The Best Eco Hotels and Nature Retreats in Madeira

Nicknamed the “Island of Eternal Spring,” Madeira is a wonderland of biodiversity and resilience. With its UNESCO-listed Laurisilva forest, terraced slopes, and deep Atlantic waters, the island has embraced a new generation of eco-conscious hospitality — where nature, wellness, and sustainability are at the core of every stay.

Whether you're hiking levadas through ancient forest, sampling farm-to-table cuisine in a mountain hideaway, or relaxing in an oceanfront ecolodge powered by renewable energy, this guide brings you the best eco hotels and nature retreats in Madeira — places where luxury and environmental care go hand in hand.

 💡 Looking for more green getaways across Portugal? Soon you’ll be able to explore our complete guide to the 100 Best Eco Hotels and Sustainable Stays in Portugal — including retreats in Alentejo, the Azores, the Algarve, and more.

📍 Jardim da Serra, Madeira | 💶 From €130 | Website | Google Maps

Tucked away at 820 meters above sea level in the lush hills of Câmara de Lobos, Hotel Quinta da Serra is a green sanctuary where refined comfort meets authentic sustainability. Surrounded by ancient woodland and terraced organic gardens, this 5-star Bio Hotel offers a tranquil escape from modern noise — all while helping regenerate the island’s natural and cultural heritage.

The estate’s roots go back to the 19th century when British Consul Henry Veitch introduced the first tea plants to Madeira here. Today, the spirit of preservation continues through solar energy, rainwater reuse, native forest replanting, and over 25,000 m² of organic cultivation—including fruit orchards, vegetable gardens, and Sercial grape vines. The hotel has been awarded both Green Key and Travelife Gold certifications, a rare dual recognition of its environmental excellence.

Elegance is everywhere: from the restored manor house with its cozy reading room and fireplace, to the light-filled modern wing where rooms open to balconies overlooking the valley or ocean. Guests can unwind in the spa and indoor heated pool, enjoy organic cuisine at the panoramic restaurant, or sip Madeira wine beneath the estate’s towering eucalyptus trees—the tallest on the island.

Whether you're hiking the surrounding trails, savoring farm-to-table dishes, or simply soaking in the mountain air, Quinta da Serra offers a truly holistic eco-luxury experience. It’s one of Madeira’s finest examples of how deep-rooted tradition can blend seamlessly with forward-thinking sustainability.

 
Facilities: Organic Restaurant · Spa & Sauna · Indoor Heated Pool · Fitness Room · Game Room & Library · Panoramic Views

 🏡 52 rooms | Family-friendly
 🕒 Check-in: 14:00 | 🕛 Check-out: 12:00
 📍 Estrada do Chote 4, 9325-140 Câmara de Lobos
 📞 +351 291 640 120 | ✉️ info@hotelquintadaserra.com

 📍 Ponta do Pargo, Madeira | 💶 From €220 | Website | Google Maps

On the far western edge of Madeira, where the land meets the vast Atlantic and sunsets turn the sky into a watercolour of gold and pink, Casas da Levada offers a serene and deeply sustainable retreat unlike any other. This picturesque agritourism haven is rooted in permaculture and guided by principles of regeneration, simplicity, and harmony with nature.

Each of the six stone villas — surrounded by levadas, endemic forest, and the soothing presence of animals — has been lovingly restored using bioconstruction techniques. Rainwater harvesting, solar panels, biological water treatment, and organic gardens are seamlessly integrated into everyday life here. Guests are invited to harvest herbs and produce from the land, use refillable organic bath products, and settle into a rhythm where nature sets the pace.

Start your morning with freshly delivered bread at your door, then wander through Laurissilva forest trails or relax in the infinity-edge pool overlooking the ocean. Evenings invite you to the self-service Hobbit Bar, where you can pour your own wine and watch the last light of day slip beneath the sea.

Whether you're stargazing from your private patio, practising yoga among the gardens, or simply letting the stillness sink in, Casas da Levada is an invitation to reconnect — with the land, with yourself, and with a slower, more sustainable way of being.

