Best Madeira Hotels with Spa for Families (2026)
26 family-friendly hotels with spa & wellness in Madeira . Handpicked for families who want the best.
If you're looking for a Madeira hotel with a spa that still works for a family, the honest picture is this: the spas cluster on a 2 km strip above the cliffs of Sao Martinho and Sé (west Funchal), most have a strict 16+ age rule inside the treatment areas, and treatment menus start around 65 EUR for a 50-minute massage. The good news is that four of the five hotels below let kids use the indoor pool, sauna hours or hydrotherapy circuit on a daily or weekly pass. A single parent can realistically take 90 minutes off while the other sits poolside. The five picks here range from The Cliff Bay (5-star, 573 EUR/night, the most serious spa on the island) down to Pestana Promenade at 249 EUR/night. For a cheaper mainland alternative, see our family spa hotels in Lisbon. If you want beach plus spa, compare Algarve family hotels. Staying with young children who need a supervised club too? Our Madeira kids-club hotels pairs spa access with a proper kids programme.
Funchal is not a beach town. The old town (Sé) is cobbled, hilly and a nightmare with a stroller above Rua da Carreira. Stay on the Estrada Monumental (Sao Martinho) instead — flat, wide pavements, and every spa hotel below is on this road. The MI teleférico from the old harbour to Monte costs 12.50 EUR return and is the single best hour with kids on the island (they get the toboggan ride back down). Eat early: kitchens start serving dinner at 19:00 in Funchal, but most Portuguese families don't sit down until 20:30, so you have the first 90 minutes to yourselves. For a realistic cliff walk with kids, do the levada dos Tornos section from Curral dos Romeiros — 3 km flat, zero scary drops, shaded.
Find more hotels in Madeira
🧖Why a Madeira hotel spa actually works with kids in tow
Madeira's spa hotels run on a resort-spa model, not the urban day-spa model you get in Lisbon or Porto. Every hotel below has a full wet area (indoor pool, sauna, steam room, jacuzzi), a treatment cabin block, and a separate family pool deck outside. The climate helps: winter lows sit at 16°C and summer highs rarely break 26°C, so both pools stay useable March through November. That means one parent can genuinely disappear into the thalassotherapy circuit while the kid does pool time outside, then swap. Treatment menus lean into aloe vera, banana leaf wraps and volcanic stone massage — the only three ingredients the island actually grows at scale. Skip the 'signature rituals' over 180 EUR, they're generic.
Most hotel spas in Madeira follow the same layout: wet circuit (indoor pool, sauna, steam room, jacuzzi, sometimes thalasso) and 4 to 8 treatment cabins. The wet circuit is usually open 09:00 to 20:00, treatments run 10:00 to 19:00. Kids over 12 can use the indoor pool with a parent at most hotels; kids under 12 are allowed only at specific hours or never. Ask before booking, not on arrival. Meliá Madeira Mare on the Lido strip pairs indoor and outdoor pools with a partnered babysitting service and 45 sqm junior family suites, so one parent can use the circuit while the other stays with the children.
Thalassotherapy is the local specialty and it's the one treatment worth paying extra for. Saccharum has the most complete circuit (11 stations, 55-min self-guided, 42 EUR add-on to any treatment). The Cliff Bay runs a shorter but more polished version. Avoid the 'hot chocolate scrub' on Pestana menus — it's theatre, not therapy. Saccharum also has a heated indoor pool, an outdoor infinity pool facing the Atlantic and a dedicated kids' pool, 200 metres from Calheta's sandy beach. Its sister Savoy Signature adds a rooftop infinity pool and on-site bike rental with kid sizes.
If you're travelling with a baby or toddler, only Pestana Carlton and Royal Savoy let under-4s use the outdoor pool deck without time restrictions. The Cliff Bay is firm about its 12+ pool rule and polite but strict about enforcing it. Saccharum and Pestana Promenade have a separate kids' pool zone with its own lifeguard in July-August. Pestana Carlton adds a heated kids' pool, a playground, an indoor play area and a games room, and Golden Residence Hotel is the budget pick with a free indoor play area and babysitting on request.
