Barcelo Fortina Malta

"This was our first trip to Malta and we will definitely be returning. Our experience of the Hotel staff and environment was faultless. Nora welcomed us at the Reception desk and couldn’t have been more friendly or helpful. All the staff we met from the hotel, the Spa and outside pool were attentive and very friendly. The pool at the Spa was great and the sauna was an added bonus. Our room was clean and the Room staff were great. Each evening we returned to our room to find chocolates on our pillows. Our view was partial sea view which was ok but I imagine a room with full sea view is amazing. Location was fantastic. Short stroll to the beach where the sea was crystal clear and an equally short walk to the Valletta ferry. Our experience of the outside pool was actually very positive. I was though pleased we were there out of season as I imagine it would get very busy. We had views of the water from our sun beds which was great. All in all a wonderful week away was had."

"We had a lovely stay at the Barcelo Forte. The staff were fantastic - nothing was too much trouble for them and we were warmly welcomed. Our room was lovely - huge, comfortable bed, large bathtub, great shower and plentiful tea and coffee with free bottles of water every day. Breakfast was incredibly varied - so much choice and the food was high quality, with options for freshly cooked if people wanted it. Staff were very efficient and food was restocked immediately. We booked and used the pool a few times - we can't really understand the number of people moaning about this. Perhaps they prefer to have to get up at 7am and put their towels down. Yes, the sunbeds that the hotel guests can use are towards the back (of four rows, hotel guests can use the back two rows), but the beds were luxurious, there was a sea view and the pool is great. You have to book a morning or afternoon slot (9-2 or 2-6) which I guess for people wanting to spend the whole day lounging by the pool is not ideal, but we were happy to do this and then spend some time sightseeing. We hired a car and parked in the hotel at a cost of €15 a day - it was worth that for the peace of mind and guaranteed space, but you could take your chances and try to use the street parking, which is free and plentiful but tends to fill up quickly. The ferry across to Valletta which is regular and very quick is just a five minute walk from the hotel and there are loads of good restaurants within walking distance. We had an amazing meal at the Asia restaurant directly across the road, above the beach club. All in all it was an excellent stay, marred only by lots of British tourists complaining about the smallest of things. We didn't know how the hotel staff kept smiling in the face of all that carping, but they did."

"We have visited this place several times and have consistently been amazed. Be sure to choose a room with sea front views; while the rooms are lovely on their own, the breathtaking vistas make all the difference. In my opinion, Silema is the best spot. It's more tranquil compared to other areas, and transportation makes it easy to explore the island. You can enjoy a livelier environment and then return to a peaceful retreat when you need to unwind."