Reply With QuoteThe Draganora is the best you’ll get.
We're considering a late break in Malta this year (October) - any location/trip advice and/or hotel suggestions?
We'll be taking our young son, and as our summer is usually spent at our flat in Menorca we want a good 4* or 5* hotel - kids club to offload him for an hour or two a day is a plus. A pool to lounge around and somewhere to eat out at least a few times is also desirable, so not too isolated.
Last edited by Scepticalist; 7th April 2023 at 19:54.
The Draganora is the best you’ll get.
No idea about kids clubs but here's another excellent place to stay: The Xara Palace Hotel.
Depends whether you want a remote location or to be in the middle of things. The Radisson in Golden Bay is a good family hotel with plenty for kids. Has a few nice restaurants on site and overlooks a really nice couple of beaches. Its north of the island though so quiter and away from the likes of Sliema and Valletta. It's near Mellieha though which has a few nice restaurants and another beach and not far from the Gozo ferry if you want to hop over there for a day.
If you want to be nearer to everything as said above, the Dragonara is a good choice. There's a few other nice resort hotels near to the Dragonara.
Days out in Mdina and Valletta a must. Grand Harbour area is also a great spot and a day or two in Gozo is recommended.
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Last edited by GMC41; 7th April 2023 at 20:40.
I go pretty much every year to Malta. Normally stay in Marsaskala which is a quiet port town and drive to Vittoriosa and get the ferry bus into Valletta from there. Really nice way to travel into the city. St Julians foe buzzing nightlife if you fancy it. Last time I was there with friends it was 10 beers and 10 shots for 10 Euros!
If you've got kids then Popeye village is definitely worth a day out. Amazing the work that goes into a film set.
If you like or at least are interested in diving or trying it, kids too (depending on their age) then I'd highly recommend Seashell Scuba in Mellehia.
I wouldn't call Malta pretty by a long shot but if you embrace what it is its an amazing place for a holiday.
I stayed at the Dragonara for a week. It was mediocre.
I’d never go back to Malta. I left thinking that Valletta would be quite a nice place to go for a short city break but my broad overall impression was that the island was the answer to the question “
“What if Peckham was placed on a rock in the Med?””
Living there as I do, and being Maltese-British as an accident of birth, I’d pretty much concur. “Arse-end of Beirut” pretty much describes the urban skyline.Originally Posted by Plake
That said, if I was making a recommendation to a prospective visitor it would be to avoid the tourist areas to the north of the island and to stay around the Grand Harbour area, that is Valletta and the Three Cities. There you will find some rather lovely baroque architecture and these days plenty of good bars and restaurants; and are less likely to encounter shirtless Brits-abroad types.
For an adults only holiday there are numerous boutique hotels; but for a break with children where you want a bigger hotel with pool etc look at the Excelsior, just a short walk from the centre of Valletta.
Hilton at Portomaso is another nice hotel with plenty to do.
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I guess you didn't explore much.
Gozo is lovely, there are some lovely fishing villages on Malta proper, some of the oldest man made structures on earth.
Medina is lovely, and even in the summer it's possible to find yourself wandering the streets alone.
The island is over developed, but there is still plenty of opportunity to get away from that.
M
Breitling Cosmonaute 809 - What's not to like?
Hope you’re correct - booked a few days next month and been worried reading some of the other posts!
You have to accept it's a rock in the Med, much like the others it's a barren island, so don't go expecting lush green forests (go to the Azores for that).
As others have said Grand Harbour is an impressive area (UNESCO world heritage site, not sure Peckham has achieved that yet ;) ), Medina is like stepping back 3 or 4 centuries.
You will need a car to get away from the tourist traps (I guess you could use taxis, if you're dead set on not having a car), but traffic is bad everywhere, so don't be in a rush to get anywhere (it is impossible around Valetta - the suggestion to park up and use the water bus to get there is an excellent one and the views unique).
We stayed near the Gozo ferry a few years ago. Loads of villas (we had a really nice one, with its own pool, after our original plan to stay on the far quieter Gozo was scuppered), but not noisy.