Location changes the stay as much as the spa menu. Saccharum Resort and Spa and its Savoy Signature sister sit in Calheta on the sunny south-west coast, about 50 minutes from the airport, with the island's imported sandy beach next door and a flat coastal path for family bike rides. Hotel Porto Mare on the Lido strip runs a kids' club for ages 4 to 12 all year and has three outdoor pools, one for children. The Vine Hotel in Funchal's old town has a rooftop infinity pool and a wine spa above the Mercado dos Lavradores, while Aqua Natura sits above the natural volcanic pools of Porto Moniz.
Parent's take
The first morning at The Cliff Bay I booked a 90-minute couples massage at 10am. Our 8-year-old did the kids' swim club until 11:30, then met us at the ocean pool for lunch. Second morning I tried the same thing solo with the jacuzzi-and-sauna circuit while my partner did pool duty — it actually worked. Day four we lost the plot: the spa was closed for a private event, the kid got sunburnt, and we ate room service at 20:00. A Madeira spa week is realistic for a family if you plan two treatments across seven days, not seven across seven. Keep expectations low, book early, and accept that the 16+ rule is non-negotiable.
Our Top 26 Picks
Hotels in Madeira with spa & wellness, sorted by guest rating.
Les Suites at The Cliff Bay - PortoBay
Sao Martinho
Wonderful
500 reviews
Adult-friendly small luxury hotel with floor-to-ceiling glass on the heated indoor pool, framing the ocean. Pool runs 27-28 degC year-round. Connected to The Cliff Bay main hotel, with shared spa and outdoor heated pool overlooking the cliffs.
From
€903/night
Why families love Les Suites at The Cliff Bay - PortoBay
Les Suites at The Cliff Bay is a suite-only 5-star connected to The Cliff Bay, and I recommend it to families with older children who enjoy a calm atmosphere. Its heated indoor pool has floor-to-ceiling glass facing the ocean and stays at 27 to 28°C all year. Suites have a separate living area for children, and guests share the main hotel's spa, dining and heated outdoor pool on the cliffs. A lift goes down to the seawater bathing platform.
Quinta Jardins do Lago
Sao Pedro
Wonderful
500 reviews
Historic 18th century quinta in 10 acres of tropical garden, 5 minutes uphill from Funchal centre. The play area is informal: lawn space, climbing logs, a wooden treehouse, and Colombo the resident giant tortoise (180 years old, kids love him). No fences, parents need to be present.
From
€640/night
Why families love Quinta Jardins do Lago
We brought a 5-year-old and a 7-year-old here for a 4-night stay. The tortoise alone was worth the price for the older one. Garden is huge with banana groves, koi ponds and shaded benches everywhere. The play setup is more like a private estate than a hotel, so don't expect commercial slides; expect kids inventing their own games. Pool is small but heated. Restaurant is formal-leaning, kids menu exists but not advertised; ask in advance.
Reid's Palace, A Belmond Hotel, Madeira
Sao Martinho
Wonderful
500 reviews
Iconic 1891 cliffside hotel with a tucked-away kids garden behind the main terraced grounds: climbing wall, treehouse access, sand area and supervised play sessions in summer. Three pools (one heated infinity, one indoor, one ocean-side saltwater) and direct lift access to the sea-rock bathing area below.
From
€1064/night
Why families love Reid's Palace, A Belmond Hotel, Madeira
Reid's Palace, A Belmond Hotel, is the clifftop Funchal landmark opened in 1891 and set in 10 acres of gardens, and I recommend it to families. Behind the terraced grounds, a kids' garden has a climbing wall, a treehouse and a sand area, and the Belmond Bears Kids Club runs daily activities for ages 4 to 12. There are three pools, including a heated infinity pool and an indoor seawater pool, and a lift leads down to the sea-rock bathing area.
The Cliff Bay - PortoBay
Estrada Monumental
Wonderful
500 reviews
The Cliff Bay is a 5-star clifftop resort on the Estrada Monumental with an indoor pool, two table tennis tables, a tennis court, and seawater pools cut into the rock 30 metres below. The game room sits on the lower deck near the indoor pool and opens until 10 pm in summer. The hotel runs a free kids club for ages 4 to 12 in school holidays.
