Jetting off to Madeira
A welcome break from the dismal British weather came on Friday when I boarded a GB Airways flight to Funchal for a four-day educational to Madeira. On arrival, I met up with Jayne Scott, Cadogan’s sales manager and our escort for the duration of our stay.
Ours was a small group, invited to celebrate a Burns Night supper at the world-renowned Reid’s Palace and to sample the delights of a changing Madeira. The club-class flight was but the start of a truly luxurious visit.
Having stayed on Madeira many years ago, I was interested to see whether time and a burgeoning tourism had taken its toll on this beautiful island.
There is much change afoot, and building work is visible from Funchal Airport as a new road is under construction. However, construction work has not affected the hotels we visited – we didn’t experienced any building noise, although it was possible to spot cranes from some views.
Turning Japanese
Reid’s was as splendid as I remembered it; this magnificent hotel has a timeless feel and I found myself practically tiptoeing across the opulent tea room where the only sound to be heard was the gentle tinkling of tea cups.
So many of the great and the good have trodden the same floors, from Winston Churchill to George Bernard Shaw – it felt like hallowed ground.
After a wash and brush up, we were whisked away to the Ocean Park Hotel to assess its place in the market. This new hotel promises to appeal to a younger traveller, offering the Kai Japanese Restaurant, superb recreational facilities, a children’s club and the Moonlight Nightclub for the adults.
We agents were used as guinea pigs for the soon to be opened Japanese restaurant and we undertook the task with relish. We enjoyed the novelty of Japanese cuisine prepared in view of us all by chefs specially imported from Japan.
With the food preparation being also the entertainment, it was rather like being a member of the audience on Ready Steady Cook! Aromatic spices sizzled and perfumed the air, while pepper pots were juggled before their contents found their way into the dishes; a feast for the senses indeed!
Grape expectations
Saturday saw us at an altitude of 400 metres among the vineyards at Estreito de Camara de Lobos where we toured the Quinta do Estreito, a converted Madeiran house.
This hotel is just a few metres from Norte where various walks start and finish and is ideal for a relaxing holiday away from it all. The only strenuous activity available within the hotel grounds is grape treading, which appealed to our group who had already sampled the local wine!
Sampling what’s on offer
Our next inspection was of the Crowne Plaza Hotel, where a major building programme is underway and the manager, Pedro Costa, assured us it would be completed by mid-February. As I caught my heel in some electrical wire, I could not help but think this a somewhat optimistic estimationÉ
However, a hotel of this calibre, directly on the seafront, will prove popular with guests of all ages. We were offered champagne and canapes in a luxury ocean-view room before we moved off to visit the Cliff Bay Resort Hotel for an inspection and lunch.
Situated as its name suggests on top of a cliff commanding superb views over the Atlantic, it too has something for everyone. Activities include golf and diving, and there is live music seven days a week for those who can’t bear too much peace and quiet!
Night to make Scots pine
Back at Reid’s, those who had the right to don a kilt and some who didn’t, slipped into them for the Burns Night celebrations at the hotel.
This event was organised by Kathryn Wilson, Reid’s director of sales and marketing. Open to residents and non-residents, it proved so popular that more than a hundred prospective participants were disappointed.
The haggis was piped in by a proud Scotsman and Burn’s words were recited by another. Our own authentic Caledonian, Jayne Scott, replied on behalf of the lassies, her speech expounding on the ways in which the woman’s role has changed since the time of Robbie Burns. Her views had the men muttering and the women laughing.
Traditional Highland fare was served with a contemporary twist and, back in the bar, Jayne was cajoled into singing Flower of Scotland to a hushed audience, providing a fitting end to the evening.
Pretty as a picture
We boarded the bus the next morning for our full-day excursion of the island.
The weather could have been kinder – the wind
whipped round us when we stopped to admire the spectacular views – but the sun did come out to provide us with a picture-postcard vision of pink roofed Madeiran houses nestling in the hillsides.
Dinner at the Madeira Palacio was a wonderful experience, with diners invited to join in the traditional Madeiran dance. The hotel’s informal atmosphere appealed to us all and we agreed is an essential selling tool. The fun continued with a live group playing a varied set to which we danced away our last night.
On top of the world
Our final morning on the island was spent on a visit to Quinta Bela Sao Tiago.
Close to the centre of Funchal and formerly the home of the governor of Madeira, it has been sympathetically restored and is now a delightful, intimate hotel offering superb cuisine. Early booking is a must!
Before we said goodbye to Reid’s, we offered our views to Kathryn Wilson, who was keen for feedback to ensure that the hotel continues to maintain the very high standards its position in the Top Hotels in the World category demands.
Our thanks to the hoteliers and ground agents and to Cadogan Holidays and Jayne Scott in particular for an enlightening experience that helped revise our opinions about the island.