There’s no shortage of history. Winston Churchill often stayed here, as did all the European royalty, and several names from world literature: George B. Shaw, John dos Passos, John Le Carré… Other stars followed suit: musician Diana Krall, singer Sandie Shaw, actress Claudia Cardinalle. Their photographs decorate the hotel. It would be perfect to meet them all around 5pm for the famous Reid’s tea, a daily, classic and unmissable cerimony. This is the famous Belmond Reid’s Palace in Funchal, the capital of the island of Madeira.
Opened in 1891 and founded by British William Reid, it’s one of the most elegant hotels in Europe. Reid’s overlooks the Atlantic, has a saltwater swimming pool that can’t be beat, a must-visit spa, and William’s, the Michelin-starred restaurant. Nearby, under the same management, is Villa Cipriani, one of the best Italian restaurants in all of Portugal.
More history? Of the imaginary kind, also. A few years ago, James Bond left London for Lisbon, with a stopover in Madeira. A cab dropped him off at Reid’s. The next morning he started looking for Rivke Ingber, the dangerous agent with a figure copied from Venus de Milo, but “this one’s got both arms”. He didn’t have to wait: “Don’t you fancy a drink, Mr. Bond? To break the ice?’ Her voice was soft and unaccented”. It’s all in the chapter “Rendezvous at Reid’s” in Icebreaker, by John Gardner, the writer who continued Ian Fleming’s legacy.
Well, instead of tea, how about a martini at Reid’s?
