For over a decade, Portugal has been one of the countries I have visited regularly. Out of everywhere in Portugal, I absolutely love the city of Porto. Between its walkable streets, sunset glasses of wine by the Douro River, and seemingly endless supply of natas, or custard tarts, it is one of my favorite cities in Europe. It is also good value for money and easy to travel around.

This time, however, I was looking for something different. Rather than returning to mainland Portugal, I found myself booking a flight to Madeira, the Portuguese island located around 1,000 km off the coast. One of the main reasons for the trip was a hotel that had been on my must-stay list for years: Belmond Reid's Palace.

I am sure I speak on behalf of half my client base when I say one of the attractions was that Madeira is large enough and well connected enough that I did not have to take a small propeller plane to get there.

The only things I knew about Madeira were that Cristiano Ronaldo was from there and that it was home to a beautiful pink hotel overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Belmond Reid's Palace had fascinated me for years.

If there is one type of hotel that always gets my attention, it is a historic hotel with a story to tell. Reid's Palace certainly has one. Opened in 1891, it has welcomed royalty, politicians, writers and actors for more than a century.

One of those guests was Winston Churchill, who stayed at the hotel in 1950. As someone with a long-standing interest in Churchill, that was something I found particularly appealing. He spent time working on his memoirs during his stay and painted scenes around Madeira, including nearby Câmara de Lobos.

What I appreciated most about Reid's Palace is that it has not tried to hide or modernize away its history. Many historic hotels end up feeling like modern hotels dressed up as old ones. Reid's Palace still feels genuine.

In fact, I would go as far as saying it feels more like a grand English hotel than a Portuguese one. Afternoon tea remains one of its best-known traditions and the famous phrase, "I had tea at Reid's", is still very much alive today.

At times I found Reid's Palace slightly theatrical, but also surprisingly humble because of its unpretentious nature. There is no attempt to chase trends or reinvent itself. It is a historic grand hotel overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, and after more than 130 years it still does that exceptionally well.

Getting There

Madeira is served by Cristiano Ronaldo Madeira International Airport (FNC), with flights arriving from all over Europe each day. For our American friends, American Airlines connections are generally available via London or Madrid, United typically connects through Germany, while Delta passengers will usually route via Amsterdam or Paris.

The airport itself is worth mentioning. It is one of the most unusual airports in Europe, with a runway that appears to stretch out into the Atlantic Ocean on a series of concrete pillars. The views on arrival are spectacular, and if you are lucky enough to have a window seat, the approach alone is worth paying attention to.

Arrival and Check-In

This trip was all very last minute, and we did not have time to organize everything in my usual style. We caught a taxi from the airport, but the driver did not have a card reader, which meant stopping at an ATM along the way. He had also obviously been smoking in the car before picking us up and kept the windows closed with no air-conditioning.

From that point onward, we used the Bolt app and found the experience to be much better. The cars were clean, payment was handled through the app, and we could not fault the service. It taught me a lesson for not booking an airport transfer in advance.

Check-in at Reid’s Palace was efficient, although it was a busy time at the hotel. I believe the hotel was full, with many guests staying before joining cruises departing in the coming days. This meant our Junior Suite was not ready when we arrived.

It was hardly a hardship. The lobby has beautiful sea views, and it was lovely to sit there, relax, and people-watch while we waited. Many visitors were also arriving at the hotel to experience its famous afternoon tea.

This was a paid stay, and I booked the Belmond Bellini Club rate, which included the following benefits:

• Daily breakfast for two
• USD 100 hotel credit
• Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
• Early check-in and late check-out, subject to availability
• A welcome amenity
• Complimentary Wi-Fi

Our Junior Suite

Construction of the hotel began in 1887, creating what is now unofficially known as the historic wing. The now-redundant original check-in desk, complete with its old key slots, is still in place, as is the revolving entrance door. This was the part of the hotel I had originally chosen to stay in.

The artwork in this part of the hotel is particularly exquisite and includes old advertisements from travel agencies that once sold combined ship journeys and hotel stays at Reid’s Palace. An old elevator, just about large enough for two people, carries guests between the floors and adds to the feeling that you are staying somewhere with real history rather than in a modern hotel designed to look old. The elevators in the newer wing are much more modern, which is worth noting if you do not enjoy being in tight spaces.

