Pros

  • Well-presented all-inclusive resort popular with families
  • Set on long stretch of picturesque sandy beach
  • Bright and modern rooms with furnished balconies or terraces
  • Villas feature small private pools, lots of space, and cooking facilities
  • Spa with indoor pool, sauna, and steam bath
  • Child-friendly facilities includes kids' and teens' clubs
  • Two large freeform swimming pools
  • Outdoor tennis courts and fitness center on-site
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Cons

  • Wi-Fi access is not free in all rooms
  • No tea/coffee facilities in rooms
  • Fee charged for beach loungers
  • Lines are common at main restaurant at peak times
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Bottom Line

The 328-room Pestana Porto Santo Beach Resort is an upscale, all-inclusive hotel popular with families and package operators set on Porto Santo island's picturesque golden beach. The resort itself, while not particularly stylish, is impeccably well-presented and clean throughout with all the facilities you'd expect from a high-end vacation complex. Rooms -- ranging from pool-view Standard Rooms to spacious villas -- are pleasant and modern, though sometimes lacking key amenities (only some have free Wi-Fi access and all lack tea/coffee facilities). The complex includes large, freeform pools, a spa, outdoor tennis courts, and a kids' club, and playground. A fee for beach loungers irks some guests, as do lines for dining at peak times. The resort is slightly less expensive than nearby sister property Pestana Colombos Premium Club and has a more Mediterranean flavor. 

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Amenities

  • Fitness Center
  • Internet
  • Jacuzzi
  • Kids Club
  • Pool
  • Spa

Oyster Hotel Review

Pestana Porto Santo All Inclusive

Scene

Neatly presented all-inclusive resort set in tidy gardens overlooking a sandy beach

The first thing you notice upon arrival at the four-pearl Pestana Porto Santo Beach Resort is just how tidy and well-presented this all-inclusive complex is. The reception area is neatly arranged, with smooth blond-wood columns, cross-hatch paneling, and simple tile flooring -- a casual and unpretentious look and feel that continues through the rest of the resort. Rooms are spread around 15 low-rise buildings, constructed in the traditional architectural style of the island, that line two meandering, freeform swimming pools. Tiled footpaths wind through seven acres of pristine gardens, adorned with sculpted shrubbery, rows of palm trees, and colorful flowers, and sloping down to a lovely sandy beach that overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. Guests are a mixture of couples of all ages and families with kids; this is also a popular destination for package vacations. 

Pestana Porto Santo and sister property Pestana Colombos are linked, and guests can use the facilities at either property. The newer Pestana Porto Santo has more impressive grounds and a distinct Mediterranean flavor, while Pestana Colombos' buildings are more streamlined and functional. There is more evening entertainment on the Porto Santo side, as the large Sunset Bar has a stage and hosts live acts, though the rooms on the Colombos side are arguably a bit more stylish. 

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Location

Set on a sweeping sandy beach on the south coast of Porto Santo island

This resort complex is located on the south coast of the small Portuguese island of Porto Santo, about 27 miles northeast of the main island of Madeira. Unlike its big brother, the main feature here is a long, sweeping beach stretching almost the whole length of the island; the resort is located exactly in the middle. There's virtually nothing around the hotel, except a few houses, though the pretty nearby town of Vila Baleira is five minutes' drive away; a free shuttle runs several times a day. Sister hotel Pestana Colombos is adjacent and the Porto Santo Airport is about 10 minutes away by car. 

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Rooms

Bright and modern rooms, some with sea-view balconies

This resort has 328 straightforward rooms, suites, apartments, and villas, all of which are decorated in a bright and colorful styling with modern furnishings, tiled floors, and sliding doors that open to spacious furnished balconies or terraces (some with sea views). Amenities include mini-fridges (each stocked with a large bottle of water and a large soda, both free) and small flat-screen TVs with DVD players, while well-maintained bathrooms come with wall-mounted hairdryers and shower/tub combos. (Note that most bathrooms at sister property Pestana Colombos Premium Club come with terrazzo tubs and separate showers.) Most ground-floor accommodation has direct access to the pool, while Pool Villas have their own small pool, as well as cooking facilities. The rooms are decorated in beach-inspired hues of blue, white, and tan. Some but not all accommodation have free Wi-Fi, and there are no tea/coffee facilities in the rooms (kettles can be requested for a steep fee). 

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Features

Three specialty eateries, three bars, freeform pools, outdoor tennis, a spa with sauna, and decent kid-friendly facilities

All meals and local (alcoholic and non-alcohol) drinks are included at this all-inclusive resort, though the buffet restaurant can get crowded and dining often involves waiting in line at peak meal times -- especially when the hotel is full. There are also three themed restaurants (which can be booked in advance) that offer Italian, Japanese, and Madeiran dishes. Three bars include a poolside bar with sea views and the Sunset Bar where live evening entertainment is held. The hotel's two pools are large and freeform, spanned with quaint bridges and lined with loungers and palm trees. Sunny terraces and lawns provide additional spaces for lounging. There are also a spa with an indoor pool, a sauna, and steam room. 

