Full Day Tour of Madeira West

Unscrupulous, untrustworthy, spiteful operator

This is less about a changed itinerary, more a warning about the shocking attitude and underhanded way this operator behaves when caught at fault. The original itinerary on Viator listed stop 4 as the Bica Da Cana viewpoint. This itinerary was live before, during and after our tour. However instead of Bica Da Cana, our guide took us to the Bishop's Fountain Viewpoint - a far less impressive stop but less work for the driver. When I questioned the guide on this, and showed him the itinerary on Viator, I was variously told "no that's wrong / no we never go there / no that was an old version of the tour / no that's just a road / no there's nothing to see there(!)". I was disappointed as the Bica Da Cana viewpoint was the main reason I chose this tour. As such, after the tour I contacted Viator - and that's where Feeling Madeira showed exactly what sort of people they are. Rather than admitting fault, they dug in. First, they claimed that I was wrong, and we did actually stop at Bica Da Cana. They provided Viator with "vehicle GPS data" that "proved" the stop. When they were proven wrong by my Google Maps timeline history, and a geotagged photo I took from Bishop's Fountain - they switched to making the bizarre claim that "actually, the Bica da Cana viewpoint corresponds to the Miradouro da Fajã da Ovelha, and that's where we stopped". Two problems there: 1. No it does not; 2. No we didn't! Despite several attempts by Viator to side with the operator and shut down the complaint, I eventually managed to get a 30% refund - which Viator had to pay out their own pocket because they were unable to get Feeling Madeira to admit fault. We're now a week later and - what a coincidence - Feeling Madiera has now quietly changed the itinerary for the tour, replacing Bica da Cana with Bishop's Fountain Viewpoint. What a surprise. Also, as soon as I persisted with Viator on the complaint - the first thing Feeling Madeira did was cancel our Full Day East Island Tour, with 1.5 days notice. I checked and there was still availability showing, this was done 100% out of spite. Saved me a job though, since with what I learned about them during the complaints process, I would've cancelled it myself. Thankfully it took two minutes to book an identical tour for the same date and time with Lido-Tours, who I thoroughly recommend. So in summary: when caught at fault, Feeling Madeira: 1. Lied. 2. Cancelled our upcoming East Island Tour. 3. Tried a different lie. 4. Quietly updated the itinerary to match where we actually went. Honestly, there are plenty of operators running these day tours...pick literally anyone else.

via Tripadvisor

Liars, use literally anyone else.

Absolutely shocking. This tour does NOT stop at Bica da Cana as advertised. It instead stopped at the much less impressive Fonte de Bisop viewpoint. When I raised this with the guide he fobbed us off, said the tour never goes there, there's "nothing to see there", kept saying he'd give me a leaflet with the 'real' itinerary. When I raised this with Viator, they refused my refund because the company claimed that we did in fact go to Bica da Cana, and provided fabricated GPS evidence. When I pressed further, the operator - in a childish spiteful act of retaliation - cancelled our Sunday east island tour with 1.5 days notice. Awful company, terrible vehicle too - bad suspension and poor ventilation.

Response from the operator: Thank you very much for taking the time to share your feedback. We are truly sorry to hear that your experience did not meet your expectations. Regarding the stops mentioned, we will carefully review what happened internally, including the information provided during the tour, so that we can better understand the situation and make any improvements that may be necessary. We would also like to reassure you that the GPS information shared with Viator comes directly from our vehicle tracking system and was provided in good faith. We are especially sorry that the cancellation of your following tour caused further disappointment. Please be assured that this decision was not related to your complaint, as we fully respect every customer’s right to share their concerns. We sincerely regret that your experience with us was not a positive one and truly appreciate your comments, which are valuable in helping us improve the service we provide to our guests.

via Viator

Totally worth the money

We weren’t sure what to expect since this tour seemed cheaper than the others but you get a bang for your buck with loads of stops and enough time to explore each of them. The tour guide Lionel gave us lots of facts about Madeira too.

Response from the operator: Dear Anna, Thank you very much for your review and for choosing Feeling Madeira for your discovery of Madeira. We are very happy to know that the tour exceeded your expectations and that you found it to be such excellent value. It is especially rewarding to hear that you enjoyed the variety of stops, the time available to explore each location and the interesting information shared by Leonel throughout the day. Thank you once again for your trust. It was a pleasure to accompany you in discovering Madeira, and we hope to welcome you back in the future. Kind regards, Feeling Madeira

via Viator

Brilliant tour around...

Brilliant tour around Madeira west by Lionel. He was very friendly and knowledgeable about the island! The particularly great areas were the first stop, a little fishing village covered in decorations. Also, the Porto Moniz stop. Take swimwear for the natural pools! They are amazing, there are free ones, and paid ones, I would recommend the free ones as they are more natural and less crowded. Great day, would definitely recommend.

Response from the operator: Dear Paige, Thank you very much for your review and for choosing Feeling Madeira for your discovery of Madeira. We are happy to know that you had such an enjoyable experience exploring the west side of the island. It is especially rewarding to hear your kind words about Leonel. His friendliness, local knowledge and passion for sharing the beauty of Madeira are qualities that we truly value. We are also pleased that you enjoyed some of the island's most iconic locations and were able to make the most of your visit to Porto Moniz. Your helpful recommendations for future travellers are greatly appreciated and will certainly be useful to others planning their visit. Thank you once again for your trust and your recommendation. It was a pleasure to accompany you in discovering Madeira, and we look forward to welcoming you back for another memorable experience. Kind regards, Feeling Madeira

via Viator

Worthwhile addition to your holiday

We had a great experience on the tour. Paulo Coelho was our driver and guide. The tour allowed us to see the West side of the island. Paulo took the time to explain the recent history of the people which was really interesting. Some of the side roads were a 'bit hairy' so we were very pleased to have Paulo driving Highly recommended.

Response from the operator: Dear Ben, Thank you so much for your review and for choosing Feeling Madeira for your discovery of Madeira. We are happy to know that you had such a positive experience exploring the west side of the island with Paulo Coelho. It is especially rewarding to hear that you enjoyed learning about Madeira's recent history and that Paulo's driving skills and local knowledge helped you feel comfortable and safe throughout the journey. Thank you very much for your recommendation and your trust. It was a pleasure to have you with us, and we hope to welcome you back to Madeira in the future. Warm regards, Feeling Madeira

via Tripadvisor