Madeira - A true island escape

Choupana Hills Resort

On a south-facing slope high above the capital, Funchal, individual bungalows stand on stilts, their verandas and wooden peaked ceilings providing an airy, safari tent-like abode, 500 meters above the Atlantic.

A dazzling retreat of Asian and African influences, the Choupana Hills Resort & Spa combines architectural sophistication with the essential simplicity of a soothing spa. Its privileged location is a source of constant inspiration. The vista of city rooftops and the unending Atlantic Ocean makes for an intoxicating blend, especially when savored from an open-air Jacuzzi on the terrace of your suite. Choupana Hills’ thirty-four bungalows, designed by French architects Michel de Camaret and Didier Lefort, display spaciousness and exoticism. Natural materials, colours and lighting bring about a laid-back ambience that transports guests into the island state-of-mind.

Decorating the rooms are coconut mats, fine linens, and custom-made furniture such as a canopied four-poster bed, inspired by the construction of the island’s old fashioned ox-drawn carts. Sliding doors are made from willow trees, which grace the neighbouring village. Local volcanic basalt is used around the pool area or to create walkways in various forms – ranging from raw, polished or whole to broken down in pebbles. In the larger communal building, a “post and beams” concept is attractively applied to marking wideopen spaces using massive Tali wood pillars. The Basalt bar is suspended above the Asian-styled Xôpana Restaurant.

Antiques have been brought in from other parts of the world: The oldest are 17th century Italian and Spanish dressers adorned with ivory, gold leaf and tortoise shell. Two 18th century stone Buddha, of which one is a baby, are examples of younger rarities. Despite the exquisite attention to detail indoors,it’s the spectacle of city rooftops and endless ocean that is truly breathtaking.