Garajau House - Sunrise to Sunset Ocean View Villa

We liked everything: location, proximity to great restaurants, stores, best frutaria, 10 min drive from Funchal and to sandy Machico beach, quiet neighborhood, amazing view from two large balconies, where we had a coffee on the morning and watched the moon falling in the ocean at night, comfortable beds, all you might need in the house is there and great host! Also, Alex's mom Eva is a super sweet woman who wants you to be comfortable and happy, and if you ever need anything, she leaves very close and can help right away. I had a birthday while we were there and Eva left me a little birthday cake, such a sweet surprise. Also, we appreciated the wine and fruits she greeted us with at check-in, and we were able to leave our luggage before check-in as well, which was very convenient. And, as a cat/dog owners we were happy to feed on premise cats: Missy, Stripy and Boss (we named them except Missy-:), they're fun trio. We had a great time at Alex's house and hope it will be available for our next trip to Madeira! Thanks, Alex!

Nothing really

Alex and Eva were so helpful. Alex gave us restaurants recommendations that were amazing and helped us with finding a driver to pico arruiero hike. I had my birthday while we were in the house and Eva came and brought us a bottle of wine. The house is big and fully equipped and very comfortable. Definitely recommended.

The Alex'm mum was such a pleasant woman, who helped us will all the questions and even brought some fruits from her garden.

Everything was excellent!

The place was very clean, bright, and seemed to have recently been done out - new kitchen and appliances, freshly painted, and bathrooms were sparkling. I loved the decor, well placed rugs to minimise echo, beautiful full length curtains framing windows and lampshades all matched in to make it look tasteful and comfortable. It was well kitted out with everything you could possibly need - there were complimentary cleaning and washing detergents available which was a nice touch. Similarly, there were basics like oil and salt available to use. The mugs were a good size for morning coffee (we've been forced to purchase our own on occasion, when renting similar, so this is something I'm particularly glad to see!). We stayed as 4 adults and 2 children, the rooms were a nice size and the beds comfortable. The location is exactly where we had hoped it would be - we were specifically looking for this town as we knew the area well. The views over Christo Rei were stunning and although the sun didn't reach the balcony until midday, it was pleasant to sit out at all times. The local bakery cafe Ravioli is about a 5 minute walk for delicious cakes, easy snacks like toasties and tasty coffee, and a shop for all your self-catering needs. The local restaurants are ok, we found Neptuno the best, for local simple food. I recommend trying the scabbard out here, a locally caught fish which is similar in taste and texture to haddock. We also enjoyed the Traineira Grill steak house for grilled meats, the chicken kebab and the Tomahawk steak were beautiful. For anything fancier though, you need to grab a bolt (taxi) to Funchal or Canico. It is walking distance to the Christo Rei statue and to Garagau beach, accessible by cable car. There you will find sun loungers for rent at €3 each per day and a friendly picturesque beach bar serving nice food and big smiles. An excellent day out if the weather is mild and the sea is calm. A special mention goes to our host and his mum.

The only thing I'd liked to have seen was better outside seating on the balconies. The plastic chairs were fine but the table was quite rusted over. There was also very little sound insulation between the main bedroom joining walls (through the built in wardrobes) so we could hear our parents talking. My only other notes of caution are out of my host's control. There are many dog owners around the locality and the dogs like to talk loudly to each other from the balconies. It can get a bit noisy if you're not used to it. Also, be warned that everywhere you walk will either be up or down hill, there are very few flat streets and walking around can knock the stuffing out of you. For the very local shops, walk steadily and take your time. Everywhere else, download the bolt app (a bit like Uber) and take a taxi. We walked all the way into Funchal and it is not recommended - there are barely any paths, it's hard going on your legs and cars are driven like they're stolen everywhere. It's just not worth it.

Nearby is a great bakery and a fantastic restaurant at Antonio's