Barceló Funchal Oldtown

Barceló Funchal Oldtown is the Spanish group's five-star flagship on the island, set on Rua da Alfândega at the edge of Funchal's old town — a two-minute walk from the painted doors of Rua de Santa Maria, the Mercado dos Lavradores and the cathedral.

Inside, the design is contemporary and warm: rooms and suites in soft natural tones, many looking out over the Atlantic. The rooftop is the hotel's signature — a pool and the B-Heaven sky bar above the terracotta roofs, with the bay and the cruise ships beyond.

Dining runs from the Noa restaurant to the lobby bar; breakfast is served with a view over the city waking up. For travellers who want Funchal on foot — restaurants, wine lodges, the marina — with a resort-grade rooftop to return to, this is the most urbane address in the collection.