Pestana Casino Park Ocean & Spa Hotel

Check in at 15.00 and there was no movement on that and at the said time we were told we could have the room if it was ready! A couple of minor issues - more pillows required and balcony seat missing a seat pad, quickly resolved, but the seats are very uncomfortable. Suite 422. Spacious but very very dated evidence of hard wear and in need of a makeover as mentioned by other TA reviewers. Stains and marks on the wallpaper, Carpets fitted which are worn and drab and should not be used as they are unhygienic due to the amount of people passing through. Attention to detail required on replenishment of milk and stirring sticks, no teaspoons , Crazed sinks and Shower not particularly well maintained and strange set up with windows, no real privacy. Noise from a power plant or similar when on balcony or door open and from the ferry to Porto Santo in the early hours . The suite has two balconies one from the lounge with two chairs and a table. The other one from the bedroom has nothing. It’s a shame that the balconies don’t connect as you feel closed in, again in a concrete space. Could also do with a drying line. Breakfast dining area very open and large. Good choice of all the usual items the pots of coffee were dreadful and the machines which there were not enough gave out flavoured chocolate drink instead of a normal cappuccino . Be careful of pigeons as some get into the hotel and in the dining area. Hotel aesthetics are again dated all very concrete and drab along with the casino building. The gardens and pool areas are good along with the indoor pool which was great for an early morning swim. The rooftop area and pool are for 16,s and over and there is a lift if required. Again very dated and grubby sun bed cushions but at least you can cover them up with a towel. We were on B/B but had lunch on one occasion at the pool bar, they don’t accept cash which we were not told about but you can leave your CC details at reception and charge to the room and settle up with cash if you want too. Centre lift not working for at least 3 days and with a convention going on which is unacceptable. Noisy and inconsiderate people next door and above. Staff pretty pleasant especially the young lady at the exterior bar during happy hour. Love it or not, the building along with the casino is drab and dated. The casino upper area and windows are blown and dirty. Shame really as the area around and Funchal itself is very nice. Very pleasant people in Funchal.

We have just returned from a 2 week stay at this hotel. The location is excellent - just a short walk to the town and harbour one way and some excellent restaurants the other. Breakfast was plentiful with a great choice. The staff there were hardworking and the man greeting guests at the breakfast reception was really friendly. The most friendly member of staff we encountered. Unfortunately, we found the rest of the staff the opposite and most barely acknowledged us. Something we found rude and not the usual experience one would expect. As others have mentioned, this hotel is definitely not a 5 star but 4 star. Our room was modern so must have been one of the refurbished ones. However, the room cleaning was the worst we have ever encountered! There appeared to be no clear timings of when it would be cleaned so totally haphazard and on some days our rooms would be totally bypassed even when we’d been out all day so definitely not an issue of gaining access. When they were cleaned it was not to a great standard with provisions not replenished. We were on the first floor. On a few of these occasions, when at 6pm, the cleaning still hadn’t been done, we phoned housekeeping and a lovely young girl came and cleaned so thoroughly. We were so impressed that I mentioned this worker to reception as I thought her care and diligence should be acknowledged. We sunbathed most days on the rooftop area which had magnificent views and was usually very quiet and peaceful. There were plenty of sunbeds so never a problem getting one and guests didn’t reserve them by leaving their towels. I visited the spa once for a facial and massage. The staff were welcoming and the treatments a fair price. On our last day, as we had a late flight home, I asked at reception if we could keep our rooms a little later that the scheduled time. We were willing to pay for this extension. I was told that this would not be possible as the hotel was very busy. The older lady receptionist was very aloof and not at all friendly when she relayed this news to me. Whilst I fully appreciate this I would at least then expect to be offered a courtesy room. Instead I was told that we could use the showering facilities in the spa. Here there were 2 showers in a communal area with soft closing doors which didn’t lock and no hairdryer so really very far from ideal. The area was so hot to the point of it being unpleasant. We really expected a 5 star hotel to offer something a bit better than this halfhearted gesture. Overall, we had a very enjoyable holiday and would definitely visit Funchal again but not this particular hotel.

