We booked online back in January and flew with easyjet. Ten days B&B incl transfers cost us ?235 each. Obviously the room could have been better but at the end of the day it's only for sleeping in. The pool area was fine and evenings spent in the bar area were fine. I liked the fact there were bars and restaurants just opposite the hotel and the regular bus service to Funchal was only 1.55euros each. If you do stay here it's obvious that money is an issue - but you won't be disappointed.

Hotel in need of renovation,we had a studio with small double ring cooker,but no way to make a cup of coffee but also had a fridge which was handy for beers etc. We were on a b&b board and ate out at night,two nights we watched the entertainment but the drinks at the bar were more than double in the local resturants. The walk from our room was about 300 yards uphill and it was quicker to walk outside on the pavement. Most of the staff were pleasant with the exception of some bar staff. We hired a car through our tour rep and found it much cheaper than the local hire companies. For touring the island the hotel is well positioned about 1 mile from the main highway. For what we paid it was OK but we would go a little more up market next time .

We stayed at the Dom Pedro Garajau for 10 nights at the end of June 08. My first impressions were not great but the hotel and area grew on me very quickly, and looking again at the price I think it is very good value. Don't expect luxury, but we certainly found that this hotel served as a great base from which to explore the island. We were in block 1 at the bottom of the hill. At first I thought the view was disappointing but actually it was nice enough. We could see out to sea and were thankful for the trees that blocked the view slightly for watching the kestrels come and go! The Kitchenette was such an asset as we were on a tight budget and using our imagination we were able to cook some nice meals on the double hob. There is a shop directly opposite the hotel but also a massive supermarket about a mile up the hill out of Garajau. Overall the hotel was kept very clean and staff were usually helpful. Breakfast was fine but got a bit boring as there wasn't much variation. Don't expect anything too special. Buses into Funchal were good. It took us a while to get the hang of the times but once you do it's fine. It can take a while to get around the island on buses but you just have to view the journey as part of the experience! We ended up buying a timetable from the tourist office in Funchal which proved the easiest way to see where we could get to using the buses. We hired a car from the hotel. Don't be put off by the seemingly unfriendly staff as it's very cheap (32 Euros a day for up to 6 days) and there were no problems with the hire at all. It gave us a great chance to get a feel for the whole island which we did in two days. It was very tiring so would recommend at least 3 days if you can afford it and want to get around the whole island. We only ate out once near the hotel but it was a great value meal. Touricalo (or something like that) was opposite our block and for 10 Euros each we had a massive very tasty meal including a couple of beers and some complimentary poncha to finish. They also do takeaway. Really there were not and big issues we had with the hotel. Unfortunately, the tap water was apparrently not drinkable so we bought water in the end. There is a fair bit of noise from surrounding building work, dogs and the dodgy evening entertainment but we didn't find this excessive and were not disturbed once we closed the doors at night.

I have just returned from a one week stay at this hotel. I was there with my wife, along with a friend and his wife. We stayed on a full board basis. The food was varied and plentiful, the staff quick and efficient. Nightly entertainment was low key, but quietly enjoyable. The rooms were basic, but spacious, were cleaned daily, and fresh towels were provided. The swimming pools, outside and in, were each close to a bar. There was ample space around the outside pool for sunbathing, or, alternatively, sitting in the shade with a drink. In our experience, service in all areas was helpful and friendly.

I booked this holiday at a month's notice from Teletext Holidays, having checked what I was getting on their website. The hotel as most people say, is somewhat dated and in need of a revamp. It seems to stretch all the way up the main street of Garajau. I stayed in Block 2 which had a few issues; firstly although I had a sea view it was restricted by trees (had the trees not been in the way I'd have had a view down to the statue of 'Christo Rei'). Secondly, the hotel offers 'in-house' entertainment most nights, in the bar adjacent to reception and the indoor pool - this is directly opposite blocks 2 and 3, so if you want a quiet night in - before 1130pm forget it. The hotel is quite a 'warren' when you first arrive and I think it would be useful if the reception were to issue a map to new guests so that you could find everything - it took me a day and a half to find the place had an outdoor pool and an easier way to the restaurant. A second outdoor pool has very recently been finished and had not been 'officially' opened when I stayed (though some guests were still using it regardless). The room itself was 'interesting' and others have remarked about the tiny kitchenette hidden away behind louvered doors. On talking to other guests, most of us found a problem with there being only ONE power point in the whole room (including kitchenette). Neither was there anywhere to plug in an electric razor. It also seems that there are different rooms for different rates, as some rooms came with TV's (mine did not). The french doors out onto the balcony could do with repainting and the balcony, for my taste could have done with being slightly bigger. The beds were very comfortable and as a rule the room was kept very clean. I most enjoyed having a bath in the bathroom... The hotel is especially popular with non-english tour operators, specifically a high percentage of German operators, though some UK companies do use the place (hence my stay). The hotel staff are extremely friendly and have a good command of English. There is a free-to-use (10mins at a time) internet terminal located at the reception desk. Also at reception you can find details of the local buses which run frequently into Funchal and Canico, so if you are on a limited budget you do not necessarily need to hire a car. Overall I would use the hotel again, but not the tour operator (Atlantic Holidays).