Meliá São João da Madeira

Meliá São João da Madeira is a beautiful hotel, especially with the restored palace area, which is truly impressive. The staff throughout the hotel are very friendly and attentive. I had an issue with the doneness of my meat at dinner, but the team handled it quickly and kindly, which I appreciated. I also booked a couples massage and it was fantastic, truly relaxing and something I would happily repeat. However, the spa experience was not as good. Although we were told reservations were needed, the control of access did not seem very clear. The rule of wearing a swimming cap was not respected, with several guests not using one. The atmosphere was quite noisy, with loud conversations and children running around, which takes away from the sense of calm expected in a spa. Even though there is a sauna and steam room, the pool area would benefit from more spa-oriented features, such as water jets or relaxation points. Overall, the hotel has many qualities and the service stands out in a very positive way. A few adjustments in how the spa is managed would make the experience much more consistent with the level of the rest of the hotel.

Also food in the restaurant for lunch and dinner are amazing

Hotel is beautiful. Spa is nice.