No way is this a four star hotel, compared with other 4 star hotels we have stayed in during the last 12 months. The reception staff were very good to us, although they found it impossible to organise two extra pillows, said the hotel did not have any! The room was perfectly adequate and kept clean, but we did not have clean pillow cases during the week and we doubt if the sheets were replaced. Do not accept rooms ending in 26,27,28 or 29, (ie 328, 329 etc) as you are overlooking a street with quite a lot of traffic and Murphys Bar where the music, if you can call it that, went on till midnight, unless you are a good sleeper or enjoy loud music. As for the restaurant, we shuddered when we walked in and saw oilcloths on the tables. The food itself was only 3 star maximum, the green veg were overcooked and watery, the meat was probably the cheapest that they could buy,you had to queue for the toaster and sometimes for the coffee machine. This was served in Pyrex type cups with plastic sticks for stirers and you were lucky to get a saucer. The entertainment was second rate in a smallish room so the sound was overpowering, you had to shout to speak at times. If this is standard 4 star quality in Malta then we would suggest you go for 5Star minimum.

We arrived at the Hotel Canifor on an all inclusive basis. We were about dubious about going after reading other peoples reviews. We had booked a superior room which was ok nothing spectacular about being superior. The staff were very pleasant and the Hotel was very clean our rooms were cleaned every day and fresh towels left daily. We could have as many drinks as we wanted except for doubles but we were not bothered as we mainly drink wine and we were getting litre carafes at a time. There was a good selection of food the only downfall was the restaurant was very tightly packed with tables and chairs. The entertainment was ok if you were about 80 years of age. But overall we enjoyed this hotel

We arrived at the Canifor at about 6pm and when I questioned whether there were tea and coffee facilities in the room I was told that as I had not booked an upgrade no! I pulled out my reservation and pointed out that I had in fact booked a superior room at which the receptionist informed me that she would arrange it for the following day! While taking clothes out of our cases I discovered crisp pieces on the bed cover! I went to reception and they said they would look into it. We had our meal there in the evening, which was hot but not much else. The following mornin we went down to breakfast and I have to say I was horrified at the oilcloth tableclothes and the queue to the tea and coffee making machine. I have seen much better transport cafes. There was entertainment at the hotel but we didn't stay. This hotel is definitely no more than a 1 1/2 star and that is pushing it. We found alternative accommodation and moved out.

the canifor is just the worst hotel ever ! the food was yuk! breakfast was bacon with bone in it, no OJ and a manager who had a like it or lump it outlook ! the view was a buiding site the staff unfriendly the outside pool was freezing the indoor one milky the hot tub had no water in it .we paid over a thousand pounds to stay here for a week all inclusive and i would never go back apart from in a nightmare! we have traveled alot so i can say this place is the pits!

stayed at hotel canifor from 18th till 15th september 2007 never again not 4 star 2 star just about.

room was large and tidy with plenty of space for your clothes. towels changed everyday.
restaurant a joke much to small tables to close together at peak times people pushing and shoving like feeding time at the zoo. the food was generally poor quality, never saw any fruit.basic english food,veg was mainly carrots and peas(frozen type not fresh)

downstairs bar served snacks ie burgers chips sandwiches.only 1 bar staff on duty and he had to deal with restaurant orders as well as wash up

lounge bar is open at night. again only 1 member of staff serving so queues were forming especally at end of night.
entertaint at night a joke. 1 man singing his wife on keyboards and oaps ballroom dancing

noway is this 4 star 2 star would be generous

the staff work hard and long hours
plenty of spaces around the pool during the day;


i would not recommend this hotel nor would i return to it

My boyfriend and I have just returned from a week's all-inclusive stay at the Canifor in Qawra. I was a little anxious about an all inclusive, as I had read numerous reviews regarding the buffet style canteen feel, but after having stayed here - I would do it again!

Our rooms were cleaned every day, with fresh towels provided on a daily basis too, the beds weren't changed, but they were made daily. The shower was the best I'd used abroad - whether that was because we were only on the 1st floor I don't know - but I found the room spacious enough and clean.

Regarding the food; breakfast was cereals (choice of 4), toast (which I only had when there wasn't a long line of people!!) and a grill buffet with normally; boiled eggs, bacon/sausage, beans, fried/scrambled egg, fried bread. There were fruit juices, and a waiter came round asking to ask if you wanted tea or coffee. It seemed fairly well organised, if not a bit too many tables!!

