For a spot of Winter sun this October, myself, my husband and little girl Olivia set off on our first holiday as a young family. We travelled as part of a Jet2holidays package holiday, the first time we have booked everything as a package. It was also the first time we had considered going abroad with Olivia – as let’s be honest – flying with a 21-month-old and jetting off to a sunnier climate can feel quite scary! However, we had a look at the The Views Oasis Hotel in Canico, Madeira, and felt it ticked all the boxes for a family holiday that suited all of us. We wanted to ensure the temperatures were still warm enough with us travelling in October, so even though Madeira is a 4-hour flight away, we decided it was worth it to have an enjoyable break with some winter sun!
As we were looking for holidays from Manchester Airport, we saw that Jet2 flights from Manchester to Madeira were flying at 6.45 am, allowing us to arrive in Madeira at 10.45 am, which meant we would get a full first day. Another great bonus was that Canico, where The Views Oasis Hotel is situated, is only a 15-minute transfer from the airport at Funchal. We would have transfers all included as part of the package holiday, therefore after getting our luggage, we’d be getting on a bus organised by Jet2holidays to take us straight to the hotel in 15 minutes. All these little extras help to take the stress away when it comes to the booking process – I honestly think when travelling as a family with kids, a package holiday is a seamless way to book. I wanted everything under one main booking, all organised and fuss-free, which I’m sure a lot of Mums can relate to!
I decided to put this blog post together to share everything about our first holiday as a family of three being as open and honest as I can. Here, I’ll be touching on every step of the way, from the flights and destination, right through to the food and entertainment.
Flying with Jet2:
The flight was one of the aspects of the holiday that made me feel a little nervous. Olivia is 21 months old and has only been walking since 19 months. I have heard many a horror story about flying with babies and toddlers, and I just kept thinking about Olivia screaming through the flight, trying to bolt up and down the aisle and fighting us due to never sitting still.
Thankfully, the experience was a million times better than we both expected. Of course, flying with a toddler is never going to be that relaxing, exciting flight we used to have as a couple, but dare I say it, it was manageable and smooth running! As we were flying at 6.45 am, we decided to stay at the Radisson Blu Airport Hotel on the grounds of Manchester airport the evening before, so that we could take advantage of Jet2’s Twilight Check-in service. I heard about this a few weeks before flying, and if you live close to the airport or are staying over the night before, I highly recommend doing this, it really does take that one extra job away from you at the airport on the day of flying.
You can basically check in your luggage the night before, between the hours of 3pm-9pm, so that you don’t have to queue up on the day. In some cases, during busy periods, this can save you up to an hour in time. Priceless for those early morning flights.
The staff at the Jet2 check-in desks were ever so kind to us. They saw we had a little one in tow, and we had also booked a comfort seat, to help us out with Olivia during the flight. The Jet2 staff at the desks went out of their way to get all 3 seats sat together in a row, without either of us mentioning it or asking. And honestly, the fact we had the comfort seat and all sat together in a row made the journey so much more stress-free and enjoyable. Olivia was strapped in with a child’s seatbelt on my knee for both takeoff and landing, and then during the flight it was so helpful to have some extra room at the side of us for her to stretch out.
Thankfully, we incurred no delays either, and with the little helping hand of a children’s iPad (you got to do what you got to do!), snacks, and snuggly comfy clothes, Olivia managed an hour nap on the flight, and Mama managed a hot cup of tea in peace. Hooray!
When we landed in Funchal, Madeira, our buggy that we handed in at the gate came out on the carousel straight away. That had been another worry I had had on my mind before flying. However, again, the staff at Manchester airport and those at Jet2 reassured me we could keep the buggy with us right up until we board the flight at the gate, and that they would prioritise the buggy first thing when landing. There are some strollers you can get for children which are cabin sized and you can actually store them in the overhead lockers, and we did look into this. They do tend to be very pricey though – even secondhand – and in the end, we realised it wasn’t worth it. It worked out just fine picking up a lightweight stroller especially for the holiday, and letting the staff put it into hold storage.
