- Madeira Holidays
- Calheta
- Savoy Saccharum Resort and Spa
1/77
View 76 Photos
Savoy Saccharum Resort and Spa
Portugal, Europe
Calheta
This up-scale and refined hotel enjoys a privileged positioned in the west coast of the island of Madeira, in Calheta. The classy property is set a few steps from the marina and the impressive sandy beach. As the hotel is built where there used to be an old sugar cane mill, the current decoration is based on this concept. Guests will be able to be pampered at the guest rooms and suites that are tastefully appointed in an elegant and modern look. They are generously proportioned and some of them even include a private balcony with panoramic views to the sea. The hotel offers an incredible array of useful and superior services and facilities that feature a complete spa and wellness centre with a fantastic indoor swimming pool to relax while children have fun at the children's Playroom or at the outdoor splash pool.
Facilities
- Wheelchair-accessible
- Car park*
- Garage*
- 24-hour reception
- Mobile phone coverage
- Wired Internet
- Wi-fi
- Local and international calls
- Car hire
- Transfer service*
- *Some facilities may incur an additional fee
The Local Area
Tripadvisor Reviews
4.5 Excellent3,061 reviews
Excellent
68%
Very Good
21%
Average
7%
Poor
2%
Terrible
1%
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
Misleading pricing and two-tier service
Saccharum Resort could be the perfect place for a dream holiday, if only it hadn’t sold its soul to Anglo-Saxon-style profit maximisation, opaque pricing and two-tier service.
If you arrive without having booked the Savoy Premium Experience formula (€110 per person per night!), you are instantly made to feel like a second-class guest. Whereas the couple checking in shortly after us were invited to sit down and enjoy a welcome drink while the staff took care of the check-in formalities and parked their car — exactly what you would expect upon arrival at a 5-star hotel — we had to queue at reception for ages. We were offered no welcome drink and, when we finally got our rooms (which weren’t ready upon arrival, which is perfectly understandable), the staff had managed to lose one of our suitcases (and found it back hours later).
The only reason the second suitcase wasn’t lost as well was that, after waiting for it in my room for a long while, I went to look for it myself. I was not allowed to take my friend’s suitcase, however — which they subsequently lost. No compensation was offered at all.
Admittedly, the hotel premises are stunning and the architecture is amazing. The pool deck, the rooms and even the fitness room offer beautiful sea views. The hotel is also immaculately clean and extremely well maintained. It could be just perfect!
But as a non-premium guest, you will quickly discover that you are not welcome in all parts of the hotel, and you will end up feeling uncomfortable while exploring the premises, for fear of accidentally intruding into a space exclusively reserved for premium guests. Likewise, as a non-premium guest, certain loungers on the pool deck will cost you an additional €35 for the day! The same applies to the spa, which is not included in the standard room rate.
You should also be careful when ordering food or drinks at the hotel. We had a club sandwich upon arrival while waiting for our rooms. The price listed on the menu was €18 for two slices of low-quality industrial white bread. If you wanted fries with it, you had to order them separately (at an additional charge, of course). Worst of all, they automatically added a 10% service charge to the final bill without even informing us.
We easily solved the problem by avoiding all the hotel’s bars and restaurants for the rest of our stay and enjoying much better-quality food at far lower prices in the nearby marina.
In short, we thought we had booked a five-star hotel experience, but we only got the low-cost version. This is a typical example of misleading and opaque pricing, combined with a two-tier customer experience — something you should be aware of when booking this hotel.
Review by 159pits Mamer, Luxembourg
Stunning Views, Subpar Service and Surprise Fees
Calheta is a gorgeous destination, and this resort sits on an incredible spot with beautiful views and high-end rooms. Unfortunately, the overall experience was let down by poor service and misleading management.
A few key takeaways for potential guests:
Restaurant Reliability: I made a reservation at the 2nd-floor restaurant weeks in advance. When I arrived, the restaurant was completely closed with zero advance notice or communication.
Service Standards: The front desk provided no guidance on how to access or use the property's amenities. Worse, the staff at both the pool and sky lounge were surprisingly rude and unhelpful.
Extra Costs: Be aware that amenities are not included in your room rate and cost extra.
While the location is lovely, the lack of hospitality and poor communication ruined the stay. I recommend visiting Calheta, but I’d look elsewhere for a place to stay if you value feeling welcomed and well-treated.
Review by ChicagoCJK Chicago, Illinois
Clearly they dont want locals.
I am a resident of Madeira and was informed that you offer special rates for Madeira residents. I therefore contacted your hotel directly to enquire about making a booking and was asked to provide proof of residency by email, which I did.
Four hours later, I received a response asking me to provide the resident information again. I sent it again, but received no further response. I subsequently called twice more and sent another follow-up email.
The following morning, I called again and was told that the quote had already been sent. When I explained that I had not received anything, I was then asked to be patient, after spending approximately 10 minutes being told how busy the hotel was, I eventually received confirmation that a quote would be prepared.
