HEART OF THE OCEAN

s soon as we walk through the entrance of the legendary Reid’s Palace hotel in Madeira, I breathe a sigh of relief, with the reassuring sense that we’ve chosen the right place for a much-needed escape from the challenges of a difficult year shaped by the coronavirus pandemic. The doors of the lobby open out onto a wide veranda with a magnificent view of blue skies and the sparkling Atlantic Ocean; and without further ado, we are whisked to our suite, where I feel instantly at home. The curtains and upholstery