“Good to use as a base to travel from, but didn't live up to rating.”
We were intending to use the hotel as a base to see Malta over a long weekend, and after reading about the description and 4-star rating, we thought it would be a nice comfortable hotel to come back to after a long day of sightseeing. Unfortunately this was not the case. Not only did we not have a double bed, but the single beds were extremely uncomfortable (my camping airbed is more comfortable), and the shower was very weak and often cold. The first morning we tried the hotel buffet breakfast, and this also disappointed us as the food was greasy and not very warm, and the whole thing felt like a school canteen, so much so that we opted to go out for breakfast every other day of our stay. Our hotel problems were only a little frustrating as we didn't intend to spend a great deal of time there, but nevertheless it was a shame since the hotel was rated 4-star and sounded good from the descriptions. Unfortunately it seems you get what you pay for, and thankfully it wasn't too expensive. I would recommend this hotel if you can accept a standard closer to a 2-3 star, and you don't intend to spend much time living there. However, if you want somewhere nice to come back to at the end of the day, then I would suggest elsewhere, perhaps in St Julians, as this hotel is almost guaranteed to disappoint.
Area recommendations
Surprisingly there is a huge amount to see in Malta, more than what can be covered during a long weekend. We travelled by bus during the day (which need to be experienced!) and relied on taxi's at night when the buses stopped running.
Qawra itself has a nice beachfront and is approx 30 mins walk from the hotel. There are some very nice restaurants there, and several bars.
The Blue Lagoon on the Island of Comino is definitely worth a visit, a bus from Qawra will go direct to the sea terminal in the north of the Island, and then after a short boat trip you will arrive to see the beautiful azure sea.
St Julians is worth a visit for the restaurants and bars during the day and early evening, and nearby Paceville comes alive at night and turns into a mini Ibiza, although as the drinking age is so young it's full of teenagers.
Valetta and nearby 3-Cities is also worth a visit to see the history of the area, castles, old roads and houses, and also the expensive yachts in the seaport.
We also experienced a traditional Good Friday procession in the city of Mosta, which was definitely worth the trip as the atmosphere was great, with thousands of people all turning up to see, together with traditional foods being sold everywhere.
Must see
The Blue Lagoon, on Comino Island. This is definitely worth the short boat ride to see the beautiful azure sea, great for snokelling, swimming, and generally relaxing. The beach isn't massive, and would probably fill up significantly during the summer, but still worth a visit.
It is also definitely worth taking at least one bus ride! The buses are old and rickety yet brightly coloured, and the drivers are interesting characters.
Dining
Local specialities include rabbit and maltese sausages. Both are well worth a try. The local beer is called Cisk and is definitely worth trying as it is very fresh and easy to drink. Wines are similar, were some good local reds and whites.
Spinola Bay has some good restaurants, particularly Bianco's, in which the food was excellent, and service to match. We ended up there during a nationwide powercut, but the staff were friendly and still managed to serve up some great food, more than can be said for the more 'upmarket' restaurants in the same area.
Nightlife
St. Julians and nearby Paceville are the places to go for nightlife. Paceville comes alive in the late evening with several bars and clubs.
Events and shows
Christian holidays seem to be when the Maltese people have big celebrations. We experienced a good Friday procession, during which life-size models depicting the life of Christ were paraded around cities. The atmosphere was great, as there were thousands of people lining the streets.