Facilities: Ocean-View Infinity Pool · Organic Gardens · Self-Service Bar · Outdoor Lounge Areas · Fresh Breakfast Ingredients Delivered Daily

 🏡 6 individual houses | Family-friendly
 🕒 Check-in: 15:00 | 🕛 Check-out: 12:00
 📍 Rua da Lombadinha - Corujeira 20, 9385-237 Ponta do Pargo
 📞 +351 291 148 277 | ✉️ reservas@casasdalevada.com

 📍 Arco da Calheta, Madeira | 💶 From €250 | Website | Google Maps

High above the Atlantic on Madeira’s sun-kissed southern slopes, Calhau Grande is a soul-soothing escape where rustic charm meets true sustainability. This family-run retreat features eight lovingly restored stone cottages, each nestled among terraced gardens, fruit trees, and aromatic herbs, with panoramic views of the ocean.

Crafted by hand and built with care, these eco-friendly homes were designed by the Gouveia family to blend seamlessly with the land. Basalt rock walls insulate naturally, solar panels power appliances, rainwater irrigates the lush gardens, and linens dry in the warm Madeiran sun. Even the furniture tells a story — handmade from repurposed wood, each piece reflects a commitment to reuse and tradition.

Guests can swim in the cliff-edge pool, pick fresh produce from the garden, or relax on their private terrace, watching the sky shift during Madeira’s legendary sunsets. There are no TVs here — only birdsong, sea breeze, and the kind of quiet that resets your pace.

Perfectly located between sea and mountain, Calhau Grande is a gateway to levada walks, natural swimming spots, and local life. Whether you’re hiking in the hills or sipping tea with ocean views, this is rural Madeiran life at its most authentic, peaceful, and sustainable.

Facilities: Infinity Pool with Ocean Views · Organic Gardens · Free Bicycles · Solar Energy · Handmade Furniture · BBQ Area

 🏡 8 stone cottages | Pet friendly | Family-friendly
 🕒 Check-in: 16:00 | 🕛 Check-out: 10:00
 📍 Caminho do Massapez 10, 9370-077 Arco da Calheta, Madeira
 📞 +351 925 669 933 | ✉️ welcome@calhaugrande.com

 📍 Quinta Grande, Madeira | 💶 From €150 | Website | Google Maps

Accessible only by a spectacular cliffside cable car or private boat, Fajã dos Padres feels like stepping into a secret world. Sheltered beneath 250-meter-high volcanic cliffs and kissed by the Atlantic Ocean, this beachfront haven offers nine charming stone cottages surrounded by fruit orchards, gardens, and the echoes of Jesuit history.

Every part of this secluded eco-retreat is shaped by a deep respect for nature and a centuries-old farming tradition. Green Key certified and proudly running an organic agricultural system, Fajã dos Padres grows much of its own produce — from mangos to malvasia grapes — all cultivated with methods designed to protect the land and regenerate the soil. Meals at the beachside restaurant are true farm-to-table experiences, and guests can even have fresh harvests delivered to their accommodation daily.

The simple yet comfortable cottages — once used as fishermen’s homes and storage sheds — now feature private terraces with breathtaking sea views, fully equipped kitchens, and intimate access to a private pebble beach perfect for snorkeling or simply soaking up the stillness.

Staying here is as much about disconnecting as it is about reconnecting — to the land, the ocean, and yourself. No cars, no crowds, just sunsets, sea breeze, and the steady rhythm of island life preserved in its most authentic form.

Facilities: Private Cable Car · Organic Gardens · Farm-to-Table Restaurant · Private Beach Access · Barbecue Service · Free WiFi · Guided Tours

 🏡 9 houses | Family-friendly
 🕒 Check-in: 15:00–18:00 | 🕛 Check-out: 11:00
 📍 Estr. Padre António Dinis Henrique 1, 9300-261 Quinta Grande, Madeira
 📞 +351 291 944 538 | ✉️ info@fajadospadres.com

 📍 Estreito da Calheta, Madeira | 💶 From €200 | Website | Google Maps

Tucked among vineyards in Madeira’s sunny southwest, Quinta Alegre blends the elegance of a traditional Madeiran manor house with deep-rooted sustainability and heartfelt hospitality. German-run with a strong local ethos, this country-style retreat is a dream base for hiking, resting, and savoring the island’s rural charm — all with a carbon-positive footprint.

