Atmosphere rules \u2013 yes? Absolutely!<\/p>\n
You are on a relentless search for your dream house. Stepping into the next agent\u2019s offering, a moment of joy and warmth floods your body \u2013 you instinctively know this is the house to buy. You experience the brick and mortar\u2019s invisible energy, making you feel wholly relaxed and at home \u2013 its atmosphere \u2013 its ambience feels oh so right.<\/p>\n
The house is bought without hesitation but… remember… you make that choice after experiencing that inviting and beckoning aura.<\/p>\n
Flip the coin over and see what happens when you reach your pre-booked and untried hotel \u2013 the one you\u2019ve paid for upfront \u2013 the one you are lumbered with if it is rubbish. Your choice emerges from due diligence, listening to friends\u2019 and websites\u2019 recommendations and ploughing through online brochures, enticing you to stay at this or that hotel. But you choose your future short-stay home \u2013 without knowing its all-important atmosphere.<\/p>\n
Tenterhooks rule entering the hotel reception. You are tired, perhaps suffering from jet lag, wanting a relaxing bath and a stiff drink, crossing everything that this is the hotel. And what should happen? You stare disbelievingly at your new surroundings with your insides shouting, Oh, no! This place is awful!<\/p>\n
Or…<\/p>\n
A giant sigh of relaxation and calm envelops you \u2013 simply because the hotel\u2019s warm and inviting ambience hits its mark.<\/p>\n
One unique and luxurious hotel perched above a sheer cliff on a Garden of Eden Island does this by the bucket load \u2013 it is your holiday blotting paper with oodles of atmosphere waiting to be soaked up and enjoyed.<\/p>\n
So, let\u2019s go on holiday and fly to the impossibly beautiful Portuguese island of Madeira or Arquip\u00e9lago da Madeira in the Atlantic Ocean and experience a giant slice of its number one luxury hotel: let\u2019s check out Funchal\u2019s Les Suites at The Cliff Bay, which will cause you to issue a massive sigh of relief when you arrive and to give yourself a congratulatory pat on the back at having made a brilliant choice.<\/p>\n
Unbelievably, technicolour Madeira\u2019s idyllic 289 square miles (748 sq km) is only 540 miles (869 km) due west of hot-pot Morocco\u2019s Marrakesh but has a most agreeable and enjoyable sub-Mediterranean climate waiting for you.<\/p>\n
Your 25-minute taxi ride from Madeira\u2019s Airport to Funchal and Les Suites will introduce you to the fascinating mix of the island\u2019s stunning coastline and the Madeirans\u2019 foresight to carve hundreds of tunnels through their mountainous volcanic geology to provide you with a highly efficient transport system.<\/p>\n
Your taxi draws up outside Les Suites\u2019 hotel reception \u2013 an exquisite example of Madeira\u2019s 1900s grand villas carefully and sympathetically restored by Portobay Hotels and Resorts, a surprising company headed by Presidente and CEO Ant\u00f3nio Trindade. Why surprising, you ask? Well, if we step back to early 20th-century Funchal, there were two large villas, one a posh tea house \u2013 Chalet Pires, and the other \u2013 Chalet Reids, a private residence, which became a private Portuguese bank, Banco Espirito Santo. They sat in a scenic, lush ravine, facing the sparkling sea atop a spectacular vertiginous amphitheatre cliff.<\/p>\n
Now, time-machine forward a hundred years. The beautiful villas still exist, but in any ruthless developer\u2019s eye, they were crying out to be demolished and replaced with an enormous hotel or apartment monster \u2013 a seemingly logical business decision to maximise a great site.<\/p>\n
Now for the surprise part.<\/p>\n
Step in Portobay Hotels and Resorts \u2013 a company run by two principal shareholders: descendants of Madeira\u2019s famous Blandy\u2019s wine and Ocean Islands. The company purchased land bordering today\u2019s Vidamar Hotel and, in 1995, opened its distinctive and luxurious 5-star The Cliff Bay hotel.<\/p>\n
Fifteen years ago, the two grand villas and a winery in varying degrees of disrepair became available adjacent to Portobay\u2019s hotel and bordering Villa Cipriani. But, against the usual development grain and mystifying many businesspeople, the company snapped them up not to demolish the villas but to stop a 120-room high-rise development and ensure the survival of the site\u2019s beautiful surroundings and the peninsula\u2019s tranquil atmosphere. Instead, the company insisted their English architect, James Ward, conserve and convert one of the iconic old buildings into a new hotel reception and the other into a celebrated restaurant.<\/p>\n