Over the years, Reid’s Palace has expanded with the addition of a newer wing. It still has plenty of historic character, but contains more rooms and, in my opinion, offers much better views of the sea. The hotel is large, and getting from one side to the other can involve a fair amount of walking. For guests with reduced mobility, I would request a room close to one of the elevators. There is one particularly convenient area where the elevators are close to the rooms and travel directly down toward the main restaurant and swimming-pool area.

Reid’s Palace is a historic property, so there is only so much renovation Belmond can carry out without taking away the features that make the hotel what it is. Rooms within the same category can therefore come in very different shapes and sizes, with different layouts, views, and original details. No two rooms are really the same. This is another reason why it is worth booking through a Belmond Bellini Club travel advisor who has actually stayed at the property. We can speak directly with the hotel, explain what is most important to you, and try to secure one of the better-positioned rooms within the category booked.

Our Junior Suite in the historic wing was perfect for me. It had plenty of old-world charm, but was also comfortable, with an excellent mattress and high-quality linens. We had a view over the front of the hotel on one side and sea views on the other. For a Junior Suite, the bathroom felt reasonably compact, although it still had double sinks and a soaking tub. It was simply a little long and narrow, with no window.

In a world of hotel cost-cutting, it was lovely to find a reasonably large bouquet of fresh flowers waiting in the room. The well-furnished suite also included one-of-a-kind antique pieces of furniture. Soft furnishings were everywhere, with textured upholstery and grand curtains of the kind you might expect to find in a palace. This is not a Ritz-Carlton or Four Seasons where you will necessarily find a 55-inch television in the room. Things like that are more modest here, but they suit the character of the hotel.

Individual pieces of artwork, mostly sketches and paintings of plants and flowers from the hotel’s extensive gardens, covered many of the walls. Even in a Junior Suite, I do wish there had been more luggage storage. Once again, though, this is an older hotel, and there is only so much the owners can do when adapting a historic property.

As I want to create a factual hotel review and because I paid my own way on this stay, I am not going to gloss over issues and pretend everything was perfect. On the morning after our first night, we had an issue with the water in our bathroom. While the hotel is in excellent condition and appears to be very well maintained, that can be no easy task for a property that has been open for 135 years. As I mentioned earlier, there is only so much the hotel can do when maintaining a historic building. They cannot simply start opening walls and replacing infrastructure in the same way a modern hotel can, so I completely understand that occasional issues will arise.

What impressed me was not that a problem occurred, but how it was handled. The response from the hotel was beyond excellent. The team took ownership of the issue immediately, arranged a room move without delay, and provided service recovery without me having to argue my case or jump through hoops to reach a resolution.

From day two onward, we stayed in the newer wing of the hotel, which also gave me the opportunity to experience a different side of the property and compare the two sections during the same stay. I enjoyed staying in the newer wing, particularly because it was easier to reach more of the hotel’s facilities, including the main restaurant and swimming-pool area.

We were still in a Junior Suite, but the highlight was its extensive terrace with beautiful ocean views, especially in the morning. It also overlooked the area where the cruise ships arrive and depart, and I was completely in my element. The terrace was large and well furnished, with enough space for me to eat, have a drink, work, or simply sit outside and relax.

The bathroom had a cleaner, more modern design and a larger bathtub, although it still did not have a window. That was hardly the end of the world, and we were perfectly happy in this newer part of the hotel.

One piece of advice I would give is not to become too focused on staying in either the historic wing or the newer wing before you arrive. Having experienced both, I can genuinely see the appeal of each. The historic wing offers more character and a stronger sense of the hotel’s past, while the newer wing has larger terraces, easier access to some facilities, and in many cases better ocean views. If I were staying for just a couple of nights, I would probably choose the historic wing for the atmosphere. For a longer stay, I would likely lean toward the newer wing for the views and convenience.