From
€405/night
Why families love The Cliff Bay - PortoBay
We picked The Cliff Bay for the cliffside layout and ended up using the game room more than expected. The two table tennis tables saved one rainy afternoon and an after-dinner stretch when our 10-year-old wanted to keep playing past lights-out. The clifftop sun loungers above the seawater pools are dramatic but the kids preferred the heated indoor pool. The restaurant has a kids menu with proper Madeira fish dishes, not just pizza.
The Cliff Bay
Sao Martinho
Wonderful
671 reviews
Madeira's most famous **5-star cliff-top hotel**, perched above the Atlantic at the western end of Estrada Monumental. Home to **Il Gallo d'Oro**, the island's only 2-Michelin-star restaurant, plus three restaurants total. The pool complex is the real draw for families: heated indoor pool, heated outdoor pool on the cliff edge, **dedicated kids' pool**, and an elevator + stairs down to a private sea-bathing platform with direct ocean access.
From
€573/night
Why families love The Cliff Bay
The Cliff Bay is a 5-star perched above the Atlantic at the western end of Estrada Monumental, and I recommend it to families who put pools first. The heated outdoor pool sits on the cliff edge, a heated indoor pool is open year-round, and children have a dedicated pool apart from the adults'. An elevator and stairs lead to a private sea-bathing platform. For parents, the hotel is also home to Il Gallo d'Oro, a two-Michelin-star restaurant.
Casa Velha do Palheiro Relais & Chateaux
Sao Goncalo
Wonderful
500 reviews
Country house hotel set in 14 hectares of botanical garden, 600 metres above Funchal in Sao Goncalo. The garden playground is small in equipment count (4 stations: swing, climbing log, mini-trampoline, sandpit) but huge in surface area. Mature-tree shade covers it all afternoon. Resident chickens, rabbits and a pony nearby.
From
€311/night
Why families love Casa Velha do Palheiro Relais & Chateaux
Casa Velha do Palheiro is a Relais & Châteaux country house in São Gonçalo, 600 metres above Funchal, set in botanical gardens next to a golf course. I recommend it to families who want a quiet country base. The garden playground has a swing, a climbing log, a mini-trampoline and a sandpit, shaded by mature trees, with chickens, rabbits and a pony nearby. There are indoor and outdoor pools, tennis courts and a free shuttle into Funchal.
Savoy Palace - The Leading Hotels of the World - Savoy Signature
Sé, central Funchal
Wonderful
1,283 reviews
A 352-room five-star with a 21st-floor rooftop pool overlooking Funchal harbour. Family suites here run 55-70 sqm with a separate living area, a proper sofa bed, and a balcony wide enough to seat four.
From
€540/night
Why families love Savoy Palace - The Leading Hotels of the World - Savoy Signature
Parents repeatedly mention two things: the sixth-floor kids' pool area is genuinely fenced and calm, and the suite layout has a sliding door between the bedroom and lounge which actually closes, unlike most suites that pretend to be separate. The rooftop bar is adults-only after 7pm, so plan dinner downstairs. Service is formal but warm with kids.
The Residence Porto Mare - PortoBay
Estrada Monumental
Wonderful
500 reviews
The Residence Porto Mare is a 4-star apartment-style hotel on the Estrada Monumental with a games room that has billiards, two table tennis tables, mini golf, and a tennis court in the shared garden complex. Rooms are 1- and 2-bedroom apartments with kitchenettes which families on a 5+ night stay use for breakfast.
From
€294/night
Why families love The Residence Porto Mare - PortoBay
The Residence Porto Mare is a 4-star apartment-style hotel on the Estrada Monumental, and I recommend it to families staying five nights or more. The one- and two-bedroom apartments have kitchenettes, handy for breakfasts with young children. In the garden complex shared with its sister PortoBay hotels, children find a games room with billiards and two table tennis tables, plus mini golf and a tennis court. Guests rate it 9.1 out of 10.
