Nestled in the vibrant heart of Funchal, this studio apartment offers a bright and airy atmosphere, amplified by its expansive wall of windows that span almost the entirety of one whole side of the studio.
While the kitchen is quite small in size, it was thoughtfully equipped with all the essentials—a blender, toaster, a generously sized fridge, and plenty of storage for food. Though not designed for elaborate culinary endeavors, the proximity to several restaurants within walking distance ensures a variety of dining options.
A notable amenity was the inclusion of a washer, a true convenience during our stay. The added bonus of being able to dry clothes on the spacious deck elevated the overall functionality of the space.
There was ample storage space for luggage which was a surprise as many smaller units feel cramped for space but this studio was the perfect size due to the layout and added storage units. Additional blankets and sheets, coupled with the efficient AC unit, added to the overall comfort.
The occasional street noise was a minor drawback when the windows were open. The only notable limitation was the hot water, which lasted around 5 minutes during showers— although this seems not uncommon in Madeira.
WiFi and Workspace
The workspace, featuring a small table and two chairs, accommodated our needs perfectly, and the option to work from the comfortable couch was a pleasant alternative. The standout feature, however, was the remarkable wifi speed. Uploading videos, which typically takes us hours (even with good wifi), was a breeze here—a task that took a mere 30 minutes!
The flexibility of the 'couch area' with easily movable tables allowed us to create a makeshift workout space inside. While the apartment's size limited simultaneous workouts for the 2 of us, the deck served as an excellent alternative so we could both workout at the same time (one inside and one outside).
Place to Exercise
Speaking of the deck, its ample space was a multifunctional haven—ideal for drying clothes, enjoying outdoor meals, or practicing yoga and workouts simultaneously. This versatility proved invaluable on days when we craved both exercise and fresh air.
Accessibility
Positioned in the perfect area of Funchal, the apartment strikes a balance, offering tranquility away from the bustling old town while still being within a 30-minute walk. Conveniently located near cafes, restaurants, the Lido pools, shopping, and public transport just across the street, it facilitated seamless exploration of the surroundings. Car, motorcycle, and scooter rentals within a 10-minute walk made getting around exceptionally easy.
In conclusion, we would not hesitate to choose this apartment again for future stays.
Strict (30-days)
Neighborhood hero
Experienced host
500 Mbps
Friendly, welcoming, with a brilliant local small supermarket perfect for morning coffees and pasties.
Very walkable with plenty of restaurants, cafes and bars nearby. Also plenty of taxis, rentals and public transport for longer trips.
LANDLORD'S REPLY:
Thank you for your review and your issue is noted. Going forward, I will ensure that soap and more toilet paper is provided. Many Thanks
It is a very touristy area so it has a lot of amentites but they can also be a higher price. Wasn't overly loud at night, but you did hear a little music outside until about midnight on dome nights.
Pingo doce
Here are some of the things we loved most:
The apartment is bright with lots of windows (great for watching sunrise!) and just the right size for 1-2 people.
We liked having a balcony and while there is no real view of the water it was a great space to workout in the early mornings or just go outside to get some fresh air.
There was plenty of storage and we were actually surprised at how much storage we had in just a studio space. We didn't feel cramped at all.
The internet quality was great and we were able to upload our Youtube videos while there in just 30 minutes! Most places take several hours so if you need reliable internet this is a perfect place for those who work online.
There were extra pillows and blankets.
There was a washer and a drying line outside.
There was a blender! We loved making smoothies everyday with all the fresh fruit on the island. The blender was even able to blend frozen bananas quite well.
We liked being able to watch a movie in bed as the TV is set-up so you can see it from the couch or bed.
The location is great as it is set a short walk from old town (about 30 mins) and also right near the LIDO pools. You are really in a great spot to get around.
Some things you may want to know for your stay:
The kitchen is small but totally workable. I love to cook so I had to learn how to make more minimalistic meals. Not a big deal but just something to note.
The hot water, like most places here on the island, doesn't last long so be sure to time your showers if you have a partner staying with you so that you do not take them back to back. We just alternated showering 30 minutes between each other and doing laundry later in the day so it wasn't a big deal. But just keep this in mind.
Parking is TIGHT. I personally couldn't have parked here but my husband did just fine. If you plan to rent a car just know that this is typical everywhere on the island.
In all, we loved our stay and would 100% stay again in the future. Thanks Luisa!
You are in quite a busy area on a main street. It's not too loud but you do hear cars and people from the balcony. It's located where all the resorts and hotels are along with restaurants and grocery stores. It's very walkable.
