Your stay — Zarco
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The Property — Zarco
Zarco is a no-fuss, sea-facing three-star in Funchal’s Lido area. The lobby is modestly tiled, with a reception desk that smells faintly of floor polish, and the main draw is the rooftop pool with a direct view of the Atlantic. It suits package-holiday couples and older travellers who want a clean, quiet base with breakfast included and a short walk to the promenade bars.
Chronicles of Funchal
Funchal was founded in 1424 by João Gonçalves Zarco – the hotel’s namesake – and grew wealthy on sugar cane, then Madeira wine. Its architecture layers Manueline cathedrals with 19th-century English merchants' villas and modern concrete hotels that step down the hillside. Today it’s a cruise port and subtropical garden city, with a working-class core that resists being just a tourist prop.
Best Time to Visit
Full Funchal guide →Best months
May and September: settled warmth (22–24°C), low rainfall, and cruise crowds haven’t peaked. June also works if you don’t mind lighter evenings.
Peak / festival surge
August and New Year’s Eve. August hits 28°C on the coast, hotels double their low-season rate, and the island fills with Portuguese families. New Year’s fireworks draw a separate spike.
Budget shoulder season
October and April: still 19–21°C, prices 30% lower than August, and you avoid the July–August queue at the Monte cable car. Rain is possible but usually brief.
Weather & packing
Funchal sits under a cloud layer that often clings to the mountain while the coast stays sunny. Pack a light waterproof for sudden mists and a warm layer for evenings – even in July the sea breeze can bite after sunset.
Live City Briefing — Funchal
- The Funchal-Monte cable car is undergoing annual maintenance in late June, reopening 1 July – check if it’s running on your exact arrival day.
- A new direct bus route (line 30) now connects the Lido with the old town every 15 minutes, bypassing the slow seafront traffic.
- Roadworks on Estrada Monumental, just past the hotel, are set to continue through July – expect daytime noise between 9am and 5pm from the upper floors.
Your Perfect Room
✨ AI-generated · Jul 2026Before you check in to Zarco, here's what to know about choosing the right room.
Best rooms to request
Request a room on floors 3 to 5 facing the rear courtyard. These upper floors avoid street-level noise from Rua dos Murças and have better natural light and ventilation. The courtyard side is quieter and often catches the afternoon sun.
Rooms to avoid
Avoid rooms on floors 1 and 2, especially those facing the street. You'll get direct noise from Rua dos Murças traffic and pedestrian activity. Also avoid rooms near the lift shaft or service areas (typically at the end of corridors on lower floors).
Best views
Upper-floor rooms facing the courtyard or the hillside behind the hotel offer a quieter vista. Street-facing rooms show the old town rooftops and a sliver of the bay, but at the cost of traffic noise. There is no sea view from this address.
Quietest floors
Floors 3 to 5 are the quietest, as they're above the ground-floor lobby and restaurant activity, and street noise diminishes significantly above the second floor.
🔊 Noise notes
Rua dos Murças is a narrow one-way street connecting the old town to the Lido area. Expect morning delivery trucks, restaurant delivery vans, and pedestrian chatter from nearby bars (especially Thursday to Saturday evenings).
Insider tips
1. If you drive, the hotel has very limited off-street parking; book a space ahead or use the public garage 200m away on Rua do Carmo. 2. Check-in after 14:00 is smoother; if arriving early, ask to leave luggage and head to the nearby Funchal market (5 min walk) for a coffee and pastel de nata.
- Call the hotel directly 24–48 hours before arrival and ask for a specific room type
- Add a note in your booking comments field
- Ask at check-in — front desk staff can often accommodate if a room is available
Hotel Facilities — Zarco
Free Wi-Fi throughout, sufficient for browsing and streaming; login via room number and surname
One lift serves all four floors; no stairs-only sections
Complimentary PressReader access; no physical newspapers
Check-in from 14:00; early bag-drop available from 08:00; late check-out until 13:00 for 20 EUR, subject to availability
Free luggage storage at reception for early arrivals and late departures
Single step at main entrance; lift to all floors; no adapted rooms or grab rails; not suitable for wheelchair users
No on-site parking; nearest public car park is Praça da Autonomia 300m away, 12 EUR per 24h; no EV charging
Fees, Taxes & Deposits
City / tourist tax: 2.00 EUR per person per night, charged at check-in, children 12 and under exempt
Deposit & card hold: No advance deposit required for standard bookings; 50 EUR incidental hold on credit card at check-in
Faith & Dietary Nearby
- Church: Igreja do Carmo (131 m · ~2 min walk)
- Church: Igreja de São João Evangelista do Colégio do Funchal (270 m · ~3 min walk)
- Church: Capela de São Luís de Tolosa (301 m · ~4 min walk)
- Church: Sé do Funchal (372 m · ~5 min walk)
Local Lifestyle & Recreation
Centro Comercial Europa — 68 m · ~1 min walk
Jardim Municipal do Funchal — 678 m · ~8 min walk
Museu de Arte Sacra — 251 m · ~3 min walk
Auditorio Municipal — 668 m · ~8 min walk
Campo da Quinta Deão — 1.0 km · ~13 min walk
5-Minute Radius Essentials
Nearest — 102 m · ~1 min walk
Carmo — 149 m · ~2 min walk
Amanhecer — 144 m · ~2 min walk
Funchal — 754 m · ~9 min walk
Money & Currency
Get a travel card →Euro, EUR
Use ATMs inside banks for the best rates; avoid exchange bureaux at the airport and tourist spots in Funchal's centre as their rates are poor.
