Aqua Natura Madeira is a 25-unit hotel in Porto Moniz, at Madeira's north-western tip, standing directly above the town's natural swimming pools. It is registered as a hotel (RNET 5220) and Visit Madeira lists it as four-star. It suits travellers who want to explore the north-west coast and the Fanal and Rabaçal walks rather than the central peaks.
What kind of property is it?
The Turismo de Portugal registry records 22 rooms and 3 suites, a capacity of 47 guests and one unit adapted for reduced mobility. The hotel opened in 2014 and was last classified in April 2025; the registry shows no closure period this year. Visit Madeira describes it as the first hotel of the Aqua Natura brand and notes that it is about 500 m from the Madeira Aquarium and close to the marina, where sea activities start. The Booking.com listing describes ocean-view rooms and mentions a sauna, hot tub, massage services, a gym and a diving centre.
Where exactly is it?
The address is Rotunda da Piscina, 3, Porto Moniz. On OpenStreetMap the hotel sits about 100 m in a straight line from the entrance area of the natural pools. Road distances (OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data):
- 9.8 km to Seixal beach, with the Véu da Noiva viewpoint on the coast road between them;
- 21.2 km to the Paul da Serra start of PR 13 Vereda do Fanal; the Fanal forest itself is about 7 km away in a straight line;
- 24.3 km to Rabaçal, start of PR 6 Levada das 25 Fontes;
- 50 km to central Funchal and 65.7 km to Madeira Airport.
Is it a good base for PR 1, PR 9 or PR 11?
Not really. Pico do Areeiro, Achada do Teixeira, Queimadas and Ribeiro Frio are all 26 to 30 km away in a straight line, on the other side of the island, so day trips to them mean long drives. For those walks, Santana or Ribeiro Frio make more sense; see our north coast page.
How do you get there without a car?
The SIGA timetables list three routes to Porto Moniz: 80 (Porto Moniz via Calheta), 139 (Santa – Porto Moniz) and 250 (São Vicente – Porto Moniz). Services are limited compared with Funchal, so check the current timetables before you rely on them; see getting around Madeira without a car.
Practical notes
Booking.com gives check-in from 14:00 and check-out until 12:00. We could not confirm parking arrangements from the hotel or the listing, so ask when booking. In heavy swell, waves break over the outer rocks and wash into the natural pools, so swimming conditions can change from day to day — worth knowing if the pools are the reason you are staying here.
