Pestana Royal All Inclusive Ocean & Spa Resort

"Nice clean hotel, enormous rooms on 9th floor, good food, attentive staff and groundsman. The cons were glass bathroom door with no privacy on toilet and hotel although clean very worn and in need of an update. Once upon a time I’m sure it was a lovely 5 star but sadly not at the moment."

"Having not been on an all inclusive stay for nearly 30 years, I was slightly apprehensive on how it would be and also how our teenage children would find it. We were blown away from the minute that we walked through the doors at the 5 star level of service from a wonderfully warm and welcoming team and very quickly understood that we would not need to think about much as everything was catered for. The quality of the food and services available is excellent. The setting is incredible and the tropical gardens are just awesome to walk around and sit in day and night. We booked standard rooms which did seem slightly dated but still had everything we needed plus a great view. We contacted the team in advance to request rooms near to each other plus the traditional style bathroom as we knew our teenagers were not going to cope with glass walled en suites with no door and although we knew that this could not be guaranteed, this was allocated for our stay which made it perfect and reassured us from arrival. The quality of the food is excellent and the local wine is much appreciated. The main restaurant team are outstanding and they really hit the nail on the head for 5 star service! We also loved sitting on the outside terrace of the restaurant each evening but needed to get there before 6.45pm for a table. We never tried any of the other restaurants then the main one as the variety suited us as a family as well as the views and setting of the restaurant. This was our first visit to Madeira, we have fallen in love with the island, the people and this hotel and we hope to be back soon!"

"We stayed at the Pestana Royal in Madeira for two weeks. It was the worst holiday I’ve ever had. It definitely wasn’t a five star hotel. The room we stayed in was a superior deluxe but it was far from deluxe, it was very shabby with stains on the furniture and furnishings, kitchen cabinets damaged, leak in the bathroom. There was a terrible smell of sewage and cockroaches in the bathroom. The balcony had damage to the brickwork. The food in the restaurant was disgusting and just about edible, avoid the pork which is raw in the middle and there was pigeons walking about on the floor of the restaurant. The waiting staff were very pleasant and worked very hard, nothing was too much trouble. They have two al a carte restaurants, one is Italian and the food is okay but the other restaurant which is Mederian food is terrible. We didn’t eat much in there because the food is so disgusting and I noticed other customers leaving their meals. The reception staff were very hostile and rude, not helpful and they made you feel like you was a hindrance. I definitely think they need training on how to deal with the public. Bruna was amazing and definitely a credit to the team. She is so friendly and helpful with a great personality. The entertainment in the evening was dreadful and we were very disappointed. Lots of early nights for us, which is not what you expect when on holiday. The curtesy bus is a waste of time because it only goes to Funchal twice a day and it’s first come to get on it. Considering the amount of guests in the hotel, it gets full very quickly and it’s difficult to get a seat on it. This is the first review I have ever wrote but I feel people should know before they book a holiday at this hotel. I booked this hotel because I read lots of positive reviews before hand and they definitely did not replicate my experience. We have stayed in many real five star hotels around the world but this hotel is only a two to three star."