Contactless Visa/Mastercard widely accepted in supermarkets, restaurants and shops; many places also take Apple Pay/Google Pay, but smaller cafés and market stalls often prefer cash.
Restaurants: 5–10% if service not included (check bill). Taxis: round up to nearest euro. Hotel staff: €1–2 per bag for porters, €1–2 per day for housekeeping.
Eat, Shop & Travel on a Budget
Cheap car hire →Um café (espresso) at a local pastelaria: ~€0.70–1.00.
Prato do dia (daily special) in a tasca or snack-bar: ~€7–9 including drink.
Simple grilled fish or espetada (beef skewer) in a local restaurant: main ~€10–13.
Area lacks designated street-food zones; cheap eats cluster along Rua da Carreira and near Mercado dos Lavradores (market – closed Sundays).
Pingo Doce and Continente (both within short walk from Rua dos Murças).
Zara, Mango, and similar fast-fashion chains in Forum Madeira or La Vie shopping centre (10–15 min walk).
Single bus fare: €1.95; day pass (GIRO card): €8.30 allows unlimited bus travel. Airport bus (Aerobus line 20): €6 each way – cheaper than taxi (€35+).
Buy a GIRO card for bus travel instead of single tickets; eat lunch specials rather than dinner menus for big savings; fill water bottles at public fountains (tap water is safe).
Good to know — Funchal
Type C/F · 230V
safe
$1 ≈ €0.88 · EUR
Emergency Contacts
Funchal112 (European emergency number) for general information and assistance
💡 Save these numbers in your phone. In life-threatening emergencies, call immediately.
Where to Eat
💡 Booking tip: For popular restaurants in Funchal, book at least a week ahead — especially for weekend evenings and during festival season.
Your arrival at Zarco
🕒 Check-in is from . Arriving earlier? Most hotels store luggage free — just ask at reception.
🧭 First things nearby: cash · Nearest — 102 m · ~1 min walk — pharmacy · Carmo — 149 m · ~2 min walk
🚐 Pre-book an airport transfer →Getting Around
Find train tickets →Cristiano Ronaldo Airport → Funchal City Centre (near Living Funchal Bloco-III)
💡 A hop-on hop-off service that allows you to get off near your hotel
Cristiano Ronaldo Airport → Funchal Bus Station (Rodoviária)
💡 Buy tickets on the bus or at the bus station; then take a taxi or walk to the hotel
Cristiano Ronaldo Airport → Living Funchal Bloco-III
💡 Book in advance to avoid higher prices during peak hours
Cristiano Ronaldo Airport → Funchal Bus Station (Rodoviária)
💡 A cheaper option, but with less frequent departures
About Funchal
Wikipedia ↗
Funchal (Portuguese pronunciation: [fũˈʃal] ), officially City of Funchal (Portuguese: Cidade do Funchal), is the capital, largest city and a municipality in Portugal's Autonomous Region of Madeira, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean. The city has a population of 105,795, making it the sixth largest cit...
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best rooms at Zarco?
Request a room on floors 3 to 5 facing the rear courtyard. These upper floors avoid street-level noise from Rua dos Murças and have better natural light and ventilation. The courtyard side is quieter and often catches the afternoon sun.
Which rooms should I avoid at Zarco?
Avoid rooms on floors 1 and 2, especially those facing the street. You'll get direct noise from Rua dos Murças traffic and pedestrian activity. Also avoid rooms near the lift shaft or service areas (typically at the end of corridors on lower floors).
Is Zarco noisy?
Rua dos Murças is a narrow one-way street connecting the old town to the Lido area. Expect morning delivery trucks, restaurant delivery vans, and pedestrian chatter from nearby bars (especially Thursday to Saturday evenings).
Which rooms have the best views at Zarco?
Upper-floor rooms facing the courtyard or the hillside behind the hotel offer a quieter vista. Street-facing rooms show the old town rooftops and a sliver of the bay, but at the cost of traffic noise. There is no sea view from this address.
What are insider tips for staying at Zarco?
1. If you drive, the hotel has very limited off-street parking; book a space ahead or use the public garage 200m away on Rua do Carmo. 2. Check-in after 14:00 is smoother; if arriving early, ask to leave luggage and head to the nearby Funchal market (5 min walk) for a coffee and pastel de nata.
What time is check-in at Zarco?
Check-in at Zarco is from null. Check-out is by null.
Does Zarco have Wi-Fi?
Free Wi-Fi throughout, sufficient for browsing and streaming; login via room number and surname
Is there a city or tourist tax at Zarco?
2.00 EUR per person per night, charged at check-in, children 12 and under exempt
Where can I eat cheaply near Zarco?
Prato do dia (daily special) in a tasca or snack-bar: ~€7–9 including drink.
What is the cheapest way to get around from Zarco?
Single bus fare: €1.95; day pass (GIRO card): €8.30 allows unlimited bus travel. Airport bus (Aerobus line 20): €6 each way – cheaper than taxi (€35+).
When is the best time to visit Funchal?
May and September: settled warmth (22–24°C), low rainfall, and cruise crowds haven’t peaked. June also works if you don’t mind lighter evenings.
Top Attractions in Funchal
💡 Look out for the park's botanical garden, which features a wide range of tropical plants and trees.
💡 Take a guided tour to learn more about Ronaldo's early life and career, and see some of his personal belongings on display.
💡 Look out for the centre's beautiful stained glass windows and intricate stone carvings.
💡 Visit the church's sacristy to see some beautiful azulejo tiles and a collection of ancient relics.
💡 Visit at sunset for the best views and a spectacular sight.