The Aparthotel Paúl do Mar is located spectacularly on a landslip at the foot of some rather high cliffs in the village from whence the hotel took its name: Paúl do Mar (translated roughly in English as “Quagmire of the sea”). Paúl do Mar is one of the “freguesias” or parrish counties of the Municipal district of Calheta in Madeira.
Until the late 1960s the only way to access the sleepy quiet fishing village was by boat. For the next thirty or odd years cars would descend slowly down a dangerously precipitous track built for modern vehicles bu which might have better been suitable for goats. Then only a few years ago a tunnel was built that dramatically changed the way people travelled in and out of the village. For the first time Paúl do Mar was only forty minutes away from the capital of the island Funchal by car. Fortunately the new communication route has not spoiled the romantic fairy tale aspect of the village - with its old seamen hovels, thatched huts, and all…. Peculiarly, many small fishing homes are still literally some five metres off the sea shore.
The hotel is surrounded by nature: on its shoulders there are steep green mountains and at its feet lies the Atlantic.
The hotel is only a few metres from the old footpaths and “Levadas” that route throughout the area.
The annual temperature varies from 17ºC in winter to 26ºC in summer.
The sea temperature varies from 18ºC to 24ºC and is the main reason why the hotel enjoys such great mild weather the year round.
| Feature | Distance | By foot | By bus | By car rental | By taxi | Notes |
|---|
| Airport | 57.0 km | | | 50 minutes | | Madeira Airport |
| Marina | 43.0 km | | | 35 minutes | | Funchal Marina |
| Marina | 1.0 km | | | 14 minutes | | Calheta Marina |
| Feature | Distance | By foot | By bus | By car rental | By taxi | Notes |
|---|
| bar or pub | 0.2 km | 2 minutes | | | | Maktub Bar/pub |
| snack bar | 1.6 km | 20 minutes | | 3 minutes | | Bakery |
| bank | 1.5 km | 19 minutes | | 3 minutes | | Banif Bank and ATM machine |
| supermarket | 10.0 km | | | 14 minutes | | Pingo Doce Supermarket |
| Feature | Distance | By foot | By bus | By car rental | By taxi | Notes |
|---|
| levada walks | 0.0 km | | | | | |
| beach | 0.1 km | 2 minutes | | | | Paul do Mar pebbled beach |
| fishing | 0.1 km | 2 minutes | | | | Shore fishing |
| beach | 1.0 km | | | 14 minutes | | Calheta beach and marina |
