Funchal Apartments - City View — Hotel in Funchal

RE: Apartementos Funchal by Petit Hotels, Apartment 001 - ground floor studio

This apartment has NO ventilation. It has a window and a patio door that open to an enclosed terrace. The terrace is walled in with a plexi-glass ceiling. There is a narrow strip at one end with slats that is presumably the “ventilation” but no air flows through this strip. We know this because it would vent into the alleyway where the garbage room and an adjacent restaurant would bring in smells. The smells in the apartment are of sewage (not uncommon in old cities) and the cooking smells of the building.

We had a very late keyless check-in. The night air in Funchal was beautiful, probably 17C. We got into our apartment and the air was so stuffy and hot even though the window to the terrace had been left wide open for us. That’s because there is NO ventilation, NO air movement. We had a rough night, with the little oscillating fan moving around the stale air. In the morning, Veronica greeted us. She acted as though this is to be expected in a ground floor studio apartment. No - we’ve stayed in ground floor rooms. They’ve all had operating windows or terraces that were not enclosed by plexiglass. We would not sign contract until we were moved or had some solution. There was not another apartment for us, but she did bring us a portable air conditioner. Initially she was going to charge us an additional 7.50 Euros/day for it. But we told her breathing isn’t really an optional feature in a room so she waived the cost.

When I looked back in the Booking.com reviews, this room in particular has been referenced since at least September of 2021. Many people forfeited deposits and left for other accommodations. If that had been possible for us we would have done the same.

Portuguese laws around short term rentals suggest that properties need to have at least one window or balcony to allow proper ventilation. The narrow strip in the photos does not qualify as “proper ventilation”.

The Petit Hotels Mission Statement: Staying with us at our hotels, feels like resting under a tree in Madeira ... there is nothing more welcoming...  Apparently management needs to try sleeping in Room 001 at Funchal Apartments.

I have been happy in my dealings with booking.com to date. I find most properties are represented accurately and the platform makes it easy to arrange travel. This experience has taught me to look at all reviews, and sort from worst to best - unlike the way your logarithm pushes out only positive statements. That’s on me. However, this property, this room, has been a historic problem. It does not meet code. It is a violation of health and safety. It is shameful that nothing has been done to remove it from your rotation.

Attached find photos of our air conditioner - note that it is not an ideal fix; the plexi-glass covered terrace; and the strip that acts as the sole “ventilation” for...

I would give zero stars if it was an option. +) Nice location, directly at a shopping street.

-) The photos on booking.com and the adress are NOT right. Slept in the same street but another building. None of the pictures on booking.com represented the place I suddenly actually stayed at.

-) Don't know when the last time was these hostel rooms were cleaned because there was mold in the bathroom, dirt on the floor, the fridge smelled etc.

-) I had flea bites all over my body (!) and immediately tried to find another place to stay at.

-) Another girls key didn't even work on the dorm door to open it.

Every other person I met there came in, looked at the rooms and immediately tried to get another hostel or hotel to stay at because the hygiene was just so bad. Most of them (me and another girl included) left after 2 nights when something else in Funchal was finally available. Leaving sooner was not possible because pretty much everything in Funchal was full.

To come to an end: Made a complaint at booking.com how a hostel like this is even allowed on their app. They said they would take a closer look at it.

DON'T stay here! Worst place...

Is this the nicest, fanciest place you’ll ever stay, no it is not. Is it a cesspool where you’ll catch a disease like some of the reviews suggest – absolutely not. It’s simple lodgings, with OK beds (fresh linen is included), small but functional bathrooms and, although our first impression arriving mid-day was that it’s a cooker, actually airy enough to sleep comfortably. The kitchen is skimpy, with only the most basic supplies (microwave, kettle, barely cold fridge) but workable. The location could not be better for going out or commuting. They respond quickly to the messages. Essentially, if surrounded by good roommates (which I was lucky enough to get), it does the job – gives you a place to rest at a fraction of the price any other establishment on the...