Please note: I have writen this review for another site as well as this one in case there are any queries about it appearing on two sites. Thanks.
I have been going to Malta with my parents for nine years now and we have always stayed at the White Dolphin apartments in Qawra.
This year, I took my girlfriend to Malta and we decided to stay at the Hotel Bella Vista. We had actually booked the Buggibba Holiday Complex, but then I became aware of this site and after reading the reviews I was soon back at the Travel Agents to enquire about changing our accommodation.
Unfortunately, the alternative options were pretty limited and I ended up choosing the Bella Vista despite the reviews on here not being the best.
Firstly, Malta is a great place - the people are - on the whole - very friendly, the weather is unbelievably hot and sunny in the summer months and there is a good choice of restaurants in Qawra and Buggiba. I have been surprised at some people claiming that Malta is a very dirty place - let me asure you, that while it may not be completely 100% immaculate, it is by no means 'dirty'. The one thing you will notice in Qawra/Buggiba is the amount of developments (apartments etc) that have been started and not completed - I often think how much money has been wasted on these unfinished preojects.
If you see any sort of litter anywhere it's likely to be bits n bobs thrown into these building site type areas. But as I say - all in all, Malta is very good cleanliness wise and that's from someone who's been going for nine years.
It's true that some of the pavements are pretty narrow and you'll have to walk in single
file - i.e. the one leading to and from the bella vista but if you go left from the hotel, the pavement soon widens out. The same is true if you go right as well and this is the way to go if you want to get to the square in Bugibba quickly. However, follow the pavement left from the front of the hotel and you'll soon reach a variety of restaurants and min markets and the like. For the young ones there's a club called Fuego down this way, which seems really popular - didn't head in ourselves though - maybe next time.
For food, we ate dinner mostly in Luzzu - a fab restaurant with fair prices, some nice sea-view tables and attentive staff. We tended to eat breakfast and lunch at the White Dolphin Apartments (the Il Garra - the restaurant/bar attached to the apartments and independently owned by William offer good food too).
One thing I have noticed about Malta this year is the number of boy racers who seem to be going about! All the young ones are out in force with the neons on and exhausts blaring - perhaps I'm noticing this more as I get older but I swear I don't remember it being so prominent before this year. Not a problem as such but I fear if the police don't start to act on the idiots driving too fast, there will be serious accidents.
Now - on to the Bella Vista hotel!!
I was nervous about what it would be like given some of the reviews on here but the main thing for my gf and I was that it was clean. When we arrived at the Hotel after a 3.5 hrs flight from Glasgow, we were informed by the female receptionist that our room wasn't ready yet and that it would be ready in 15mins. 'Here we go I thought' but I bit my lip and got us both a drink from the bar. I decided to head up to our room on the fifth floor to see if it was nearly ready. The lifts are nice and clean and when I got to my room I asked the maid cleaning the room next door if my room was ready....'about 1 hr was the reply'!!! I then explained that my gf and I had just arrived and she very kindly started on our room right away and let us put our luggage in our room so we could go and do our own thing (we arrived at 12.30pmish).
The room is a good size. The wardrobe has some hangers and all of the furnishings are in good condition and clean. There is also a hairdryer attached to the wall which was good and you can use it for free obviously. The bathroom was clean as were the towels. You are supposed to put a hanger type 'clean my room' sign on your door handle if you want your room cleaned - we never bothered but the maids came in every day and made our beds and gave us fresh towels - this was good. However, not once did they actually clean the floor and when you're coming in from the beach everyday etc it doesn't take long for the floor to get pretty grubby. I had to ask the maid to clean the floor and behind the beds about 4 days in and even then it was only half done.
Later on the day of our arrival, I decided to eat a cake I had taken with me from the inflight meal! I put the cake case on my bedside table and my gf and I dosed off. When I awoke an hour later I turned to find the cake case absolutely covered in ants with a long trail of ants going down the side of the bedside table to the balcony outside! I shiver thinking of it now. We killed them all and shut over the balcony door but I was paranoid for the rest of the holiday. I always made sure that the balcony door was shut as there were always ants moving around outside - horrible!! I didn't think the hotel would or actually could do much so I didn't see my rep or anything - plus I din't want the hassle.