Lido pools, Boutique Lido has great baked goods and they are super nice and has outdoor seating, the Supermarket next door has everyday items you may need, Vegan World is close by as well.
The neighbourhood location is perfect! There are a lot of restaurants around there, a hypermarket Pingo Doce and Lido bathing complex is 6 minutes away by walk. Forum Madeira mall and natural swimming pools Doca do Cavacas are approx. 25 minutes away by walk or 7 minutes away by bus.
Secondly, the natural light was such a big issue for me. I could never have one sleep where my body wouldn’t be disturbed by the natural light, so I never was able to have one night of continuous sleep here (+ the heat as explained above). As the landlord likely wanted to keep costs down for them, instead of thinking about the basic needs of their tenants, as well as no AC, there were no fitted blackout curtains. Just two blinds that were set so far from the window all the light managed to enter from the gapping sides, and a flimsy, sheer white curtain which was set in front of the large glass double door that led to the small terrace, so so much light just poured in as soon as the sun rose at 6am. Furthermore, the blind had been poorly fitted and if we went to just open the window to try lessen the boiling hot apartment, the blind would fall and every time we would have to fix it. It became a nuisance. We had to take matters into our hands again, by using a blind that they had hidden behind a cabinet and draping it over that curtain pole. It didn’t do much but we had to try something.
Thirdly, the hot water. When we went to have a shower, obviously one would want to take a lukewarm shower, not an ice cold one for 30 mins to wash their hair, or shave etc. The hot water just ran out after 30mins leaving me or my partner, to have to have a cold shower. So we had to start taking shorter showers, when we had been at the beach or out all day and just had wanted to come back to a relaxing shower. That was not an option at this shit show of an apartment!
Finally, the landlords attitude when faced with having to take care of their tenants. It was awful. On my last night, our keys had been left in the apartment and the door had been shut and locked itself (as it locks automatically) as we went for dinner with my partners parents at around 9pm-10pm. We realised as we left the apartment building neither of us had the key, and so we called Lucia the landlord. She was talking over me as I was trying to politely explain what happened, but I gave her the benefit of the doubt and blamed it on poor connection as she isn’t even in Madeira she is in South Africa, so no where near to properly assist to her tenants if need be. However when she did eventually listen to my problem, I was met with such a rude and, dare I say, bitchy tone, as she said she won’t do anything about it, regardless of the fact we had a flight the next morning at 7am, as the other woman who also assumed responsibility of the apartment and lives in Madeira, was asleep and she reused to wake her and said we’d just have to miss our flight as there is nothing she would do about it. After my polite plead for help, my partner had to use a more firm tone with her, in which she finally agreed to call the other woman to give us the spare set of keys she had. So we drove there, got them, and all was sorted- however, again lack of concern for tenants was apparent as they had not left any spare keys anywhere near the apartment.
So this whole stay was just not a peaceful experience, it was so problematic. From the hot temperature due to no AC, the flooding in of natural light at 6am due to poor efforts to install proper blackouts, to sleepless nights, and the rude/ unprofessional attitude of the main tenant Lucia…I would 100% never stay here again. I should note the apartment building itself had maggots just running around on the ground floor, and there was a crushed dead one on the elevator door- think it sums up the stay pretty well. Thanks.
LANDLORD'S REPLY:
Thanks for your comments and feedback. A few things were out of my control eg the uncharacteristic heat wave in Madeira that broke new temperature records. An aircon has not been needed in the past due to the normally moderate climate, but we will look at investing in this in the future. The unusually high temperatures probably also contributed to the maggots you saw, as the block is always kept in a very clean state. I will bring this up with the body corporate though.
I apologize if I was abrupt in the middle of the night, but I was caught off gaurd. We now have procedures in place if this happens again in the future.
Safe, friendly, just late at night you get druggies roaming around so heads up.
Ponta de sol
The hotel district is full of great restaurants and the mall just a 20 minute walk away. Also a nice walk to the centre of Funchal
50+€/night is a great price for hotels and short stays but for a flat, it's still quite high.
Still, we're happy. Thank you, Luisa & Irene!
Main street with many bars and restaurants, no problems with public transportation
Luisa helped a lot by accepting my booking in very short period of time.
Very good location.
Lots of restaurants nearby, Lido pools and promenade.
Two big Pingo Doce supermarkets and a several small Spars in a 15 minute walk.
30 minutes walk to Funchal center.
Aerobus stop is near the building.
Forum Madeira mall and Pingo Doce canteen inside.
Lido promenade.