Our family wish is to provide you a pleasant stay in Calhau Grande. To clarify our guests and visitors as much as possible, we have created the following table which includes the most frequently asked questions organized by themes. Meanwhile, if you still need our help or any further assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact us, and you are also warmly invited to visit our cottages and get to know us.
| About us | Location | Cottages | Reservation | Check-in/out | Other |
Calhau Grande is a group of 8 independent typical self-catering guesthouses. It is located in Arco da Calheta, on the western side of Madeira Island. The property was started as a holiday house for our family, but early we wanted to share our rural Madeiran life experience with the world. All the rustic cottages have been carefully and eco-friendly restored to keep the typical local architecture and to suit the natural environment.
Located in the countryside, Calhau Grande is a simple and genuine haven for those looking for calm, rest and a real example of Madeira Island´s living. Our family tries to convey to the guests the simplicity and harmony of the local life and traditions, providing pleasant and relaxed holidays with what is more important: peace, pure air, sun, warm temperatures, astonishing ocean views and private gardens. Every space of this little paradise is framed by the lovely ocean view and the energy of the stones. It is familiar, romantic, cosy and peaceful! You can feel the smell of the gardens, relax in the swimming pool, enjoy wonderful sunsets, discover our agricultural land with fruit trees, vegetables and aromatic herbs. We think green, so we apply in Calhau Grande some ecologic measures to contribute for a better environment. Calhau Grande has also a strategic position to discover Levadas and walks, to enjoy the mountain and sea activities and to know the most recognized points of interest of the island. Our family will be your hosts and is available for any help.
To get in contact with us, you can fill any form in our website or simple send an email directly to welcome@calhaugrande.com. Our mobile phone number is also available: +351 964 894 632.
Yes, we have WIFI network in all areas and it is completely free. You can log-in by the swimming pool area and inside the cottages.
The swimming pool is open all year round and you can use it when you wish. Calhau Grande is a family run eco-tourism unit and we will not enforce rules that could simply not be applied to our own family. Only for safety reasons, swimming at night is not permitted. The swimming pool is not heated.
In Madeira, we take advantage of mild and very pleasant temperatures during all seasons: it is never too hot or neither too cold. Environment friendly, the cottages have traditional thick stone walls and modern double-glazing, which allows to maintain very comfortable temperatures inside. The interior spaces are fresh on hottest summer days and cosy in the winter. This way, there is no need to use air conditioning, minimizing the negative impact on the surrounding nature.
Yes! There is a common car parking area, with 1 place reserved for each cottage.
Smoking is only permitted outdoor areas. Calhau Grande has a strict non-smoking policy within all inside areas.
Yes, of course! Children of any age are welcome!
We will be happy to receive your visitors in Calhau Grande. You should inform Calhau Grande in advance about their presence and they always need to be accompanied by you. Also, in normal conditions, visitors are not allowed to stay in your cottage overnight in order to fulfil the capacity policy of each room. However, if there is availability at the time, we will be pleased to receive the visitors in another cottage.
Calhau Grande does not offer laundry services. We only take care of washing linen and towels, that are available in each cottage. The change takes place every three days. Close to the swimming pool area, there is a washing tank with clean water, soap and clothespins. You can hand wash some of your clothes and leave then drying outside.
Calhau Grande doesn’t have restaurant facilities. The cottages have equipped kitchenette where you can prepare your meals. Additionally, you can find some bars and good local restaurants in the surrounding areas, with great variety of regional dishes and wines. Inside Calhau Grande, we provide a selection of season vegetables and fruits, produced by local farmers to enable guests to prepare delicious and natural local meals.
Calhau Grande is a self-catering accommodation. As we have no restaurant and the houses have well equipped kitchenettes, breakfast is not included.
Calhau Grande is located on the Western area of Madeira Island, in Arco da Calheta, the sunniest part of the island.
In Calhau Grande, it looks like Spring all year round! We take advantage of surprisingly balmy weather. In Summer, the temperatures range from 24ºC to 27ºC, and in the Winter from 17ºC to 20ºC.
You can easily get to Calhau Grande by car, taxi or bus. We highly recommend you to rent a car for the route Airport -> Calhau Grande. The airport is about 45km away from Calhau Grande and you can expect to take about 45 min to take this route. Please check more details and instructions on our website, in the “Location” section, or get in contact with us.
We will send you detailed instructions by email. If you don´t receive them, during the reservation process, please tell us. Please note that using GPS is not the best option for arrival. It will show you the fastest route, but also the most difficult.
Yes, we strongly advise you to rent a car. This way you can travel around the islands during your holidays with comfort, flexibility and economy, wherever you want, at any time.
Funchal is 30km away and it takes about 25 to 30 minutes by car.
You can easily find in Arco da Calheta and Loreto some good restaurants and shops. Within 4 minutes by car you can easily find them. Walking, it takes about 10 minutes. In Calheta, by the ocean level, 7 minutes by car, you will also find some other options.
The closest supermarket is Amanhecer, located in Loreto, 3 minutes by car from Calhau Grande. It is a local supermarket where you can find not only all you need to spend your holidays, but also some good regional products that you can take to share with your family and friends. There is also a local grocery shop (mini-market) on the neighbourhood, 2 minutes walking, with fruit and vegetables produced by local people.
