Luxury Hotel · Portugal
Reid’s Palace, A Belmond Hotel
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At a glance
Reid’s Palace sits on a rocky promontory above Funchal Bay, surrounded by ten acres of subtropical gardens that slope toward the Atlantic. The hotel was built by William Reid, a Scottish immigrant who arrived in Madeira as a young man and built a wine export business on the island before constructing the hotel that now bears his name.
It opened in 1891 and went on to attract guests including Empress Sissi of Austria and Winston Churchill, who spent several months at the property. The hotel became part of the Belmond portfolio, and today its coral-pink facade and clifftop position above Funchal make it one of the most recognisable buildings on the island.
The William Restaurant, the hotel’s signature fine dining venue, holds the first Michelin star ever awarded to a Madeiran chef. Three swimming pools, an oceanfront spa, direct access to the sea from the hotel’s ocean deck, and four restaurants sit within the property grounds. The hotel’s position above Funchal Bay provides views that extend across the harbour to the mountains behind the city.
Highlights
- 126 rooms and suites on a clifftop above Funchal Bay, each with a private balcony and Atlantic or garden views.
- William Restaurant, holder of Madeira’s first Michelin star.
- Three pools, an oceanfront spa with Atlantic-facing treatment suites, and direct access to the sea.
Accommodation
Rooms
All rooms feature dark wood furniture, floral-printed walls, wing-backed armchairs, marble bathrooms with a deep soaking tub and walk-in shower, and a private balcony or patio with ocean or garden views. Each includes a minibar with complimentary soft drinks, free WiFi, air conditioning, and a safe.
Family Rooms
Family Rooms connect two rooms to create a combined space for families, with the same marble bathrooms, private balconies, and ocean or garden views as the standard room categories. An extra bed can be added on request.
Suites
Suites average 80 square meters with a separate bedroom, an oversized sitting room, and a private veranda with sea views over Funchal Bay.
Each includes a marble bathroom with a deep soaking tub and walk-in shower, dark wood furniture, and the same finish as the rooms below. Suites can connect with adjoining rooms for larger groups or families.
Signature Suites
The Signature Suite collection sits at the top of the collection, with the Winston Churchill Suite as the most historically significant option. Churchill spent extended periods at the property painting the Madeiran landscape and the bay below.
The suite features floor-to-ceiling windows, hand-painted wallpapers, Portuguese tiles, a private terrace, and views across Funchal Bay and
Further information
Food & Drink
William Restaurant
William holds Madeira’s first Michelin star, with a contemporary tasting menu built around the island’s seasonal ingredients and the seafood of the Atlantic, served with panoramic bay views.
Villa Cipriani
A clifftop Italian restaurant serving antipasti, pasta, and risotto with ocean views from the dining room and terrace.
The Dining Room
The hotel’s main restaurant serving breakfast daily and hosting themed dining evenings during the winter season, including the Sunday Champagne Gala Buffet.
1891 Bar
The hotel’s cocktail bar, named after the year of opening, with a resident pianist and a cocktail list built around Madeira’s fruits and wine tradition.
Spa & Wellness
Reid’s Palace Spa features indoor and outdoor therapy suites with private whirlpools and Atlantic-facing terraces, a menu of treatments using local Madeiran ingredients including lemon, bergamot, and aloe vera balsam, dry and wet saunas, and a fully equipped gym.
Pilates classes and yoga sessions are available daily. Three swimming pools sit on the clifftop, including two infinity pools and a seawater pool adjacent to the ocean deck where guests can swim directly in the Atlantic. Tennis courts are available on site.
Portugal
Portugal runs on Central European Time, one hour ahead of the UK and six hours ahead of the East Coast of the US. The country is small enough that domestic travel between Lisbon, Porto, and the Algarve is straightforward, by road, rail, or short-haul flight, with no meaningful time zone complications on multi-region itineraries. Tipping is less embedded in Portuguese culture than in the US.
Our Experts
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Frequently asked questions
What does Out Of Office do?
Out Of Office is a luxury LGBTQ+ travel company specialising in tailor-made holidays and extraordinary journeys around the world. We create bespoke luxury holidays, LGBTQ+ honeymoons, safaris, cruises, beach escapes, private tours and group trips, with every itinerary designed around you. Our travel specialists combine global expertise, first-hand destination knowledge and trusted local partners to create seamless, highly personalised experiences.
Is Out Of Office a gay travel agency?
Out Of Office is an LGBTQ+ owned and run luxury travel specialist, with particular expertise in gay and LGBTQ+ travel. We understand the additional considerations that can come with travelling as an LGBTQ+ person or couple, from local laws and customs to finding genuinely welcoming hotels and experiences.
We welcome every traveller, including friends, families and allies. Many of our clients are not members of the LGBTQ+ community, but choose Out Of Office for our luxury travel expertise, personalised service and discretion.
Do you create tailor-made LGBTQ+ holidays?
Yes. Every tailor-made trip with Out Of Office is designed from scratch around your interests, travel style, budget and the way you want to experience a destination. We can arrange luxury hotels, private transfers, flights, guides, excursions, cruises and special experiences as part of one personalised itinerary. The journeys shown on our website are there to inspire you rather than restrict you; only clearly identified group departures operate as fixed itineraries.
How do you choose LGBTQ+ friendly hotels and destinations?
We combine first-hand destination knowledge with trusted local expertise to recommend luxury hotels, resorts and experiences where LGBTQ+ travellers can feel informed and welcome. We also consider the laws, customs and attitudes of each destination, because LGBTQ+ rights and experiences differ around the world. Our team regularly visit many of the properties we work with and where a destination requires greater awareness, we give you clear and considered advice so that you can make an informed decision about where and how you travel.
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