Ancient house by the sea, in a subtropical ambient

"A wonderful property, very spacious and well appointed. Everything was exactly as described and we were very happy with our holiday in Madalena Do Mar. We hope to return soon."

"Everything was like the describtion."

"The was absolutely nothing that we would not like about the property and its location. Everything we had we also wanted and appreciated. This beautiful property, set only meters from the ocean amid banana groves in Madalena do Mar could hardly be more welcoming. In particular it will appeal to the poetic, romantic, nature and/or sports and yoga minded holiday maker, whether families or good friends. It definitely conveys the dignified spirit of authentic Madeiran home and life (do have a look at the great book on Madeiran architecture in the huge cosy living room), without being falsely nostalgic or kitchy. The house is very spatious and comfortable, well equipped with everything one might reasonably need on a self-catering holiday, and certainly well-kept and very clean. The views are not "spectacular" or "stunning", as the house is almost at the sea level. But we never got tired of admiring the quaint privacy of the gardens, the beauty of the house itself, the rock faces behind the house (complete with small waterfalls... very zen!), the banana groves, and of listening to the ocean. The ocean is best and very romantically admired from the mirador over the front gate, where we had most breakfasts. PARAGLIDERS, attention - you can land on the beach right in front of the house! The house indeed offers first-class paragliding holidays. The non-flying entourage won''t be bored either. To be honest, some people might find it unpleasant that there is a road between the house and the beach. We did not find it a problem. The property is well protected. We never got woken up by traffic. It is however advisable to have someone give the driver the indications about the situation on the road while getting the car out of the garage. MADALENA DO MAR is a nice, real, extended seafront settlement, among the sunniest on the island. We enjoyed the immediate presence of the ocean and the local scene very much. Very close to the house is the "Taberna" (nice and fun both during the day and vibrant nights) and the more refined of the two fish restaurants. We, however, preferred its rougher genuine counterpart up the road, well within walking distance. Madalena is not too far from Funchal, and is a great point of departure for trips around most of the island. In fact, after having seen most of the island, we concluded we wouldn''t want to stay anywhere else."

The owners Maria & Miguel were very friendly and kind. They were helpfull with information about the house, the internet and the surrounding. They were waiting on us with home baked cookies, madeira, fresh flowers and fruit from their own garden. Their hospitality was beyound our expectations !! The house was great ! It was nice and clean and everything was in very good condition. Sanitary was as new and the shower was big with a lot of waterpression ! We really loved our staying at the house and will recommend it to our friends for sure !

"Ein wunderschönes großes, sehr geschmackvoll eingerichtetes Haus in traumhafter Lage. Ruhig und mit allem ausgestattet, was man braucht - und sogar noch etwas mehr. Eigene Hühner/Eier, Mangos und Maracujas - und natürlich nette Eidechsen. Haus und Grundstück sind so schön und geräumig, dass man dort eine entspannte Woche verbringen könnte, ohne das Gelände zu verlassen - wenn Madeira nicht noch so viel zu bieten hätte. Wir freuen uns auf unseren nächsten Aufenthalt in der Casa Madalena und bedanken uns bei den sehr sympathischen Vermietern Maria und Miguel! A beautiful large, very tastefully furnished house in a fantastic location. Quiet and equipped with everything you need - and even a bit more. Own chicken/eggs, mangos and passion fruit - and of course, cute lizards. House and grounds are so beautiful and spacious, that one could spend a relaxing week even without leaving the premises - if Madeira wasn''t so exciting to explore. We are looking forward to our next stay at the Casa Madalena and say thank you to our very nice landlords Maria and Miguel!"