Aqua Natura Madeira
Porto Moniz, north-west coast
Wonderful
1,812 reviews
A 40-room four-star built into the cliff above Porto Moniz's natural volcanic pools. Family suites have a queen bed plus a daybed-style second space, sliding glass to a balcony, and a kitchenette with induction hob.
From
€210/night
Why families love Aqua Natura Madeira
The draw here is the natural sea pool complex 30 metres below the hotel. Children with basic swimming ability can spend hours in the calm rock-pool sections while parents use the deeper ones. Small caveat: the hotel has no kids' club, so entertainment is pool-based. Restaurant staff are used to families and happy to split portions without fuss.
Saccharum Resort and Spa
Calheta
Wonderful
2,486 reviews
A design-led **5-star beach resort in Calheta** on Madeira's sunny south-west coast, 50 minutes from Funchal airport. This is the only hotel on this list next to a genuine sandy beach — the imported Calheta beach is 200 metres away and the hotel has its own section with sun beds. The pool complex includes a heated **indoor pool**, an outdoor infinity pool facing the Atlantic, and a small kids' pool. The design theme is sugar cane (saccharum) — industrial-chic meets tropical garden.
From
€344/night
Why families love Saccharum Resort and Spa
Saccharum Resort and Spa is a design-led 5-star in Calheta, on Madeira's sunny south-west coast, about 50 minutes from Funchal airport. I recommend it to families who want both sand and pools: Calheta's imported sandy beach is 200 metres away, and the hotel has its own section with sun beds. The pool complex combines a heated indoor pool, an outdoor infinity pool facing the Atlantic and a small kids' pool. A car makes trips around the island easier.
Royal Savoy - Ocean Resort - Savoy Signature
Funchal Centre
Wonderful
500 reviews
Cliffside 5-star resort in Se with a fenced playground on the upper terrace, set away from the saltwater pool deck for noise control. Equipment includes swings, climbing tower, sandpit and a small slide for toddlers. Building shadow gives the play area afternoon shade from 2pm onwards.
From
€454/night
Why families love Royal Savoy - Ocean Resort - Savoy Signature
We took a 6-year-old and a 9-year-old. Older one liked the climbing tower, younger one preferred the indoor pool when the outdoor playground got too sunny mid-morning. The Salt restaurant accommodates kids with smaller portions of the adult menu (no separate kids buffet, which my eldest preferred). Worth the 5-star price if you value polished service; if you mostly need playground time, Pestana Promenade gets you closer to the pool for less.
Meliá Madeira Mare
Lido, west Funchal
Wonderful
1,892 reviews
A 220-room cliff-top five-star in the Lido area, which means a ten-minute walk along the seafront promenade to Funchal centre. Junior family suites measure about 45 sqm and include a lounge area with sofa bed for two children.
From
€310/night
Why families love Meliá Madeira Mare
Meliá Madeira Mare is a 220-room 5-star on the cliffs of the Lido area, a ten-minute walk along the seafront promenade from Funchal centre. I recommend its junior family suites, which measure about 45 sqm and include a lounge with a sofa bed for two children. Indoor and outdoor pools cover every kind of weather, the breakfast buffet has a kids' corner, and a partnered babysitting service is available. Five restaurants keep dinners varied.
Wonderful
500 reviews
Saccharum is a 5-star design hotel in Calheta on the sunnier south coast, with a games corner that has table tennis, board games, and a small library. It sits a 5-minute walk from Madeira's only proper sand beach (golden imported sand) and has the largest infinity pool on the island. The hotel runs cooking classes for kids in summer.
From
€385/night
Why families love Saccharum - Resort and Spa - Savoy Signature
We tried Saccharum after two trips to Funchal because we wanted actual beach for our kids. The sand is gentle, the sea is calmer than the cliffs near Funchal, and the table tennis area on the lower deck gave us a rainy afternoon fallback. The hotel design is glass-and-stone modern with a sugar refinery theme — kids found it visually interesting, not boring like beige beach hotels. Calheta itself is quiet at night so plan for dinners at the hotel.
