Reid's Palace Hotel, Madeira

DK Eyewitness Top 10 Madeira
by DK Eyewitness
An unbeatable, pocket-sized guide to Madeira, packed with insider tips and ideas, colour maps, top 10 lists and a laminated pull-out map, all designed to help you see the very best of MadeiraMore information and prices from:
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Reid's Hotel, Funchal, Madeira

Reid's Palace Hotel, Funchal, Madeira

The famous Reid's Palace Hotel is perched on a cliff overlooking Funchal harbour and sits within ten acres of its own gardens. The hotel was the idea of William Reid who arrived in Madeira as a cabin boy in 1836. He made his fortune in the wind trade. The hotel was opened in 1891 and attracted a number of celebrities over the next few decades. It was acquired by the Blandy family of Madeira wine fame in 1936.

Winston Churchill was a frequent visitor, spending much of his time painting the fishing village of Cãmara de Lobos.

Churchill painting in Madeira

Reid's is now owned by the Belmond Group (formerly Orient Express) and reflects the high standards of luxury and service offered by Orient Express. The hotel features a range of restaurants and terraces, including a grand Edwardian-style dining room and an Italian restaurant and a cocktail bar. 'Tea' on Reid's terrace reflects one of the British traditions of the island.

As one of the world's top hotels, it is obviously expensive but off-season deals can be good value. Be careful not to to book a room facing the road - the traffic never stops.

More about Madeira:

Madeira - An Introduction

Madeira's history and attractions

Funchal, Madeira

Hotels in Funchal, Madeira

Reid's Hotel, Madeira

Madeira: Car Tours and Walks (Landscapes)
by John Underwood, Pat Underwood
THE book that made walking on Madeira so popular. In print since 1981, with over half a million copies sold. Pocket-sized and in full colour, the guide describes six car tours (with fold-out touring map), highlighting places where you can stop for a walk or just a stroll to a lovely picnic setting. But the major part of the book is devoted to 100 different long and short walk routes, illustrated with large-scale topographical maps (1:40,000). More information and prices from:
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Belmond Reid's Palace Hotel, Madeira