Calhau Grande

For an authentically-Madeiran self-catering holiday, look no further than Calhau Grande.

These eight carefully restored cottages are located in the sunny south-coast village of Arco da Calheta. The décor is simple: original hand-cut cedar beams and exposed basalt walls mixed with modern touches – they’re not busy or cluttered; just the comfortable-basics you’ll need for a relaxing stay.

Your hosts are the Gouveia family. Senhor Eleuterio Gouveia discovered Calhau Grande in ruins back in 1995 and immediately fell in love with their location and potential. Casa Calhau was rebuilt first as a family home, before Eleuterio and his family began the careful restoration of all eight cottages: Casas Calhau and Sapateiro are two-bedroom cottages, Casas Eira, Levada and Junior each have one bedroom, and there are three open-plan studios: Casas Sol, Tenda and Palha.

Each property has it’s own little private outdoor space, surrounded by fruit trees, organic vegetable patches and aromatic herbs where you can relax, eat and enjoy the sunsets. There’s also a shared swimming pool, with a sun terrace looking out across the Atlantic.

As you’re staying in a rural location, we recommend including a hire car during your stay, and the harbour town of Calheta is a short-drive away.