Hi Angleshelp

have visited Madeira many times and either use any of the Pestana hotels, particulary the Pestana Casino, fantastic view of the harbour, Pestana Carlton, Promenade and Miramar. Another great hotel I have used is the Hotel Eden Mar - these are all 4 and 5 star hotels but worth searching some of the comparison sites for great deals.

weather in Madeira is warm all year round due to the sub-tropical climate and a lot cheaper to eat and drink in Madeira than here in the UK - as for beaches - as it is a volcanic island - few of any note, the best beach, albeit very pebbbly would be at the Pestana Atlantic Gardens at praia formosa, however in Machico and Calhete they have man-made beaches and very good they are too....

hope this is of help

I can vouch for the comments by sunnyatlantic, The Eden Mar Hotel is 100% perfect, the grounds and gardens are 100% perfect and everywhere is so clean in this resort, it is part of the Porto Bay Hotels and Resorts. The Eden Mar is an apart hotel and therefore gives the added luxury (in my opinion) of being able to make tea and do basic cooking, with a two ring hob and a fridge. The staff throughout this group are always willing to 'go the extra mile', the maid service is second to none. Lovely views of the atlantic from most rooms and the balconies are bigger than most hotels. Great food, supermarket just under the hotel, called Pingo Doce (sweet penguin) funny translation. If you are still in doubt, look on Trip Advisor for more reviews. Hope you enjoy Madeira as much as we have over the past 10 years (4 times a year), we refer to it as paradise.

Good luck

sorry I forgot to add that most of the good hotels have a free courtesy bus into Funchal.

thanks for the advice everyone, we have now booked to go to portugal, but will going to madeira sometime in the future, so will take all the advice on board.

Appreciating you are now going elsewhere, there are websites for restaurants in Madeira with menus and prices.

By looking at these you will quickly realise it is no longer a cheap place to eat out.

I have to dis-agree, it is no more expensive than anywhere else within Europe. It depends what you want. If you want to eat at lunchtime, say soup and bread, it will be below 5 euros and fill you up until dinner time, please do not tar Maadeira with the same brush as other European places. The Madeirans are not rip off merchants unlike other cities. The accepted lunch is soup and bread.
If you compare it with BRISTISH PRICES, IT WOULD BE GOOD VALUE. The British prices are three times this amount and not as good value.and would include fat laden chips....do not assume anything, it is a mistake. Unless you have been to these places do not assume that there are no alternatives. This is the British way...there are so many alternatives, you do not have to have chips and you do not have to pay the earth. Try eating where the locals eat....WHY do Brits have to eat where everyone else eats, do some homework and find out the local eateries. Why are we so lazy.

I have just had a week in Madeira and the prices for a light lunch are favourable when compared to UK. A for instance is: Ham & Cheese toastie with a pot of Tea and two white Coffees. Price €5.40. Nor bad at all. This was in the Old Town where competition is evident, so there is the possibility that the seafront is more expensive. I can't comment on main meals because we stayed in a hotel.

Hi piperX

This proves my point about good value food in Funchal. I have soup and bread for lunch at €2.50 for this I get a really good soup with huge chunks of meat and 2 small rolls, the bowl is huge, it is a complete meal on its own. You can get this at doce lima below The Residence, Porto Bay Hotel, there is also an Italian restaurant Ill Basilico, also excellent value. This is in the Lido area.
Main meals are reasonable nearly everywhere on the Island, but not, perhaps, the marina area but this is the same the world over if you eat within a marina complex. People think that because there are no natural beaches in Madeira that it is boring but if you explore the island, there would be no time for lying on a beach getting 'cooked' I hope you visit Madeira again some day. I am glad you enjoyed your visit. For the 26th time, we are going again in December, unfortunately not for Christmas.

I have a villa in Madeira and obviously go regularly. You can eat out cheaply. But it depends were you go. For instance in Calheta you can have en evening meal including drink for less than 20 euros for 2 of you. You have to go were the locals go. There was a local bar offering 3 course meal for 5 euros including drink. That was unsustainable, but bargains are there. Also if you are self catering and eat local food, you can live much cheaper than the UK.