Funchal, Hotel Alto Lido

I went in low season, March 2010, with my wife, 16 month old son, 80 year old parents and mother in law for a week.

We booked through Easyjet. We asked for a fridge and microwave in one of the rooms (we booked three) to prepare our sons meals and they upgraded all our rooms to studios with kichenettes for free. At around '45 a room it was fairly cheap, but you do get what you pay for!!!

The rooms were fine, large with balaconies but all looked out on to the main road which was very busy and noisy all day and night. You wouldn't want to sit out there. The traffic kept us awake. I think few rooms have a good view of the sea.

The hotel is supposed to be four star but is really a three star hotel if that. The big disappointment was the restaurant. The breakfact (included with the room) was fairly poor. It was annoying that the only plates available are small side plates so getting a good cooked breakfast meant you had to go to the buffet a few times. Bacon, sausages etc. were all really cheap and grotty! The cold buffet was OK, rolls and fruit etc. The evening meals were expensive and the food was not good. If you do stay here go out for diner!!

We all got a stomach bug which was really bad. Ruined the holiday. I know you can get a bug anywhere but obviously hygene is not top knotch at the hotel.

Internet WIFI is free (unsecured) in the reception and not available in the rooms.

The air con did not work in the rooms. I complained a few times, a technican came and it worked a little bit that night but then was off again.

The indoor swimming pool was really cold, we tried it once only. The outdoor pools are on a roof top and not in a good location.

I think the hotel was once quite good but now a bit tatty. The corrodors smelt musty!!

The staff were friendly. There is a car park underneath the hotel (we had a hire car) which was free to use. There was supposed to be a regular shuttle bus to the centre of Funchal but actually it was so infrequent we were glad of the hire car. It also calls at two other hotels and takes a time to get to Funchal.

The area around the hotel is not very nice with the busy road and all built up with hotels etc.

I won't recommend the hotel as the main road is so busy and for the other reason mentioned. Take a new hotel on the sea front, a lot have been built in the last four years. If you just want somewhere cheap to sleep then this hotel is OK.

If we go back to Madeira I would rent a house or appartment away from Funchal and the area where Hotel Alto Lido is as it's just like Blackpool (with better weather).