A Madeiran Escape: Savoy Palace (and The Reserve) in Funchal, then a bit of Wellness at Saccharum in Calheta

Arrival and first impressions in Funchal

Savoy Palace sits on Avenida do Infante, a confident contemporary statement in Madeira’s capital, and part of The Leading Hotels of the World. The approach is city smart, gardens cascading toward vast pools and the bay beyond and the lobby channels polished drama into calm efficiency. The property is the brand’s “Tribute Cosmopolitan Resort,” which telegraphs the mood accurately: urban energy with resort-scale comforts, right where you want to be for Funchal’s walkable restaurants, museums and harbor life.

If you’re arriving to The Reserve, you’re technically in the same address but on a different plane. The Reserve is the hotel-within-the-hotel perched on the top floors, carved out for privacy, with 24/7 GEPA—Guest Experience Personal Assistant—service and a discreet greeting setup that begins at Madeira’s airport…and by discreet we mean the Rolls Royce they pull up in. It reads boutique, not annex, and that’s the point.

Calheta is the island’s sunny west, with Saccharum perched by the marina, mountains behind and ocean ahead. The hotel’s design nods to the sugar-cane story of the area, while the spa and pool deck encourage the art of doing very little, very well. Rooms and suites follow that same nature-meets-contemporary brief, and the on-site restaurants and bars are tuned to the beach-day clock. The brand’s own description emphasizes tranquility and sustainability, and the facilities list—indoor pool, spa circuit, gym—backs it up when a small weather tantrum rolls through.

The look and the flow of common spaces

On the Palace side, the outdoor scene is cinematic: multi-level terraces, palms, a giant lagoon-style main pool and an adults-only rooftop infinity pool called Galáxia Skypool crowning the building. Inside, you’ll find lounges, a lobby bar and corridors leading to Laurea Spa—Portugal-scale big and inspired by the island’s Laurissilva forest. The adults-only rooftop and spa thermal areas are reserved for grown-ups; otherwise, pools are heated and generously accessible. If you’re here for the view, the roof delivers it with relish.

The Reserve’s shared spaces feel purposefully private by comparison, with access to the Laurea Spa and the wider Palace facilities when you want atmosphere, and exclusive zones when you don’t. It’s the equivalent of having keys to two apartments in the same great building.

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Rooms and suites: naming names

At Savoy Palace, categories are clear and mercifully descriptive. Rooms include Avenue Room, Garden Room, Ocean Room and Superior Ocean Room. Suites then layer on space and outlook: Bay Suite, Ocean Suite, Ocean Junior Suite, Superior Ocean Suite and the Two Bedroom Family Suite for when you’re traveling with the entourage or the heirs. The official listings confirm these by name; if you’re debating floors, the ocean-facing categories and higher levels are the classic choice for the bay panorama.

The Reserve keeps it deliberately tight and luxe. You’re choosing between the Pool Suite, the Corner Pool Suite, and the multi-bedroom suites; each with generous terraces and, as the names promise, private plunge-pool living that puts the Atlantic exactly where you want it: in your sightline, not splashing your shoes. For the ultra-fancy there’s The Retreat, palatial-style living with several outdoor spaces.

Over on the west coast at Saccharum, the design language switches to sugar-cane modernism and a softer, beach-club cadence. Rooms and suites are a mix of courtyard, ocean and pool views, many dubbed with “SPE” (the on-site shorthand for Savoy Premium Experience, where you have access to the ultra-luxe parts of the hotel). The collection leans airy and textured, with the sugar-industry heritage threaded through the décor.

Where to eat (and why to bring an appetite in Funchal)

Savoy Palace runs a generous culinary roster that’s easy to navigate. Up top, Galáxia Skyfood is the fine-dining star with theatre-level views. Pau de Lume is the flame-first kitchen with a Josper heart, aging meats and fish in-house before they meet the charcoal. By the main pool, Alameda handles Mediterranean-leaning plates, oven-baked comfort and artisan gelato with live-music energy at select times. Orchidaceae Atelier is the elegant buffet canvas that may morph seasonally (look for an Italian pop-up in the summer), while Hibiscus does the bright, abundant breakfast brief with a barista station and outdoor tables by the pool. Terreiro riffs on local tradition with a contemporary accent. Nikkei is the Japanese restaurant in the lobby of The Reserve, with fine dining in a small space and views of Funchal city.

Guests of The Reserve dine happily across the same portfolio—your GEPA can prime reservations or steer you to a quieter table—but also keep in mind that Reserve spaces, including its rooftop, are set up to feel more private if you’re in a cocooning mood.

At Saccharum, the mood is coastal and relaxed, with Alambique, Engenho, Trapiche and the Fly Lounge Bar (among a few other bars dotted around the property) covering everything from poolside ease to elevated plates. The Calhau Beach Club gives seaside dining a beautiful upgrade with partially covered areas and an open breeze towards your wine glass. It’s not beach front, though, as Madeira has no natural beaches; but, the rocky coasts set an equally summer-away vibe. The setting, in Calheta’s sunnier micro-climate, makes a late lunch taste like a small victory.

Laurea Spa at Savoy Palace and the Saccharum Spa: two takes on restoration

Laurea Spa draws from the Laurissilva forest and is a full-scale operation: 11 treatment rooms, a champagne & nails bar, hydro-thermal zones and a fitness center—plus established product houses across skincare and grooming. It has World Spa Awards recognition over three years and keeps civilized hours for pre-dinner facials or post-hike massages. This is a spa that behaves like a destination—right down to day programs and extended treatment “immersions” you can book through the hotel.