We stayed at Pestana Casino Park for a week and had a fantastic holiday. The hotel is in a brilliant location, within easy walking distance of Funchal town, the marina and plenty of restaurants, bars and attractions, although be prepared for some steep hills! Having the casino next door was a nice bonus, and guests receive a free one-week pass, which we really enjoyed. It was also convenient having an ATM and a small jewellery shop in the hotel lobby. The hotel itself is beautiful, with stunning views over the harbour and immaculately maintained gardens. The outdoor pool was always spotless and felt really fresh and clean, and we never had any trouble finding sunbeds, no matter what time of day. The indoor spa pool was also lovely for a relaxing swim, although it could have been just a little warmer. There were plenty of comfortable seating areas around the hotel to sit with a drink in the evenings and enjoy the views. Our room was spacious with a lovely balcony, and the housekeeping team were outstanding. The room was cleaned every day, with fresh towels, bedding changed regularly, carpets vacuumed and everything left spotless. We were really impressed by the high standard of cleanliness throughout our stay. Breakfast was excellent every morning with a great variety of hot food, pastries, fresh fruit, cheeses, meats and breads. The evening buffet changed theme each night, which kept things interesting throughout the week. Our favourite was the Medieval Night, where the fish was cooked to perfection. The restaurant staff worked incredibly hard to keep everything clean, with tables cleared and reset quickly. The Dockside Bar became one of our favourite places for lunch thanks to the delicious food and stunning views over the harbour. A special mention must go to Teresa at the Dockside Bar, who was so warm, friendly and welcoming throughout our stay. She always had a smile on her face and made us feel genuinely looked after. We’d also like to thank Fabiana on reception, who was incredibly approachable, helpful and a pleasure to chat to. They are both a real credit to the hotel. One unexpected highlight was watching the hotel’s falconer use an eagle to keep the pigeons away. It was really effective, interactive and something a little different that we looked forward to seeing each day. There are just a few small areas where the hotel could improve. The carpets in our room and along the Level 5 corridor looked a little tired and could do with replacing. The rooms would benefit from USB charging points, larger bath towels and a hook in the toilet area, while larger glasses at breakfast would also be appreciated. Some background music around the outdoor pool would help create more of an atmosphere. One thing we did notice was that there were clear signs around the pool stating that jumping in, ball games and inflatables were not permitted, yet these rules didn’t seem to be enforced. We completely understand that families are on holiday and children should have fun, but at times there were inflatables, balls and lots of jumping into the pool without any intervention from staff, despite the rules being clearly displayed. It just made the signage feel a little pointless. We were also disappointed that desserts had run out by around 8:30pm one evening. Charging €4 for a 500ml bottle of water at dinner felt a little expensive, especially as an automatic service charge was also added. These are all relatively minor points and certainly didn’t detract from what was a wonderful stay. We thoroughly enjoyed our week at Pestana Casino Park and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone visiting Madeira. We would happily return in the future.

Lovely food and setting and the staff at the Dockside pool restaurant, Teresa and Duarte were both excellent, really friendly and super helpful. Would highly recommend

Specific parts of the hotel are very very dated. Rooms are in dire need of refurbishment, with stains on carpets, misty smell and washrooms dirty looking. We booked through BA Holidays and the rooms in the pictures definitely did not match what we were given. When we queried this. We were told this is what was booked. There is no AC in the lobby area or breakfast area. Overall would not book this hotel again. Very disappointed

This is our 3rd time to Funchal and our 1st time to Pestana Casino. The hotel is situated in a great location with amazing views. The gardens and pool areas are beautiful with plenty of sunbeds for this time of year, both on the ground floor and rooftop pool. We were lucky enough to have a room on 5th floor (top floor) where you have access to the rooftop pool - A lovely space to sunbath, shame it is not utilised in the evening for cocktails. Yes the rooms could do with a bit of an update as others have mentioned. However our room was kept spotlessly clean and the complimentary soft drinks in the fridge were replenished daily. I do not understand why anyone would complain about the breakfast buffet. There is a wide choice to suit all palettes and we found the quality very good. There is also a nice indoor hydro pool, complete with sauna, jacuzzi and gym. We did not experience the entertainment in the hotel so we cannot comment on that. The town is pretty close to walk on foot, but there is also plenty of restaurants in the other direction if you don’t wish to walk into town. Tip: The cable car has gone up considerably in price so you may wish to take the bus to the Botanical gardens as it is a mere €2.05 euros (exact fare required).

