Hi Barney, we stayed there in February 2004, we found it to be a very adequate and nice hotel, with well equipped clean rooms and friendly staff, the hotel is very well placed in Sliema and is on the bus route for Valletta, St Julians, Mosta, Mdina, Bugibba, Qawra etc etc etc, what more can you ask for ?, please ask if you require more info.

Regards
Sliema2

Thanks,

Could you help with the following questions?

1. Any dive schools nearby?
2. Anything there for kids?
3. Bad point / goods points of Hotel?
4. How far from centre?
5. Bars and restaurants nearby / how many?

Many Thanks (in advance)

Hi Barney, here are the answers to your questions in the order you asked them.

1. Any dive schools nearby?
Yes, although not my cup of tea, I believe that there are dive schools in Sliema and St Julians at the Portomaso complex.

2. Anything there for kids?
As we have no kids I wouldn't really know (this is how we manage approx five/six holidays a year un-hindered by mithering ankle snappers ), however, there is the sea, swimming pools, and nearby playgrounds, and the Islands sandy beaches are not to far away by bus.

3. Bad point / goods points of Hotel?
No bad points you are in Sliema for gods sake , good points are that the hotel is in Sliema (always favourite) and is very close to bars restaurants etc and is on the bus route for Valletta and St Julians

4. How far from centre?
Well Sliema doesn't have a centre in the sense that I think you mean, all the things that a novice visitor would need are on tower road and the strand which circum-navigates Sliema by the coast, check out this link to the map of Sliema http://www.sliema-malta.com/map.htm central Sliema is mostly residential and very nice and quiet, no here we go english numb skulls in union jack shirts in Sliema thank god, there are bars and shops and places to eat etc but you would really need to know your way round to visit them (luckily we do )

5. Bars and restaurants nearby / how many?
Yes loads of them all the way from Gzira to the Ferries and round to the Strand and Tower road as far as St Julians and Paceville.

Please ask if you need further info.
Sliema2

Sliema2,

My wife and i narrowed our holiday search down to two locations. Mine was Malta, namely the Hotel Plaza / Plaza Regency in Sliema, hers was Hotel El Paso in Costa Daurada as it has the theme parks nearby for the little one.

I lost

Looks like Malta will probably be next time

Thanks for the great advice, as always this site has again proved to be a fantastic source.

Barney

Hi Barney, that sounds awfull, but have fun anyway.

Sliema2

Hi there S 2 you make this hotel sound o k can you say with your hand on your heart that the food on halfboard is worth eating or not?

Dave

Hi There T R H, wouldn't know mate as we only ever go self catering or mainly bed and breakfast, there are so many good places to eat out in Sliema it would be a shame to miss out on them, the hotel is quite nice though and the breakfasts were very good, why D are you thinking about going there ?.

Sliema2

Hi Barney, if you have little ones think your wife has made a better choice we are now in our 60's holidays are fun and fancy free, Our experiance with Malta was not a good one but that was our experiance and would not try and influence others, but have also visited Costa Dorada a place called La-Pinda, went in the winter months so rather quiet, but could imagine summer season everything going for it and children, again Malta was an out of season holiday but the people who were there with children were finding it hard to accommadate then
pojo

Hi Sliema2 I have only ever seen this hotel in the Thomson book and its food score lookes a bit low, didn't now you could stay here on B&B what tour firm do you deal with when you go here, may try it in October if I can get a good price. I have been past it on my way to St Julians and been in that bar just past it, the one with all the wood on the walls looks a bit like the inside of an old ship, have you ever been in the Scotch Bar up the hill on the right before you get to main area of St Julians I some times go in there and do a few songs on the Karaoke (well someone has to)

Dave

P S summer season is here only nine weeks to go.

Hi Dave, when we stayed at the Plaza we booked through Chevron and if you check out there brochures you will see that there is always a B&B reduction that you can deduct off the price, the bar you mention is the Plough & Anchor which is a very nice bar and a personal favourite of Mrs Sliema2 and I, we have got smashed in there more times now than I care to remember , with regards to the Scotsman in St Julians / Paceville we avoid this place like the plague as it is the hangout for lots of evil timeshare louts, not the sort of people that I want to spend any time in the company of :evil:, your right about summer season being here Dave we are in Tuscany in 4 weeks time and it seems like an eternity since we booked it, but after our Italy holiday normal service will be resumed as we are in magical Malta in September and again in November

Regards
Sliema2

Pojo,

I think we will enjoy spain - maybe we'll try Malta in a few years.

Hope you ALLl have great Holidays this year

Barney

Thanks Barney, and you mate

Regards
Sliema2