Vila Gale Santa Cruz ★★★★

"I stayed at Vila Galé together with my mother and we had a great stay there. I had read some reviews about hard mattresses and not enough choice at breakfast. Firstly, the beds were excellent - not too soft, not too hard. Every day housekeeping arranged our nightwear in butterfly patterns on the bed, which was lovely! The rooms were very well-maintained and kept very clean. Some people missed coffee and tea-making facilities in the room but when they requested these at reception, they were immediately provided. Onto the breakfast buffet: I honestly cannot imagine how anyone could be left wanting there! From made-to-order omelettes and pancakes, to all the ingredients of an English breakfast, numerous pastries, cakes, cereals, sliced cheese & meat, jams, fresh fruit, yoghurts, juices and coffee machines that use coffee beans to make you any kind of coffee you want. We regularly skipped lunch because we were still so full from breakfast! One day we had to leave early for a tour and the hotel kindly provided us with a very full and varied breakfast box. We cannot speak from experience about the dinner buffet but heard from fellow guests that these were just as varied and tasty as the breakfasts. We made use of the pool and bar during our stay, which were also good. The location of the hotel is excellent, with a view over the ocean and within walking distance of numerous bars and restaurants. Our personal favourite was O Professor, with excellent food and really friendly staff. We also had an amazing (and HUGE) pizza at the Pizza Café in Santa Cruz overlooking the water. While we were staying there, they were celebrating the "Santa Faz" municipal festivities with traditional folk music and dancing, orchestras, opera and also a DJ till the small hours. On the last night they ended with a spectacular fireworks display. It meant we had a bit of trouble getting to sleep but the festivities were so joyous that this didn't trouble us - after all, we didn't have to get up for work the next day! If you want to explore further afield by yourself, the hotel provides a shuttle bus to and from Funchal. Make sure you register for the bus on time as it does fill up quickly. The alternative is to walk to the local bus stop at 500 m from the hotel. There you can take local buses to Funchal or the very pretty and relaxed coastal town (with rare sandy beach) of Machico. All in all, we had an excellent stay at Vila Galé and would recommend it to anyone."

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