Hotel Roca Mar

“Lovely views and peaceful location”

We had a lovely week at Roca Mar. The ability to use the facilities of all three hotels was really helpful and meant we had plenty of space and pools to choose from. Proximity to the sea is wonderful and the restaurant location is great for sunsets. There is a decent bus service into Funchal fro… more

We had a lovely week at Roca Mar. The ability to use the facilities of all three hotels was really helpful and meant we had plenty of space and pools to choose from. Proximity to the sea is wonderful and the restaurant location is great for sunsets. There is a decent bus service into Funchal from just up the road. There are supermarkets within a few minutes' walk (although it's a very hilly walk!) and several decent restaurants nearby too. We would go back.

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“It's a good place, but it could be better”

I am an RCI member, and my wife and I spent a great week at this lovely resort as part of our timeshare. Our resort exchange was for the Rocamar Hotel, but the hotel is actually part of a complex consisting of three resorts. This way, you can use the services of all three hotels, regardless of whic… more

I am an RCI member, and my wife and I spent a great week at this lovely resort as part of our timeshare. Our resort exchange was for the Rocamar Hotel, but the hotel is actually part of a complex consisting of three resorts. This way, you can use the services of all three hotels, regardless of which hotel you are staying in. Guests are also welcomed at a central reception. The hotel is 10 minutes from the airport by car or taxi, and 20 minutes from the center of Funchal. Madeira is a relatively small island, and any attraction or excursion can be reached from the hotel with a maximum of a one-day trip. The complex also runs a daily shuttle service to Funchal, but the relatively frequent public bus can also be reached by walking a few minutes. If you have a rental car, you will have problems with parking all over the island. It is difficult to find a parking space and it is quite expensive. This is also the case around the hotel. In the evening you will practically not find a place in the surrounding streets (parking is free from 8pm). The complex has its own paid parking lot (45€/week). One of the parking lots, with approximately 26 spaces, is opposite the hotel. The other, as an extension of the service, is located 150 meters from the hotel, several floors deep, practically in an undeveloped wasteland, for the same rental fee of €45/week. The parking spaces are allocated depending on arrival and availability. We stayed in a fairly large room at the Rocamar hotel. There is also plenty of space in the bathroom. The kitchen area was small with minimal equipment. It is unlikely that anyone would cook here everyday. The balcony is huge, at least as big as the room. We had an uninterrupted view of the sea from the balcony. On clear days you could see as far as the St. Lawrence Peninsula. The complex and its surroundings are extremely quiet and peaceful. Anyone who wants to hide from the noise of the world will find what they are looking for here. The internet was of excellent quality, you couldn't notice the peak periods. They cleaned every day, impeccably. The staff was helpful and friendly. A small technical problem was solved within a few minutes of the announcement. So far, only one hotel in the complex has been renovated to meet today's standards and expectations, and that is not the Rocamar. This can be seen in the condition of the room, although for the most part the usability of the room has not been affected. The furniture and equipment looked quite old, outdated, and in a fairly used condition. The edge foil of the kitchen furniture has separated from the door panel. After turning on the outdated, energy-guzzling air conditioner, it lent the room the sound of a grinder or generator for an hour until a component warmed up. Only the place where the drying rack once existed is visible on the wall of the giant balcony. I guess it wasn't just in our room, because everyone was drying their wet clothes on the balcony railing. The 17” TV was the cutest object in the room, although it may have only served a nostalgic decorative function in the room, I didn't try it out. There are two restaurants in the complex. The Rocamar restaurant provides the complex's buffet breakfast and half-board service. The breakfast was impeccable. I don't think a restaurant in this category anywhere in the world offers a better assortment and quality. Dinner wasn't so exciting anymore. We tried it once, but it didn't win our approval. Although you can consume unlimited amounts, the assortment and quality are not in proportion to the price. You can get better food anywhere in the area for this price. It's true that we chose from an "a la carte" menu and not in unlimited quantities, but there was no place where we left hungry. A good example of this is the complex's "a la carte" restaurant, Lee Hamilton Steak House. We had excellent octopus and lamb for a romantic dinner on the terrace at sunset. Cheaper and better quality food than we would have eaten at the other restaurant. By the way, both restaurants have a great atmosphere with a view of the sea. The Steak House is perhaps more protected from the wind and has a better view of the sunset. The complex has several pools. Outdoor and indoor freshwater, and an indoor adventure pool. In front of the Rocamar hotel, right in the embrace of the sea, there is also a small pool filled with seawater. You can also go down into the sea and swim if it is calm. Many people also snorkel at this time. There is also a diving club on the complex if anyone wants to dive. The coast consists of steep rocks. The hotels made use of every square foot of space, creating walkwaysand sun terraces. Most of the guests are busy visiting the sights during the day, so you can always find a free sunbed. However, those heading to the beach should take into account the differences in level and the numerous steps. People with mobility difficulties will find it a challenge to get down to the sea. Overall, we had a good time at this hotel. Except for a few small things, everything was there for a pleasant stay. Now they should just continue the renovation program they started with the Royal Orchid, thereby increasing guest satisfaction.

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“Ray”

Good quality hotel but lack of facilities. The choice of food was very limited at meal times and the quality not great. Only having one bar which is situated well away from the swimming pools is ideal. Rooms good quality and clean.