Saccharum Resort & Spa Savoy Signature
Calheta, west coast
Wonderful
2,446 reviews
A luxury 5-star design hotel on Calheta beach, between Madeira's western mountains and the Atlantic. The rooftop infinity pool and three restaurants pull guests in, but the real bonus for cycling families is the flat coastal path right outside the door, plus on-site bike rental at the wellness desk.
From
€449/night
Why families love Saccharum Resort & Spa Savoy Signature
Saccharum surprised us with kid-sized bikes available without a fuss, and a flat 5km cycle track immediately south of the hotel that runs along the Atlantic. The rooftop pool is adults-only after 8pm but family-friendly all day. Family rooms sleep four with a sofa-bed that converts properly, and breakfast keeps fussy eaters happy with both pastries and cooked options. Calheta itself is sleepy but Funchal is 40 minutes east when you need a city day.
Hotel Porto Mare - PortoBay
Lido, Estrada Monumental
Excellent
2,105 reviews
A 4-star resort hotel on the Lido strip with three pools, a kids' club open year-round and tropical gardens that share footpaths with sister hotels Eden Mar and The Residence. Golf shuttles to Palheiro depart at 7am and 8am daily for the morning tees.
From
€215/night
Why families love Hotel Porto Mare - PortoBay
Porto Mare is the practical Madeira pick for golfing parents who want a no-fuss family base. The kids' club takes ages 4-12 from 9.30am, which lines up perfectly with the 8am golf shuttle. Three pool zones means quieter spots for the under-3s while older kids splash with friends. The half-board buffet does proper Madeiran specialities, not bland resort food.
Pestana Quinta Perestrello
Quinta Perestrello, Funchal
Excellent
500 reviews
Pestana Quinta Perestrello is a 4-star manor-house hotel set in subtropical gardens above the Estrada Monumental. The game lounge has a full-size billiards table, board games, and table tennis on the garden terrace. It is uphill from the main strip so you trade walking distance to the sea for quieter gardens.
From
€195/night
Why families love Pestana Quinta Perestrello
Pestana Quinta Perestrello is a 4-star manor-house hotel in subtropical gardens above the Estrada Monumental, and I recommend it to families who prefer calm to a large resort. The lounge has a full-size billiards table and board games, and table tennis is set up on the garden terrace. A heated indoor pool keeps swimming possible every day. The hotel is uphill from the main strip, so you trade a short walk to the sea for quieter gardens.
The Vine Hotel
Sé, Funchal old town
Excellent
1,340 reviews
A modern design hotel in central Funchal with a rooftop infinity pool, terrace bar and an in-house wine spa. The concierge desk pre-books tee times at Palheiro and Santo da Serra and arranges car or shuttle transfers depending on the group size.
From
€298/night
Why families love The Vine Hotel
The Vine works best for families with older kids who'll appreciate the rooftop pool view over Funchal harbour. The wine theme runs through the whole hotel, but the kids' menu in the Uva restaurant is genuinely good — proper grilled fish, not nuggets. Family rooms are tight on size; book a junior suite if you're four. Right above Mercado dos Lavradores for breakfast pastries.
Pestana Porto Santo Premium All Inclusive Beach & SPA Resort
Campo de Baixo, Porto Santo island
Excellent
1,011 reviews
A 275-room all-inclusive on Porto Santo's 9km golden-sand beach, reached by 2h15 ferry from Funchal or a 15-minute flight. Family suites at the Premium cover 45 sqm with a king bedroom, separate living room with sofa bed, and a balcony with direct beach or pool view.
From
€460/night
Why families love Pestana Porto Santo Premium All Inclusive Beach & SPA Resort
Everything the main Madeira island isn't: real sand, warm shallow sea, a flat walk-to-beach setup. The all-inclusive covers four restaurants; the a la carte Portuguese one at dinner is the best. Kids' club goes from 3 to 12 in two age groups. One warning: Porto Santo shuts down for the off-season between November and March, so this is firmly a summer booking.
