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All reviews rose garden il gallo michelin star restaurant funchal view pollo le cliff bar sea level superb hotel pool staff top floor sea water nothing is too much trouble returning guests superior room third visit sea view room every member of staff
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Reviewed November 8, 2010

We all spend hours looking at brochures, searching the net -reading reviews but I can honestly say - if you want a really nice Hotel, good food, friendly staff, clean and in a great location. Just book this Hotel. You will not be disappointed. Thank you Cliff Bay for a fantastic 6 day break. Paul and Trudy

Date of stay: November 2010
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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    • Location
    • Sleep Quality
    • Rooms
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
4  Thank ivydon
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JanRingertz, General Manager at Hotel The Cliff Bay, responded to this reviewResponded November 16, 2010

Thank you for your feedback. Direct, pragmatic and specific.. We will try to live up to expectations.
Hoping to see you soon again in Madeira and The Cliff Bay.
With kindest regards,
Jan E. Ringertz
General Manager

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Reviewed November 4, 2010

We researched this trip long and hard as it was for a special anniversary and also by chance included my husband's birthday. We could have gone back to a fantastic five star hotel in Cyprus that we love but we wanted to do something different. We are so glad that we chose the Cliff Bay it is in our view just perfect.

We loved our room and were immediately impressed with it. The decor is just right. light and clean and not overpowering. The bed is huge and extremely comfortable. You have everything you need including a flat screen TV, DVD, CD, tea and coffee making facilities and all the usual things such as mending kits and even a clothes brush also plenty of good quality clothes hangers. We loved the size of the balcony and the fact that the balcony is private and not overlooked. The view was stunning. The bathroom is very well equipped and as well as a bath with a hand held shower there is a walk in shower cubicle and a separate cubicle with the toilet and bidet. There are also two basins and the thing I loved was the great illuminated shaving/makeup mirror. We had lots of lovely toileteries and nice fluffy white towels and face cloths. White towelling robes and slippers were also provided.

We enjoyed all the food at the Cliff Bay. Breakfast is great with lots of cereals and fruit. They had lots of cheese, cold meats as well as a good selection of hot foods, bread, cakes and preserves. Coffee and tea is served at your table and there is a selection of juices, water and even sparkling wine if you want it.

We had the food and wine package for three days and ate at the Rose Garden on three occasions with that. Even as a vegetarian I found plenty to eat, often the soup was vegetarian, then there is a huge selection of salads and the main courses usually included something vegetarian such as pasta or noodles as well as vegetables etc. My husband is not vegetarian and he also enjoyed the choices available. The desserts are to die for and I just wanted to try them all.

We ate at Il Gallo D'oro one evening and enjoyed this experience and can say that it deserves it's Michelin star.

The general areas in the hotel are very well kept and spotlessly clean. The pools are lovely and we had lunch down at the Blue Lagoon one day. It is a lovely area to relax and enjoy a leisurely lunch. On another occasion we had lunch outside the Le Cliff Bar which was also enjoyable.

We enjoyed the evening entertainment along with a nice drink in the bar in the evenings. It certainly had the feel good factor helped along by the friendly staff.

I really feel that it is the staff that make this hotel so special. Every single member of staff we encountered had a cheery greeting and a smile for us. Every time we passed reception the lovely girls spoke to us and when ever we approached them for help with a question or a booking they were very efficient and helpful. The staff in the Rose Garden were also especially friendly and very pleasant and helpful.

I must mention that when we arrived there were lovely cream roses in our room with a card for our anniversary and on my husband's birthday there was a cake left in the room which was a lovely surprise.

All in all this a very calm, relaxing well run hotel and I will certainly recommend it to everyone and we hope to return in the not too distant future.

