Relax at a deceptively laidback hotel that feels like a home from home, with plenty of luxury for good measure.
We arrive at Estalagem Quintinha de São João on the first night of our honeymoon and are charmed to discover this elegantly old-fashioned building, a country house crammed with antiques, situated just a steep uphill stroll from the city of Funchal.
The boutique-style hotel has such welcoming staff and so few other guests that you feel as though you are staying in the home of a fond friend rather than a corporate establishment. The hotel is full of cosy corners with sofas, polished tables and the occasional ancient writing bureaus, making this the ideal place for anyone seeking a comfortable place to hide away from the world and work on a novel. There’s plenty of inspiration too, including the views from our twin balconies that take in the pool and the mountains beyond.
We’ve opted for the romance package, which includes a bottle of chilled champagne on arrival, and dishes of exotic fruits in our suite every day. The staff do everything in their power to make our stay special, and on the day we choose to have breakfast served to our room, the staff carrying our trays of breads, cereals, fruit and coffee arrive earlier than we expect, when we are still indulging in our early morning swim, while the water is still too chilly for the other guests. However, soon figure out where we are and dash down to present our breakfast by the pool.
The package includes a romantic meal in the gardens, which involves a meander along a paved path between the flowerbeds, dodging sprinklers. They’ve set out a solitary table for us in the courtyard, beneath an arbour of jasmine.
As the darkness deepens around us, the waiter appears unobtrusively to lights candles all around us and we feel as though we are floating on a glowing island. The meal is delicious, using local ingredients cooked by the hotel restaurant A Morgadinha’s head chef, Eusébio Camacho.
My husband and I both start with the sardines in olive sauce, which are crispy-skinned and meaty – nothing like the tinned variety we’re used to. I follow this with the honey-glazed breast of duck, while James has the lamb chop with honey. Honey is a key Madeiran export, partly because the number of wild flowers serves to ensure a variety of local nectar to choose from.
The desserts are beautifully presented, with mine a delicate affair of passion fruit and cream, while my husband’s is overflowing with chocolate sauce.
By now the scent of jasmine is almost intoxicating, which makes me realise one of General Manager André Barreto’s key talents is in recognising the qualities around him and making the most of them to ensure his guests have the best stay possible.
Rua da Levada de S. João, 4
9000-191 Funchal-Madeira
Tel: (+351) 291 740 920
www.quintinhasaojoao.com