Holidays to Malta?

Dazzieboo

I would be interested to know, when most people went.

I know it was on holiday's from Hell in 2004 and I was horrified when I saw a copy of this programme just before I went. But IMHO the hotel had improved in leaps and bounds, I have stayed in Travel Lodges in this country which were in a worse condition than the PC.

I can fully understand people never wanting to go back if they have had a bad time, regardless of what they have or have not done to improve matters, I feel the same about a hotel in Ibiza.

When we went the hotel was fully booked and there were a lot of people there who were coming back later in the year, I can't understand if it is that bad, why the hotel is always full and there are so many repeat visitors.

Murphy_The_Cat

Don't go.

Malta was the only bad holiday that we have ever had - it was grim with a capital G.

Thankfully we were only there for a week - if it was a fortnight we would have paid extra to come back early.

On the plus side it was very cheap and we were on All-Inc.

But I did learn a valuable lesson. My holidaytime is precious to me and in the future, if I can't afford to go somewhere that I want to go to (say Egypt), I will NEVER, EVER, EVER compromise by going somewhere on price only.

I'd rather stay at home. (I've done well typing this, as usually just seeing the "M" word makes me unwell.

MTC

we stayed at the Canifor Hotel which had 4 Stars (:rotfl: :rotfl: ) in Qawra

missk_ensington

Tunisia is pretty good, but much cheaper if you book directly with the hotel and flight seperate. I had my boob job there in Feb and had the option to recover in a hotel nearby. It was dirt cheap, 5* and absolutely stunning. The hospital was also much much much higher standard to anything I've seen in the UK!

The only downside was that it was a Muslim country and I kept getting woken up by 5am prayers!

GIRLPOWER_2

I have been to malta twice only because I have family there.

Don't do it.. it looks like war zone.. the roads are very bad to drive on. Only a few small sandy beeches no where near anywhere. The prices I would say are the same as home local londis shop, not mr tesco home prices. I would rather stay at home. honestly.

The only saving point is Valetta (SP?) the capital.. very, very beautiful but nothing for children to do once they have finished looking at the harbour and the boats.

gingerdad

I would agree with some of the above comments, it is a place you either love or hate, we went and stayed at the mellieha bay hotel, in november with a 3 1/2 y/o and 2 y/o. we had a great time. weather okay but not very warm, our kids enjoyed popeye land (but is a once in a lifetime exp. ie i would never go again). they also enjoyed the playmobil factory, very good afternoon out and very cheap.

we found plenty to do over the two weeks, but we like to explore, we went to gozo, enjoyed the buses, playmobil, popeye world, valletta.

We avoided the Qwara, st julians, pachville (?).

Would i go again, yes, would i stay at the mellieha bay again, no to british for me more likley to stay at Corinthia Palce or Jerma Palace next time but more expensive.

GD

Murphy_The_Cat

gingerdad wrote:

We avoided the Qwara, st julians, pachville (?).



GD

a very wise choice.

Valletta Harbour is well worth a peek and if you visit any of the War Museums you will get a real flavour of why the Maltese hold the British in such high regard (and still hate the Germans to this day).

MTC

bah_humbug_2

Went last year - 300 ish quid all inclusive at Bell Sol hotel (or something) in Buggiba.

As above not the Ritz - but clean friendly and pleanty of hot food and free drinks!! (AI)

I would recomend it totally - amazing history - fascinating. Yes a bit scruffy and british-ified in places but just avoid those bits and hire a car!! Gozo and Comino are WELL worth the whole trip - amazing places. We did a boat trip around the island that stopped for the afternoon on Comino - rocky coast line but once in the shallow perfectlu clear water the sea bed is pure white sand...the boat let us off in the background of this pic and we walked round and sat on the rocks to the left and swam for hours in the Blue Lagoon with shoals of tiny silver fish all around us - perfect...



We ate most nights in the hotel - food was good if basic - occasionally great but just about sufficient more often than not so we decided to have the starter early on in the hotel with a few snifters then head out late for a bit of local grub at 10 ish....great fun and the restaurants were quieter!!

So much more i could say - the old cities are breathtaking - the cliffs are amazing - the salt pans are weird - the sea food is brilliant - yes the roads are rubbish and they drive like nutters but on the same side as us so you get used to it!!

pandas66

I went to Malta in 1993 and have struck it off the 'will return someday' list, glad I didn't take the kids! The 1st room we were shown was rank, the bedding had defiently seen better years! The pokey 'kitchen' was a joke with mismatched crockery and a kettle with a thick layer of limescale holding the rest of the rust together! I was told that was all new at the start of the season and must expect rust due to being on the coast! Yes ok, (I live on the coast) I had to have 'words' with the Manager for an hour till he moved us to a far superior room, which turned out to be excellent! We were there when HMS Ark Royal was in dock, I attended a c0cktail party a few days later and turned round to be introduced to the Manager of our Hotel! Was he glad he had changed my room! We did laugh!

LesD

GIRLPOWER wrote:

....the roads are very bad to drive on.

Oh yes, forgot to mention, if you hire a car, be sure to ask which side of the road they drive on!!! When we did, the answer came back "...round the pot holes!"

I think our hire car only had two gears - and one of those was reverse!

jud!th

Gozo would be great - it's the island next to Malta. I've been there every year pretty much since I was 8 and this year we'll be going with our 2 year old and 9 month old. You can get dead cheap flights to Malta, then get a taxi from the airport to the ferry at Cirkewwa, 30 mins later you'll be in Gozo. Lovely friendly people, fantastic food, everyone lovely with children. Some good sandy beaches and safe swimming.

September and October are the best times to go as the sea is wonderfully warm and the sun's not too hot for redheads and little kids.

But it's not a budget destination... Hugh Laurie and family were in our local restaurant a couple of years ago.

Having said that, we'll all be there for a fortnight in September, budget £1000 all in...

hth

Judith
x