Date of stay: November 2010
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
    • Value
    • Location
    • Sleep Quality
    • Rooms
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
2  Thank TwigsOxford
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JanRingertz, General Manager at Hotel The Cliff Bay, responded to this reviewResponded November 25, 2010

Thank you very much for your kind feedback. I am delighted to learn that you enjoyed your recent stay with us and that you find our facilities and services to your expectation. We are very proud of our staff that I believe make a difference for the visitor to Madeira.
Hoping of the pleasure of welcoming you back in a near future.
With kindest regards,
Jan E. Ringertz
General Manager

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Reviewed November 1, 2010

We chose the Cliff Bay after having read the reviews on trip advisor and we weren't disappointed. The hotel is in an absolutely superb location, with stunning views overlooking the Atlantic and the city of Funchal. There was always lots to watch, cruise ships coming and going, birds and sailing boats.
The hotel has lovely gardens and lots of places to sit, sunbathe and relax. The atmosphere of the hotel was calm and relaxed and all the staff we came into contact with were lovely.
Breakfast involved a huge choice offering champagne, fruit, freshly cooked omlettes, pancakes and eggs, porridge etc. The only criticism we would have would be that their tea was not great and the coffee very strong! We did however have a very good cup of tea at afternoon tea along with an absolutely divine sacher torte!
Our room had everything we could want, a kettle, fridge, mini bar, hairdryer, illuminated make up mirror, fluffy robes, slippers, tv with lots of channels including bbc1,bbc2 and ITV and dvd player. The beds were comfy, the balcony had great views, the shower and bath had lots of hot water and room was spacious.
We also both had treatments at the spa which was fairly reasonably priced for a 5* hotel.
We were on a bed and breakfast basis but we did try the Rose Garden reataurant for one evening meal which was nice and on our first night we ordered room service which was also good. There are lots of good eating places nearby of varying prices. We liked Paradise and XTonel, both within 10 mins of the hotel offering reasonable meals for 2 around 50 Euros with wine. There is also a great supermarket nearby ,by the Lido, which had everything you could ask for.
Funchal was about a 20/25 min walk away or a 5 min taxi ride costing about 6Euros. Alternatively busues ran every 5 mins or so from just outside the hotel or the hotel even offered a complimentary bus service into Funchal 4 or 5 times a day.
The island of Madeiera was truly stunning and we are looking forward to a return visit soon.

Date of stay: October 2010
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
    • Value
    • Location
    • Sleep Quality
    • Rooms
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
2  Thank Egyptisgreat
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JanRingertz, General Manager at Hotel The Cliff Bay, responded to this reviewResponded November 16, 2010

Thank you for sharing your feedback here at Tripadvisor. I am delighted to learn that you enjoyed your holidays and that we managed to correspond to your expectations. Madeira is a truly beautiful island with much to offer the foreign visitor.
I hope of the pleasure to welcome you back in a near future.
With kindest regards,
Jan E. Ringertz
General Manager

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Reviewed November 1, 2010

This hotel is excellant. The facilities, including the pools and outside areas are fantastic. The staff are attentive and professional -not one member of staff passed me without saying hello. You can eat either formally or informally in different restaurants, which is a boon for a single traveller who perhaps doesn't want to sit alone in a more formal dining room.
The views are excellant and although its quite a walk into Funchal there is a curtesy bus running several times a day.
Maderia and this hotel both little treasures!

Date of stay: October 2010
  • Trip type: Travelled solo
    • Value
    • Location
    • Sleep Quality
    • Rooms
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
2  Thank birdwatcher25
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JanRingertz, General Manager at Hotel The Cliff Bay, responded to this reviewResponded November 17, 2010

Thank you for your kind feedback. I am pleased to learn that we managed to correspond to your expectations. I hope of the pleasure of welcoming you back to Madeira and The Cliff Bay in a near future.
With kindest regards,
Jan E. Ringertz
General Manager

