Pestana Miramar Garden & Ocean Resort

We really enjoyed our stay at Pestana Village. The atmosphere was peaceful and welcoming. We would love to come back again and hopefully find the gym with new machines and some refreshed touches in the hotel.

Ivan the barman and Brahman Jahedur Rahman were absolutely amazing! It was such a joy to watch him mix the cocktails; he never missed a beat and always picked the perfect combination of alcohol and mixers. Tom Cruz, take note!

We used the facilities of Pestana Village and Pestana Miramar when we stayed at Quinta Perestrello. When we want a more calm and relaxing atmosphere we would stay at Quinta. Or more social then we enjoyed the indoor pool and sport activities at Miramar. Very good stay. Reception staff is very professional and welcoming. Thank you

Lovely hotel with lots of facilities for couples and families alike. Staff are great, in particular, Khan on the bar was lovely. He remembered our drinks after a couple of nights and was professional but friendly, making our nightly visits to the bar very enjoyable.

Wonderfully served by Khan in the bars / restaurants. Always smiling and lovely service. Beautiful hotel. Will be back.

The stay was amazing everything went well. Special thanks to Francisco at Reception for helping us with our problems on booking A La Carte Restaurants. An amazing memory on this journey on the beautiful island of Madeira.

After an intense day of travelling, we arrived at the hotel in the early hours of the morning. The reception was open and some cold meals were placed in the room. Although they were nothing special, they were enough to satisfy our hunger. Initially, we didn't like our room, so we changed to another one and the next day we received a card in the room with an apology from Mr. Adelino. It was nice! I'm not saying we'll be back, but we felt at home.

This is a lovely spacious hotel with lots of areas to relax. The staff are very helpful and kind, Fabio on reception was so much fun and very gracious.

We visited the Pestana Miramar in late July, drawn by promises of lush gardens and beautiful planting. The property exceeded our expectations in this regard, though our experience was mixed, although mainly positive overall. We would visit again. *Location and Accessibility* Ideally positioned 20-25 minutes from the airport and a short bus ride to Funchal's center. Perfect for exploring both western and eastern Madeira, with two convenient supermarkets next door. Close enough to access attractions yet far enough for genuine retreat. *Hotel Grounds and Architecture* The grand buildings reflect the property's prestigious history as a former retreat for Portuguese nobility - think Reid's Palace up the road, which once hosted Winston Churchill. Due to this heritage, things can feel dated by modern standards. The grounds, however, are spectacular - extraordinary tropical planting and mature trees are enhanced by Madeira's dramatic mountain backdrop. *Accommodation* Our thoughtfully designed family suite featured a flexible partition between bedroom and living areas, plus independent air conditioning. The spacious bathroom and compact balcony with pool views (complete with cascading bougainvillea) provided comfort, though décor felt dated. Everything was well-maintained and spotlessly clean. *Facilities and Accessibility* The hotel excels in accessibility with efficient lifts serving all levels, well-distributed restrooms, and ample seating throughout. The heated indoor pool, games room with chess set, and pool tables (€8/hour) provide good entertainment options. Given Madeira's volcanic geography - essentially a mountain peak rising from the Atlantic - the hotel's accessibility achievements are remarkable. While some routes (like the lift to the restaurant) require slightly longer walks than stair access, the accommodation of mobility challenges - considering everything is carved out of the mountain - is impressive. *Dining Experience* **Half-Board**: Breakfast impressed with quality offerings including eggs, breads, and abundant fresh fruit. Lunch / snacks by the pool bar was good - not many non-meat options but served the purpose. For lunch / snacks they also have a burger bar. We only had the veggie burger but it was very nice. I was surprised to see no fish burger on the menu, which feels like an oversight. However, dinner proved disappointing - despite Madeira's fishing heritage, the same mixed roast fish preparation on multiple days felt low-effort. Limited choices for those avoiding meat. **A La Carte Excellence**: The on-site Miramar restaurant provided outstanding experiences with a colonial tearoom aesthetic and service quality rivaling high-end establishments like Reid's Palace. *Tip*: Book a la carte dining immediately upon check-in using the screen near reception - popular times fill quickly. *Service Quality* **Areas for Improvement**: Reception service felt inconsistent compared to other properties we've experienced. While one staff member provided excellent assistance with a la carte bookings, overall concierge support was limited. Most concerning was the lack of proactive assistance despite obvious mobility challenges—staff observed me navigating slopes with crutches but didn't signpost the available lift access (which I learned about from a helpful fellow guest). When seeking help with equipment issues, staff seemed inclined toward quick refusals rather than creative solutions. Perhaps we're spoilt, in that other places we have stayed, reception provided amazing concierge services, for standard and non-standard requests. The main aim was to help the guest in whatever way possible. Not so here. Laslty, the absence of porter service surprised us, and given visible mobility challenges, some assistance with luggage navigation would have been appreciated. **The Positive**: Our worries about how we would be treated as a South-Asian heritage, visibly Muslim family proved unfounded. People throughout both the hotel and broader Madeira were consistently welcoming and professional—their straightforward friendliness felt refreshingly genuine. I cannot praise the restaurant waiting staff enough, who deserve particular praise for their exceptional service, especially at the Miramar and bar areas where staff members consistently went above and beyond expectations. They seems genuinely happy to be feeding us! I have a tradition where I treat my daughter to a manicure and / or pedicure whenever we go away. This time was no different but it was the best service we've had of this type. The technician was a lovely, bubbly blonde lady who treated my daughter with such kindness and care it was something else. She chatted naturally and did a wonderful job of the nails. But it was the interaction that really stood out for me. An inherently lovely individual. *Overall Assessment and Recommendation* The Pestana Miramar offers genuine strengths in location, accessibility features, grounds, and a la carte. Being able to book a la carte at the sister hotel was brilliant as well. The property successfully accommodates families and guests with mobility considerations within Madeira's geography. The three pools are great. However, the lack of consistent reception / concierge service and limited dinner options (I feel like they need to really embrace Madeira’s fishing heritage) prevent it from reaching its full potential. For families seeking beautiful surroundings, solid accessibility, and proximity to Funchal, with exceptional a la carte dining experiences, it's a perfect choice - but manage expectations around concierge services and plan for external evening dining options.

Great hotel, superb room and facilities. Dined twice at the hotel restaurant Adeja. First class service and food. Only downside is the internet connection, which constantly drops out.