Vidamar Resorts Hotel Madeira

“Our second visit as we enjoyed it so much the first time”

This is our second visit as we enjoyed it so much last time for my husbands 60th Birthday, we decided to return for our 25th wedding anniversary. We did get a plate of fruit delivered to us to thank us for re-booking which I thought was a really lovely touch. Food - My husband is celiac & lactos... more

This is our second visit as we enjoyed it so much last time for my husbands 60th Birthday, we decided to return for our 25th wedding anniversary. We did get a plate of fruit delivered to us to thank us for re-booking which I thought was a really lovely touch. Food - My husband is celiac & lactose intolerant and booked this hotel due to quite good reviews for this.   We only used the Ocean restaurant and didn't try the others as all dishes were marked if they were gluten free, so my husband had a decent variety each visit. The buffet was slightly different to last time and a little less options, however all items were clearly labelled for allergy contents. I would say there was a limited vegetarian options but plenty of different vegetable & salad dishes that I could eat. Room -  We were allocated level 9 which had a really lovely spacious room with amazing views out to sea.  I did comment last time that there were no plug sockets next to a mirror and this is still the case, so used my reflection in the TV to dry my hair. Hotel - Great location overlooking the sea with the dive school, hire of canoes & paddle boards. The pools are all fresh water, and I would say a little on the chilly side, pool area was lovely and clean and had waiter service from the pool cafe. We didn't have any issues getting a sunbed when we needed one. Snacks & drinks are very reasonable and good quality. Evenings are very low key and quiet, however we did use the pool tables near the Ocean restaurant, and there are plenty of bars nearby that has more atmosphere if you want that. You have access to the gym that is situated at the front of the hotel and is well equipped for a good workout, we used this a couple of times whilst we were there. Weekdays they open early but limited hours over the weekend.  We also used the spa area this time which was lovely. We did a few long hikes and was great to come back and use the Sauna & Jacuzzi. Also the indoor pool is heated so lovely to have a swim if the sun isn't out. I also booked a lovely massage whilst we were there, there was an offer on for during our stay that I took advantage off and thought it was very good value for money.  Location is brilliant, it is about a 30 min walk into the main part of Funchal and is a lovely walk. It is just up the road from Reids if you want to go for a look round. There is a big supermarket about 5-10 mins walk to the left of the hotel which we bought items for lunch the next day's trips. We had an early return flight, and managed to grab a little breakfast before we left, however the reception did offer a takeaway continental breakfast if you leave even earlier. Overall, a lovely hotel, great location, and I would imagine we will be back soon.

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“5* hotel in a great location”

We stayed at the VidaMar for 7 nights mid June, in a Junior suite with a sea view, half board. Room was spotless, massive bed was comfy, air-conditioning effective and quiet and a decent walk in shower, which are main markers when staying in a hotel room! Hotel itself is spotless. Always tab... more

We stayed at the VidaMar for 7 nights mid June, in a Junior suite with a sea view, half board. Room was spotless, massive bed was comfy, air-conditioning effective and quiet and a decent walk in shower, which are main markers when staying in a hotel room! Hotel itself is spotless. Always tables for breakfast & dinner in the Ocean Restaurant with a varied and plentiful supply of food. There are also 2 additional restaurants, as part of the half board, Italian and traditional Portuguese, both of which are lovely. The 3 swimming pools are salt water with plenty of sunbeds around. You can also access the sea directly. There are also lifeguards on hand during the day. Great hotel for couples. I'm not sure how it would work for families as the kids' pool is small. Location is fantastic with a supermarket opposite and a short walk to local bars and restaurants. It is also a 15min walk into Funchal or you can take the Linho Verde (green line) bus route in.

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“great hotel - great staff”

Highly recommended hotel in popular part of Funchal. Excellent buses into town centre although usually crowded - they really do pack them in like sardines! Lovely room - I had a junior suite with walk in shower and balcony. The reception staff are all excellent especially the guy who looks like V... more

Highly recommended hotel in popular part of Funchal. Excellent buses into town centre although usually crowded - they really do pack them in like sardines! Lovely room - I had a junior suite with walk in shower and balcony. The reception staff are all excellent especially the guy who looks like Volodymyr zolensky who was quite a funny guy. As I went as a solo senior I was lacking in confidence but they were really great and super helpful. Three pools and lots of loungers with umbrellas. I did a couple of day minibus trips from the hotel which were great and show most of the island. The only thing i could find fault with is the evening buffet hot food - never hot and barely lukewarm - lots of options with salads etc but I found even going to the dining room at 6.30 when dinner starts it was still the same..... however as I said previously excellent recommended hotel.

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“Definitely NOT 5 star, misrepresented by Jet2 holidays”

We have just returned from a recent stay at Vidamar resort hotel in Funchal, Madeira. We booked this holiday for the very special occasion of our silver wedding anniversary as it is billed as 5 star, both by the hotel and the tour operator. We were thoroughly let down and disappointed by many as... more

We have just returned from a recent stay at Vidamar resort hotel in Funchal, Madeira. We booked this holiday for the very special occasion of our silver wedding anniversary as it is billed as 5 star, both by the hotel and the tour operator. We were thoroughly let down and disappointed by many aspects of our stay here. - This hotel is huge, impersonal, the public spaces feel corporate and soulless. The outdoor pool area which was a huge attraction, felt more like a public lido than a luxury resort, it was so windy that it was impossible to sit under a parasol without it blowing over. - Our room was not serviced on 2 consecutive days. I addressed this with reception and was assured the room would be serviced daily at about 10am. When the room was serviced, I counted 7 things that had not been done, bins not emptied, towels not changed, empty ice bucket left in room, tea and coffee not replaced etc . I took pictures of all the issues and again shared these with reception who said they would send housekeeping to put it right. - I found ants on the kettle and the tea tray, I went out and purchased insect spray and we sprayed the room thoroughly every time we left. - The buffet breakfast was excellent, especially the freshly cooked eggs, however we dined there twice in the evening and the food was disappointing and barely warm. - The half board dine around package was not explained anywhere on Jet2 website, in t&cs or the hotel website and was unclear as every place we ate seemed to have a different policy. This needs to be clarified so that your customers know what is included. - We met with the local Jet2 representative in the resort , the lovely Beatriz who assured me that all our issues would be fed back to the tour operator but I have heard nothing from them. In summary, I would rate this hotel as 3/4 star at best, I would be interested to know what criteria was used to rate this a 5 star hotel. We love Madeira and look forward to visiting again, however we would not return to the VidaMar.

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