Name: Dorisol Buganvilia
Price range: from £389.88pp (7 nights includes flights and transfers)

Select Room & Board Basis | Mercury Holidays

Product Details

Pool

This was our first stay at Buganvilia studio hotel and it will not be our last.  We have been coming to Funchal for the last 9 years, in December and until now always stayed at a different hotel.
When we saw that TUI were offering a week's B&B for £314 inc flight, bags and transfer we thought - why not - give it a go.  We were pleasantly surprised.  Arriving before the 3pm check in time, we left our bags and nipped out to get essentials - milk, fruit etc.  Our room was ready on our return, on the 8th floor ( as requested) with a view over to the port.  The room was spotless and has everything we need for a comfy stay.  The bed was comfy, pillows a bit too soft - but fine with a cushion under them. Fridge with freezer box, 2 ring hob, microwave and kettle - what more do you need? Basically the rooms are what you see in the photos.  The rooms was attended to every day and there are recycling bins on every floor for plastic, paper etc .  There was plenty of hot water for showers after a day spent walking in the hills or along the levadas. Yes, the hotel  is a little dated in places but gradually the hotel is being upgraded. 
The  evening entertainments are in the sister hotel, making the Buganvilia very quiet at night - there is noise from other guests returning ( the hotel is built around an atrium which amplifies sound) but soon settles.  Think there is a quieter bar in this hotel but we did not use it.  We looked around the other facilities - pools both indoor and outdoor, sauna and gym all seemed cleaned and free to use. 
We only had breakfast, but there was a very wide choice - even baked apples.  We did not try any cooked items so cannot comment, and we did not eat in the hotel in the evening.
The hotel is ideally placed being mins from bus stops, shops  and the lido and is about a 20 - 30 min walk into the heart of Funchal.
The staff were all friendly.  The Buganvilia is now our hotel of choice for our annual pre Christmas winter warmth holiday.

First Visit - definitely not our last visit

I had read a lot of reviews on the Buganvilia and was slightly worried about staying here BUT I don’t understand why.
Lovely clean studio’s, our housekeeping was mainly done by Fatima and she was so nice, always friendly and singing, shower gel and hand soap was not expected but it’s in the bathroom, also washing up liquid in kitchen area. Balconies are small with two chairs and a table but big enough for sitting out and watching the lovely sea views.
The Terrace Bar was a great place to sit, not expensive and amazing tasty food, we didn’t have any mediocre food, all fresh and well cooked!
I will definitely be back!
The only reason I haven’t given 5*s is because the pillows were not comfortable at all and we found the reception staff rather cold and unfriendly apart from a lady with short white hair, she always spoke and smiled.

Lovely studios in a good spot but hilly!

Booked as part of a Tui package for Christmas week. My first visit to Madeira and loved it!

 I was pleasantly surprised with Bugunvilla following some of the negative reviews. Rooms were spacious clean and comfortable. Not luxury, but offered a good standard. Communal areas of the hotel were better decorated. 

Room offered phone to reception and safe in room. Onsite food ordering available although we never tried. There are so many local restaurants to choose from we were spoiltfor choice. Liked the convenient kitchenette with fridge and microwave, small hob, cupboards with cutlery, plates, glasses cooking utensils, bring your own tea/coffee (not provided) or purchase from local shop across the road, opens till 12 midnight. We were on the 7th floor with sea view and balcony with table and chairs where were we watched the beautiful sunsets; surprised we were the same timezone as UK but loved the longer day with sun setting at 6pm.

My main complaint was regarding a service I booked from the onsite Spa. We picked up a leaflet from reception at breakfast and I asked reception staff about booking a service. I was told the Spa opened at 10am so I need to call them, I asked if they could make the booking for me as I was leaving for an excursion early that morning. They were quite unhelpful telling me to WhatsApp the spa when they opened. Which is what I ended up doing. The spa is situated just under the onsite tennis court, see pictures. 
My treatment was great, no complaints there, however when I came to pay, I was told it was cash only,  this wasn't made clear at the time of booking and I had spent all my cash as I was leaving the following morning. I only had my electronic card on my phone with me so the Therapist guided me to reception to see if I could make the payment there. I was quite shocked when I was told by the older grey haired receptionist that the spa is nothing to do with the hotel! And payment needed to be made to the therapist. I mentioned it was extremeley misleading as Dorisol Bugunvilla have the spa services printed and promoted within the hotel with the hotel's name! And the spa is on their site. She was quite dismissive and advised I had to sort the matter out myself. The very same receptionist was also quite unwelcoming when we checked it, no smiles etc she insisted that we needed a hotel voucher or to send our holiday email booking confirmation to her so she could print off otherwisewe couldn'tbe registered. Not what you want to be faced with after a long journey!
On the whole this is a good hotel but it is a little steep walking up from the main road, to the hotel, so may not be suitable if you have mobility issues. There is also a small flight of stairs from reception to the lifts with no ramp.

The internal room chairs could benefit from having felt pads applied to the legs to stop chairs scraping/scratching floors; noise could be heard from other rooms, it didn't bother us much but others had mentioned this.
Breakfast is at 7.30am and offers a good variety to suit everyone.

Lovely Christmas Stay

Hotel was undergoing interior decorating when we arrived but we weren’t put off by this as the staff were so accommodating and welcoming. 
We were greeted with a bottle of wine . we also got an unsuspecting knock at the door early morning one day offering us with a complimentary bottle of wine for my partner wishing him a happy birthday - such a lovely kind gesture! 
What the hotel lacked in decor, it made up with such kind, warming mannerisms to guests! 
The pool was freezing but was to be expected in Feb (Trip advisor would not let my select this month on the app today) 
The scenery was outstanding and yes, it is very ‘hilly’ and full of banks n ramps where stayed but was defo one of our best holidays to date 
Although the hotel wasn’t 5 star, the staff certainly made it a 5 star - thank you so much to you all :-)

Review is from Feb 2024

A very good hotel in a great location and with good facilities. Staff worked hard to make the stay as pleasant as possible. The hotel was cleaned from top to bottom every day and the housekeepers cleaned the room and changed bedding and towels every day. The room was vomfortabke and doacioud. Kitchenette to make food and drinks was a massive bonus and the view from the 9th floor was beautiful.
The breakfast was buffet style with lots of choice. 
Lots of bars and restaurants nearby and a leisurely stroll of about 20 minutes into the beautiful old town.

Great hotel in a good location

This apartment complex is located in the tourist area of Funchal, about 200 m from the nearest beach. Guests can relax and enjoy the panoramic views over the Atlantic Ocean from the hotel's roof-top terrace. In the vicinity, guests will find a plethora of shops, bars, restaurants and the lido outdoor swimming pool, as well as public transportation links. The hotel is connected to the centre of Funchal and the airport via a shuttle bus. This is the perfect hotel to enjoy a relaxing holiday in the breathtaking exotic island of Madeira.

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Dorisol Buganvilia