Rebbeca,

Never tried Egypt but if you find a good place let us all know - perhaps send me a PM,

Trev

have been twice once to hurgharda didnt like it hotels are great though!

if you want peace tranquil and service try the marriott beach resort in taba heights its perfection for a nice quite rest and everything you need just ask!

Rebecca

Hello, getting back to the Fortina hotel we went here on our first visit to Malta a long time ago and had a look in side the foyer on our last visit a few years ago, it looked the same as it did back in 1998 don't no if it has been updated latley but it looked as if it needed it last time we had a look.
I must say that after staying in a brand new hotel on Gozo the week before we stayed at the Fortina it was more than a bit of a let down, we did have a great veiw from our second floor room over to Valletta and I must say this was the only good thing about this hotel.(at the time of our visit) The room was a standard one with a shower/wash basin and toilet in a small cupboard that flooded the dirty carpets when we had a shower.
The waiters were full of the own importance and tryed to belittle you, did't think much to the food some of the meat was even under cooked and the entertainment was rubbish to put it in a good way.
This was a long time ago things may well have changed, I hope they have and need to for the money they charge to stay here but I know one person who would never go there again on what I had to put up with last time I went there.
We did get a free trip round the Harbours you could say that was nice.

Dave

On that note I am glad I have cancelled. I think they have probably concentrated on the new 5* bit next door.

We have always said that the Fortina has lovely views from the sea front rooms but that they don't seem to have a balcony - just French doors and railings. A balcony for me is a must! We would only have got a standard room so who knows what it would have been like.

Pippa

fair point pippa! and I must confess i had to have a second look at the Fortina and i didnt realise there were two parts!!! so on that note and after looking at it closer and your comments erm i think i probably would give it a miss!

Thanks for your comments

Rebecca

Update!!

Air Malta have agreed to refund the taxes on our flights minus an admin fee which does not leave us too much out of pocket so we have cancelled the whole lot.

Just could not find anywhere that really took our fancy that wasn't way out of our price bracket! Will have to wait till the Coastline re-opens to the wider market in a couple of years time.

Will now wait a while and perhaps book no frills flights and a nice hotel in our much loved Majorca instead.

Pippa

Stayed at the Coastline last year, had a great time. You'll love it.
Busses to Sliema stop outside the hotel (nos 645 & 652 from memory), change at Sliema for Valletta, or take the ferry across; or you can take the hotel's courtesy bus to Qawra/Buggiba bus station & go direct to Valletta from there. We never used a cab, apart from the airport run, so I've no idea on costs.

Anything else I can help with, just ask. [PM me if you want]

thanks very much for that.. will stick with buses i think not sure we are brave enough to drive lol... and as it sounds like it will be fairly easy to get to valletta etc on them wont bother hiring a car.....will we need towels and are there any toiletries supplied in the rooms?

we cant wait to go, will be nice to see how much change there has been in malta since i went ther 20 odd years ago EEKKK how long

oh one other thing is there a market close to or a good one in valletta or sliema and would u know what day..

thanks again for your reply

Hello shykins, there is a market most days of the week on Merchant Street in Valletta bar Sundays then it moves out side the city gate to St James Ditch were they have what you could call a Market come Fle-Market come Car Boot sale (Sunday mourning only)
There is a Fish Market if you like the smell of fish at the Valletta Fish Market at Barriera Wharf but this wholesale and starts at 4 30 till 6 00am so you will need to get up early.
If you go to Gozo there is again a daily Market in Victoria in It-Tokk square.
Dave

Shykins, you'll need a towel for the pool, but there are the usual toiletries supplied

well first chioce are saying they know nothing about this saga take over whatsoever. The girls in the holiday shop are brillient and are as frustrated as we are, they keep getting pushed from pillar to post! I have had an email from the coastline general manager confirming that they are with saga only from september 08 and have let first choice know about this and have made arrangement for the Fortina hotel.

We shall not be staying at the Fortina (pippa was right ) as it looks shabby and they have concentrated on the 5 star new bit. So we want to know asap so we can make alternative arrangements like everybody else!

we shall wait an see how long first choice admin take to get this information!

I hope you all get sorted now we finally have found out whats going on!

Rebecca

I don't actually think I would have know about this apart from the fact I (out of curiosity) was looking for availability after I had already booked and found the hotel was not available at all. I pushed and pushed the tour operator I had booked with. Incidentally when I spoke to my Mum last night she asked if we wer sure we were going to the Coastline as she had received the Saga brochure which states it is exclusive to Saga.

At the time we booked the Coastline we tried to do it with Med Hotels as that is who we used before but they did not have the hotel - I wonder if they knew it would not be available?

The manager does say that they have contacted all the relevant tour operators but what they have done with the info is another matter.

As you are on a package you ought to be able to completely change your holiday if you want.

Keep us informed.

Pippa

Have been reading with interest all about Coastline. We stayed there in Aug 2006 when we got married at the Westin Dragonara on the beach. Fab hotel the Coastline. My parents travel to Malta a lot and only commented the other day that their usual travel company brochure didn't have Coastline in. Wait till I tell them why!! So we will have to wait till 2011 before we can stay again. Should have just about saved up by then for my 5th anniversary!! We are trying Zante this year. Have fun wherever you all may go.

just to keep you posted!

First choice are still denying that there are any changes to the coastline, they are giving me the run around, asking me to wait another week before they will hear anything and then they gotta inform you in date order!

what a laugh for a big company like them - i am not amused!

anyone with any news please do tell ....

Rebecca

This is ridiculous for what is supposed to be a big tour operator. Have you asked the Coastline themselves to contact First Choice? Perhaps First Choice should take a look at the Saga brochure or website where is states that the Coastline will be exclusively Saga only!

Pippa

Hi Folks,

We're off to the Coastline next Saturday for a week. Thought we'd give it one more go there before Saga take over. It'll also give us chance to sort out where we'll think about staying for future visits,

Trev

Hope you have a good time.

Friends of ours were there a few weeks back and they said that there were so many complaints to the management about the Saga takeover.

It would seem that they are adding extra rooms at the side where the car park is and making the existing bar part of the restaurant. The Coastline suite will then become the bar.

Our friends did take a look round other hotels but have decided that perhaps it is time to look at somewhere other than Malta. Like us they found it difficult to find a hotel that came up to the Coastline standards in a quiet area.

We incidentally are going to the Algarve in January instead!! It probably won't be as warm as Malta but some stunning coastal scenery will make up for it!

Becca - have you heard anything yet?

Pippa

just came back from there on wed and can see why everyone raves about it, the hotel was fantastic, food brilliant and lovely and quiet..... lots of locals at the weekend which is always a good sign

luckily (or not)hubby is old enough to book through saga should we want to go there again in the next couple years

was interested to read what you say about the bar cos i did think it was possibly a bit small if everyone was going to be sat in there all night

Hi shykins,

Glad to hear that you enjoyed staying at the Coastline.

Pippa - in some ways we feel the same and may well try out other destinations but we will always want to spend time in Malta in the future, though possibly not as much as in the past,

Trev