Okulus Madeira

Architecturally interesting house with exceptional views. It is located in an atmospheric part of the old town, right next to a historic cemetery. Service is responsive.The terrace is outstanding - beautiful views of Madeira. All bedrooms are en-suite. However, one of the bedrooms is very tight with space - there is only a tiny gap between the bed and the wall which you have to squeeze through. Very convenient to have a garage but a small car is recommended as the space requires careful manoeuvres.

An unwanted armchair was dumped next to the house. Most neighbouring houses look fine but there are a couple of dilapidated/unoccupied properties nearby. Buses and cars pass right outside the house, separated only by a narrow pedestrian walkway. There were quite a few moths inside the house but this is likely to be a seasonal problem.

This property is amazing! It’s close to eateries and town and the views are outstanding!

Nothing negative

We loved everything about Okulus! It was the perfect setting for a special birthday - with a very special view. The host was generous & the drivers were wonderful. Easy walking distance to the town (but up a hill!)

We said that if we went again then we wouldn't pay extra to heat the pool. Its quite small & could easily have been a chilly plunge pool.

The layout of the house and excellent views

If you are renting a car, keep in mind that the garage is small

The Villa was stunning; beautifully designed and equipped inside and positioned in a spectacular position in Funchal overlooking the harbour. We loved watching the cruise ships come and go.

Nothing

We were a group of friends visiting for a long weekend for a special birthday celebration. So we wanted a luxury escape and as we all love the sea and interior design the house fitted our brief. When we arrived we were blown away by the curved windows in the living/ kitchen area looking directly at the sea and Funchal and the interior design of the house. We were also pleasantly surprised by the food welcome pack that included everything we needed for breakfast for 2 days plus wine. The bedrooms and bathrooms were as beautiful as the photos all with sea views and it was easy to choose a room as they were all so nice. The weather in Funchal was only 18 degrees but the terrace was a real suntrap. We were glad we paid to heat the pool as we go hot enough sunbathing to need a cooling dip. Santa Maria where the house is located is near a bar that has some great live music at weekends and a 10 min walk to the old town where we had the most amazing food. We want to come back already !

I really couldn't find any negatives, if you were staying for longer you might want more hanging or drawer space for clothes.

This is a stunning villa. Beautifully presented in a great location with wonderful views. Well equipped too. It looks really nice in the photos but they don't do it justice. 10 mins walk into the old town and lots of restaurants and bars, 15 mins to key tourist attractions. They also give some good tips and recommendations, including their go to taxi driver Jose who was a star. We really didn't want to leave.

Only criticism was that we couldn't get the pool heated with less than 48 hours notice. This was set out in the email that was sent on booking but that was weeks in advance and I'd forgotten. Given there is no flex in this rule it would be helpful to have a reminder nearer the time. Otherwise comms were good and fortunately weather was pretty good so we braved the pool anyway.