James Ward Atelier Lda\u2019s architectural practice worked closely with PortoBay\u2019s board member, Jos\u00e9 Carlos Silva, who had a decisive planning and follow-up role in Les Suites at The Cliff Bay. This highly successful team seamlessly married the grand old architecture with cool, subdued contemporary design. As a result, the two precious buildings became the focus of a new 5-star low-rise luxury hotel development of a restrained number of twenty-three units that opened in 2012.<\/p>\n
Two sumptuous suites, each having a private lift, are blended into the top floors above the reception in the conserved villa, Chalet Reids. The remaining twenty-one suites and comprehensive guest facilities cover seven levels skilfully designed with convenient connections to Portobay\u2019s sister hotel, The Cliff Bay, and hidden in the landscape from the roadside at considerable expense and blended into beautiful-tiered gardens \u2013 a delight to experience in the sparkling Funchal sunshine. As a result, the architecture is one with a stunning environment without rudely shouting, \u201cI\u2019M HERE!\u201d.<\/p>\n
Chatting with architect James Ward, he described his earlier work with Portobay Hotels and Resorts and explained the challenges of Les Suites\u2019 site and complex design:<\/p>\n
\n\u201cMy first project in Madeira was the interior design of The Cliff Bay Hotel, which opened in 1994. At the time, I was a partner with de Brant Joyce and Partners in Harley Street, London. Under the guidance of project architect Joao Concei\u00e7ao, The Cliff Bay was the first five-star hotel built in Madeira since the 1970s and built on a spectacular site. For Les Suites, our design philosophy was to blend the existing 1900s villa buildings and The Bay Cliff Hotel with the new complex. The planning challenge was to connect not only the new suites to the reception at The Cliff Bay but also to Chalet Reids and Chalet Pires, plus the locations of the Avista Bar, restaurants, and terraces \u2013 and to do so in the most efficient way possible. The team, including me, architects Steven Caldeira and his sister Mary, and interior designer Andreia Pinto, were keen to introduce natural light into the hotel corridors. The solution to this problem was to create an indoor garden lit by a circular oculus in the pool deck. This feature floods the garden with light and allowed us to plant palm trees since it is open to the sky and the rain.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
James explained that three buildings were on the plot when Portobay Hotels and Resorts purchased it for their new development. \u201cThe first, Chalet Pires, was built as a small villa but in poor condition, having been empty for many years. Because of Les Suites\u2019 multi-floor planning complexity, the reconstruction of the building kept to Portobay Hotels\u2019 conservation ethos, with its handsome fa\u00e7ade and room layout retained to include the necessary kitchens for the new Avista restaurant. Chalet Reids, the second villa, was also about one hundred years old but in much better condition, except that the original lessee, Banco Espirito Santo, had removed most of the original ceilings. When replanning the villa\u2019s interior, we created two new suites and the main Les Suites\u2019 reception. I was a fortunate architect since I had a client who wanted to build the most exclusive luxury hotel in Madeira and was willing to pay for top-notch materials of the highest quality in Les Suites\u2019 construction; these included walnut interior timber panelling manufactured by a local Funchal company, and natural white marble for its bathrooms, which is not the case with most recent 5-star hotels. The third building on the site was a neglected Adega or winery with a chimney at its centre. The structure was so unsafe and in such a poor state of repair that demolition was the only option for us. We carefully planned the multi-floors of the new building to reduce their visual impact, especially from their height and intrusion into the beautiful site.\u201d<\/p>\n