Suite Hotel Eden Mar - PortoBay
Sao Martinho
Excellent
500 reviews
All-suite 4-star at the western end of the Estrada Monumental, with a heated indoor pool open 9am to 7pm year-round (currently 26-28 degC). Family suites sleep four. Direct lift access to the seafront promenade and the PortoBay sister property's pools.
From
€322/night
Why families love Suite Hotel Eden Mar - PortoBay
We picked it for the suite layout (sleeping zone separate from living, useful for early bedtimes) and the indoor pool that worked for our 5-year-old in February. Pool sometimes ran cool at 26 degC; the manager bumped it to 27 when we asked. Kitchenette in the suite let us do simple breakfasts. Buffet is shared with the next-door PortoBay hotel and is more crowded than the indoor pool deck, which stays quiet.
Pestana Promenade Ocean Resort Hotel
Estrada Monumental
Excellent
634 reviews
The Pestana Promenade is the highest-rated 4-star on the Funchal hotel strip (8.8 average over 634 reviews), with a heated indoor pool, two outdoor pools, and direct access to the Lido Promenade seafront walkway, the flattest, most stroller-friendly route along the Funchal cliff. The all-inclusive package is an optional upgrade on top of half-board.
From
€249/night
Why families love Pestana Promenade Ocean Resort Hotel
Pestana Promenade Ocean Resort opens directly onto the Lido Promenade, a 2 km paved seafront walkway that I find ideal with a stroller or a child on a scooter. The hotel has a heated indoor pool and two outdoor pools, enough to keep children busy between walks, and a spa with family treatments. Stays are half-board, with an optional all-inclusive upgrade. Its 8.8 average over 634 reviews is among the best on the Funchal hotel strip.
Pestana Carlton Madeira Ocean Resort Hotel
Se Waterfront
Excellent
1,834 reviews
A 5-star beachfront hotel at Largo Antonio Nobre with a proper children's playground, an indoor play area, a games room with table tennis and foosball, and a kids' pool. Activity schedule runs May-October, reduced programme the rest of the year. Closest hotel on this list to Funchal marina and the old town restaurants.
From
€353/night
Why families love Pestana Carlton Madeira Ocean Resort Hotel
The games room was the winner with our tweens (8 and 11). They played foosball and table tennis every evening after dinner instead of being on screens. The kids' pool is shallow but heated and separate from the main pool. Staff ran a morning session of drawing and board games around 11am, nothing formal but included and supervised. Breakfast buffet is excellent.
Dreams Madeira Resort Spa & Marina
Caniçal, east Madeira
Excellent
478 reviews
A 273-room resort on the east coast next to a small private beach and Quinta do Lorde marina. Family suites include a bedroom with king bed plus a separate living room with two sofa beds, a kitchenette in the apartment category, and private balconies that overlook either the marina or Atlantic.
From
€350/night
Why families love Dreams Madeira Resort Spa & Marina
The Explorer's Club kids' programme runs from 4 to 12 and costs nothing extra; it operates 9am-1pm and 4pm-8pm which is the correct schedule for parents who want a morning off and a cocktail before dinner. The negative: the seven restaurants all sit inside the main building, so in windy weather the sunset walk between them gets grumpy. Marina boats include a glass-bottom tour good for kids over six.
Madeira Panorâmico Hotel
Estrada Monumental
Excellent
500 reviews
Madeira Panorâmico is a 4-star hotel on the Estrada Monumental with a games room that has billiards, table tennis, and squash courts plus a tennis court for outdoor play. The hotel has both an indoor and outdoor pool, which makes it useful when Madeira's afternoon clouds roll in. Apartment-style suites are available for larger families.
From
€218/night
Why families love Madeira Panorâmico Hotel
We tried Panorâmico for the squash courts — our 12-year-old plays squash at school and rarely finds it on holiday. The billiards table is in the same area, so when the squash got too sweaty we switched activity without leaving the floor. The 4-star feel is a step down from PortoBay's 5-stars, but the games room is bigger and less polished, which our kids preferred for messing around. The outdoor pool is on the cliff side with a smaller indoor pool for the under-fives.
