Albatroz Beach & Yacht Club, Santa Cruz, Madeira

The hotel is on the east coast, wedged between Cristiano Ronaldo Airport and the sea; during the day there is a complimentary shuttle to and from the airport. Funchal is a 20-minute drive west. The VR1 motorway passes behind the property (take headphones to the pool as there can be noise from passing traffic and aircraft). The town of Santa Cruz, a short drive south, has shops and restaurants while the Santo da Serra Golf course is ten minutes inland.

By plane: there are direct flights to Madeira from London and Manchester (4 hours). The hotel is a 5-minute drive from the airport. Book flights to Madeira.

There's a motel look to the main building with its two levels of sea-facing rooms bordered by trim lawns and railings, but this is lightened by typically Portuguese decorative features such as azulejos (painted tiles) and calçada pavements depicting fish in black and white blocks. Vila Olga, a manor house painted white with green shutters, stands alongside mature gardens extending to the cliff edge.

Hotel ratings in Madeira are awarded on the services and amenities provided rather than style and luxuriousness. By this system, the Albatroz boasts five stars (there is an evening turn down, for example) although three or four might seem more appropriate. Facilities include a library, fitness centre, sauna and massage room (advance booking required).

• Restaurant
• Bar
• Swimming pools
• Tennis court
• Fitness centre
• Spa
• Beauty treatments
• Airport shuttle
• Free Wi-Fi

Interiors feature white walls, pine furniture and terracotta tiles with floor-to-ceiling doors opening onto a balcony or patio. Bathrooms are tiled and come with a combined bath and shower and double washbasins. Vila Olga has another five rooms, some garden-view, that vary according to the shape of this period building.

Room types: Standard Room, Superior Room, Suites

Key amenities: ensuite bath or shower, toiletries, bathrobe and slippers, hairdryer, TV, free Wi-Fi

All meals are served in the Hibiscus restaurant, which has a few tables set outside and is a pleasant spot to enjoy the standard buffet breakfast enlivened by fresh juices and cooked-to-order eggs. The dinner menu offers Mediterranean dishes including soups, pasta and ice cream served in a high-ceilinged room with wooden tables and chairs, blue tablecloths and a profusion of potted plants.

Hibiscus: Madeiran and Mediterranean cuisine. Buffet breakfasts and à la carte dining. Open every day.