Gillieru Hotel

Hotel is sweet, only supplied a sheet to sleep with, considering it’s hot in Malta, however a lightweight comforter will be a little bit more comfortable. Toilet is not bolted down, have to sit down with caution as it moves when wanting to sit down. Shower is a hand held head, not enough pressure when on warm / Hot water, but water in general suffice to shower. Restaurant is an absolute disaster, as yesterday’s non eaten food is dished for next day, this includes breakfast sausage and beans and breads. Dinner supplies you with yesterday’s reheated and deep fried potato chips! (Yes this was confirmed with head chef) Seafood might be fresh, however overcooked. Waitering staff friendly, not attentive to service requirements and timeously slow and relaxed service is expected The views are spectacular with a calm ambiance all round. Choose a different hotel to eat meals by.

A decent, clean hotel in a great location – with a few practical quirks We had a pleasant stay at the Gillieru Harbour Hotel. It was nice and remarkably quiet during our visit. The entire property is kept clean and tidy, and the staff are incredibly friendly, a special shout out must go to the housekeeping team, especially Uma who did a fantastic job.

The Pros Location: The hotel is situated in a lovely, peaceful area of Saint Paul’s Bay, away from the heavy noise. Convenience: There is a restaurant and bar located right next door part of the hotel complex. Sea Access: If you love open-water swimming, you can get direct access to the bay to swim straight from the hotel area. Public Transport: Getting around is mostly easy, with a bus stop heading toward Bugibba, Valletta, and other main spots only about 100 meters away.

The Cons The Hotel Bar: Don't expect late nights here. Last orders are around 10:00 PM, and the bar shuts completely at 11:00 PM. The Pool: It does the job, but it is definitely not the largest pool you will find. Room Storage: Wardrobe space is very limited. Our room only had 6 hangers, so you should expect to live out of your suitcase for most of the trip.

The Return Journey & Mobility: While the outbound bus stop is close, the return bus stop is about 300 meters away and requires walking down a very steep slope to get back to the hotel. Because of this, this specific area of Malta can be incredibly challenging if you have any mobility issues, and it is probably best avoided. Overall Verdict: A lovely, well-kept base for a relaxing holiday, provided you are comfortable handling a few steep hills and packing light on the hanging clothes.

The Reason for the 3 Stars

Over the first 6 nights at the Gillieru Harbour Hotel, we visited the hotel bar & the 2 of us spent £548.43 (€642.02) on tips, drinks & food, with no problem, the bar closed at 11pm, the staff we dealt with were very professional and friendly, however on the 7th night, there was obviously a crew change & sadly some of the staff were not as friendly as the previous staff we dealt with, we were approached at 10pm & told last orders, the bar we thought usually closes at 11pm?

Then everyone sat in the bar area were given there bar bills at 10.40pm & basically it felt like now you have spent you can sod off. So, after experiencing this totally unprofessional approach, the following day we decided to take our business over the road to an Italian Restaurant for the remaining 4 days of our holiday. If you want to spend time in Malta, look for another hotel who appreciates it's clientele spending money in its bar & restaurant. Sadly we will obviously not be staying there again next year, when we visit.

We stayed at this hotel for two weeks in the second half of May. The first week was perfect: a room with a sea view – we’d specifically booked it, excellent service in the restaurant, delicious food, and good, varied breakfasts. But the second week turned into a nightmare. Young English-speaking guests moved into the rooms to the right and left of ours. For three days, we simply couldn’t sleep, as they spent the whole night running up and down the corridors, shouting loudly and slamming doors. They paid no attention to our requests. We complained to reception, but the staff couldn’t do anything; the young guests ignored their comments and requests. They either couldn’t or wouldn’t give us another room, or they offered us a room overlooking the car park, which was far worse than the one we had. On the third day, there was a scandal: once again, there was shouting and door-slamming all night, and loud music during the day; what’s more, they didn’t close their doors, so the noise echoed down the entire corridor. At night we wanted to call the police, but the staff persuaded us to take pity on them. After three days, they gave us another room, also with a good view, but it was very small; on one side the lift was constantly rumbling, and on the other some machinery was running, very loudly and round the clock, we could only sleep with earplugs. What we’ve realised is that you can do whatever you like at this hotel – shout and run about at night, throw a party – and nothing will happen to you. Meanwhile, the affected people will be forced to sort out the problem themselves and end up with the worst condition. No, we won’t be going back to this hotel, and we won’t recommend it to others either. It’s a real shame, because the hotel is actually good and the staff are lovely.