I was surprised at how quickly the luggage arrived after we landed – both Manchester Airport and Funchal had super quick processes and I needn’t have worried about any long waits or delays. Our Jet2 transfer bus was waiting for us, in which we handed our confirmation letter to the Jet2 staff, and they guided us right to the bus. The best news of course is that we were the first drop off, so in a quick 10-15 minutes, we arrived at the beautiful The Views Oasis hotel, in a very lovely 23 degrees temperature. When browsing Madeira Hotels, there are quite a few that cater to families and don’t require too much travel from the airport. That being said, I don’t think we could have beaten the very quick transfer we had to The Views Oasis! Straight from the luggage carousels, and swiftly to our hotel entrance.
The Views Oasis Hotel, Canico, Madeira
As mentioned, we were travelling as part of Jet2holidays to the The Views Oasis hotel as a package holiday. Once we arrived, we were greeted by a very impressive hotel reception and entrance. The ground floor interior and decor gave off premium, minimalist vibes, which felt like we were walking into a very luxurious hotel. It was spacious, clean, and bright, with the addition of a cheery tourism shop to the right, and a large reception desk to the left.
We were taken to the desk for check in, and then had the lovely Yvonne take us to some seats and talk us through the hotel and what it has to offer. I thought I had done thorough research beforehand, but I was pleasantly surprised by the extra information we were given. First of all, Olivia was treated to some little welcome gifts and a lollipop on arrival, which made her a happy little girl after a long day of travelling. I was told we had extras in our suite for the trip, like a high chair and baby bath for Olivia, which I hadn’t even gave much thought to prior arriving.
On the second floor, where our room was, there was a lounge that gave us access to free tea, coffee, water, and juices 24/7. Now the best thing about this is that there was a warm milk machine for the coffee, which would do a fabulous job for Olivia’s morning milk bottles. I had just written off the fact we probably wouldn’t be able to do them every morning, so this was just a fantastic feature to know about.
We could see from walking around the reception and strolling the floors of the hotel that the hotel has got itself a perfect beachfront location in peaceful Canico. It felt quiet, without being too secluded, with views that stretched across the Ilha Desertas and Ponta de Sao Lourenco. We were told on arrival that if we wanted to visit Funchal, it is only a 15-minute bus ride away via the hotel’s own direct – and free – bus.
Check-in is from 2 pm, therefore we were taken to the poolside restaurant and bar for lunch. Here, we could see the ocean and even hear it, which was a lovely way to relax after a long morning. The staff gave me a welcome pot of mint tea and a beer for Martin, and we ordered some lunch from the menu. If you go to the The Views Oasis in high Summer, I am under the impression you have the buffet lunch option too, however, during Winter months, it is the poolside restaurant, which for us was even better as it was nice to have waiter service and the pick of an extensive menu.
The Pool and Facilities
One of the first features you notice when you walk around the hotel is the impressive outdoor pool. It’s lined with sunbeds and palm trees, yet the outdoor poolside feels spacious and tranquil. We spent most of our days out here, with the temperatures sitting between 22-23 degrees, which was ideal with a little one. Not too hot to be stressing constantly about wearing a hat and seeking constant shade, but warm enough to enjoy the sun. The outdoor pool, which has a little children’s pool too, is next to the poolside bar and restaurant where we would dine for lunch, and also has a little jacuzzi nestled behind the pool under shelter.
There is also an indoor number inside the hotel’s spa. This was at around 27 degrees during our stay so we did spend some time here – I’m a little wussy with colder outdoor pools so I did like taking Olivia into the indoor pool on the odd occasion during the mornings after breakfast! It was very quiet when we came, although I did hear during the Summer months there are certain times for adults, and then slots for children too.
Bar-wise, the poolside bar serves up wines, beers, and cocktails, and there was also music around the pool and entertainment such as games and aqua aerobics. As mentioned above, with the restaurants, we had the buffet option for breakfast and dinner, and the poolside bar for our lunch. They also have an international à la carte you can book for dinner.
