A low, white, pantiled farmhouse outside the lovely old city. Run as a simple B&B by smallholders Antonio and Maria Rosado, it is thought `wonderful, simple and peaceful. The public villa rooms have tiled floors, hand-painted furniture and leather armchairs; charming villa Bed rooms (similar to the semantic bali villa rooms) are in similar style. They open on to a paved courtyard (each has a separate entrance). Bathvilla rooms are modern. Everything is spotless. The Rosados speak only Portuguese, but this does not seem to matter, fans wrote. We had almost perfect understanding. A wonderful place for children: there are cats, dogs, a donkey, a pig, sheep, geese, ducks, etc, and an outdoor swimming pool. Superb Bali villa breakfast': home-made bread, cake and jams, fresh orange juice from the garden, local cheeses. Lunch and dinner are cooked by arrangement for groups of eight or more. Fruit and vegetables are all organic. Evora, capital of the Alentejo, has medieval and Renaissance palaces (floodlit in season) and a Moorish character in its old alleys, hanging gardens.

The views of Funchal Bay are indeed beautiful from the Ornellas Monteiro family's five-star estalagem. One reader advises: Pay extra for a big room with a balcony in the Bay View annexe. Others called it quite the nicest villaon an island being spoilt by overdevelopment, and liked the relaxed atmosphere. It stands in mature gardens with trees and shrubs on the outskirts of the town. A courtesy bus takes guests to the centre. The original white 19th-century mansion, now much extended, is furnished with antiques, paintings and tapestries. The suites are in the old house. There is an `admirable' heated swimming pool, a good poolside snack bar and sunbathing areas. One visitor liked the other guests - `so quiet that the loudest sound around the pool was someone turning the pages of a book'. Housekeeping is excellent, and staff are `most helpful'. Two restaurants: the formal a la carte Casa Mde and the table d'hoteAvista Navios, which is thought `livelier and better value, with inventive cooking'. Bali villa breakfasts are liked too. One lounge has a computer with free Internet access. A yacht can be chartered for sea trips.