Hotel Orca Praia

“Very enjoyable stay”

The hotel is situated about 15/20 minutes (by transport) from the main port area adjacent to a lovely promenade area. It is set into a cliff side with perfect views of the sea but this means there are a few steps to negotiate to and from the pool area. The pool area is a lovely setting though wit... more

The hotel is situated about 15/20 minutes (by transport) from the main port area adjacent to a lovely promenade area. It is set into a cliff side with perfect views of the sea but this means there are a few steps to negotiate to and from the pool area. The pool area is a lovely setting though with its own bar and food service. The room was clean functional and large and personally I liked the bed mattress. The staff were extremely friendly and helpful. I would not hesitate to stay here gain. We were only bed and breakfast as there are lots of places to visit and eat nearby.Breakfast had every option you could ask for.

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“Well worth visiting”

The Orca Praia is a great hotel, in a brilliant location for relaxation. The rooms are good, and having such a brilliant outlook a quiet half hour on the balcony is an ideal way to wind down before an evening meal or evening out. The staff were friendly, knowledgeable, and very helpful. It is far... more

The Orca Praia is a great hotel, in a brilliant location for relaxation. The rooms are good, and having such a brilliant outlook a quiet half hour on the balcony is an ideal way to wind down before an evening meal or evening out. The staff were friendly, knowledgeable, and very helpful. It is far enough outside Funchal to enjoy peace and quiet, but close enough to make all the atractions of Funchal accessible. We took the half board option, and felt we had made a very good choice. The hotel has a good offering of facilities over its various floors. The pool deck is brilliant as is the access to the amazing promenade, the promenade walk to Camara de Lobos is well worthwhile. The poolside bar/cafe does a very good quality and good value lunch and the staff were very attentive. A good range of short evening programmes provided entertainment, the Sunset bar though didn't always provide quite enough space for some of the excellent quality acts, especially the dancers! A couple of downsides. The number of steps down to the pooldeck means this hotel isn't ideal for the faint hearted or those with mobility issues, it is a pity the lift service doesn't go down further! And the bedrooms could benefit from some drawers in the bedside cabinets. The free hotel shuttle service is a bonus, and the public bus service to and from Funchal stops at the front door. Overall, this is a really good hotel and provides a very good value for money holiday.

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“Fabulous Funchal stay”

We have just returned from a wonderful stay where we stayed for 6 nights. The rooms were large and well appointed. The beds were very comfortable. The air conditioning was welcomed as the weather was hot. The hotel enjoys fabulous views of the ocean and we loved watching the sunsets from our b... more

We have just returned from a wonderful stay where we stayed for 6 nights. The rooms were large and well appointed. The beds were very comfortable. The air conditioning was welcomed as the weather was hot. The hotel enjoys fabulous views of the ocean and we loved watching the sunsets from our balcony . All the staff were friendly and extremely helpful. This was the case in each department. We enjoyed the buffet breakfast in the restaurant on floor 9 which had spectacular views over the sea. There was a good variety of food choices and it was replenished regularly. We had one A La Carte meal during our stay which was very nice. Drinks were reasonably priced. The pool area always had enough sun loungers and a handy pool bar for drinks and snacks. A thoroughly enjoyable stay and would definitely return again.

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“There are much nicer places in Madeira”

The rooms are spacious and clean, offering amazing views. The location is very good. However, the hotel lacks charm, particularly in the bar and breakfast room, though this is a minor issue. We found the pool area and the access to the sea very nice. Breakfast is disappointing. Although there is... more

The rooms are spacious and clean, offering amazing views. The location is very good. However, the hotel lacks charm, particularly in the bar and breakfast room, though this is a minor issue. We found the pool area and the access to the sea very nice. Breakfast is disappointing. Although there is a good selection of food, the quality is poor. Additionally, the constant music in the already noisy restaurant did not help. During checkout, we were charged 2.80 Euros for a beer we supposedly took from the minibar. However, we did not take anything from the minibar, and it was not even stocked with beer. Despite this, the person at reception did not give us the benefit of the doubt and insisted on the 2.80 Euros. I did not want to make a fuss at the time, as I had to leave for the airport, so I paid. It wasn't a big deal, but it felt very petty. A bigger issue for me is that my credit card was charged twice for the full amount of the hotel cost. I have been waiting for a refund for over two weeks, and their communication regarding this matter has been minimal. I have written several emails, but most of them either go unanswered or get forwarded to their financial institution. All in all, there are nicer places in Madeira, we will not be returning to this hotel.

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