We stayed in the Santa Maria part of the complex at the very end of march into early april. I have no negative comments about any part of our stay.

The staff were polite and friendly,everywhere was clean and the food simple but varied enough for us. After complimenting the chef on a delicious cake we had been served we were told everything was made fresh on the premises.

The rooms are a bit dated and smaller than new hotels,the plumbing a bit antiquated but the rooms were freshly painted and cleaned daily with fresh towels.

The queuing system for drinks was never a problem as it was a quiet time of year and at least you always get served in turn!

The entertainment is aimed at the older guests with bingo every night some of the artists weren't too bad but the room is not that big.

I would recomend comming to this hotel away from the peak months because I can imagine the facilities being over streached when it is full of families. It was a very good value budget holiday.

1am arrival, met by very rude and uncaring receptionist.
Room was filthy and not cleaned for the 2 weeks, but clean sheets and towels every day.

Food was uneatable, potatoes rancid, 'roasts' were spuds boiled in olive oil. Same menu every day, even Chritsmas day. No gala lunch as advertised, had to go to different hotel for that. Many taken ill, 3 to hospital.

Staff not caring "find your own doctor." Waitress, on her last day told us food prepaired in different hotel in morning and taken to this hotel and reheated throughout the day.

Finally ministery of food closed kitchen for 24 hours and 'took away' chef, but no improvement.

Entertainment only one night per week not as brochures.
Hotel inside and out infested with cats.

Sister hotel, Bugibba Complex, a total contrast, clean excellent food etc, so it could be done.

We were transferred to this hotel after a horiffic night spent in the Miramare Hotel, St Julians. (If that hotel were listed here I could comment on it; all I can say is that it was unsafe!). Mercury Direct were appalling in getting us transferred; ending up in Buggibba after a very long argument and much spent on phone calls. The rest of our party had to pay to transfer.

We were in the Santa Maria and rest of our party in the San Anton (both hotels make the one complex). The hotel was ok, clean enough and very basic. I know that foreign ratings are different to UK but Malta really needs to sort this out; other hotels of same rating could be much better or worse. The San Anton does have bigger rooms and bigger beds and nicer bathrooms. Our rep never appeared unless sought out.

Breakfast was good; plenty all round but tends to have lots of fried food. However, you can ask for anything else at all (eg. poached egg instead of fried plus continental choice).

I'm glad we didn't go half or full board, there's so much choice locally. Evening entertainment was apalling, all for the over 60s but lots else to do; good games room, disco, but would give Molly Malone's pub a miss (more like an institution!).

the cable tv didn't work; could only get BBC World

Staff were good but didn't need to interact with them much.

If we had less hassle with the tour operator and it was cheaper we'd go again - to the San Anton!

I stayed at the San Anton for 10 weeks 05/12/005-13/02/06 and found the Hotel to be great value for money.

Yes, they have problems with drainage when it rains heavy, the heating is noisy in some rooms but all in all what I paid for the 10 weeks would not get me 2 in a top named 5 Star hotel.

The food was varied and plenty of choice, you never go hungry if you stay here. Xmas and New Year Gala Dinners
1st Class in my opinion, once again wide choice and not just Turkey on the menu, you have to pre book your sittings as it is open to the public for meals. Yes the food is cooked in the Santa Marie over the road and transported to the San Anton each meal time (not kept warm all day as stated in previous reports)

With the exception of one or two of the staff I found them to be very helpful and polite, then again when you are working 12 hour shifts and have and a part time job/collage to go to when they have finished makes it hard for some to keep smiling all the time.

My room was cleaned and fresh towels each day (how many people living at home change towels everyday?)

The Hotel is geared for the mature travellers and not for children/teenagers in the winter months, and entertainment program shared with the Santa Marie Hotel.

The Hotel has a call out Doctor, and you have to pay to call him/her out (25-30ml). Instructions for free treatment facilities are published on the notice board, but I found the nearest Doctor above the chemist down the main street (5ml per visit) less hassle.