Saccharum’s spa answers in a different accent: Ayurveda-inspired philosophy, four treatment rooms, sauna, Turkish bath, halotherapy room, ice fountain, relaxation spaces and a heated indoor pool—well-set for the “exhale” stretch of your itinerary. If your legs are rebelling after levada walks, the hydro circuit is a very persuasive diplomat.

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Families, kids and the practical bits

Savoy Palace is unusually thoughtful with younger travelers. There’s a Children’s Playroom open daily (programs can include art, yoga, mini-disco and themed sessions), a dedicated children’s pool on the ground floor, babysitting on request and “Little Chef” experiences among other kid-forward touches. The hours are generous, so it’s a straightforward setup that lets parents grab their cocktail or spa time without editorializing from the peanut gallery.

Events, celebrations, and “can we take the whole floor?”

Madeira does parties and meetings with a certain flourish, and Savoy Palace is built for it. The hotel has around twenty event spaces overall, with dedicated meeting rooms (Bellevue and Monumental) and a Grand Ballroom for the bigger moments; the weddings team also calls out “sky-kissed Galáxia” for ceremonies and receptions that want altitude. If you’re considering an intimate micro-wedding or a board retreat, the variety of indoor/outdoor venues and the central Funchal position make logistics pleasantly simple. For corporate travelers: yes, there’s serious square meterage; for romantics: yes, there’s a staffer who cares a lot about your flowers.

What to do on Madeira while you’re based at these two hotels

Start with the island’s easy headliners. Ride Funchal’s cable cars up to Monte and the Botanical Garden—a satisfyingly swoopy way to understand the city’s setting—and, if you want more altitude, take the second cable line to the gardens themselves. On another day, walk onto the glass skywalk at Cabo Girão, one of Europe’s highest capes, and count the heartbeat before you look straight down. Both are close enough for a half-day with time to spare for lunch. And don’t miss a trip up the the Fanal Forest, a top-of-the-world display of otherworldly plateaus and hiking paths that bring you between foggy corridors and open-air (and dotted with wild cows, mind you), vistas with views of the endless ocean.

The sea is the island’s other constant invitation. Catamaran outings make dolphin and whale watching feel civilized with snacks and an open bar behaving exactly as you wish. Paddleboarding, canoeing, open natural swimming pools and other water experiences bring you all around the island.
If the island’s food scene pulls you in (sensible), join a guided tasting walk through the markets and backstreets for laps, espada, bolo do caco and poncha—storytelling included, because the good bites usually come with context. For a single-table evening unlike anything else, we’d book Gazebo, where chef Filipe Janeiro welcomes guests to his family quinta for private dining that’s as personal as it sounds. Both are local institutions for a reason.

Wine more your tempo? Tastings at vineyards such as Quinta das Malvas and similar small producers, and add lunch with a dedicated chef or a countryside drive to the north side for terroir with a view. If you’d like to stitch a chapter of heritage into the day, visit Bordal’s embroidery factory in Funchal—tour the process, then sit for a workshop with artisans who’ve kept the craft alive for generations. These are hands-on, not just hands-off museum looks.

For people who prefer a stirring of adrenaline with their scenery, Madeira’s jeep safaris and off-road routes thread you into waterfalls, cloud-rimmed ridgelines and micro-villages where the views do the talking. Sidecar rides offer another angle (and great photos), and if your pulse requires “salt,” canyoning, scuba and deep-sea fishing are all in play. Golfers get two solid options—Santo da Serra’s 27 holes and classic Palheiro—while runners will eye the promenade paths and levada cut-throughs with a smile. Madeira is certainly set up for endorphins.

Time your visit and the island adds its own confetti. Expect the Flower Festival in late April to early May, June’s Atlantic Festival fireworks, the Wine Festival in September and a festive season famed for citywide lights and New Year’s fireworks that wrap the bay in a 360-degree glow. From the rooftop at Savoy Palace, that show is particularly persuasive.

And because you’ll ask: yes, Madeira has cable cars beyond Monte; yes, the island’s road network of tunnels and bridges makes east-to-west vastly quicker than in the old days; and yes, we can fold in tennis courts, CR7 curiosities, levada hikes and sunrise at Pico do Areeiro. Call it a scenic reboot for your circadian rhythm.

How to pair the stays

Our preferred rhythm goes like this. Land in Funchal and check into Savoy Palace or The Reserve, depending on your appetite for energy versus hush. Use the first few days to explore the city on foot, book Nikkei for dinner one night and let Laurea Spa unknot the travel shoulders. Some touring, a food-on-foot walk, some more intense hiking in the forests and a vineyard stop. Then we move you west to Calheta for two or three nights at Saccharum, where mornings can be spa-circuit lazy or paddle-out active, afternoons slip by on the terrace and dinner is as near as the elevator. Return to Funchal for another couple nights if you prefer; otherwise, stay zoned-out and meet the car straight from Calheta.

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In closing

Madeira rewards the traveler who likes their nature wild and their travel to feel like an escape. Start with Savoy Palace or The Reserve for the skyline and sensation—those rooftops were built for the “yes, this is my vacation” photo—then escape to Saccharum to let the spa do the heavy lifting while you concentrate on the noble art of absolutely nothing. In between, you’ll have time for the cable cars, the hiking, the wine, the fireworks and the dinner in a family quinta. All you have to do is pack your swimsuit and a tolerance for compliments—because after that rooftop glow, people will ask where you’ve been.