When the quote finally arrived, I was honestly quite shocked. The supposed resident rate was more expensive than booking the same stay directly with the hotel. Even more surprisingly, the quote provided was more expensive than the price available through a third-party booking platform.
- Residents special - 363Euro
- Direct Booking Rate - 323Euro
- Third Party booking site - 289Euro
All three were like for like room comparison, with breakfast, final price including all additional fees.
I have just returned from an exceptional stay at Hotel Fariones on nearby island, where the level of service was outstanding and guests were genuinely made to feel valued. The contrast could not be greater.
I fully appreciate that hotels can be busy, but the issue here is the combination of being repeatedly asked for information I had already provided, having to chase the hotel several times, being told that something had been sent when it had not, and wasting my time by ultimately receiving a "resident" offer that was actually more expensive than the same alternatives available to the general public.
I will rather save my money, and spend it off the island
Review by alex d Cape Town Central, South Africa
An Unforgettable 30th Anniversary at Saccharum
My wife and I spent seven nights at Saccharum Resort & Spa celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary, and it was truly an exceptional experience.
The resort is beautiful, with incredible Atlantic views, wonderful amenities, and a location that was perfect for exploring Madeira and the many wonderful places the island has to offer. Breakfast each morning was exceptional, with an impressive variety of choices and a wonderful staff who provided attentive and friendly service.
What made our stay especially memorable was the staff. From our pre-arrival communication through our final day, we were consistently treated with warmth, professionalism, and genuine hospitality. Special thanks to Cláudia and Patrícia from Guest Relations for helping make our anniversary celebration so special.
The Fire Pit Dinner at Calhau Beach Club was one of the highlights of our entire trip. The oceanfront setting, sunset, Bossa Nova music, and outstanding cuisine created a truly memorable evening. A special shout-out to the chef. Every course was beautifully prepared and absolutely delicious! Our waiter, I believe his name was Jeronimo, provided exceptional and personable service that made the evening even more special.
The thoughtful attention given to our anniversary throughout our stay meant a great deal to us. After 30+ years of marriage, we wanted to celebrate somewhere we would always remember, and Saccharum gave us exactly that.
We left Madeira with wonderful memories and tremendous appreciation for the entire Saccharum team. We will definitely be back!
Five stars without hesitation!
Marketing vs reality — read before you pay the “Ocean” upgrade
First, the genuine positives: the hotel is beautiful and spotlessly clean, the grounds are lovely, the gym is excellent (dumbbells to 28kg, quality machines). The beach is rock rather than sand, but has lifeguards.
Now, marketing versus reality:
What they advertise: an “Ocean Suite” and “Ocean Room” with listing photos of the sea filling the window, floor to ceiling.
What you get: a carpark, trees, and neighbouring buildings, with a strip of ocean in the distance. I’ve posted the listing photos next to my actual view — judge for yourself. We paid a considerable premium for this, and my wife and I both felt short-changed.
What they advertise: a responsive 5-star service culture, inviting your arrival details in advance.
What you get: silence. I messaged 3 times before arrival with our late check-in and an extra bed request — no reply, and nothing ready at midnight: pull-out bed unmade, adjoining rooms locked until morning.
Day 1, I emailed constructive feedback directly to management — no reply either, until I chased it and posted this review.
Four ignored communications is a pattern, not an oversight.
What they advertise: pool open until 8pm.
What you get: towels stop at 6:45pm and umbrellas come down around you from then — like a bar taking your drink before closing time.
What you won’t see in the photos:
• Service is polite but transactional — nowhere near the standard of a Ritz-Carlton or Four Seasons, which is the comparison a 5-star badge and these prices invite. The exception: individual staff were genuinely helpful when we asked about our kids’ nut allergies.
• Soundproofing well below 5-star standard — showers, conversations, and clattering from neighbouring rooms, and a wafer-thin adjoining door (avoid adjoining rooms if privacy matters).
• Capacity strain: decent sunbeds are a daily struggle, breakfast seating is a scramble, long morning queues at coffee and food stations with slow refills, and waits for the lifts.
• Food is decent rather than exceptional, with limited choices for younger children.
• Allergen labelling weaker than comparable 5-star hotels.
UPDATE AT CHECKOUT: After this review and chased emails, the hotel moved us to Premium Ocean View rooms for our final two nights and covered our family dinner on the last evening.
Credit where due — those rooms are beautiful, and exactly what the listing photos promise. Sound of ocean in the background, stunning relaxing views.
Which is why I’m leaving this review : the “Ocean Room” and “Ocean Suite” we paid a supplement for are a different, lesser product. The key lesson for future guests: an “Ocean Room” here does NOT mean the ocean view in the photos — that’s a separate, higher tier called “Premium Ocean View.” If the view matters to you, book that tier explicitly.
A beautiful property in a stunning location. But between the room marketing, the noise, the crowds, and how hard we had to push to be heard, we won’t be back.
Thank you to Judite for your efforts but I would be a sellout to take a meal and not leave an honest review.
Review by Aidan M Dublin, Ireland
