Vila Vicencia

This was a great find. Quiet, clean and friendly staff. Ample selection for breakfast and an honest bar serving beer, wine, spirits, tea and coffee. 35min walk to Funchal and 10 min walk to the public Lido. Bus stop is at the bottom of the hill where you can take the 01 or 02 into Funchal. If taking any tours would recommend Lido-Tours, bottom of the hill and turn right.

We booked through TUI small & friendly section. The property is at the near end of a road tucked away behind a gate that opens to a lovely Vila which I believe is family owned. It’s gardens are beautiful and it has a small pool and areas to sunbathe with loungers and two other Vila’s that also use the facilities. There’s is the main into Funchal road that runs in front of one of the other Vila’s but ours the main one was pretty quiet. We had room 24 which was a twin bedded suite with very traditional furniture in the bedroom and into a very modern lounge & bathroom with the biggest balcony I think there. 2 sun loungers a table & 2, chairs giving afternoon sun. Apart from a creaky bed the room was spacious and kept cool with air con and we had a fridge too. Safes are €5 a week so a fair price. The breakfast was very good lots of cold treats & hot food each day that varies. Lots of lovely breads & always a homemade cake to taste & fresh fruit. Hots drink are free flowing at breakfast but you have to pay for them if you want them any other time. The honesty bar is a good idea, just fill in a tab and settle at end of stay. The house keeping was excellent and the staff were very friendly and would help you out with anything you needed. Outside patio to sit & eat or drink & the breakfast room are very spacious. There was a mixture of ages of people staying here from young teenagers to older people & couples. Just next door is a nice restaurant offering set menus at a very good price. We ate there one evening when we didn’t want to venture far and had a lovely meal. A Maderia wine free on entry and a Choice of aperitif at the end is a nice touch. The walk into Funchal is around 25-40 mins depending on how quick you walk it was a nice walk past all the luxury hotels and beautiful sea scenery. A bus stop is just round the corner for people who want to use it. We usually got it back. Lots of restaurants, bars, shops on your doorstep. The lido is just down the hill which is a amazing place to spend the day €5 + extra for a bed & umbrella. Big super market there too which sold everything you would need. I would recommend this Vila and quite happily stay here again if I wanted just breakfast board. The island is a fantastic place with so much history and amazing walks and so many villages to visit. Will definitely be back to see more. The free local walking tour found on trip advisor was great 2.5 hours . Would recommend that and also the old town walking tour with the tui reps 1.5 hours. We did a half tour valleys & cliffs & the 25 fontes Levada walk through tui which were fantastic great value and excellent tour guides.

This place is like a hidden oasis amongst the hustle and bustle of the city of Funchal. Closing the main gate behind you was like entering another world where peace and tranquility could be found. The Vila is an old building probably dating back to when the area round it was all banana plantations, but has been renovated to a high standard and is so much more pleasant than an identikit multi-storey hotel. The feeling is very colonial. Our room was comfortable and had reasonable space and a balcony and there was plentiful wardrobe and storage space. The room was not air-conditioned but it had an efficient ceiling fan which was adequate for the temperature when we were staying there. The bathroom was fairly standard and perhaps could use the attention of a decorator but was not bad - and hot water for baths and showers was plentiful. Breakfast is buffet-style and includes all the ingrediants of a good continental breakfast together with a variety of cooked options which varied from day to day. We particularly enjoyed the feshy cooked cake each day. As the weather during our week was so clement we ate outsdie on the decking area but there is also a conservatory style eating area. The garden is cool and relaxing with well established trees and lots of plants. There is a swimming pool but we found ourselves too busy to use it so I cannot comment on it. The only possible downside would be if you are an easily disturbed sleeper: the city has grown around the Vila and as a consequence traffic noise can be an issue - notably poorly silenced motorbikes. We were disurbed a few times by such noise but not so much as to spoil our night's sleep. Sensitive sleepers may prefer a high-rise hotel, of which there are many nearby, but others will enjoy the character and the sense of peace that Vila Vicencia has despite the nearby traffic.