Hotel Madeira Panorâmico — Hotel in Funchal

Rude employees. Receptionists from night and evening shift were not nice. The employees in the swimming pool were very rude and I saw they often got upset and mad to the guests and they gossip with each other and make jokes about the guests swimming and relaxing around the swimming pool, including body shamming. I speak Portuguese, so I understand what they were talking about. The employees in the canteen were also gossiping about the guests, and the employees taking plates from the tables were also very rude. They had unhappy faces if we used too many plates and cups, the rest of our stay we used only 1 plate and 1 cup. The breakfast has so many breads just as if we all bread lovers and we all only eat bread. It seems as just an easy way to make the buffet tables look full, but do not expect for quality and special food or localities. They have employees making fresh pancakes in the canteen, but pancakes are everywhere to be found so not special Portuguese. The room is small 3mx3m with interior design from 20 years ago. The furnitures are not modern and some need to be replaced. Small TV on the wall and cheap desk and bench. The bathroom is 2mx2m and has interior design from the year 1960-1970, just like in old houses. The hairdryer is even very old. The air-conditioner is perhaps old so it makes noises that distract our sleeps, and yes you need it because of high outside temperature. The floor of the room is cheap so does not feel comfy if you have barefoot. The balcony is small 3mx1m with 1 plastic table and plastic chairs. They clean the room everyday but the the cleaners touch and move your belongings, including your private things. We found even our laptop open although it was off, so the next days we put our laptops in the safe and you have to pay extra charges for using the safe. The lobby is small, so when there are 2 couples doing check in or check out with bags, the lobby and hall is full and you cannot walk easily as you need to pass their bags. The parking lot inside is very small and fits only for 20cars max. The rest of the cars of the guests must be parked on the street which is very steep and hilly, so be careful with your car. The parking lot has also only 5mx5m space for the cars to turn back and the entrace road to the parking lot is also very steep and fit only for 1 car. So if you want to check if there is a parking space for you, you need to pray that there is no other car wanting to turn back our going out. Because of the entrace is very steep, if you walk, you need to have good condition and be sobered, so not comfy for elderly people. People say that the view is great but actually this sea view is common everywhere in funchal city because the city of funchal is on a hill and looks to the shore where the boats park, so many places and houses have the same view. The location is not in the center, you can walk according to the internet, but because the city is on a hill, the streets are very steep, so you need to be young and healthy. The hotel provides a shuttle bus too, but it is not a taxi, so you need to make time appointments and therefore you need to dine in time finish it in time. You can dine in the hotel too, but the food varieties are minimum and all drinks are with extra charge, even no water provided. So no need to book for half or full pension arrangement and we were happy not doing it for our 1 week stay. Overall this is just old hotel with old furnitures so you do not get what you pay here. There are many cheaper accommodations for the same quality and we suggest the hotel management gives routine public relation and hospitality courses to the employees as they seem as they do not know better for being less in...

We have just returned from 10 days at Madeira panoramic. This is a fabulous hotel with amazing views from our sea view room that we paid a little extra for (totally worth it). Although situated a little out of the centre and up a hill (most of Madeira is a hill so is to be expected), there is a free shuttle bus into the town, and 20 min walk to various restaurants and bars if you don't want to venture too far, plus 10 min walk from a satisfactory supermarket. The onsite A La Cart was incredible, we ate there a few times, the presentation and the taste of the food and drinks was excellent. There was one evening where we waited a little longer to be served, but understood they were short staffed and this was soon rectified. We also went to one of the BBQ evenings followed by folklore entertainment which was a great, fun experience. The BBQ was way more than your standard BBQ and so many dishes to try, it was great value and tasty. Breakfast was probably one of the better buffet style breakfasts I've experienced. Good selection of hot and cold foods, and even made fresh omlettes to order with your choice of fillings (no extra charge). The best bit was that I celebrated my birthday and returned to my room after a day trip to a card and bottle of bubbly from the hotel team I thought it was a great touch and I really appreciated the attention to detail of them checking for special occasions when you book without you needing to mention it. Also lots of good facilities you can use, some charged as extra such as massage, tennis etc. The majority of staff were very friendly, some had a really good sense of humour and had us in stitches. They went above and beyond for us and were more than happy to book excursions on our behalf such as boat trips and car hire, even organising for the car to be brought to the hotel to us. The best bit for me was relaxing around the beautiful pool with a cocktail from the pool bar. P.S the pool bar do some of the best toasties I have ever tasted. The only draw back is we couldn't figure out how to use the Aircon and kept the balcony door open, so were woken by noise from the pool in the morning. And I would say the room could do with a little upgrade, especially the bathroom could do with modernising and some tiles regrouting as it looked a little tired. Thank you for making our stay so special, we...

Lovely family run hotel. Mix of people, but mainly middle aged and a few well-behaved children.

Buffet and drinks overpriced. Cocktail bar homely with a small dance floor, funny waiters and live music to cater for all the decades. Did not try a la carte restaurant. Everything else clean, quiet, comfortable and efficient.

Breakfast is great, if you don't think it's a proper full English. Loads of beautiful fresh fruit and freshly baked bread and rolls. Coffee from a machine, not filter coffee..shame! Being able to eat on the terrace in the morning sun made up for that.

Great location, lush vegetation and beautiful views, shuttle bus for five minute ride into town. Madeira is a volcanic island so consists of small terraces on very steep hills. You can watch the goings on in the bay of Funchal from anywhere. There's a lovely public park in the town that is worth a visit. No long, flat, sandy beaches, just pebbles and waves and loads of fish, but it's beautiful. Warm all year round, so shorts and sandals are fine. Just a lovely relaxing place for a holiday

Highlights: indoor and outdoor pool, jacuzzi and lots of sunny terraces, the kind and smiley little shuttle-bus driver and the cheery egg chef at breakfast. If you want a kettle in your room you have to ask and pay 7.50 euros for the week.

Best things to do: the dolphin and whale watching with marine biologist researchers at Ventura on the harbour....amazing! the Galleon sightseeing tour, with a taste of honey cake and Madeira wine. It's a life-size replica of Columbus' Santa Maria, complete with parrot. the little cafe on the harbour at Camara de Lobos fishing village is a 20min bus ride away and does wonderful food. Try the black scabbard fish freshly cooked here. Reasonable price and delicious!

Plenty of beautiful fresh fruit available from local supermarkets dotted all over the place. The bananas, melon and pineapples here are divine.

The TUI trips are more expensive than you can sort out for yourself and the cruise-liners disembark first thing so attractions get busy on a morning in town. Don't get stung by all the stuff aimed at them, especially along the front. And you must try to swim in the sea....