No reports of food poisoning or chef taking into custody while I was there, only people in hospital had falling over and broke wrists/ankles and those who had travelled against Doctors advice with pre-existing medical conditions!(they number of people who had no travel insurance shocked me)

You will find jealousy between some SC/BB/HB against AI guests but then again that is human nature and I have found that world over.

If you want a 5 Star Hotel, with 3 Star price's, this is not the Hotel for you.

My husband and I arrived at the hotel at around midnight and was told that we couldn't get our all inclusive passes until the next morning, we were very thirsty so tried to get a Pepsi in the bar, and even though there were people still in the bar the barman said the bar had closed and wouldn't serve us! There wasn't anywhere to get a drink, so we ended up going across the road to a pub. Our room was ok, 2 single beds, a wardrobe, bedside cabinet and dressing table, the bathroom was clean, the maid came in every day and left clean towels, made beds and emptied bins.

The food was ok, I managed to find something I quite liked each day, although we were a bit miffed on the Sunday, as there was a large group of local people who weren't staying at the hotel, but were having some kind of function in our restaurant! We managed to get a table, but we noticed several other guests being turned away due to lack of space! The bar snacks were ok, although I had a hamburger that wasn't cooked properly, so after that I stuck to cheese and onion toasties.

I can't comment on kids entertainment as we didn't take our own child with us this time, but from what I could see, all the kids that were there seemed happy enough.

I wouldn't say the place was infected with cats, there were some cats (and kittens) living in a fenced off garden area, but everyone thought they were sweet, and we all made a fuss of them, giving them food and water etc.

We were allowed to get 2 drinks at a time, if I went up to the bar I was allowed one for me and one for my husband. But you weren't allowed doubles, or pints of coke, but I suppose theres got to be rules as some people always get greedy.

Didn't think much of the entertainment, the nightly bingo went on far too long, the karaoke night was the best, the rest of the time, there were blokes singing, but to be honest we went and sat outside Molly Malones on the terrace chatting to some people we had met.

All in all I enjoyed this holiday, ok, some things were a bit hit and miss, but we did get our holiday really cheap and only booked it 4 days before we went, and for what we paid, I think it was pretty reasonable.

My family and I travel aboard regularly and I have to say The San Anton is the worst hotel we have ever had the misfortune in staying at.

The place was covered in dirt and consequently full of flies.

The rooms were cleaned every day but a like with a dry mop did not help remove the dust.

The pool area has loose tiles and the bar area had uneaten food left there for hours on end. The is no staff morality at all.

All in all this hotel should be closed down and refurbished before it takes any more holiday makers. My family and I were truly disappointed by this holiday, however, Malta itself is a lovely place and we do intend to return in 2006 however it will not be at the San Anton.

This hotel is not really suited for an all inclusive package. It is an ok base for exploring should you opt for self catering, but unfortunately there is very little to be explored. Rather than go on I will keep this brief...:
1. Hotel was filthy, floors were dirty, litter blowing around as bins too small and no cleaning staff.
2. All inc guests be prepared. Drinks very small and you are only allowed 1 each at a time, thus resulting in endless queuing.
3. Food was ok if you are prepared to eat semi standard. Not much option. No fruit. Overcooked veg.
4. Entertainment in hotel was very boring. I am 25 and found myself falling to sleep extremely early every night.

This hotel is better suited to the elderly.

I have just returned from 2 weeks in this hotel and am pleased to say had no problems at all.

The hotel is clean (and cleaned regularly)

The food is decent, though not fantastic. The breakfast is very good with bacon, sausage, eggs, toast, cereal orange juices and tea and coffee.

Staff were courteous and helpful at all times. Entertainment is ok. No better or no worse than any other hotel/resort I

My fiancee & I arrived at the San Anton Hotel on 24 May 05 for a 7 night holiday with Airtours.

