 PORTUGAL
Madeira Island has two paradises
:
Reid's Palace and spectacular golf
Where to stay
Madeira Island offers a large range of hotels
and all sorts of accommodation from one to five stars but there is only one Reid's Palace
in the world and it is a destination on its own at Madeira.
In 1846, a Scottish cabin boy called William
Reid put his feet for the first time on Madeira island. During
fifty years he nurtured and matured a project: building an
exclusive palace on this paradise island. Located on ten acres
of sub-tropical gardens on a clifftop headland overlooking
Funchal and Madeira's bay, the doors of the palace opened
for the first time in 1891.
Since then, the Reid's Palace is a destination on his own and has welcomed the most
distinguished members of international high society, from Empress Elizabeth of Austria,
the Duke of Kent or the scientist Marconi, from Bernard Shaw who learnt to dance tango or
Winston Churchill painting Camara de Lobos to "007" (Roger Moore), Stephanie of
Monaco or the "coloratura" Kiri te Kanawa.
In 1996, Reid's Palace has been taken over by
Orient-Express Hotels Inc, the company that re-launched the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express
and manages a luxury collection of hotels worldwide in the tradition of the Cipriani
Palazzo of Venice. In 2000, the programme of improvements has been achieved to return this
famous hotel its former splendour.
Nowadays, the Reid's Palace counts 164 suites and rooms
completely refurbished to match the temperate climate and sunshine of the island with the
original Anglo-Portuguese furnishings.
The Reid's has always enjoyed a reputation for its
cuisine from a simple seafood salad at the Pool Terrace or a traditional five o'clock at
the Tea Terrace to a large choice of menus able to match all taste of the customers: light
Mediterranean savour at Les Faunes, fresh sea food at la Brisa do Mar, Italian taste with
wonderful Atlantic view at Trattoria Villa Cliff or international delights at the elegant
Edwardian atmosphere of the Dining Room. But everywhere you dine, it is perfect.
Reid's offers also a full range of sport activities from
swimming in the four different pools (3 seawater, 2 heated and 1 at sea-level with access
to the sea) carved in the rocks underneath the hotel to big game fishing on board of a
luxury yacht, to tee-off on the golf courses or simply trek in the spectacular mountain. A
special programme "fun at Reid's" is dedicated to the children for their parents
relax and the exceptional variety of trees and plants in the garden is worth of daily or
evening's visit. And there is an Art & Beauty Center "la Prairie".
With all these trumps, Reid's Palace is member of the
Leadings Hotels in the World and winner of all international awards, always ranked in the
first bests. Definitely, Reid's in Madeira is really a destination for itself, a place for
holidays in paradise.
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