The Vine Hotel

The Vine uses the island’s centuries-old wine-making traditions as its inspiration, with a full-bodied palette of purples, greens, and browns throughout its interiors. But it takes a minimalist modern approach, with funky mood lighting and creative vine-themed artwork. The vibe is cool but relaxed, nowhere more so than up at the hotel's social hub: the chic rooftop terrace, where the infinity pool and restaurant are both glass-fronted to make the most of the views over the bay and mountains. There's a bit of lively energy at the hotel, but beware that the rooftop terrace is sometimes booked for private events. The hotel attracts couples looking for a city break that combines easy city sightseeing with time out at a cutting-edge design-led retreat. 

The Vine is part of the modern Dolce Vita shopping complex, on a narrow cobbled street in central Funchal. A location above a shopping center comes with its benefits, such as free use of the center’s health club (there’s a direct elevator from the hotel’s spa) and easy supermarket access for snacks and drinks to take back to your room. However, it isn’t everyone’s idea of a glamorous arrival. From the hotel, it’s only a five-minute walk to the old town’s cobbled streets with museums, cathedrals and a good choice of restaurants including authentic tavernas. The popular Santa Catarina Park and the cable car that travels from Funchal to the small village of Monte are also within walking distance as well. Madeira Botanical Garden is a 10-minute drive away. There are no beaches in Funchal, and it's 30 minutes to the beach in Calheta by car. Outside the shopping complex, there’s a taxi stand and an airport bus stop. Madeira's airport is around 20 minutes away by car.

Modern rooms are set over the hotel’s top four stories. Each floor has its own rich color scheme that reflects a season of the wine-making cycle: green for spring, purple for summer, gray for winter and brown for autumn. The design is minimalist -- think light wood floors, Madeiran stone, and plush fabrics -- with high-tech additions. Curtain drawing and fancy low lighting are operated by touch panels, which take some getting used to. All rooms have the standard comforts you’d expect from an upscale hotel: air-conditioning, free Wi-Fi, and flat-screen TVs, and the plug socket inside the safe is a nice touch. The first round of minibar items is free; after that, you’ll need to pay for what you consume. Rooms start at a generous 320 square feet (30 square metres). Entry-level Atrium Rooms face inwards and don’t have a view -- we weren’t shown these rooms, but would say it’s worth upgrading to a higher room type that has views across the bay. Bathrooms have black tiles and textured pebble floors, a satisfying waterfall shower, designer sinks, and frosted-glass water closets. In higher room categories, deep bathtubs sit outside of the bathroom and in some rooms are at the foot of the bed, which may not be to every traveler’s taste. Many guests have noted that traffic noise can be an issue in some rooms.

The Vine has most of the features expected of an upscale city hotel, but it's the spa and pool that get guests talking. The Divine Spa is dark and seductive, with black tiles, mosaic pillars, and purple mood lighting -- though some guests might not find the lighting particularly relaxing. Most treatment rooms have private spa tubs, and treatments are focused on vine therapy, using grapeseed oil and vine leaf extracts. There's also a gym. The stunning rooftop terrace is the hotel’s highlight, where a long glass-fronted pool looks out over the city to the sea. In the center of the terrace there’s the 360° Sky & Poolside Bar, surrounded by a sundeck with comfy beanbags and huge round wicker-resin daybeds. A quieter whirlpool is hidden at the edge of the sundeck. The terrace is also home to Uva Restaurant and Wine Bar, serving a modern Mediterranean menu and slightly more traditional in design. A few floors down, the Terra Lounge Restaurant looks almost futuristic. Buffet breakfasts are included in the rate, but some guests have noted that it doesn’t match up to the quality of lunch and dinner. There’s free Wi-Fi in all areas and free parking too, handy for travelers on longer self-drive vacations.