When stepping off the coach you notice how rundown this property actually is, however we thought that this might not have a reflection on the hotel inside -how wrong could we have been!!

On arrival the reception was filthy with plant soil everywhere & overflowing bins. At reception whilst checking in we asked for a safety deposit key to which we were told there were none available. Therefore having nowhere safe to keep our valuables overnight.

On our way to our room which we were already dreading due to the grubby state of the hallways & the gap around the door frame which you could see through to our room we noticed also how many locks looked to be faulty on the outside of doors.

In our room there was thick dust & untidy beds, the balcony doors & bathroom window did not lock (it did not even have a handle on it)! The bathroom was thick with mould & limescale, however the worst was yet to come - THERE WAS HUMAN EXCREMENT OVER THE TOILET SEAT!! - which had supposedly been sanatised.

In the morning building works with cranes had started at approx 0730hrs (which we had not been informed by our rep would be happening) & also there were builders on the outside balconies above the pool.

The restaurant was disgusting & dirty, alongside the general standard of the food.

I have worked for a young & lively youth operator for a few seasons & would not expect our guests to have to experience this type of property - & our properties are supposede to be basic!!

I strongly recommend that no person in their right mind go to the San Anton Hotel (or it's sister The Santa Maria) as they are both disgusting establishments - unless you are a contractor that is knocking the buildings down!!

Arrived at San Anton on 26May05 for 2wk stay. Good start when Receptionist gave me my key, and only after I asked her, told me where the lifts were and directed me to 1st floor - eventually found my room on the 2nd floor!

Room: Gap above door and lock a bit dodgy. Bathroom dirty, cracked tiles, toilet bowl stained, holes above door, seal around bath dirty and broken, paintwork shabby - needs a complete overhaul. Bed linen and towels changed regularly - maid very pleasant, but floors filthy and I don't think they were cleaned for the 2wks - everytime I got out of the shower, my feet were filthy by the time I got into the bedroom area.

Hotel Cleanliness: Everywhere was dirty and shabby. Windowsills and the staircase were filthy - my hands were black after I leaned on them. The cleaners were always around, but I don't know what they were using because it wasn't working.

Food: Restaurant staff very friendly and helpful, but a bit slow with service at times. Food ok, no fresh fruit (even the fresh fruit salad for dessert was tinned). Breakfast choice very limited - toast was always cold.

Bar Service (including Snack bars): A nightmare - so slow in every bar. You had to order your drinks at a till and then give your receipt in at the bar - 1 person on the till, 1 person on the bar, 20+ people in the queue.

All Inclusive Service: Treated like a 2nd class citizen. Photo ID card given, but be warned you can only get 1 drink per person - order pints not halves!. Snacks OK. Soft drinks were never cold - they were pouring soft drinks from bottled Pepsi, and bottled water was out of a cupboard not a fridge most of the time.

Location of hotel: a good 20minute walk downhill to Buggiba/St Paul's Bay. I didn't feel safe walking around on my own at night - not very well lit outside and too many unlit side streets to get to main area of Buggiba.

Hotel staff on the whole were ok - just a bit slow with service.

Entertainment: alternates nightly between San Anton and Santa Maria, but same for the 2 wks. Karaoke was better than some of the singers.

Building work most mornings from 8am until 8.30am - like an alarm clock. All they seemed to be doing in the hotel was moving the railings back on the balconies, chipping concrete off, which was falling onto balconies below, into the pool area and also into the children's play area at the back of the hotel. I was on the right hand side of the hotel over the shop and opposite another building site of an apartment block.

In the welcome pack from the hotel reception it states that the hotel was refurbished within the last 2 years.

Personally, I wouldn't go back to this hotel. I think it should be closed down and have a complete overhaul. I also think it shouldn't be listed as a 3star hotel - it's a basic 2star (if that) - Malta Tourist Board need to look at this again.

I only booked this holiday a week before and I was not informed by Mercury Direct at any time of the building work going on on every side of the hotel.