Hotel Casa Velha do Palheiro Relais & Chateaux (Funchal, Portugal)

Casa Velha do Palheiro is a Relais & Châteaux country house hotel, set within the award-winning Palheiro Gardens in the foothills of Funchal, which combines history, beauty and elegance. The hotel has been lovingly restored from an 18th century hunting lodge and is now fully integrated into the 120 hectare Palheiro Nature Estate with its own par 72 championship golf course, a fully serviced spa with indoor and outdoor pools, and over 20 kilometres of nature trails, birdwatching, restaurants, bars and even a tea house. Conveniently located close to town and only 20 minutes from the Madeira International airport, Casa Velha do Palheiro is perfectly situated to escape the hustle and bustle of urban life, a unique place to actively unwind, where the only noise you are likely to hear is birdsong. The hotel is a member of the Relais & Châteaux establishment and provides 32 rooms and five suites, each one singular in style and personality. The sitting room and bar are comfortable, beautifully furnished and decorated with gilt framed oils, Madeira prints and lithographs. Fresh flowers picked from the garden lend colour and vitality. The hotel's award-winning restaurant is highly regarded, and a deserved gourmet reference point. Guests enjoy the evening atmosphere by candlelight in the elegant dining room. Breakfast is served in the sun filled conservatory. The Palheiro Spa, a short walk from the reception, features a veritable array of treatments and beauty therapies. The facilities include heated indoor and outdoor swimming pools, Turkish bath and sauna plus a smart gymnasium which further enhances the wellbeing experience. There's an all-weather tennis court next door and the less energetic can play croquet on the lawn below the property. The hotel borders the famous Palheiro Gardens and the Palheiro Golf course – a superb 18-hole, par 72 championship layout – and offers privileged access to guests staying at Casa Velha. The hotel's sports fishing yacht "Balancal" lying in the Funchal marina is available for deep sea fishing and coastal excursions.