Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Socalco Nature Calheta Ana Jardim In recent years, Madeira has come alive. Soulful culinary retreats, design-forward boutique hotels and inventive fine- (and fun!) dining restaurants are showcasing the Portuguese island’s creative side. Meanwhile, its year-round temperate climate and lush natural beauty—rugged cliffs plunging into the ocean; mountains blanketed in laurel forests—still make it a timeless destination.
And new direct flights from Toronto and Boston (along with the existing nonstop from New York) put the island within closer reach than ever. Where to Stay Savoy Palace and the Reserve The Reserve Courtesy of the hotel Since its opening in 2019, the Savoy Palace hotel has dominated the cityscape of the island’s capital, Funchal. It was designed by Madeira native Nina Andrade Silva with a go-for-broke sensibility, including a chandelier made from four miles of metal chain, a mosaic-tile-studded swimming pool and curvaceous golden staircases inspired by the island’s lace tradition.
Last year, the owners carved out a 40-room hotel-within-the-hotel on the top floors of the (formerly) 349-room building. They called it the Reserve, and to drive that home, they added a separate velvet-roped entrance, designated a special elevator for Reserve guests, added a private restaurant and lounge, and designated a team of snap-to-it concierges. They also set aside a rooftop swimming pool, 17 floors above everything else.