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Reviewed October 31, 2010

My husband and I recently travelled here following TA reviewers for relaxation and service in luxurious surroundings. It was our first time in Madeira.
Indeed, most of Cliff Bay is awesome - hotel, staff, grounds, location - within walking distance of Funchal, with breathtaking views over the city, the mountains and the Atlantic Ocean. Direct access to the ocean. Shops and restaurants nearby, bus station up in front of the hotel.
It is a 16 years old hotel but looks like brand new. One of the most beautiful hotels I saw in Funchal and the most photographed from the trip boats everyday. The plant life is beautiful to look at and does not obstruct too much the sea view. Main and ground level lobbies are beautifully decorated with statuettes, paintings, vases, floral arrangements, carpets and a globe fountain.
Check in/Check out : (Very) good. Upon arrival, around 10:30am, they met us with professionalism and told us we were too early for check in, our designated room being still occupied. We were nevertheless allowed to use the grounds, spa, pools, bars. At 2 pm we asked if the room was ready and it was (they had not phoned us, as some other resorts do). The room was splendid so we did pardon the waiting. Check out was quick, at 11am, and again we used the hotel’s facilities for the next 5 hours.
But - 1. Front desk staff is a little solemn and stiff. They don’t pay attention to people, unless you ask something. Maybe this is not a bad thing. The management is, indeed, very aware of your presence everywhere in and around the hotel, they are available for whatever your need or query. Like Lina Jardim.
2. Prior to check out and upon returning from pool, at 10:30am we found that we had been locked out of our room, with the key card not operating. We had to go to the reception to get it re-authorized. They said it might have been deactivated by the cell phone…
Rooms : Very nice. Large, clean, long side of the rooms is totally windowed. Most of them have great exposure to ocean or harbor views.
The view from our balcony was picture perfect, Funchal and Ocean. My morning entertainment was watching the garden sprinkler systems watering at 7am, boats and cruisers coming in and out of the harbour and gull flocks at the back of fishing boats.
Large room, sitting area, wide flat-screen TV. 3 movies/day at fixed hours, but not until I called the reception one night, after 45min. waiting. DVD player, electric kettle, safe box, minibar, A/C-very silent and efficient, Wi-Fi. Large beds, good mattress and pillows. The marble bathroom had a double sink, tub, shower cabin and separate toilet with bidet. Magnifying mirror, hair-dryer. Soap (best toiletry they have), shampoo, shower gel and body milk. Bath robes, slippers. And (many) different-sized towels. large wardrobe and drawer cabinet.
But – 1.Slippers got dirty after a week and were not changed in 10 days. I saw too many people coming from spa to elevators wearing dirty slippers.
2. Few toiletries, and of not so good quality, no hair conditioner.
3. Bath robes one size, too small for strong-built and fit people.
4. Some people hang their clothes outside on the balcony wall. This is an eyesore.
We also had the opportunity to see two other room types, a top suite (elegant and multifunctional), and another room with different furniture, both facing west and sun-flooded and hot in the afternoon.
Spa : Very good. Pool, reflexology, back massage, face treatment… On the (2) days it did rain, we spent our afternoons in the Spa area, a bit small but very accommodating - nice loungers, snack bar (Cactus Bar), gift shop, shower, dressing, lockers area with candles, fragrance and relaxing music. You can even have a massage outdoors, at the edge of the cliff overlooking ocean and Funchal!
In Spa there is a pool with freshwater, half indoors. Pool gym sessions take place in this pool, 2 times/week led by a gifted (and funny, this is important!) trainer who does also Pilates 1 time/week!!! Incredible for a 5* hotel and spa, it should have been everyday gym and at least 2 times/week Pilates. So, in my 10-day stay I had 2 pool gym sessions (Tuesday and Friday) and 1 Pilates (Thursday). All Porto Bay Madeira have one and the same trainer.
Second pool - seawater, at ocean level with a separate section for kids. a large sun terrace area with another snack bar. In fact the spectacular architecture offers multilevel terraces with sunloungers and awesome panoramic view over Funchal and the mountains, ocean and coast line in the west. Three types of loungers, better in Spa and upper terrace, and one, very good, type of umbrellas. Perfect pool towel policy allows you to have as many towels as you need.