Portobay Hotels and Resorts appeared to take a tremendous financial risk in building Les Suites. However, they had the visionary foresight and extensive and successful hospitality experience to know the precise requirements of their future clientele \u2013 a unique luxury hotel offering a subtle, subdued and relaxing atmosphere.<\/p>\n
And what has happened? The shareholders are over the moon since the company\u2019s love of their beautiful island and conservation commitment has paid off handsomely.<\/p>\n
Exceptional Dining at Les Suites and The Cliff Bay<\/h2>\n
When guests experience Les Suites, they can also use the comprehensive facilities at their sister hotel; these are a stone\u2019s throw away by strolling down the pretty tiered gardens or dropping down to Les Suites\u2019 third floor and walking undercover to pop up in The Cliff Bay.<\/p>\n
Once there, you can enjoy the fabulous fare at Il Gallo d\u2019Oro restaurant, a thoroughly relaxing deep massage, or a dip in the crystal-clear sea.<\/p>\n
And how does Les Suites generously tick one of the essential boxes ensuring your holiday is a dream? With mouth-watering cuisine! So, what wonderful gastronomic recipes can Les Suites conjure up for their guests?<\/p>\n
Il Gallo d\u2019Oro: Two Michelin Stars of Excellence<\/h3>\n
Let us drop into Les Suites\u2019 famous Il Gallo d\u2019Oro \u2013 the Golden Rooster restaurant in The Cliff Bay and sample their outstanding menu.<\/p>\n
Il Gallo d\u2019Oro is the only restaurant in Madeira to have been awarded two Michelin stars in 2008. The restaurant is Italian by name but oozes Madeiran and French influences in character, and it was completely refurbished in 2021 when interior designer Andreia Pinto teamed up with architect James Ward. Diners can enjoy their fabulous fare while the wonderful seascape of the Atlantic Ocean.<\/p>\n
The glorious menu offered to clients results from generously mixing Il Gallo d\u2019Oro with famous French chef de cuisine, Executive Chef Beno\u00eet Sinthon, a member of the influential Disciples Auguste Escoffier. He was born in 1972 and lived in Gardanne. His grandmother encouraged the young Beno\u00eet to become a world-beating chef. He must have listened to her since her grandson has built a worldwide high-cuisine reputation, creating a career in an impressive tally of respected establishments: Relais & Ch\u00e2teaux La C\u00f4te Saint, Restaurant Fleur de Lys in Madeira\u2019s Hotel Savoy, Relais & Ch\u00e2teaux, Casa Velha, Reid\u2019s Palace, Casa Velha do Palheiro and now the crowning glory, the two Michelin Stars, Il Gallo d\u2019Oro at Les Suites.<\/p>\n
Beno\u00eet oversees thirteen talented chefs at Il Gallo d\u2019Oro and thirty at four restaurants covering Les Suites and The Cliff Bay. He and his team will set your taste buds alight, working their culinary magic on fresh and tasty ingredients to conjure a kaleidoscope of cracking fish, meat and vegetarian dishes that will satisfy every discerning palate.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cMy cuisine inspiration originates from seasonal Atlantic Ocean flavours, classic Madeiran and French culinary cooking and a more relaxed Mediterranean cooking style. Fish from the coast, seafood, home farm vegetables, fresh aromatic herbs and spices, Madeiran traditional terroir, with a twist of creativity using new culinary techniques \u2013 but always respecting the flavours, which makes the experience of those who visit us extra special and unforgettable.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Beno\u00eet\u2019s philosophy is devoted to freshness in his dish ingredients, with as many locally sourced in Madeira, Portugal, or his native France. These are evident in his favourite signature dishes \u2013 foie gras, pineapple, Madeira\u2019s honey Bolo de Mel, and roast pigeon, accompanied by eucalyptus sauce and crackers infused with grilled Madeira limpets.<\/p>\n
Beno\u00eet told me a hotel guest story that succinctly illustrates his special relationship with clients who fully appreciate his cooking genius.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cOne day, a South African couple stayed at Les Suites after arriving at Funchal in their private executive jet. At the end of their first day, they ate at Il Gallo d\u2019Oro and adored my foie gras, pineapple and Bolo de Mel de Cana Madeira cake. They stayed for a few days and returned to Il Gallo d\u2019Oro three times to eat the same foie gras. The guests had never eaten foie gras like mine, which they thought was amazing and had unbelievable flavours. The day before leaving, the client\u2019s executive jet cabin crew asked me if it were possible to prepare two portions of the foie gras for their boss as a surprise parting gift \u2013 and if I could teach them how to make the dressing on the plane for their lunch. A great idea that was special and memorable.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Avista \u00c1sia and Josper Grill Delights<\/h3>\n