I then decided to go to reception and pay 5lira (about £8) for the key to cool box in my room so we could keep water and biscuits in it etc. The same female receptionist from earlier said I would need to come back after 8pm! I don't know how I kept my cool but I did! 8pm came and I was informed by the male now on reception that I shouldn't actually expect the cool box to keep anything cold because it's very hot outside! He advised me to get a pint glass of ice from the bar and place that in alongside the water and biscuits in the cool box! It would be unfair to say that it didn't work at all but all I can say is it was very very poor - we bought a multipack of 6 btls of water from the local mini market and only drank 2, choosing instead to buy ourselves small bottles of COLD water when out and about. My advice would be the cool box is a waste of time and don't bother with it.
Food - I can't comment on. We were half board but after heading down for breakfast on the first morning, I decided I did'te like the look of it and we went elsewhere -you may like it however.
The staff on reception and at the bar aren't all that friendly but I guess I'm used to having people around me who I know at the White Dolphin. Nonetheless, It doesn't take much to smile and have a joke or two.
Our view from the balcony was privately owned aprtmnents straight ahead, a car junk yard to the right and a building site to the left - however, there was no noise from the site waking us up or anything during our week there.
The key to getting to the square in Bugibba quickly (you'll find most of the shops and bars here) is to turn right when you leave the hotel. You'll soon come across the EMPIRE cinema all lit up - head up by it and you'll soon find yourself in Bugibba. You can also go left at the hotel where the walk will take you about 30-40 mins. This sounds a lot but you'll pass lots of eateries and entertainment venues on the way, you'll enjoy the nice coastline walk and you might even choose to get a horse drawn carriage ride down to the square. One word of advice here - HAGGLE. When you ask how much to the square? you'll be offered a 'lovely ride around bla bla bla' we just wanted a ride to the square - the first time we paid about 9LIRA (£15 approx) but the next night with a different horse we decided to haggle. We were quoted 10 lira, we said no, we were then quoted 9lira, we said no, said 7lira? he said 8lira, we started to walk and hey presto....we got it for 7!!!!(£10 odds).
Going back to the room again - the aircon didn;t seem very good - cold air definately came out but it didn;'t seem to chill the room as such. It was nowhere near as good as I had been hoping for so this was definately a big letdown as in Malta's summer heat - good aircon is essential if you're to get a decent sleep at night - especially after a day of sunbathing when you'll probably be really hot anyway.
One really good point about the hotel though, is the indoor pool and jacuzzi. They were generally pretty quiet and we spent hours in the jacuzzi - sooooo relaxing. There are also sun loungers down here (no sun though) and there is a fitness room which we tried out too - all really good!
so.....if you've booked the bella vista already and are wprrying you've made the wrong choice I'd say this... it's defo not a 4 star hotel - maybe a 3 I'd say. There will be things that annoy you - probably the things I've listed above! but you could go and love the place! Personally, I wouldn't go back and I think I'll stick to Thomson or Thomas Cook as I don't really rate Airtours. If you're thinking of booking the bella vista I'd be inclined to say don't - there must be better out there for the money - the Whitedolphin is only one example (I also like the look of the Coastline! mmmmmm).
Best of luck
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
not available - HRS Rating: 6,10/10 - A modern newly built hotel with 157 rooms. All ... more
rooms are well appointed with balcony, bathroom ensuite and most of the rooms have picturesque countryside views and pool views. It is located on the outskirts of Qaw...
Advantages: accommodating for large families, indoor pool nice and quiet, modern Disadvantages: right on a main busy road, not many amenities close-by like small shop etc
Advantages: accommodating for large families, indoor pool nice and quiet, modern Disadvantages: right on a main busy road, not many amenities close-by like small shop etc
Oct 1st, 2006
very helpful by (100%):
