Socalco Nature Hotel

We were warmly welcomed to this hotel by friendly and accommodating staff, and were told our room had been upgraded. Our room was beautiful (#5), nestled in the vineyards looking out onto the sea with a feature wall inside looking into lit up cave - the most unique room we’ve ever stayed in! The breakfast was the best hotel breakfast we had ever experienced. 95% of the vegetables are grown on site and every dish was delicious. We also had a 3 course dinner at the hotel one evening which was really special. Would recommend this hotel for anyone wanting to experience pure relaxation in a peaceful and scenic setting.

We had the pleasure of staying in the “Gruta” room at Socalco Nature, and it was an unforgettable experience. Nestled among vineyards, the property offers breathtaking views of the ocean. Our room was spacious, spotless, well-equipped (including air conditioning), and featured a stunning sea view. Breakfast was a daily highlight, featuring fresh juices, coffee or tea, bread, cold cuts, jams, fruit, yogurt, cake, and freshly prepared egg dishes upon request. There was no buffet, which made the experience feel even more personal and special. We also chose to dine at the hotel every evening and were truly impressed. Without a fixed menu, the talented chef crafted 3-, 4-, or 6-course meals using seasonal and local ingredients, happily accommodated with dietary restrictions. The service was just outstanding! While parking can be a bit challenging, it doesn’t detract from the overall experience. A perfect retreat for a peaceful stay with exceptional food and service on Madeira. We’ll gladly return!

A very good, service oriented hotel hidden in the lush greenery and flora. Very tranquil and silent with great views to the sea. I stayed here for 3 nights, the room had a nice layout with a separate kitchenette and even an outdoor veranda. ||Breakfast is included and served to table. If you have special wish what to have for breakfast, just ask. Otherwise, you get the breakfast of the day, which is still a good choice. ||In the restaurant they do not have a standard menu but a 'surprise menu'. Do remember to book it in advance. I did not have dinner there because having a 6 six course dinner alone is not that exciting if cannot share the experience with your partner.||Note that the hotel is in a steep hill making the arrival with car quite adventurous. You can also walk to the Calheta centrum, it is not a long way but the elevation gain is significant when returning. Just make sure that you have the stamina to climb back up if you opt to walk down to the seaside and back.||I would recommend this hotel especially for a special occasion.

My wife and I spent a week with the amazing staff at Socalco Nature. The accommodation, food, staff, location were all perfect. The staff paid attention to detail, ensuring that every need was met, from making up the room daily, providing a lovely breakfast daily and guidance on the hikes in the areas. We enjoyed dinner and breakfast at the hotel and the food was all fresh, sourced either on the property or locally. We also opted to enjoy the chef experience and spent 3-4 hours making many dishes with wild caught fish, enjoying wine and sharing experiences - this was the highlight of our stay. The location is ideal for reaching all parts of the island and the view from the rooms and the dining terrace are breathtaking.

It was an amazing experience! We stayed at the Socalco Hotel for two nights, but we wished we had planned to stay longer. The staff was very friendly, the homemade breakfasts were incredible with an ocean view, and the magical scenery could be enjoyed from everywhere on the property.

My wife & I had the pleasure of staying at Socalco in May of this year - and what a pleasure it was! From the first welcoming hello to the last regretful goodbye, we can't fault the staff or the hotel. The staff were all very friendly & welcoming, from the management team to the gardener & house-keeping - we felt like we were amongst friends! Our room was very comfortable & well appointed with a little kitchenette, shower room, comfortable bed, window bench seats to enjoy our sea view. The hotel is built into the cliff, so there were plenty of steps to get around. The 'pool' is more of a plunge pool but was more than suitable for our needs. And the food! Wow! Andrea, the head chef, & his team produce extremely tasty & taste bud challenging food - and never the same meal twice - using local produce from the island or their own kitchen garden. They pride themselves, rightfully, on growing as much as they can themselves to use in the kitchen - a big ethos for them. Go for the cookery class they provide. We weren't shown how to use kitchen utensils, but how to challenge our taste buds with what we have available & produced delicious servings! And, made sourdough bread which was served to the guests!! We certainly recommend staying here without a doubt & will be back ourselves. Our stay at Socalco was one of the best we've had, hence this long review! Thank you & we'll see you again.

We came here for our Anniversary and were treated very well by the friendly staff during our stay. We were impressed by the selection of food that catered for different dietary requirements offered at both breakfast and dinner and the view at sunset on a clear day was beautiful. Couldn't have asked for more. Thanks Socalco!

Phenomenal views of Calheta beach from the hillside. Great views of sunrise. We also dined at the restaurant and the food was great but their own made wines were divine especially the Madeira wine. They also catered well for vegetarians well providing a suitable alternative to the meat dishes. Parking was a bit tight and on a hill