A relaxed boutique stay in the heart of Funchal, Madeira, including our experience at Caju Hotel and the promotional video we created for the property.
Words & photography by Pete Rudd
Reading time 5-6 minutes
Caju Hotel Madeira review — during our recent adventure in Madeira, we had the opportunity to stay at the beautiful Caju Hotel in the heart of Funchal.
After spending time exploring the island, hiking through Madeira’s incredible landscapes and discovering some of its famous levada walks, Caju Hotel gave us a stylish and relaxed base from which to experience the city.
We also created a promotional video for the hotel during our stay, capturing the character of the property and its location in the centre of Funchal.
This is our personal review of staying at Caju Hotel, including the rooms, design, café and some of the things we enjoyed exploring during our time in Madeira.
Before you book
Location: Funchal, Madeira, Portugal
Style: Boutique hotel
Best for: Couples, city breaks and travellers looking for a stylish base in Funchal
Highlights: Central location, contemporary design, café and relaxed atmosphere
Nearby: Funchal Old Town, restaurants, bars and Madeira’s surrounding attractions
Caju Hotel is located in the centre of Funchal, making it a convenient base for exploring Madeira’s capital on foot.
Rather than being a large traditional resort, Caju has a much more intimate boutique feel. The hotel’s design combines simple contemporary interiors with the character of the original building, including exposed stone walls and plenty of natural textures.
For us, that smaller scale was part of the appeal. After spending days exploring the island, it was great to have somewhere central and relaxed to return to.
If you’re planning your own trip to Madeira, you can find more information and check availability on the official Caju Hotel website.
First impressions
When looking for somewhere to stay in Funchal, we were slightly overwhelmed by the amount of choice.
There are some fantastic hotels across Madeira, but we have always preferred smaller boutique properties where there is a little more personality and character.
Caju immediately stood out for that reason.
The hotel occupies a building that was once a popular supermarket in Funchal’s old town area, and some of that history can still be seen in the exposed stone walls and original character of the building.
The overall design is simple and contemporary without feeling cold. Clean lines, natural materials and carefully chosen details give the hotel a relaxed feel that works particularly well with the laid-back atmosphere of Madeira.
Its central location also meant we could easily head out into Funchal and explore the city before returning to the hotel.
The room
Our room at Caju continued the same simple, contemporary design found throughout the rest of the hotel.
Rather than trying to overload the space with unnecessary decoration, the interiors are clean, comfortable and understated.
After spending long days travelling around Madeira, hiking and exploring, having somewhere comfortable to come back to was exactly what we needed.
One of the things that worked particularly well for us was the way the hotel’s design retained some of the character of the original building while still feeling modern.
It’s a good example of how a boutique hotel can feel stylish without losing its sense of place.
The café at Caju
One of the little surprises during our stay was the café attached to the hotel.
Prima, meaning “cousins” in Portuguese, serves a colourful selection of food and drinks and quickly became one of our favourite parts of the property.
The café focuses on fresh ingredients, colourful dishes and freshly prepared juices, making it a great place to start the day or stop for something to eat while exploring Funchal.
There was something about the relaxed atmosphere and colourful presentation that fitted Madeira perfectly.
After spending the morning out exploring, it was great to have somewhere within the hotel where we could sit down, eat well and recharge before heading back out.
Promotional 4K video of Caju Hotel
During our stay at Caju Hotel, we were also asked to create a promotional video showcasing the property and its location in Funchal.
The aim was to capture more than simply the rooms and interiors. We wanted the video to communicate the atmosphere of the hotel and show how it fits into the wider experience of staying in Madeira.
Using a mixture of hotel interiors, details, lifestyle moments and footage from around Funchal, we created a short 4K promotional film that could be used by the hotel to showcase the property online.
Video is a great way for hotels and tourism brands to communicate a sense of place, particularly when the experience is about much more than simply the room.
You can watch the promotional film above.
Exploring Madeira
Of course, one of the biggest reasons for visiting Madeira is to get out and explore the island.
Although Funchal has plenty to keep you occupied, some of Madeira’s best experiences can be found away from the city.
During our trip we spent time exploring the island’s dramatic landscapes and walking some of its famous levadas — historic waterways that were built to transport spring water through the mountains and across the island.
There are hundreds of kilometres of levada walks to explore, ranging from relatively easy walks to much more demanding mountain routes.
One of our favourites was the Levada das 25 Fontes, one of Madeira’s most popular hiking routes.
The trail takes you through lush mountain scenery towards a series of waterfalls and natural pools. It’s a great way to experience the side of Madeira that you simply don’t see from Funchal.
If you’re planning your own Madeira adventure, you can also read our guide to Exploring Madeira with Kinto, where we explore more of the island and one of our favourite levada walks.
One useful tip: if you don’t fancy the climb back up to the car park after completing the 25 Fontes walk, there is a shuttle service available to take you back up.
Why stay in Funchal?
For us, one of the biggest advantages of staying in Funchal was having a comfortable base while still being within easy reach of the rest of Madeira.
The city has plenty of restaurants, cafés and bars, while the surrounding mountains and coastline make it easy to head out for a day of exploring.
Caju’s central location makes it particularly useful if you want to experience the city rather than staying at a large resort outside the centre.
You can spend the morning exploring Funchal, head into the mountains for an afternoon hike and then return to the city for dinner.
That combination of city and adventure is one of the things we enjoyed most about Madeira.
Final thoughts
Our stay at Caju Hotel was a great introduction to Madeira and gave us exactly the kind of base we look for when travelling.
The hotel has a relaxed boutique feel, the design makes good use of the character of the original building and its central location makes exploring Funchal particularly easy.
We also really enjoyed the opportunity to create a promotional video for the property, capturing some of the details that make Caju different from a more traditional hotel.
For us, the combination of a stylish boutique stay in the centre of Funchal and easy access to the rest of Madeira made Caju a memorable place to stay.
If you’re planning a trip to Madeira and prefer a smaller, design-led hotel rather than a large resort, Caju is well worth considering.
More Madeira travel guides
If you’re planning a wider trip around Madeira, you might also enjoy our guide to exploring the island:
Exploring Madeira with Kinto — our guide to exploring Madeira and one of our favourite levada walks.
More Madeira travel guides
If you’re planning a wider trip around Madeira, you might also enjoy our guide to exploring the island:
Exploring Madeira with Kinto — our guide to exploring Madeira and one of our favourite levada walks.
Work With Pete
I create natural, story-led photography and video for luxury hotels, resorts, tourism brands and lifestyle businesses.
Having worked with hospitality and lifestyle brands, I create imagery that captures not just how a property looks, but how it feels to experience it.
From hotel interiors and architecture to food, lifestyle, landscapes and destination content, I create visual stories that can be used across websites, social media, campaigns and marketing.
I also create promotional films and short-form video content, helping hotels and tourism brands showcase their properties and destinations through a combination of photography and motion.
View my Hospitality Photography portfolio or get in touch if you’d like to discuss a project.
