Savoy Resort Funchal

We stayed at the Savoy in June 2004 and enjoyed an excellent week there and utilised the excellent Royal Savoy facilities too.Breakfasts were very good but we ate out for variety in the evenings.Poolside snack service was very good too for light lunch or snacks/drinks.The hotel is in a great location for access to the town,harbour,restaurants, and the Lido area is reasonably walkable.Sea facing rooms cost about £300 per room per week extra and are quiet whereas the identical rooms main road facing have a degree of main road noise but I wouldn't let that bother you unduly.In my view this is a good value and excellent choice of hotel.

Although I give the hotel good marks overall, when I first checked into The Savoy I was a little underwhelmed by my room. As a five star hotel I was expecting the room to be in better condition -- it was a bit dingy and showed its age. It was clean and the linens were nice, but the furniture and bathroom are in need of updating. The dining room is very nice and the waitstaff was excellent. They gave each guest personal attention and ensured that everyone was happy. When I requested internet access in my room, a member of the hotel staff was at my door in under 10 minutes to set it up for me. The evening before I checked out, I told the desk staff that I would be leaving the next morning on an early flight -- he arranged my wake up call, breakfast in my room and a cab to pick me up at 6am. All arrived on time and made my early morning less stressful. Overall I recommend this hotel.

Much earlier this year, from January to February 21, my wife and I spent four weeks at the Savoy. We are not accustomed to staying in hotels for more than a night or two and were a little concerned about accomodations and service. We need not have been. Although we were there on a discounted fee, every effort was made to find us a room with quiet and sunlight. We could not have been more pleased with the relaxed and helpful attitude of the staff and the continuing efforts of the hotel administration to anticipate patron's needs.

Although I am not a social snob, I am afraid that I do notice how some people bring problems with them, or behave in a manner which alienates staff or which diminishes staff interest in becoming involved with their continual demands and ill-tempered responses. The Savoy is not entirely immune to such patrons, like everywhere else, but they do their best. We found the Savoy Resort newer and also quite beautifully decorated. They are not quite as busy and as near to the main avenida as the Classic so perhaps it might be easier to leave one's preconceptions and elevated expectations on the doorstep. We have booked already and plan to enjoy both places as much this winter as we did during this last one. H.J.Wilson, Oxford, UK

Having stayed at the Savoy on four occasions over the last 24 years, starting with our honeymoon in 1980 I can only write extolling its virtues. A lovely hotel, set in beautiful grounds with helpful and attentive staff who have maintained all the hotels charm and character. Compared to some of the newer hotels the Savoy may be a little old fashioned in its style, but this is why we keep coming back. The last time we visited, we were accompanied by my father then aged 87 and my 20 year old son who is a bit physically handicapped. Considering our diverse requirements we had absolutely no complaints, in fact quite the opposite. All the staff were kind and helpful, never patronising, always offering to carry plates or drinks to the table. The Savoy deserves every one of its 5 stars*****

Where do I start? We stayed at the Hotel Savoy last month and the 'welcome' we received was shocking; we were offered fruit, flowers, sparkling wine and an upgrade to an ocean-view suite as an incentive on booking since it was our honeymoon, but on arrival we were allocated a dark, shabby twin-bedded room at the back of the hotel overlooking the car park! It took 3 phone calls to reception, who refused to do anything for us, before being directed to the Duty Manager who eventually made an appearence and we were moved. But my wife was in tears by this point, so the gesture was lost completely and it was a distressing start to our honeymoon, following such a magical wedding day. For the remainder of our stay, the staff (mostly reception and concierge though a few of the waiting staff left a lot to be desired) continued to be rude, arrogant, unhelpful and obstructive. By the 3rd or 4th day, I asked that the General Manager call us in our room. This never happened. The Savoy is tired and staid in appearance and the framed certificates from holiday package companies decorating the ground floor, look tacky in the style of a 1970's holiday camp, not to mention the posters depicting the 'activities' available in the hotel adjacent to the ground floor lift! Hi-de-hi campers!! However on the positive side, the breakfast buffet (though more a hotel chain 4* than 5*) and the facilities available for our use at the Royal Savoy over the bridge were execellent. The Royal Savoy does very much deserve its 5 * status. Please heed our advice and stay at the Royal Savoy. The concierge through to the pool attendant there had permanent smiles on their faces! Smiles and going the extra distance to provide excellence in service at the Hotel Savoy does not exist. In fact, I am still waiting to hear back from the General Manager there having left a letter at reception on departure....perhaps he doesn't exist either.....!

The hotel was absolutely fantastic!! We couldn't get bored as there was so much to do. We played mini-golf, shuffleboard, giant checkers, snooker and tenis. We went snorklling almost every day and saw beautiful fish. The staff were amazing! So polite and helpful. We weren't allowed to pick up our cases once!

Would definitely reccomend going on the doliphin watching trip on the boat called the Gaviao. The skippers were really informative and the trip seemed more personal.

Definitely go on the full day safari with the company the hotel reccomend. Ask if George can be your guide, he was really informative, funny and made the trip really interesting. If you want to learn anything about the island sit in the seats behind the driver rather than in the back, as you will hear him.

Best tips would be -

*don't trust the temperature they tell you the pool and sea is on the info boards round the hotel, they are about 8`C above what it really is.

*take your snorklling things as its difficult to find a shop that sells them and its definitely worth seeing the fish.

*you have to try the madeira steak at a restaurant called "Chalet" just a few minutes from the hotel. Brilliant restuarant!!

*Definitely stay at the Savoy as its the best on the island really. And I wouldn't bother paying the extra for a sea view room as you don't get a good view of the sea, just the Royal down below. The other rooms overlook the car park, but its hidden by the beautiful gardens.

*The hotel restaurants are expensive, so we suggest going and trying different restaurants each night. The average meal for two outside the hotel, with wine is about E32, whereas its E33 each for just the meal in the hotel.

carol and stephen stayed at the savoy in march 2004 and had a marvellous time. the room was overlooking the sea with sun all day on the balcony. (rm.213). The Savoy is pure elegance. Service is excellent and staff very attentive. Obrigada Maria! We will definitely go back again.

Thank you for a wonderful week, last week. A special word of thanks to the lady who looked after our room (503), but all the staff were exceptional. It was our second visit to the Savoy. It will not be our last. Peter and Delia Conlon, Rathfarnham, Dublin.

Old fashioned elegance. Large well furnished bedrooms with lots of storage. Plenty of curteous staff providing 1st class service. excellent facilities with adjoining sister hotel.

The Savoy is old fashioned in a nice way. It is a little staid but comfortable. I wouldn't recommend getting breakfast in the room. Definitely better on the terrace. The Royal Savoy (newer) is nearby and much swankier. I would stay in the Royal Savoy next time. 'The Savoy' is defintely 4 stars, not 5. Enjoyable.