The hotel’s green credentials are more than symbolic: a state-of-the-art photovoltaic system supplies over half its energy needs, while solar collectors, heat pumps, and an advanced wastewater recycling system drastically reduce its environmental impact. Gardens are irrigated with UV-treated water, and electric vehicle charging is powered by renewable energy.

Food here is a true celebration of Madeira’s regional flavors, with produce sourced from local farmers or harvested from the hotel’s garden. Homemade banana jam, fresh avocado, sweet potato, and endemic fruits are just a taste of what guests find at the breakfast buffet or in the popular on-site restaurant, which serves vegetarian, local, and international cuisine daily.

With 31 spacious, allergy-friendly rooms — some with sweeping ocean views, others overlooking green mountain ridges — the ambiance is relaxed yet refined. Expect friendly, familiar service, a saltwater swimming pool, cozy lounge with fireplace, and access to guided hikes and e-bike rentals. Whether you're unwinding after a levada walk or toasting the sunset with a glass of Madeira wine, Quinta Alegre offers a gentle, thoughtful kind of luxury.

Facilities: Swimming Pool · Electric Car & E-Bike Rental · Fitness Centre · Organic Restaurant · Fireplace Bar · EV Charging · Free WiFi & Parking

 🏡 28 rooms | Pet friendly | Family-friendly
 🕒 Check-in: 14:00 | 🕛 Check-out: 12:00
 📍 R. do Hotel 48, 9370-272 Estreito da Calheta, Madeira
 📞 +351 291 820 480 | ✉️ info@quinta-alegre.de

 📍 Caniço, Madeira | 💶 From €180 | Website | Google Maps

Suspended above the Atlantic on a dramatic cliff in Caniço, Sentido Galomar is more than a luxury eco-retreat — it’s a pioneering model of sustainability in Madeira. As the island’s first fully energy self-sufficient hotel, it runs entirely on solar power and cutting-edge green systems, from photovoltaic panels and desalinated saltwater to solar elevators and reclaimed rainwater circuits.

Built in 2018 as an adults-only haven, Sentido Galomar boasts a clean, modern design that harmonizes with its natural surroundings. Each room and suite — many with panoramic ocean views — is part of a sleek, energy-efficient architecture that uses smart lighting, natural insulation, and renewable materials like Resysta and TENCEL. The in-room displays even let guests track their own energy use in real time.

Outside, guests can swim in a saltwater pool carved into the cliffs or unwind in the freshwater infinity pool overlooking the Garajau Marine Nature Reserve — Portugal’s first protected underwater park. The on-site Ashoka Spa is a sanctuary in itself, offering oceanfront saunas, Ayurveda therapies, and a tranquil yoga garden.

Dining at the resort is equally thoughtful, with the Atlantis Restaurant serving seasonal, low-impact cuisine and a strong focus on local sourcing and zero-waste practices. Whether it’s a spa day, diving in the marine reserve, or simply reading in a sun-drenched terrace, every element of your stay is designed with environmental harmony in mind.

Facilities: Saltwater & Freshwater Pools · Ashoka Spa & Sauna · Gym & Yoga Garden · Private Beach Access · Restaurants & Bars · EV Charging

 🏡 77 rooms | Adults only
 🕒 Check-in: 14:00 | 🕛 Check-out: 12:00
 📍 R. Baden Powell, 9125-031 Caniço, Madeira
 📞 +351 291 930 930 | ✉️ info@galoresort.com

Madeira Experiences

We’re working to bring you immersive eco-experiences in Madeira — from levada walks and forest bathing to culinary encounters with local producers.

Stay tuned for updates as we expand our activity listings for this lush island paradise.

Coming soon: sustainable experiences in Madeira Islands