Estalagem da Ponta do Sol is a 54-room hotel on the cliff above the village of Ponta do Sol, on Madeira's south-west coast. It is registered as a Quinta da Madeira under the name Quinta da Rochinha (RNET 7253), at Caminho do Passo 6, and combines a restored farmhouse with modernist annexes. It is one of the few west-coast bases where you can walk down to a village, a beach and a bus stop.
Where exactly is it?
The hotel occupies the headland directly above Ponta do Sol. From its mapped position, the village pebble beach (Praia da Ponta do Sol) is about 180 m away in a straight line and the Ponta do Sol / Clube bus stop about 130 m — but the hotel is on top of the cliff, so on foot the route involves a steep descent. Hotel guides describe cliff lifts linking the upper terraces with the lower part of the property.
Which trails and sights are close?
- Levada das 25 Fontes (PR 6) and Levada do Risco (PR 6.1): Rabaçal is about 8.9 km away in a straight line, reached by the road up to Paul da Serra. Book first — see trail booking and fees.
- Vereda do Fanal (PR 13) starts about 9.8 km away in a straight line.
- Cabo Girão is about 9.6 km east in a straight line, a natural stop on the way to or from Funchal.
What does the hotel offer?
The national tourism register lists 54 rooms, one of them adapted for reduced mobility. Hotel guides describe Garden View and Sea View rooms with a balcony or terrace, a clifftop infinity pool, an indoor pool, a small spa with sauna and steam room, and a glass-walled restaurant. A sister property, Hotel da Vila, sits in the village below. Booking.com lists free parking, check-in from 14:00 and check-out by 12:00; the car park is small.
Practical notes
Ponta do Sol is on the coastal road between Funchal and Calheta, so a car is still the simplest way to reach the western trailheads, but buses do stop in the village. If you plan to use them, check timetables in getting around Madeira without a car.