The kitchen of Les Suites\u2019 Avista \u00c1sia restaurant is located within the rebuilt Chalet Pires 1900 villa \u2013 and under the guidance of Executive Chef Beno\u00eet Sinthon. Choosing to eat in the restaurant\u2019s relaxed dining room, you will experience the nearby spectacular vertiginous cliffs through its vast picture windows or melt in comfort, sipping a delicious coffee within the intimate atmosphere of the sun-drenched terrace.<\/p>\n
Add the following celebrated chefs, Rui Pinto and Pedro Camacho and be blown away by their oriental culinary and gastronomic experience that combines techniques and ingredients from Asian cuisine with fresh products from the island of Madeira: Tuna, scallops, or Madeiran fruits brilliantly mixed with Japanese wagyu, nori, or yuzu will dazzle your taste buds together with fresh and tasty seasonal produce. These ingredients are the highlights of the Avista \u00c1sia kitchen, where sushi and sashimi combine with delicious fish from the island.<\/p>\n
To completely spoil you with exquisite culinary choices, Chef Jo\u00e3o Luz oversees a Josper Grill within Les Suites\u2019 Avista restaurant. This unique grill is turned to a high temperature to infuse cooking ingredients with the unmistakable and distinctive flavours of the oven\u2019s glowing embers, giving your future dishes a juicy and mouth-watering consistency.<\/p>\n
Why Les Suites Captivates Guests<\/h2>\n
Let us leave (grudgingly!) the subject of the hotel\u2019s fabulous cooking and find out why Les Suites is Les Suites and why it is loved so much.<\/p>\n
Meeting with the affable General Manager Ant\u00f3nio Pais, whose responsibilities cover three Portobay Hotels and Resorts: Les Suites, The Cliff Bay, and PortoBay Serra Golf, he chatted with me in the hotel\u2019s sunny reception. Sinking into a comfortable sofa, I looked out from the original 1900s Chalet Pires grand villa interior onto the lush palm treed gardens awash with spectacular colour. Knowing the islands of St Lucia, Granada and Antigua, the outside view whisked me back to the Caribbean. If you want to avoid travelling that far, Madeira is a gorgeous substitute, with only a pinch off four hours of non-stop flying time from London or Basel to Funchal. If you are heading east across The Pond from New York, Funchal is a smidgen over seven hours away with no stops. And you have the promise of a luxury home-from-home hotel when you land.<\/p>\n
It was clear from Ant\u00f3nio\u2019s story behind the creation of Les Suites and The Cliff Bay that all aspects of running the hotels rely on ensuring a continuation of their high 5-star standards throughout the complex processes, working faultlessly behind the scenes \u2013 a non-stop efficiency that broadcasts a calm, relaxing and enjoyable atmosphere to every guest, ensuring their return in the future. Ant\u00f3nio illustrated with pride the epitome of this successful marriage of business and pleasure, describing how a couple began a love affair with Portobay hotels. They could not imagine staying elsewhere for their holidays and notched up a grand and record-breaking total of 765 Portobay nights \u2013 yes, 765! Wow!<\/p>\n
Every morsel of Les Suites at The Cliff Bay is dripping in luxury, so drop into www.portobay.com<\/a> to see the full range of fantastic rooms and the hotels\u2019 comprehensive and luxurious facilities waiting for you \u2013 and of course, the hotel\u2019s warm and inviting atmosphere. Disappointment is not an option.<\/p>\n
Final Thoughts: Book Your Madeira Escape<\/h2>\n
So\u2026 here we are. You are teetering on edge about setting foot for the first time on Madeira\u2019s most pleasant shores \u2013 so let me do a micro-quick recap of what is on offer to get you on your way. It is a no-brainer: when in Madeira, choose Funchal\u2019s Les Suites at The Cliff Bay if you want your cake and melt inside eating it.<\/p>\n
Boa viagem!<\/p>\n