Funchal center - Casa da Ribeira

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The central location is the stand out feature for this accommodation - it's in amongst all City Centre attractions and the within very a walking distance of Zona Vela. This apartment is probably better for a shorter stay, particularly if you're out all day/night and just want somewhere to get your head down. It was nice to have Romeo & Juliet style balconies to the street behind but they were too narrow to sit out. Overall, we felt the apartment was reasonably clean, if a little basic. The Wi-Fi also seemed reliable.

We didn't like the lack of lounge area or area to chill out, other than the bedrooms. There was a foam armchair in one of the bedrooms, but the only other option was the hard chairs in the windowless kitchen. There was no welcome pack on arrival which was bit disappointing, particularly for accommodation which seems mainly aimed towards tourists. The absence of toilet roll in the apartment was poor, particularly for something in this price bracket. We also noted that whilst the bathroom was clean, needed some maintenance. We weren't sure about the bouncy shower tray! The street behind the apartment is quite workaday, and perhaps a little noisy a times, including a workshop that cuts metal sheeting.

The host was very easy to contact via WhatsApp and the accommodation was exactly as described on the listing. It's very central so it's easy to access nearby attractions and it was safe. Everything was very clean and tidy and the kitchenette was a great touch.

The wrong keys were put in the lock box when I arrived, so I had to wait for the host to come and give me the right keys, but she was very responsive on WhatsApp so it wasn't a huge problem. The flat is right on a main road so it is very noisy which is something to keep in mind if you are a light sleeper.

Casa Da Ribeira is essentially a bedsit with a small bathroom and a very small balcony. It is located in the very central area of Funchal so I am assuming that the size of property is commensurate with the cost. There is NO parking outside of the building so we had to park in a bus lane and rush into the property dragging our bags up the stairs to the landing. The property is located in the central area of Funchal with lots of tourist sights within very easy walking distance. However we had to park our car about a mile away to find a free/secure space.

One thing we did not expect was to arrive at the property and find NO food or drink in the kitchen area. We arrived after a late flight and all the local shops were closed we had nothing to eat or drink except a bottle of water. This is NOT a great welcome - if I were having guests to stay at my property (and charging them) I would leave out some drinks and snacks as a minimum. The balcony was a nice place to sit out in the evening - even if very small - however the seats were very worn. In fact the only comfortable place in the property to sit/lay down was the bed.......................