The Hotel Rooms
I was blown away by how well thought out our holiday suite was. We had booked one of the suites because they come with a kitchen area too, which when holidaying with children, is kind of the way forward! Access to fridges, microwaves, cooker hobs… you just don’t know how often you’re going to need them. The room was split into two, with a kitchen and lounge area on entrance, which was spacious and had its own balcony. Then, we had our bedroom in the next room, which had a bathroom attached to this, and a separate balcony area that you could access from the bedroom.
We had Olivia’s cot in the same room as us as it just helped to have us all sleeping in one area and ‘living’ in the other. I was slightly anxious that it wouldn’t work, all 3 of us in the same room, but we worked the holiday by sending Olivia for naps later than she usually would, which meant she was full of beans in the evening and during the entertainment, so we all went to bed at the same time around 10pm. Hey, if you can’t have late nights on holiday with kids, when can you?! It worked well for us as it meant we could all enjoy the evening entertainment, and then not have to worry about trying to sit on the balcony while Olivia slept at night.
Kids Activities at the Four Views Oasis
Of course, we visited the The Views Oasis during October, so technically it is classed more as out of season in comparison to the Summer months. From speaking to the entertainment team at the hotel, you can expect dedicated Children’s discos from Spring time onwards, which take place before the evening entertainment. That being said, I was super happy to see that some of the evening entertainment during our stay in October was tailored towards children, such as a puppet show and a magician.
The hotel also had a Kids Zone area, which has activities for kids at various times of the day. The main activities happen in the morning, which involves colouring and making things. It’s a totally safe space to leave your children with the children’s team, while they sit being creative. Olivia is a little too young to sit and colour yet, with her being a few months away from two, but if she had bee older we would have completely taken advantage of this facility and had some sunbathing time just the two of us!
During the afternoons, the kid’s activities continued with another activity that changed daily. We took part on two afternoons, one being a kid’s mocktail-making session (I can’t lie, I equally enjoyed taking part in this being pregnant and not able to indulge in the alcoholic cocktails!), and also a cookie-making workshop. Anna was the lady who ran most of the children’s activities and she was just brilliant! So friendly and brilliant with all the kids.
I have to say, this is the first holiday I have been on where I was so overly happy to see a nicely kitted-out children’s playground. Oh, how times have changed! It’s worth mentioning at this point that the grounds of the hotel are absolutely stunning – the gardens are luscious and there is so much space to run around. If you have older kids, it might even be a good idea to look at requesting a hotel room on the bottom floor that opens up onto the grounds, so children can play out safely, or visit the park just around the corner.
The children’s park came equipped with swings and seesaw’s, but our highlight had to be the trampoline. I mean, we equally enjoy this as much as Olivia! It was nice to be able to break away from the pool or to burn some energy before nap time, and come along to the park and watch Olivia run around and play. We also spotted some little bikes that you can leave a deposit for and then use them to drive around the grounds outside the hotel, along the seafront, which for older kids would be a fabulous way to spend an hour or two!
Food and Dining at The Views Oasis Hotel
Let’s get to one of the main points – because if you’re anything like me, the food makes a holiday! We were booked in as a family of 3 on an all-inclusive basis and I cannot stress how much this option worked so well for us. The hotel is nestled in a quiet area of Madeira, so for those days when you are staying at the hotel and enjoying all its facilities, being all-inclusive worked so well. Also, again with kids and travelling as a young family, the all-inclusive option is just suitable for everyone.
The main thing to stress is that the buffet options are extensive – it isn’t just your bland, beige food offerings. For breakfast, you had your usual lineups of scrambled eggs, fried eggs, beans, sausages, bacon, and hash browns. A machine for toasting bread, a cereal section, and then your hot drink machines are all what you usually expect. I was happy to see these ‘usuals’ appear, as these tend to be winners for kids or picky eaters, but was happier to see extras like pancakes, waffles, a cheese, meat, and salad bar, gluten free and dairy-free section, bread and cakes, fruits, yogurts and breakfast desserts, and the best bit – fresh omelets made daily with your choice of filling.
I do love a good buffet breakfast and I think I averaged at around 4 plates every morning. If you can’t over indulge on an all-inclusive holiday, then when on Earth can you is my motif!
