Monte Palace Hotel in Funchal

Monte Palace Hotel is a former hotel in Funchal, Madeira, set around the church in the Monte district high above the city. The hotel itself is now history, but its old estate lives on as one of the island's best-known attractions: the Monte Palace tropical garden.

How did the hotel come about?

The estate's story goes back to the 18th century. British consul Charles Murray turned the land around Monte Church into a leisure retreat, later known as Quinta do Prazer. In 1897 it passed to Alfredo Guilherme Rodrigues, who built a stately house there. He drew inspiration from the palaces along the Rhine, which gave the building its grand, palatial look.

When did the hotel operate?

Rodrigues's house was converted into the Monte Palace Hotel, which welcomed guests between 1904 and 1943. Among the pastimes on offer were boat trips on the central lake in the grounds. Monte had long been associated with escaping the bustle of town.

What happened next?

After the hotel closed, the property ended up with a financial institution. In 1987 it was bought by José Manuel Rodrigues Berardo. That began the place's next chapter: the former hotel and its surroundings became Monte Palace Madeira, the garden that draws visitors from around the world today.

Good to know before you go

• You cannot stay overnight: the hotel no longer operates. What you can visit is the garden created on the former estate.
• The site is in Monte, in the upper part of Funchal, so allow for travel time from the centre when planning your day.
• The history makes a good backdrop to a visit: an 18th-century retreat, a palatial late-19th-century house, an early-20th-century hotel, and finally a garden.
• Approximate coordinates: 32.674 N, 16.903 W.

Frequently asked questions

Is Monte Palace Hotel still open? No. It operated as a hotel from 1904 to 1943 and is now a former hotel.

Who built the house that became the hotel? Alfredo Guilherme Rodrigues, who took over the estate in 1897, modelling it on palaces along the Rhine.

Who bought the estate in 1987? José Manuel Rodrigues Berardo, whose purchase led to the Monte Palace Madeira garden.

What was the estate before? In the 18th century British consul Charles Murray created a leisure retreat here called Quinta do Prazer.

Where is it? In Funchal, Madeira, around the church in Monte.