Lunch was waiter service, which we tried once - but preferred to use the snack service so we could have a vodka (no spirits served in restaurant - only wine or beer).

Dinner - there was always ample to choose from - 4 different starters, normally 2 soups and 2 pasta dishes, then a choice of 4 main meals, one of which was always fish, with vegetables a mediocre offering - 2 styles of potato, and two other veggies - one was normally carrots.

Dessert; choice of 3 or 4, and you could ask the waiters for ice cream. And of course, cheese and biscuits - oh, and there were always cold meats and salad bits too.

The staff all seemed friendly enough, some more than others, we found the reception staff and the bar staff the more friendly and helpful.

The location was OK, especially since there is no beach to speak of anyway, and it was only a short walk to the seafront and the man made 'beach'. Loads of pubs/bars close by, as well as shops/supermarkets.

Entertainment - great if you're of the older generation!! Sorry, but foxtrot style music in the evenings kept these 30 somethings in the downstairs bar!! We did find out on our last day that they play a movie in the main lounge every day at 2.00 - and another guest said it had been the latest Pirates of the Caribbean film one day - dodgy DVD!!

All in all - we paid

I have just come back from Malta. I stayed at the hotel Canifor.

My room was cleaned every day. Very tidy and clean.

Ok the food was great if you could not get anything you liked from the hot or cold buffet you must have been a gourmet food diner.

Staff great /Vincent /Gordon. My bestest mate Andrew/Maria could not do enough for me.

All in all great time 28 days in all.



thank you all at the canifor

Barry amis

I felt I should write about my experience at the Hotel Canifor this week. It seems to be a policy of this hotel to over book the rooms, this enables them to move customers to their other hotel The Bella Vista which may be a nice hotel but is away from the resort with limited transport links. This was particularly stressful arriving after a night flight. On checking out yesterday I could hear the same thing happening to 2 other ladies who had been travelling for 24 hours because of flight problems. I was told by the manager that 6 rooms were over booked and because I insisted on having what I booked and paid for "someone else would be disappointed!"

I would also like to warn anyone who is visiting this hotel at the moment that there is extensive building works going on in the Dorirose apartment block which ajoins the hotel and the work starts in the very early hours of the morning.

I also agree with everything said about the dining room at this hotel. It is so badly designed and yes you feel you are at school. You have to wait for the tea to be brought to your table at breakfast and if you are lucky the waiter will reach you once during your breakfast. No second cup of tea here!

We have been coming to Malta since 1971 and a have had some great holidays here with family and grandchildren. We love the Islands of Malta the people and their history and culture. The Canifor Hotel, which we visited once in the recent past, is vastly overated in the Hotel Star System. T rate thjis hotel as 4 star is grossly misleading and unfair to prospective visitors to Malta. Although it has some attractions, it falls down very badly on the catering provision which is a top priorty for all prospective guest. The general ethos in the dining area is dreadful, reminding us of schooldays and regimentation and not the happy place it should be when people are on holiday. The physical lay-out is cramped and dangerous when hot food is being carried with little space to move in. The food servery was short in length and one sided and provided a limited variety of hot and cold food. Chairs were placed tightly aginst this restricting safe movement. There was often people queueing for their meal which is not on in a 4 star hotel. The catering staff could smile a bit more and be more pleasant in going about their business. Was there really a need for us to be shown to table number whatever? Fresh fruit was never seen in our 2 week stay and we sometimes ate out because on occasions the food was so bad.

Our rooms were basic but the toilet was very small and the shower was a mere trickle. There was no view but we only used our rooms to sleep. The room was cleened daily and fresh towels provided.

We sunbathed daily in the poolside area and enjoyed the pool was adequate for our needs.

We visited the bar on one evening and it was bright and clean so we cannot comment about the entertainment programme but it was quir most nights.

I would not recommend the hotel for a family holiday and would return only on a B/B asis only.

The worst hotel we have ever stayed in. In fact we only stayed overnight as we contacted our rep and asked him to get us out of there!

Just some of the complaints: lift didn't work, phone in room did not work, air con in room did not work, view of Beirut out of the window and hydraulic drills and JCBS working outside our window, food reminiscent of school dinners, a pool the size of child's paddling pool and a sun terrace hardly bigger than a back yard.

We spent most of our time whilst there trying to work out how the Canifor had managed to win four stars. It was worthy of two at the very most.

Do not stay here!!!