We had seen the Savoy Palace on our previous visit to Madeira – it's hard not to! It was a hotel that we had promised ourselves we would love to experience. For two nights, we stayed in a suite on the 15th floor, with stunning views overlooking the harbour, the city centre, and the ocean stretching as far as the eye could see.
The first experience of Savoy service begins with a warm greeting from the concierge. A standout feature of Madeira's hospitality is its dedication to making guests feel extremely welcome, and this is definitely the case at Savoy. Our car was taken to valet parking, our bags were collected, and we entered a reception area that was truly impressive, with its vibrant colours, natural light, and fresh flowers. The entrance exuded opulence. For a moment, I exchanged a knowing look with my husband. We agreed that this place was very special. It might seem like a strange observation, but if the lobby was this glamorous, we couldn't wait to see our room!
After a pleasant and warm interaction with the receptionist, we were provided with a map of the hotel and instructions on how to find our room. This hotel is vast and quite easy to get lost in!
The ocean suite was simply breathtaking. It featured a large living area, a walk-in wardrobe, a hidden shower area, twin wash basins with a glass wall dividing the living area from the bathroom, and a privacy curtain that allowed you to separate the two areas. A super king-sized bed was like sleeping on clouds, and the wall-to-wall glass doors led to a balcony with uninterrupted views.
The first thing we spotted was an outdoor pool area, which would become our first stop.
The pool is surrounded by a garden of trees and flowers. The restaurants, bar areas, breakfast room, and spa are all located on the ground floor. After spending a few hours relaxing by the pool, we decided to have lunch at the Alameda restaurant, where Mediterranean and Atlantic cuisine come together with specialities from the pizza oven and coal-fired grill.
Taking some time to unwind at a shaded table for two felt like a peaceful escape from the city centre. This was our introduction to the dining options at the Savoy Palace, which offers a variety of choices, including the Galáxia Skyfood Restaurant situated on the hotel's top floor—a modern and lively dining area.
After a full day of relaxation, we booked a table at another one of the hotel's dining options: Pau De Lume. Before that, we spent some time back in the luxury of our room. While I got ready for the evening, my husband enjoyed some time on the balcony as the sun slowly disappeared and the view transformed into one of streetlights and a deep blue ocean.
Pau De Lume is a relaxed restaurant, and I realize I've been using the word 'relaxed' quite often - it seems to be a theme running through our stay at the Savoy Palace! We had some incredible food, and an open kitchen is always great entertainment.
I cannot begin to tell you how nice the beds are at the Savoy Palace: marshmallows and clouds is the best I can do. Breakfast is, as you might expect by now, incredible. Like with so many buffet breakfasts, it has every option imaginable, but the difference to others is the food quality. Adding a cafe bar to order your coffee of choice was also a nice touch, over and above the normal option of filtered coffee. With breakfast done, it was time for another phase of our relaxation.
The Savoy Palace has a spa with 11 treatment rooms, an indoor pool, a steam room, and saunas. We had booked a couples massage—my husband doesn’t like being left out! A one-hour full-body massage lying on beds side by side was a delightful way to unwind further. Later in the evening, we had cocktails in the lobby bar and ended the evening with a nightcap on the rooftop bar. It was a very special day in the Savoy Palace.
That evening, we decided to dine at the Nikkei restaurant. The diverse flavours offered by the various dining establishments encompass cuisines from all around the world. It's probably evident by now that we haven't left the hotel grounds in two days; the place is just so fantastic that you don't feel like going anywhere else! If we had stayed for a longer period, we might have explored the area (at least, I think we would have). The convenient access to the centre of Funchal from the hotel means that the option of going out is right at our doorstep.
The Savoy Palace is by far the largest hotel in the centre of Funchal and will undoubtedly be recognised in the future as a landmark building in Madeira’s development.
But what they do extremely well is that despite the size and scale of the hotel, they maintain a sense of warmth and individuality to your stay. Everything felt very personal during our two nights, and in that short time, it seemed all staff members tried to familiarise themselves with us. This was a personal touch that both my husband and I recognised, and it was very much welcomed.
The hardest thing about staying at The Savoy Palace is that, at some point, you have to leave. We had the most amazing two nights at this incredible hotel. Thank you for having us, and we will be back.
Tracy Sullivan
