Barcelo Fortina Malta

Hotel should not be rated 5 star, reception poor customer service, long waits and not many smiles. Room facilities ok, we had a couple of short power outages and loss of water for a period. Bed sheet had to be changed upon arrival (stained) and television channel choices left a lot to be desired for any British clientele.

Perfectly situated for most areas of Sliema, and an easy jaunt up to St Julians, it's also only 5 mins walk from the ferry terminal over to Valletta. the hotel itself is clean and contemporary in it's design, with a welcoming and open lobby, service with a smile, and lots of amenities. However, I was most disappointed by the outside pool - shown as a big selling point, even used on the thumbnail when we booked, it is operated by another company and takes a long time to reach. It is also overlooked by the road (lots of people stood at the barriers taking photos of Valletta) and also tables and chair directly next to the pool of people eating and drinking. One of the main reasons we chose this hotel was the pool, but we ended up using it only once - it was not a comfortable experience. The inside pool was better, although highly chlorinated. Once my eyes got used to it the jacuzzi and sauna were well appreciated. But still operated by another company and a long walk through the tunnels under the building, meaning again, it only got limited use. I used the Bridge Bar, and it was a nice quiet place for a cocktail, good service, and lots of different seating arrangements, including a nice terrace area. However, you're a very close walk to the other bars, so if you want somewhere with more life (as well as cheaper) it's easy to find. The rooms were large, clean, and tidy. We had a partial sea view, and the balcony wasn't a bad place to sit late at night for a bite to eat and a bottle of wine. We did feel a little overlooked by the apartment opposite, but the people there rarely used their balconies. The beds were comfy and large, there was a decent amount of shelving space (although not enough hangers or bedside drawer space - my constant complaint of most hotels). Fridge was very useful and fresh water topped up each day. A large TV but not much in the way of English speaking channels. The sockets are multi-use, so don't be put off. I was expecting UK sockets, and it was unclear my UK plugs would fit. Even when a member of staff came to help they had to give it a few good whacks to get it into the socket. The main downside of the room was the bathroom. With a plunge shower in the middle of the bath and only a partial screen, it was hard to shower without covering the rest of the room in water. The hand shower was awkward to use and weak in comparison, so we ended up just covering the floor in towels before showering. I do wonder how many hotel designers stay in the hotels they design. I think the shower would definitely be rethought if they did. There was also regularly a sewerage smell in the bathroom, and I know it wasn't me as it was strongest when I came back after a night out! Overall there were a couple of downsides, but ultimately there were many more upsides, and I think it was pretty good value for money, especially considering the location. I would stay again, although I'd advise against booking specifically for use of the pool, as I think it's a bit of a con.