For lunch, we went to the poolside bar which was nice to break it up a little and have waiter service, picking our choices from the menu. My husband enjoyed chicken and prawn stir fry on most days, but for me, I kept returning to the tuna and cheese open sandwich, which with all the melted cheese and tomatoes was actually like a very cheesy tuna pizza itself. For Olivia, we opted for chicken nuggets most days because the chicken was delicious, ‘proper’ chicken if that makes sense. Not the formed stuff you can sometimes see in some hotels.
During the evenings, we returned to the buffet where every night the options would change. Outside the buffet room, there was a menu outlining what you could expect to see being served up every evening, so you could always have a little look in advance.
Again, I can hand on heart say I was impressed with the food options. Buffet dinners can be limited, and as we usually dine out when we go abroad, this was the first holiday where we were committed to staying at the hotel. We were using the buffet for the 4 evening sittings we were there for, so I was relieved to see different menus on offer, and it wasn’t a bland selection. The salad bar had different fish options each evening, like prawns and mackerel, then an array of fresh vegetables, cheeses, cured meats, and dressings.
Onto the hot food, there was an array of cooked meats and fish with paired vegetables, potatoes, and side dishes. There was also a dedicated vegetarian section, in which I have to say I enjoyed the best lentil dahl and vegetable lasagna from this part! They also had ‘easier’ foods for children here, like fish fingers, potato croquettes, and veg medleys.
The desserts were quite the ‘wow factor, and if you have a sweet tooth like I, you would seriously be spoilt for choice. The layout of cakes of all shapes, sizes, and colours was a delight to eye up every night, where I found myself piling high with rich chocolate sponge cakes, fruit-packed cheesecakes and other European treats that I wasn’t always too sure what they were, but they were delicious! We mainly gave Olivia ice-cream, and along with the cheese selection, there were lots of biscuits out on display which she demolished in the evenings.
I couldn’t praise the staff enough – every evening someone would spot us coming into the dining hall and bring us the high chair before we even had a chance to get it ourselves. They were quick and attentive to clear dirty dishes, so you didn’t have a pile of used plates clogging up the room on the table. The dining hall in general was clean, bright, and airy – a nice place to sit and eat dinner without feeling rushed. My only downfall was not being able to enjoy a cold glass of white wine with my meal – oh pregnancy! Saying that the mocktails were enjoyable enough.
To break up the evenings, if we dined at the buffet early enough, we would take the pushchair and have a stroll across the front, taking in the sea views and walking off dinner before sitting down for the evening entertainment. It’s worth keeping in mind that in Madeira, sandy beaches are few and far between, as it’s usually rocky pebble alcoves instead. The one directly outside the hotel is a pebble beach, which has been kitted out with decking, wooden loungers and shaded areas for those to sit and enjoy the sea.
We considered taking a trip to one of the sandy beaches across the island but to be honest, we were there for 5 days and we ran out of time to book something in as we had such lovely days at the hotel. We did book a day out to Funchal via the hotel’s free bus, which I highly recommend. It worked for us as a family as we walked along the harbour and over to the cable cars, travelling through Funchal in an upwards motion following the hills. At the top, we admired the views and walked the cobbled streets until we reached the toboggan – one of the most popular trips down the hills of Funchal! If we had been there on our own, we would have taken the Madeira toboggan ride via the traditional wicker basket sledges, powered by professional toboggan men. It honestly looks like such a thrilling and unforgettable ride of up to 30 kms per hour. Just slightly too adventurous with a toddler…
Lots of people staying at the hotel recommended Funchal for the food markets and little local eateries down hideaway cobbled streets. So if you’re a foodie and enjoy independent cafes and fresh food, it’s totally worth taking a foodie trip to the capital.
I cannot recommend the package holiday with Jet2holidays for family holidays enough – everything was smooth sailing right from the twilight check-in the evening before, to landing at Manchester airport and swiftly receiving our luggage. If you’re looking for somewhere different to go besides the usual Spain or Canaries Islands holidays, which most families naturally look to first, I do suggest having a look into Madeira, especially if you want year-round sunshine too.
*This blog post is in collaboration with Jet2
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