didn’t seem to be anyone at the hotel during our stay, even when we rang the service bell. And if you’re uneasy about cameras, be aware there are security cameras everywhere. Big Brother is watching.

The garden is spacious and lovely, and breakfast was wonderful with lots of options. We also appreciated how quickly the owner dealt with the TV problem in the end: after it still hadn’t been fixed the next day, and the cleaning lady couldn’t get it working, he came over, understood the issue, and bought a replacement TV that worked well. We didn’t accept the wine she offered, since it had been raining for days and we still wanted to use the TV. We spent four nights here with my husband. I’d describe the place as a shared villa more than a boutique hotel, since there isn’t really hotel service. On arrival, only the cleaning lady greeted us. She was very kind, though she didn’t speak much English. We got the impression that too many duties were left to her, even though she wasn’t equipped to provide all the service you’d expect from a hotel. The decor is authentic, but the rooms aren’t well insulated, and cameras are everywhere in the shared areas. It’s in a suburban area without much to do nearby. We found one very good local restaurant, but that was the only place to go out. Our room’s TV didn’t work at first; staff said it would be fixed by the next day, but it wasn’t.

We felt at home while still feeling like we were on holiday. Andre looked after us like a big brother, and Berta and Maria took care of us like aunties. We’re so grateful for this lovely stay and will definitely come back. Aurelie & Lynn