Seawater pool staff – Very good overall, spot-on, 2 times - lazy.
Restaurants : Very good. Main buffet/a la carte restaurant is Rose Garden. At dinner it has smart casual dress code but being elegant and on table reservation system, most of the people came in dining dress and nice-aged ladies had jewelry to accent their ensemble. Lovely! And so appropriate for the other restaurant, one storey up, Il Gallo d’Oro, Cliff Bay’s pride.
The Blue Lagoon is the poolside restaurant for lunch mainly, with good choice of salat-bar and tasty meats and fish, fresh pinapple juice-which is not no be served at Rose Garden, unfortunately.
Le Cliff Bar-Le Bistro is the main bar with live entertainment every night and the place for afternoon tea (they have a different tea, not the usual/immortal Tetley from the buffet breakfast)
Fitness center/Gym : (Very) Good. Cardio-vascular and strength equipment. Nothing for leg press. Very good : water dispenser and fresh tissue box.
Diving centre. Tennis court. And game room.
Not much entertainment. Every night a band is playing live music, mostly the usual hits from the 60’s-70’s. I liked the saxophone night, good player and nice music.
Staff (not front desk): Very good. As they pretend to be one of a kind. They try to accommodate anything that you need them to accommodate. One morning I asked the restaurant manager on duty why don’t they have blue cheese and we had it right at dinner. Hmm, not bad! And some other food requests were immediately fulfilled.
Food : (Very) Good. British were delighted, kept thanking every night for the wonderful, marvelous, excellent…! Even my husband loved it! Deep-fried “goodies” fast food type at breakfast - sausages, mini potato cakes, bacon strips, tomato slices, or watery scrambled eggs, beans, porridge. Same layout everyday, no change, no surprise, not to mislead people… And yes, they have sparkling wine, mineral water, fresh vegetables and fruits, cereals, eggs to order, dairy, charcuterie, pastry….same everyday, for 10 days ! For dinner - fish and seafood (great quality), meat, fresh and cooked vegetables, cakes…. Pretty much everything. But I had high expectations for the restaurant and I also wanted soy/rice milk, high-fiber (rye) bread, brown rice, more nuts, not so creamy soups, wider variety of (lightly) cooked vegetables, better tea or at least a tea box to choose from, and chocolate cakes enough for everybody. With Mr. Benoit as chef, I was expecting at least crêpes, not pancakes! But I loved La crème caramel and Umm’Ali hot dessert.
Each dinner has a different theme, and Sundays, at Portuguese dinner, a live performance with Madeira folklore is presented in the Rose Garden Restaurant.
Courtesy bus - A big bus makes several transfers daily going from Villa Porto Mare to Cliff Bay and then to Funchal, so you have to book your seats at front desk. The last run from Funchal is a little early, 5:40pm.
A vast number of the holidaymakers in this beautiful hotel are mature couples, who come here for a nice relaxing time, swimming, sunbathing, body treatment. The juniors are working out in the morning in gym, the seniors are swimming at 6am in the freshwater heated pool.
We had a newcomers’ cocktail evening, which apparently is held every Thursday evening - a nice way for us to meet the managers and other fellow tourists and a great way for the hotel to know our expectations and perception of the hotel.
And this is a very good hotel. I must say we had a wonderful holiday. Highly recommended.

Date of stay: September 2010
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
    • Value
    • Location
    • Sleep Quality
    • Rooms
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
4  Thank owlVIRGIL
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JanRingertz, General Manager at Hotel The Cliff Bay, responded to this reviewResponded November 25, 2010

Thank you for taking your time and giving us such useful feedback. I am pleased to learn that you enjoyed our hotel being first comers and that you found the hotel awesome. It is also a pleasure that you felt that despite the hotel being 16 years old hotel, it still looks brand new.
I have taken careful note of your comments and suggestions and hope that we will be able to further improve our property for future stays. It is with much pride that as late as last week we received the overall winner award by Thomson a la Carte.
I hope of the pleasure of welcoming you back to Madeira again.
With kindest regards,
Jan E. Ringertz
General Manager

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