Golden Residence Hotel
Sao Martinho
Excellent
2,496 reviews
A 4-star hotel on Rua do Cabrestante with a free-access indoor play area, evening entertainment 5 nights a week, and a kid-friendly buffet. No formal kids club with scheduled sessions, but the play zone and babysitting on request make it the budget pick for families with toddlers who can't use age-restricted clubs elsewhere.
From
€157/night
Why families love Golden Residence Hotel
Golden Residence Hotel in São Martinho is a sensible choice in Funchal for families with toddlers. There is no formal kids club with scheduled sessions, but the indoor play area is free to use and babysitting is available on request. Evening entertainment runs five nights a week, and the buffet is kid-friendly. I would choose it for families whose children are too young for the age-restricted clubs at other resorts on the island.
VidaMar Resort Hotel Madeira
Estrada Monumental
Very Good
627 reviews
The VidaMar is the only Madeira 5-star with a year-round supervised kids club (ages 4-12, 10am-5pm, free for hotel guests), sitting on a cliff above its own private basalt beach platform. The all-inclusive package is sold as an optional upgrade on top of the standard half-board rate.
From
€425/night
Why families love VidaMar Resort Hotel Madeira
VidaMar Resort Hotel Madeira stands out for its supervised kids club, open year-round for ages 4 to 12 from 10am to 5pm and free for hotel guests. I recommend it to families who want structured activities during their stay. Five restaurants, including an Italian trattoria and a sushi counter, cover different tastes. The hotel has an indoor heated pool, an outdoor pool and an adults-only pool, and an elevator leads down to its private basalt beach platform.
Pestana Royal All Inclusive Ocean & Spa Resort
Sao Martinho
Very Good
609 reviews
The Pestana Royal is Madeira's flagship true all-inclusive 5-star, sitting on a cliff above Praia Formosa with a 15-metre outdoor pool, a heated indoor pool and a glass-fronted ocean lido on the basalt rocks below. The AI package covers breakfast, lunch, dinner, afternoon tea, and house wine, beer and soft drinks round the clock — the broadest inclusion list on the island.
From
€684/night
Why families love Pestana Royal All Inclusive Ocean & Spa Resort
Parents rate the breadth of the dinner buffet (609 reviews, 8.1 average) and the fact that kids eat free off the adult buffet at all times, not just set hours. The kids' splash pool is small (6m) and gets busy by 11am — locals suggest arriving before 10am. The supervised kids' programme runs during Portuguese and UK school holidays only, so check dates. The walk down to the ocean lido is 80 steps — a stroller is useless here.
💡How to pick a Madeira spa hotel that fits a family week
- 1Book spa treatments before arrival. On Madeira the good slots (10:00 to 12:00, the hours kids are most happily occupied in the pool) sell out 72 hours ahead in July and August. The hotel concierge email always replies within 24 hours; the spa phone line rarely does.
- 2Ask specifically about the wet-area kids policy. Answers vary by hotel and by season. Saccharum is kid-tolerant in low season, strict in August. The Cliff Bay is always 16+ in the spa zone. Get it in writing before booking a non-refundable rate.
- 3Skip spa day-passes at hotels you're not staying at. Madeira hotels charge 45 to 75 EUR for external day access and the wet area is usually reserved for residents in the morning anyway. The three hours you can actually use it are the three hours you'd rather be at the beach pool.
- 4For treatments, pick aloe vera or volcanic stone over 'signature rituals'. Aloe vera wraps (60 EUR, 50 min) and basalt hot-stone massage (85 EUR, 60 min) are the two treatments Madeira therapists actually train in. Anything with 'gold', 'caviar' or 'pearl' in the name is marketing.
- 5Combine your spa hotel with a half-day at the Porto Moniz natural pools (45 min drive west). Entry is 3 EUR per adult, 1.50 EUR per child, the water is clean Atlantic, and you get a free second 'spa' afternoon that the kids actually enjoy.
- 6For a quieter end to the trip, add a night or two at Aqua Natura in Porto Moniz: the 40-room hotel sits above the natural volcanic pools, and its family suites have a kitchenette, about 75 minutes from the airport.
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