Where to stay in Funchal

Neighbourhood-by-neighbourhood guidance for Funchal, Portugal: which areas suit which travellers, what they cost, and the stays we list in each.

Lido & São Martinho (3) — Seafront promenade, pools, resorts Estrada Monumental is the resort spine, feeding the Lido promenade, the sea pools and the free two-kilometre Praia Formosa.
Zona Velha (2) — Painted doors, tiny cobbled restaurant lanes Base on or just off Rua de Santa Maria, with the cable car's lower station and the Barreirinha bathing complex at either end.
Avenida do Infante (4) — Grand villas, park, five-star hotels A short leafy stretch west of the centre holding the big hotels and the 36,000-square-metre Parque de Santa Catarina.
Monte (2) — Cloud-level gardens, cool, green A separate hill village at around 500 metres, holding the Monte Palace Tropical Garden and the toboggan start.
Sé & Centro (2) — Cathedral, market, tiled commercial streets The grid between Rua do Aljube, Avenida Arriaga and the Mercado dos Lavradores puts nearly everything ticketed within ten minutes.

Savoy Palace — Avenida do Infante ($$). Five-star: 309 rooms, six pools and Portugal's largest spa
Barceló Funchal Oldtown — Zona Velha ($). A fully renovated five-star on the old town's edge
Sé Boutique Hotel — Sé & Centro ($). Four-star: 54 rooms, a rooftop bar and a gallery beside the Sé
Hotel Madeira — Sé & Centro ($). Small three-star with a rooftop pool, open all year
Central Funchal apartments — Sé & Centro ($). Renovated period flats in the old commercial grid, walkable to the market and the Sé
Lido seafront apartments — Lido & São Martinho ($). Self-catering on the promenade, with the sea pools and Praia Formosa on foot