Family-friendly facilities include a separate pool for children, plus a varied kids' club complete with an outdoor playground and a teens' club. The hotel's long section of beach is particularly picturesque, though the sea can get rough and sun loungers require a fee. There are outdoor tennis courts and a fitness center on-site. A convenience store offers items including snacks, magazines, and toiletries. A disco offers additional nighttime entertainment. Wi-Fi access is available but not free for all rooms. 

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Oyster Hotel Review

Pestana Porto Santo All Inclusive

Scene

Neatly presented all-inclusive resort set in tidy gardens overlooking a sandy beach

The first thing you notice upon arrival at the four-pearl Pestana Porto Santo Beach Resort is just how tidy and well-presented this all-inclusive complex is. The reception area is neatly arranged, with smooth blond-wood columns, cross-hatch paneling, and simple tile flooring -- a casual and unpretentious look and feel that continues through the rest of the resort. Rooms are spread around 15 low-rise buildings, constructed in the traditional architectural style of the island, that line two meandering, freeform swimming pools. Tiled footpaths wind through seven acres of pristine gardens, adorned with sculpted shrubbery, rows of palm trees, and colorful flowers, and sloping down to a lovely sandy beach that overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. Guests are a mixture of couples of all ages and families with kids; this is also a popular destination for package vacations. 

Pestana Porto Santo and sister property Pestana Colombos are linked, and guests can use the facilities at either property. The newer Pestana Porto Santo has more impressive grounds and a distinct Mediterranean flavor, while Pestana Colombos' buildings are more streamlined and functional. There is more evening entertainment on the Porto Santo side, as the large Sunset Bar has a stage and hosts live acts, though the rooms on the Colombos side are arguably a bit more stylish. 

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Location

Set on a sweeping sandy beach on the south coast of Porto Santo island

This resort complex is located on the south coast of the small Portuguese island of Porto Santo, about 27 miles northeast of the main island of Madeira. Unlike its big brother, the main feature here is a long, sweeping beach stretching almost the whole length of the island; the resort is located exactly in the middle. There's virtually nothing around the hotel, except a few houses, though the pretty nearby town of Vila Baleira is five minutes' drive away; a free shuttle runs several times a day. Sister hotel Pestana Colombos is adjacent and the Porto Santo Airport is about 10 minutes away by car. 

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Rooms

Bright and modern rooms, some with sea-view balconies

This resort has 328 straightforward rooms, suites, apartments, and villas, all of which are decorated in a bright and colorful styling with modern furnishings, tiled floors, and sliding doors that open to spacious furnished balconies or terraces (some with sea views). Amenities include mini-fridges (each stocked with a large bottle of water and a large soda, both free) and small flat-screen TVs with DVD players, while well-maintained bathrooms come with wall-mounted hairdryers and shower/tub combos. (Note that most bathrooms at sister property Pestana Colombos Premium Club come with terrazzo tubs and separate showers.) Most ground-floor accommodation has direct access to the pool, while Pool Villas have their own small pool, as well as cooking facilities. The rooms are decorated in beach-inspired hues of blue, white, and tan. Some but not all accommodation have free Wi-Fi, and there are no tea/coffee facilities in the rooms (kettles can be requested for a steep fee). 

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Features

Three specialty eateries, three bars, freeform pools, outdoor tennis, a spa with sauna, and decent kid-friendly facilities

All meals and local (alcoholic and non-alcohol) drinks are included at this all-inclusive resort, though the buffet restaurant can get crowded and dining often involves waiting in line at peak meal times -- especially when the hotel is full. There are also three themed restaurants (which can be booked in advance) that offer Italian, Japanese, and Madeiran dishes. Three bars include a poolside bar with sea views and the Sunset Bar where live evening entertainment is held. The hotel's two pools are large and freeform, spanned with quaint bridges and lined with loungers and palm trees. Sunny terraces and lawns provide additional spaces for lounging. There are also a spa with an indoor pool, a sauna, and steam room. 

Family-friendly facilities include a separate pool for children, plus a varied kids' club complete with an outdoor playground and a teens' club. The hotel's long section of beach is particularly picturesque, though the sea can get rough and sun loungers require a fee. There are outdoor tennis courts and a fitness center on-site. A convenience store offers items including snacks, magazines, and toiletries. A disco offers additional nighttime entertainment. Wi-Fi access is available but not free for all rooms. 

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Best Rates

Amenities

  • Air Conditioner

  • Airport Transportation

  • Babysitting Services

  • Balcony / Terrace / Patio

  • Basic Television

  • Beach

  • Business Center

  • Cable

  • Children's Pool

  • Concierge

  • Fitness Center

  • Free Breakfast

  • Gameroom / Arcade

  • Internet

  • Jacuzzi

  • Kids Allowed

  • Kids Club

  • Laundry

  • Meeting / Conference Rooms

  • Mini Bar (with liquor)

  • Pool

  • Room Service

  • Separate Bedroom / Living Room Space

  • Spa

  • Supervised Kids Activities

  • Tennis Court

Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.