The Gardens and Pools

In keeping with a palace hotel of this scale, the grounds are extensive and the gardens are something of an attraction in their own right. Reid’s Palace sits within around 10 acres of subtropical gardens containing almost 400 species of plants and trees.

As part of its relatively modest activities program, the hotel offers complimentary guided garden tours. The member of the team leading ours had an almost encyclopedic knowledge of the grounds and the plants growing within them.

We learned that many of the more unusual species were originally grown from seeds brought back to Madeira on sailing ships arriving from distant parts of the world. It is another reminder of the hotel’s long connection with ocean travel. Long before people could fly directly to Madeira, ships were bringing both guests and exotic plant species to the island.

The gardens are not simply decorative areas surrounding the hotel. They are mature, densely planted, and filled with palms, tropical flowers, enormous trees, and plants that would be difficult to grow in much of mainland Europe.

Despite the size of the hotel, it is not difficult to find your own quiet corner of the grounds with nobody else around. The hotel has created small pockets throughout the gardens with loungers and places to sit, and plenty of guests seemed to make use of them.

You could easily spend much of the day there with a good book, enjoying the peace and beauty of the grounds. Even if you are not particularly interested in gardening, I would still recommend joining the tour, as it helps explain both the gardens and the wider history of the property.

Continuing through the grounds, you can either take a large number of steps or use the elevator to get down to sea level.

At the bottom is the sea pool, which joins directly onto the Atlantic. This was my favorite outdoor area at the hotel. I could sit on a lounger and listen to the waves crashing against the rocks below.

The area is popular, but it is well furnished with loungers and umbrellas, so it never felt uncomfortable. The weather in April was good, although the seawater was still quite cold. I imagine this area would be a lot of fun later in the year when the water is warmer.

There are also attendants on hand to bring food and drinks directly to your lounger, which saves having to go all the way back up the steps or take the elevator whenever you want something.

The Main Pools

Back up at the main level of the hotel are the heated freshwater pool and heated seawater pool.

While I personally preferred the sea pool down by the Atlantic, this was where most guests appeared to spend their day. The atmosphere was relaxed and, unlike many luxury resorts, there was never any obvious competition for loungers.

The heated seawater pool was particularly popular during our stay, probably because the Atlantic itself was still a little cold in April. There is also an adults-only section for those wanting a quieter atmosphere.

What I liked most was that the pool area still felt connected to the rest of the property. You are surrounded by gardens, mature trees, and ocean views rather than feeling as though you are sitting in a separate resort complex.

Food and Beverage

Sadly, I cannot tell you about every food and beverage area at Reid’s Palace, as I was unwell for some of our visit. However, the experiences we did have were all above par.

Breakfast deserves special mention.

It was one of the most brilliant hotel breakfasts I have had anywhere.

Breakfast is served at the Pool Terrace, beside the swimming pool, with views over the gardens and out across the Atlantic. There is a large buffet as well as an extensive à la carte menu, so there is far more choice than you could realistically get through during one stay.

The buffet included fresh fruit, pastries, breads, cold cuts, cereals, juices and hot dishes. The fruit was particularly good, with plenty of choice and everything tasting fresh.

One of the best parts was that the staff regularly came around the tables with pastéis de nata and other baked goods while they were still hot. The natas had crisp pastry and warm custard inside. I am slightly embarrassed to admit that I was getting through at least six of them with coffee each morning.

The à la carte menu covered eggs cooked to order and a good range of more substantial breakfast dishes. Everything we ordered was excellent, and the service was friendly and attentive without becoming overbearing.

The food itself was very good, but the setting took breakfast to another level. Sitting outside beside the pool each morning, looking across the gardens and the ocean, became one of the highlights of the stay.

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The Bar

The bar was another area we spent a reasonable amount of time in.

With beautiful ocean views and a strong Art Deco feel, the bar is one of the most attractive public spaces at Reid’s Palace. The tables are well spaced, many with some of the best sea views in the hotel, and there is also seating directly at the bar.

The cocktail menu is extensive, and around sunset this is an especially good place to sit with a drink and watch the light change across the Atlantic. It feels elegant without being stuffy, and formal without feeling intimidating.

