Estalagem do Vale is a 41-unit rural hotel in the São Vicente valley on Madeira's north coast, in a building listed as being of regional interest. It is registered as a hotel rural (RNET 7478) and recognised for nature tourism in the national registry. Its central position on the north coast puts the Seixal coast, the Fanal plateau and Santana all within a day's drive, although none of the high-peak trailheads is close.
What kind of property is it?
According to the Turismo de Portugal registry, the hotel opened in 2004 and has 40 rooms and 1 suite for 82 guests. The registry lists indoor and outdoor pools, a gym, a small spa and a meeting room for 60 people, and shows no closure period this year. The hotel's own website says the main building dates back more than 150 years and was later used as a school and as a hospital. It describes a restaurant and bar, an indoor pool in winter and an outdoor pool in summer, and rooms with cable TV, internet access and telephone, one of them adapted for guests with reduced mobility. The site also has a page of suggested levada walks.
Where exactly is it?
The address is Rua Dr. Gregório Dinis, 37, Sítio das Feiteiras de Baixo, 9240-206 São Vicente, in the valley above the village. The São Vicente volcanic caves are about 0.8 km away in a straight line. Road distances (OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data):
- 9.9 km to Seixal beach; the Véu da Noiva viewpoint is about 6 km away in a straight line;
- 31.2 km to Queimadas, start of PR 9 Levada do Caldeirão Verde;
- 34.1 km to the Paul da Serra start of PR 13 Vereda do Fanal;
- 48.5 km to Pico do Areeiro, start of PR 1 Vereda do Areeiro;
- 32.1 km to central Funchal and 47.8 km to Madeira Airport.
Who is it a good base for?
It works for travellers who want one north-coast base and plan to drive both west (Seixal, Porto Moniz, Fanal) and east (Santana, PR 9). For PR 1, PR 1.2 or PR 11 on consecutive days, a base in Santana or Ribeiro Frio cuts the driving considerably; see our mountains and north coast pages. Classified trails need a booking and fee: see trail booking and fees.
How do you get there without a car?
The SIGA timetables list route 250 (São Vicente – Porto Moniz). We could not confirm a stop at the hotel or a direct connection to Funchal, so check the current SIGA timetables; see getting around Madeira without a car.
Practical notes
The Booking.com listing gives check-in from 14:00 and check-out until 12:00. Parking arrangements were not stated on the official website, so ask when booking. The valley lies on the wetter side of the island; take a rain layer for any walk.