You can reach the ocean level within 5 minutes by car. Calhau Grande is located 250m high from the ocean level. Walking to the sea it takes about 30 minutes.
You can reach the mountains – Paul da Serra – within 15 minutes by car. There you can enjoy breath-taking natural landscapes, green areas and the fantastic Levada walks.
Our GPS coordinates are:
Lat. 32º 43´ 0.76´´ N
Lon. 17º 9´ 30.87´´ W
Our cottages in Calhau Grande are self-catering, with equipped kitchenettes and private gardens with ocean view. Within this principle, we have 3 studios (the cottages named Sol, Tenda and Palha), 3 one-bedroom apartments (the cottages Eira, Levada and Junior) And 2 Madeiran typical stone houses with 2 bedrooms (the cottages Calhau and Sapateiro).
Yes, this is an important point that characterizes our cottages. Each cottage is located on a different terrace/altitude, providing wide open and panoramic views over the Atlantic Ocean.
Some guests value the fact of not having a TV inside the cottage, in order to be away from the technological world and enjoy every moment of their vacation. To maximize the rural and natural experience, there are some cottages without television. If having access to the TV in the room is important for you, please let us know your wish during the reservation process.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t exist. Some of our guesthouses are more suitable for guests with special needs, so please let us know about your situation at the booking time.
We have hairdryers available for guests. You can request one at check-in or letting us know in advance.
At the reservation time, you can tell us your preference. According to the availability calendar, we will try our best to match your desire.
Yes.
Yes, we do have cleaning services. All cottages are cleaned prior to the guests' arrival and every 3 days there is a storage and cleaning of interior spaces. These services are free of charge and included in the room rate per night.
Yes, all our cottages have en-suite bathrooms facilities.
Yes. We do have baby cots and baby high chairs. Please contact us and inform us about your needs in advance.
Please contact us to expose the situation. The cottage where you stayed will be cleaned after your check-out, so if you forgot your item on the cottage probably it will be found by our housekeeper. If so, we will be in touch with you to arrange the best way to send you the lost item.
You can easily and quickly enquire our availability by completing and submitting to us any the request form on our website: calhaugrande.com. We will do our very best to answer you shortly with all instructions to complete the accommodation reservation.
You can book a cottage at any time. If you have preference for a specific cottage, you should make the reservation as far in advance as possible.
The rates, in euros, are per cottage, but they also depend on the number of guests.
Yes, it is possible to reserve without credit card. To book a cottage we will ask you a payment of 20% of your reservation by bank transfer. The remaining 80% will be charged at check-in, in cash or bank transfer. Credit card is not a payment option.
Your booking is complete when you receive, by email, our confirmation voucher with all details of your stay in Calhau Grande. If, after completing the 20% deposit by bank transfer, you don’t receive the confirmation voucher, please kindly contact us.
Yes, group bookings can be done. Please kindly contact us and inform us about your group plans.
Yes, it is possible if we have cottages available. However, due to our high occupancy rate, we highly recommend you to book in advance.
Yes, it is possible, subject to our availability calendar. Please contact us and inform us about your plans before arrival.
Yes, your reservation is cancellable. Cancellations are free of charge if informed to Calhau Grande within a minimum of 60 days before the day of your original check-in date. After the cancellation deadline we will charge you 20% of your total stay.
We will be pleased to have you in Calhau Grande. It is always possible to extend your stay, depending on our availability calendar. Please contact us and inform us about your plans.
Check-in must be done after 4pm. If you wish to check-in earlier please contact us in order to know if it is possible.
You can check-in at any time on the day of arrival, from 4pm until 9pm. However, we can receive you later. If you need or wish to arrive later please contact us.
Upon check-in, we will ask you for the confirmation voucher, as well as the identification cards or passports of all guests. The payment of the remaining 80% of your reservation will also be charged, being cash or bank transfer the payment methods available.
Yes, of course! Our family will be warmly waiting for you. We will make your check-in, introduce you the cottage and give you the keys.
Please contact us to inform about your plans. Your reservation may be cancelled if Calhau Grande is not informed.
Yes, you can. We will try to have your cottage ready as soon as possible for you. If the cottage is not ready yet, you can drop the luggage with us.
Check-out must be done till 10am on the departure day. If you wish to check-out later Please confirm first this situation with us.
You are able to check-out at any time till 10am on the departure day.
All cottages are cleaned by us after each check-out. The final cleaning is included in the rate. Please don’t worry about it and enjoy your last day of holidays in Calhau Grande!
The airport is up to 45 minutes by car from Calhau Grande. If you wish to use the public bus or taxi, please confirm the timetables.
Well-behaved dogs/pets can only be accommodated in self-catering cottages, subject to prior agreement. We realize your pet is part of your family and we will try our best to accept it in Calhau Grande. However, for everyone’s safety, pets are not allowed in the common areas. Dogs must be always kept on a leash.
No, it is not necessary. Madeira Island belongs to the European Union and there are no special or extra needs to travel here.
Madeira Island´s time zone is UTC +00:00.
Madeira Island’s currency is the Euro (EUR).
Fortunately, Madeira Island is a very secure place. You can enjoy your holidays and trust the local people. We will be pleased to help you and our wish is that you have a fantastic time in Madeira Island.
On Madeira Islands the standard electric voltage is 230V and the frequency is 50Hz.
Yes, water tap is safe to drink, and it has very good quality.