Reid’s Palace – Madeira (English)

Reid’s Palace – Madeira (English)
Author

Andreas Augustin

Pages

120

Leather-bound edition

No

Binding

Hardcover

ISBN

978-3-900692-36-0, 978-3-900692-36-0

Size/Weight

245 x 230 mm, 760 g

Related Hotel

This book is of course the story of a visionary man called William Reid, the sojourn of ‘Sisi’, the restless Empress of Austria, the marketing operation ‘Winston Churchill’, the fashionable sea-bath, its flowers and trees, its legendary parties and fabled afternoon teas, all part of the fairy-tale and unique Reid’s atmosphere.

Reid’s Hotel. The very name conjures up images of elegant dinner dances and tea in style. The holiday retreat of Churchill, the chosen place of the Royals of Europe, from the Empress to the last Emperor of Austria, Kings and Queens of the ruling houses of the world.

Overlooking the Atlantic Ocean from its unique location, Reid’s is much more than a hotel. It is an institution.
This is the entertaining story of one of the most famous hotels in the world. It shows the elegant Reid’s, and it presents a Reid’s which is fun, entertaining and relaxing.

G.B. Shaw at Reids in 1926 - taking a dive in the Atlantic Ocean. One of over 200 outstanding, sometimes hillarious photographs from the early days as well as of the contemporary Reid's Palace Hotel. 


Reid’s yesterday and today, brought to life by Andreas Augustin, the author of ‘I had Tea at Reid’s’.

Cover by Manfred Markowski

Welcome to Reid’s Palace on Madeira. 

Even just mentioning the name of this hotel stirs up a whole string of associations and memories – some personal, some collected from distant sources.

Reid’s always was very special. Its wonderful people, a friendly climate and its almost isolated solitude makes it a perfect refuge from busy days in distant places.

With this book and its related research we have started to dig deep into the hotel’s history, a fieldwork in constant progress.

My heartfelt gratitude goes to the management of the hotel who accepted that some legendary myth had to be replaced by more solid but nevertheless delightful facts.

I wish you a splendid time reading, and enjoying some fascinating photographs, collected from various local and international archives.

Andreas Augustin

Madeira / Vienna, 2011

We started researching the history of Reid's in 1991. Reid’s Hotel. The very name conjures up images of elegant dinner dances and tea in style. The holiday retreat of Churchill, the chosen place of the Royals of Europe, from the Empress to the last Emperor of Austria, Kings and Queens of the ruling houses of the world.

Overlooking the Atlantic Ocean from its unique location, Reid’s is – like so many grand hotels – an institution.

This is the entertaining story of one of the most famous hotels in the world. It shows the elegant Reid’s, and it presents a Reid’s which is fun, entertaining and relaxing.

It is also the story of a visionary man called William Reid, the sojourn of ‘Sisi’, the restless Empress of Austria, the marketing operation ‘Winston Churchill’, the fashionable sea-bath, its flowers and trees, its legendary parties and fabled afternoon teas, all part of the fairy-tale and unique Reid’s atmosphere. 

Reid’s yesterday and today, brought to life by the author of ‘I had Tea at Reid’s’.

Andreas Augustin
presents
Reid’s Palace Hotel Madeira
in the library The Most Famous Hotels In The World
First of all the author and his team wish to thank Anton Küng as well as Sandro and Doris Fabris for the encouragement to write this book. Ulisses Marreiros was finally instrumental in getting it off the ground.
With this book and its related research we have started to dig deep into the hotel’s history, a fieldwork in constant progress. Our gratitude goes to the management of the hotel who accepted that some legendary myth had to be replaced by more solid but nevertheless delightful facts.
The author is also indebted to Isabel de Portugal for her assistance in coordinating his stay at Reid’s, and he is most grateful to (in alphabetical order): Luciano Bruzzone, Lisabeth Burca, Richard Burca, Paulo Coelho, Patrícia Gomes, Tânia Jesus, Nelson Martins, Rita Oliveira, Luis Pestana, Marcelino Rodrigues, Anneline Santos and Carlos Valente and all the others who helped so wonderfully to put this book together.
Valuable leads came from historical advisors including Drª Helena Araújo (Museu Vicentes, Funchal), famoushotels archives Vienna, João Borges (former Director of Tourism, Funchal, Madeira) and Prof. Rui Carita (Colégio dos Jesuitas, Funchal).
Advisors: Paul M. McManus (at the time President & Chief Executive Officer: The Leading Hotels of the World), Catanho Fernandes (Diario de Notícias, Funchal).
Photographs: the collection of Perestrellos Photographos, Museu Vicentes, Funchal, Madeira; the Max Karkegi Collection, Vitré; Essential Madeira;, Burca Collection, Malcolm Mc Donald Collection, Orient Express, Wolfgang Kalny.
Director of History: Carola Augustin
Cover artist: Manfred Markowski
Editor: Cherry Chappell
Copy editing: Thomas Cane
All rights in this publication are reserved. This book and no part of it may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronically, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the copyright owner (except for book reviews for inclusion in magazines or newspapers or radio or TV broadcast).
© Andreas Augustin, 2011
ISBN: 978-3-900692-36-0
First edition 2011

Publisher's recommendations


Dear wonderful Readers; 

Days like this lead to endless hours at home, time for books, time to read and to prepare our next journeys. 

I recommend the new edition of HOTEL METROPOLE HANOI.

The first copies of THE HALF MOON TREASURY are being released – exclusively to our readers (and before its official launching date). 

We have released a reprint of our successful book THE WESTIN EXCLESIOR ROME, the most famous hotel on Via Veneto. 

The new edition of THE STRAND (Yangon,Myanmar) receives wonderful readers' feedback — thank you for your notes and mails. 

There is a hotel in Seefeld, Tyrol, Austria, which stands for all the fables and legends this little olympic village has to tell. It is called ASTORIA, and run by legendary hotelier Elisabeth Gürtler. Our new book SEEFELDER MINIATUREN - ASTORIA - A STORY - A LEGEND is available now – in this store. It is in German, only (for the time being).

Upon request, we dispatch all our books personally autographed (as you know).

Have a save journey!

Andreas Augustin

aa at famoushotels dot org

Most Popular

Savoy (Baur en Ville)

Savoy (Baur en Ville)

This is Zurich's oldest grand hotel. When it opened on December 24, 1838, it marked a milestone in the history of the hotel industry. In...Read More

Grand Hotel Lviv (Lemberg)

Grand Hotel Lviv (Lemberg)

Grand Hotel Lviv in 1894 Lviv or Lemberg can be metaphorically described as the westernmost city in Eastern Europe or the easternmost city in...Read More

Bergues, Des

Bergues, Des

In our world, it is no longer a given that simple restraint represents true elegance. To be recognized as one of the oldest purpose-built Grand...Read More

Le Royal

Le Royal

In 1923/24, the construction of a 55-room hotel in Phnom Penh was proposed. Architect Ernest Hébrard, who was largely responsible for...Read More

The Mandarin Oriental Bangkok

The Mandarin Oriental Bangkok

Since decades “The Oriental”, as it is affectionately known by travellers from all over the globe, leads the lists of all...Read More