Back in December, I stayed in this lovely villa in Funchal, and it’s was a holiday to remember over and over again.
Villa Ravenala was perfect for either couples, small families or small groups of friends. Located in a quiet, private neighbourhood, surrounded by similar villas in the outskirts of Funchal, a good spot to relax under the Madeiran sun
The three en suite bedrooms were beautifully decorated, all with balconies, sea views and the garden. The master suite has floor to celling windows that lead to a private terrace where we enjoyed coffee every morning and watched the sun rise - and then set again with a cocktail.
The whole house was so spacious and airy, small enough to feel comfortable and cosy but large enough for guests to have their own space. The separate kitchen was functional and has enough basic cooking essentials with the option to dine / BBQ alfresco by the pool or in the separate spacious and bright living room with french windows that lead to outside and the pool area The open plan living room was also bright and spacious with more floor to ceiling windows that open out to the garden and pool area.
There was plenty of outdoor seating and a few sun loungers and the mature garden with 1000+ year-old olive trees making it private and sheltered sub spot. The villa was not in Funchal centre but halfway between the capital and the quaint fishing village of Camara do Lobos. It was also in a great spot to hit the motorway in both directions to access the rest of the island, (but far enough that you won't hear any motorway noise)
We totally hired our own car. The villa was not isolated from amenities but far enough away from Madeira's main attractions that we could’t really do without one. Hiring a car also made us feel like we were living the magazine lifestyle that this villa engenders (okay, we hired a German car from Sixt - I would recommend doing the same, if you can as Madeira's hire car fleet very much veers toward the 'budget' end of the scale - and that is not to say it is cheap). There was also a large games room in the basement with sofas - perfect for kids to play, if you can get them out of the pool.
Villa Ravenala was is modern cubic white building, it is an attractive piece of architecture that you can’t help but to wish for yourself. What better way to frame your holiday, than to live out a lifestyle fantasy? We totally managed that. The lovely Madeira Household Management team, the company we rented the villa from were as always very helpful and we know we can always count on their suggestions if we cannot book the week or place we want.
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