Reid’s Palace, A Belmond Hotel is a hotel destination wedding venue in Funchal, Portugal, hosting 20 to 180 guests in the $$$$ price range, reached from Madeira Cristiano Ronaldo (FNC), 25 minutes by car. Best months: February, July, August, September.
Reid’s Palace, A Belmond Hotel
A cliff-top hotel above Funchal harbour, opened in 1891 by the Scottish hotelier William Reid, run by Belmond since 1996, and still the building Madeira is measured against.
About Reid’s Palace, A Belmond Hotel
A cliff-top hotel above Funchal harbour, opened in 1891 by the Scottish hotelier William Reid, run by Belmond since 1996, and still the building Madeira is measured against.
Ten acres of subtropical terraced garden fall from the hotel to the sea, planted over 130 years with things that grow nowhere else in Europe at this latitude.
Seven event spaces sit inside that: the Palm Garden for small ceremonies and drinks, a rooftop terrace that scales up, and a dining room that opens into adjoining rooms to seat up to 250.
Belmond quotes weddings from 20 to 180 guests.
Ask about a date.
Choose a day from the calendar.
Nothing is reserved until the venue confirms. A first note comes back within two business days.
Capacity, rooms and facilities
Getting there
- Nearest airport
- FNC, 25 min by carAisle estimate
Venue highlights
- Opened 1891 on the cliff above Funchal; Belmond since 1996
- Ten acres of subtropical terraced garden down to the sea
- Seven event spaces, from the Palm Garden to the rooftop terrace
- Dining room opens into adjoining rooms to seat up to 250
The wedding season
A sample wedding weekend
See the day-by-day outline+
Use this as a starting point and adapt it to your bookings and guests.
- 16:00Afternoon tea on the terrace above the harbour
- 20:00Welcome dinner at Villa Cipriani in the gardens
- 17:00Ceremony in the Palm Garden
- 18:00Drinks on the rooftop terrace as the sun drops into the Atlantic
- 20:30Dinner in the dining room, dancing after
- 11:00Boat out of Funchal, or the levada walk up into the hills
Costs and booking details
- Getting there
- FNC · about 25 min by carAisle estimate
Guests fly into Madeira Cristiano Ronaldo.
- Typical total
- €90,000–180,000Aisle estimate
See the full figure+
€90,000 to €180,000 for 120 guests over a weekend (estimated)
- Ceremony fee
- On request
See the full figure+
Not published; quoted inside the Belmond wedding proposal
- Reception
- €200–320 a headAisle estimate
See the full figure+
€200 to €320 per guest for food and drink (estimated)
- Room rate
- €400–900 a nightAisle estimate
See the full figure+
€400 to €900 per room in season (estimated)
- Weather window
- July – September
The months the weather is kindest, with February mild too. Weather does not indicate whether a date is available.
The 20 to 180 guest range, the seven event spaces and the 250-seat dining format are Belmond’s own published figures. The euro amounts are estimates from Belmond-tier planning ranges and are not a quote.
Questions about the venue
How many guests can Reid’s Palace host?+
Belmond quotes weddings from 20 to 180 guests across seven event spaces. For dinner the main dining room opens into adjoining rooms and seats up to 250, so the ceiling is the reception format rather than the building.
Where does the ceremony happen?+
The Palm Garden is used for smaller ceremonies and cocktails, and the rooftop terrace takes larger groups with the Atlantic behind. The terraced gardens give several other options depending on the time of day and the light.
What is the weather like in Madeira?+
Mild all year, roughly 20 to 26 degrees, which makes Madeira one of the few European wedding destinations that works outside the summer window. Rain arrives in short bursts and the south coast around Funchal is the driest part of the island.
How do guests get to Madeira?+
Funchal has direct flights from Lisbon in about 1 h 40 and from several European cities. The airport is 25 minutes from the hotel. The approach is exposed to crosswinds and diversions do happen, so ask guests to arrive at least a day early.
Can we get legally married on the island?+
Yes. Civil ceremonies are performed at the Funchal civil registry, and Madeira is a normal Portuguese jurisdiction for the paperwork. Most couples handle the legal step at home and hold a symbolic ceremony in the gardens.
Could this be your venue?
Ask about your plans, pricing and availability. You do not need a fixed date yet.
Still deciding? Elena is Aisle’s AI wedding planner. Give her a month and a guest count and she will forecast the budget, work out how your guests would travel, and put a first plan on paper. No account needed.
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Ask about dates at Reid’s Palace, A Belmond Hotel.
Send your dates or a rough season, your guest count and what you’d like to know. The venue can then confirm availability and pricing.
Sources and booking notes
Confirm your dates, guest numbers, room arrangements and inclusions with the venue before booking. An enquiry does not reserve a date. Figures labelled Aisle estimate are modelled from regional rates and public sources; they are not venue quotes.