PortoBay Santa Maria - Adults Only in Funchal

Very friendly welcome and was also upgraded to a superior sea view room, which was clean and well-equipped, with a kitchen. Location was perfect at the quiet end of the front and close to the cable car station to Monte. Car parking in the basement was very handy and leaving it there after checkout was no problem. Breakfast was very pleasant and we also had a drink in the Captain’s bar outside later, again excellent service and a nice ambience. Would definitely book here again if we were staying over in Funchal.

We stay at the Porto Bay twice a year and the breakfasts have never let the hotel down. Plenty of hot and cold choices including pastries and various fresh fruits. The stafff are wonderful. They're so attentive a you can linger as long as you want, over ample cups of coffee

Staff were great. Breakfast was good. Loved the rooftop terrace. Get a sea view room as it’s so good to enjoy sunshine all day and watch the cruise ships sailing in and out. The location of the hotel is the best. Right on the waterfront and the restaurants in the old town are on your doorstep so why the 4* review? The outdoor swimming pool isn’t the best. Small, quite shallow and cold and only 1 small beach towel a day. Once you’ve had a swim you’re left with a very wet towel. Having said that I’d happily go back again.

The breakfast was a great start to the day,a great variety of fruits & cooked food for everyone.The location was perfect,very close to shops transport & restaurants.I would recommend it, a great place to stay at.

The breakfast was excellent so many options to choose from. We ate in the restaurant a few nights for dinner once again amazing choice and quality of food served.

All of the staff were attentive and very pleasant. Would most definitely recommend this as a destination.

The hotel is right on the water. Its beautiful and clean. The pool and lounge area is clean and set up very well. Breakfast was wonderful. Everyone on staff was helpful and friendly. Excellent hotel!!

Fantastic location, close to old town restaurants and easy access to boardwalk, which gets you to the marina and beyond. Excellent service. Large breakfast offering. And in the summer months, enjoyable evening entertainment.

Would recommend this hotel with helpful friendly staff. Only reason for 4 stars was a little slow in buffet restaurant. Food very good for buffet, clean hotel and great location. Entertainment every evening in a relaxed atmosphere. Spa and pool are good as well.

We wouldn't hesitate to come back to the hotel, it is super-clean and tidy and the staff are all so polite and helpful, it's a wonderful place to stay!
The location is excellent, 2 mins walk from the cable car, right next to the old town and lots of restaurants. Also only 20 mins or so from the airport, it's perfect!

So why only 4 stars rather than 5? It's the poor quality of the evening meals which were not up to expectation for the high prices being charged.
It felt like the hotel is up to date on everything else (and again I will say that everything else was stunning!), but the evening meals are like going back to the 1970's.

For example, the Italian-themed dinner cost €34 per head (before drinks). We expected a high quality meal, but the only manned food station was a guy who roughly warmed the pasta for you for just 20-30 seconds before dumping it on your plate. Everything else was buffet style and this made it such a disappointment. It could have been presented so much better. The pasta sauces were in hot trays to spoon out yourself and the quality of these was not great, quite bland.

The BBQ night was €38 per head. Again, high expectations (given the price!) were let down with just 1 chef cooking on 1 solitary BBQ, no nice presentation at all when you consider the price at just under €40 per head.

So the evening food is, in our opinion, very expensive vs local restaurants and not as good quality either. Fix that and you have a totally perfect hotel!

Great, great location no one can beat…next to the park, so close to the Market, restaurants, the ropeway to the Monte and right in the center.