Most days we drove out and explored the islands a bit (confirming we'd probably have enjoyed a stay on Gozo more), but always found somewhere relatively quiet and unspoilt, which many of these posts make sound impossible.
I guess you can find good and bad spots everywhere. A couple of years ago, I went to Larnaca and it seems like 'Peckham on sea' in large parts, but an earlier holiday on Cyprus proved there are quiet, unspoilt areas of that island too.
M
Breitling Cosmonaute 809 - What's not to like?
If you travel around there are some great places to visit. If you don't, as Drafty says, it could be Beirut.
If you're hiring a car, avoid Goldcar rentals and take pics of every mark on the car when you collect it. Also the driving standards are very low to none at all!
This is true, mainly stayed around the St Julians and Valletta area.
I did find the diving very good.
I hear Gozo is beautiful too.
Valletta has beautiful, historic buildings. But overall the lack of greenery and wildlife on the island at the expense of lots of concrete just wasn’t my bag.
I’d probably have enjoyed it more if I’d bothered to do my research and gone anticipating a a city/town break rather than a Balearic style natural beauty extravaganza.
I don't think Goldcar are still operating. The same company are running "Sicily by Car" car rentals now. Avoid them at all costs, they are crooks and are in the local press all the time.
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There's nothing to worry about you'll have a great time. Where are you staying?
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Yes, I think doing zero research and heading to St Julian’s is where I went wrong tbh.
Valletta is a pretty city.
Thanks, staying in Valetta though not sure that was wise choice TBH for driving/parking. Will probably taxi to hotel then pick car up evening or next morning and leave it elsewhere.
Valletta is a good base. There's a big underground multi-story (MCP Floriana) that we always use just as you drive into Valletta through Floriana. The exit brings you out a couple of hundred metres from the Triton fountain, and you just walk straight into the city from there. Unsure what hotel you are staying in, but me and the wife stayed in a boutique hotel there last year, and they had an arrangement with the car park.
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I’ll be in Valletta for the fireworks again in 3 weeks or so.
Nice people, good food and (but not on this trip) great diving.
Been multiple times and always stayed here. Very happy with it. Walking distance to a lot of restaurants. Also a nice ice cream shop and a Rolex AD a stones throw away. Which is obviously vital - to get your sugar rush and then go in and look at watches you’re not allowed to buy.
Another multi brand AD also next door which is a lovely shop. Can’t remember the name but nearly bought a Zenith last time I was there. Sorry going a bit OT now.
We find Malta to be a low fuss but enjoyable and good value holiday. Also great places to eat and some nice scenic places to see. Some really breathtaking views if you get out and about. We find hiring a car transforms it for us, without that would mean a very different holiday and much less exploring would happen.
Also second the recommendations of travelling to Gozo for a day out and Popeye Village especially with kids. Great fun.
Hmmmm, we were thinking of not having a hire car - there are limits to our "extra holiday" budget - and just taking a day trips to Popeye (for the lad) and Gozo.
Sounds like Malta might not be an inspired choice after all - the good lady I think is expecting comething a little more Balearic in character. I'll have to test the waters to see how dead set she is on the idea, but if she is, I suspect Hilton/Dragonara will be the choices.
Last edited by Scepticalist; 8th April 2023 at 17:12.
There's a decent bus network as well. Bus outside the hotel will take you to Valletta or alternatively get the bus to Sliema and get the ferry over to Valletta. Same for Popeyes village or the waterpark a couple of miles from the hotels.
Ignore a lot of the negativity above, yes there has been a lot of development but there is a tonne of beautiful architecture as well.
Closest I've been to Peckham is watching Only Fools and Horses but the only place on the island I can think would be similar is up north in Bugibba/Qawra.
Sliema and St Julians are full of all nationalities and aren't typical "brits abroad" locations. A significant number are expats who have come over to work here. Paceville is the nightclub area of St Julians and not ideal for families of a night but that's it.
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We're booked for 10 days in June. Gillieru Harbour Hotel in St Pauls Bay. It's a birthday treat for me and I'm having a few days shooting on Gozo.
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