My only criticism is that it closes too early. Last orders are at 10:30 p.m. and the bar closes at 11:00 p.m. Guests finishing dinner often only have time for one drink before the evening effectively comes to an end.

I appreciate that Reid’s Palace is not trying to be a party hotel, but I do think one venue should remain open slightly later.

Afternoon Tea

Even if you have no intention of taking afternoon tea yourself, it is impossible to ignore its importance to Reid’s Palace. The tradition has been part of the hotel for generations and remains one of its defining experiences.

These days, afternoon tea takes place mainly on the terrace overlooking the Atlantic. Guests arrive specifically for it, many dressed for the occasion, and the terrace gradually fills with silver teapots, tiered stands, sandwiches, scones and pastries. With the ocean stretching out below, it is easy to understand why tea at Reid’s has remained so well known.

I had read I Had Tea at Reid’s by Andreas Augustin before my visit. It is a lovely little book and is still available to buy in the hotel’s tea shop. It gives a much better sense of how long afternoon tea has been part of Reid’s Palace and how closely it is tied to the history of the hotel.

One detail that stayed with me was the amount of tea the hotel gets through each year. Reid’s uses around 122 kg of English tea, along with 41 kg of its own Reid’s Blend and 36 kg of China Gunpowder Temple of Heaven tea.

Afternoon tea became part of life at Reid’s during the years when wealthy British visitors came to Madeira by ship, often staying for long periods to escape the colder months at home. Taking tea became one of the social events of the day, and over time it grew into one of the hotel’s best-known traditions.

The phrase “I had tea at Reid’s” still feels very much alive. People continue to come for the tea, of course, but also for the terrace, the views and the chance to take part in a tradition that has been going for generations.

Service

Service was one of the strongest aspects of our stay.

What impressed me most was not how the team behaved when everything was running smoothly, but how they responded when a genuine problem occurred.

The bathroom issue could easily have become a frustrating experience. Instead, the team took ownership immediately, moved us to another room, and resolved the situation without delay or unnecessary discussion.

That told me more about the hotel than a perfect stay ever could.

Throughout the property, staff were friendly, professional, and seemed genuinely proud of where they worked. Service felt natural rather than scripted, which is becoming increasingly rare.

The Churchill Suite

The room I would most like to stay in next time is the Churchill Suite, one of Reid’s Palace’s signature suites. Located in the historic wing, it has a separate living room, bedroom and a large private terrace overlooking the gardens and Atlantic Ocean.

Winston Churchill stayed at Reid’s Palace in 1950 and worked on his memoirs while staying in the suite. He also spent a great deal of time painting nearby, particularly in the fishing village of Câmara de Lobos.

The Churchill connection is interesting, but I would mainly book the suite for its position, terrace and views. It feels like one of the rooms that best represents the history and character of Reid’s Palace.

Who Is Reid’s Palace For?

Reid’s Palace will not appeal to everyone.

If you are looking for a modern luxury resort with giant televisions, endless entertainment, swim-up bars, and contemporary design, there are probably better options elsewhere.

If, however, you appreciate history, beautiful gardens, traditional service, afternoon tea, and hotels with genuine character, Reid’s Palace is one of Europe’s great properties.

At times I found the hotel quite theatrical, but also humble at the same time because of its unpretentious nature.

It knows exactly what it is and never feels as though it is trying too hard.

Final Thoughts

I arrived at Reid’s Palace expecting a beautiful historic hotel. I left understanding why guests have been returning for generations. No hotel is perfect. We experienced a genuine maintenance issue, and I would still like the bar to remain open later, but neither changed my overall impression.

The gardens are beautiful, the sea pool is exceptional, breakfast is one of the best I have experienced anywhere, and the hotel has a warmth and authenticity that is becoming increasingly difficult to find. Most importantly, it feels real. Belmond could easily have modernized Reid’s Palace beyond recognition in pursuit of contemporary luxury trends. Instead, it has preserved the history, traditions, and character that made the hotel famous in the first place.

For me, that is exactly what makes it special. Reid’s Palace is not simply one of the best hotels in Madeira. It is one of the most memorable historic hotels I have stayed in anywhere.