Fantastic stay, would do again, would recommend to friends

We got super service from Diogo on the roof top bar when we visited the hotel. He made our stay on the bar very good. 5 star service. Thank you!

Like a previous review, our holiday at Pestana Casino Hotel was far from a five star experience. It is dated (40 years old this year) and is just too large to provide any sense of atmosphere. We found the cooked breakfast food to be bland and slightly cold. We also shared the restaurant with a selection of local pigeons !. Alas after three days my wife and I fell ill with either food poisoning or more likely Norovirus . We met with a degree of resistance from reception staff when we phoned for their assistance. Over the course of the next three days we remained in our room and found it difficult to get any help from hotel staff. They eventually got the message and sent housekeeping staff wearing masks to deep clean our room.. They followed this up with phone calls to check on our wellbeing. Not a holiday to remember. Glad to get home.

We’ve just returned from a week’s stay and had a wonderful experience. The hotel is in a fantastic central location, making it easy to explore the surrounding area. All three pools are lovely, well maintained, and a great place to relax. The staff throughout the hotel were exceptionally friendly, welcoming, and always happy to help. The rooms are a little dated and could benefit from some updating, but they were spotlessly clean and comfortable throughout our stay. A real bonus was being able to watch the Atlantic Festival fireworks from our balcony, which was a fantastic way to end the Saturday evening. Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay and would happily return.

Everything about this hotel is lovely. The pools, bars, the room, the view. Special thanks to all the friendly and helpful staff, epically Jose in the rooftop bar :)

Having been 'bumped off' a British Airways flight I was sent to Pestana Casino Park for two nights whilst awaiting a new booking. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at this wonderful hotel which more than compensated for the hassle of having my travel plans disrupted. All the staff were friendly and helpful with special thanks to the man on reception in the restaurant. The grounds of the hotel are beautiful and lovingly maintained with the added bonus of wonderful views to the Atlantic. The rooms may be a little dated, but for me this added to the charm and atmosphere of this modernist building, designed by Oscar Niemeyer. Thank you Pestana Casino Park for making my unexpected stay in Funchal such a delight.

Great location right in the middle of Funchal. Everything you need is within easy walking distance. Staff are excellent. Very helpful and friendly. Breakfast is great. Loads of different options and a glass of fizz!! Enough, and a wide variety, of outdoor areas. Plenty to please everyone!! Hotel is 50 years old. Design is fascinating and there are plenty of indoor areas in which to relax. The rooms are pretty big and have all the expected amenities. That includes a fridge which has soft drinks which are replenished daily. The rooms are a little tired. For example, the sealant around the shower needs replacing. BUT how llong do you spend in the room?

We stayed at Casino Park during the first week of June as a couple in their early 30s with no kids. The hotel is huge, nicely decorated and kept clean. It’s also in a great location in terms of Funchal centre and surrounding bars/restaurants. Our room was spacious, quiet and well presented. The only way the room could be improved in our opinion is with a better shower head, but even so, it wasn’t bad at all. Breakfast was great for a buffet, and Zahed on omelettes did a fantastic job daily. The pool areas are spacious and very quiet, we never struggled to get a sunbed and it was pretty empty most days. The indoor pool in the spa is really nice too, but the hours of operation for the sauna/steam rooms are a bit odd (only available first thing or last thing). We didn’t have much interaction with staff but when we did, they were polite and helpful. The hotel doesn’t do much in way of evening entertainment and when they do it’s limited to a few days a week. We were able to watch the firework display from the hotel grounds on the Saturday. Overall I would recommend this hotel to anyone visiting Funchal BUT a word of warning about the flights - we had a nightmare landing and taking off due to the wind as the airport closes. This is a very regular occurrence and flights are often diverted/delayed/cancelled - our flight there was delayed and we nearly didn’t make it home either. This of course can’t be helped but would put us off returning to Madeira again.