Mellieha Bay, Hotel Mellieha Bay

The food service and staff are excellent.

The entertainment is an insult, 4 young people dancing ? To an animated large screen or rather throwing themselves around the stage in costumes that were cheap and tacky. When the singer did an Elvis tribute we thought he was joking he couldn't hit a note.

Apart from a female singer the first week we were there and a male singer who screamed along to popular songs there was no other entertainment. Some of the items listed on the board didn't happen.

Many people who have been going at Christmas for as much as 20 years say they will not be returning.

We are frequent "retired" travellers and we always stay in hotels with 4 stars and above. This hotel definitely does not warrant 4 stars - it rates as the worst 4 star we have ever stayed in.

This is a tired old hotel and well past its "sell by date". It needs total redevelopment and proper management. This is a great shame as the hotel is in an ideal location with lovely views.

The concept of non-smoking rooms seems beyond their understanding. We requested a non-smoking room at the time of booking and I also sent an e-mail to the hotel 24 hours before arriving (I put a read receipt on and it was read), but we still got a smelly, smoky room and we never saw any floors/rooms marked as non-smoking.

Our room had single beds pushed together with a gap and old, worn-out flat pillows. For an English speaking island we were amazed to have only one English channel (BBC Prime) on the TV. Balcony doors open outwards (not a sliding patio door) so using the balcony chairs and trying to get in/out of the room with a glass of wine in hand called for a bit of logistics.

We were not impressed with the food quality or choice. Boring breakfasts, same every day. No on the spot or show cooking. Dinners with choice of one soup, low-lights were reconstituted turkey roll and stuffed pork i.e. no proper meat joints. A small variety of desserts.

Don't have the cheap wine carafes. The wine actually wasn't too bad, but you may notice that the carafes don't get washed out after use and you may well find all sorts of gunk at the bottom.

Not enough staff in the restaurant, yet you will find some standing around idle. No proper management watching over the room to ensure efficiency. The waiter may dump the wine on your table (no pouring and tasting every time here); consider yourself lucky if you get the wine before you have finished your starter. Tables and chairs too close together, often difficult to get in and out if you have someone right behind you. Tables often remained un-cleared after each course. Replenishment of food in buffet areas haphazard, some times needed to visit the other food area to get items which had run out. Several times I spotted "chefs" "cleaning up" dropped items of food around the serving trays and putting scraps back with the other food. Overall, the restaurant service was totally disgraceful.

Hotel management seemed non-existent; none seen patrolling the hotel or grounds. No porterage and you may have to negotiate stairs before you can use the lift. No table service in the caf lounge or the bar - get your drinks yourself or die of thirst.

The main pool was cleaned infrequently. The children's pool was absolutely filthy; after we saw a family with toddlers complain it was given a good clean up. During our second week the pool by "Jamaica Inn" was roped off and out of service. The hotels private beach is very small and never appeared to be cleaned of washed up rubbish. Sun loungers worn out and uncomfortable, that is if you can find one that isn't broke.

The hotels public toilets were smelliest and dirtiest we have encountered in any 4 star hotel. Don't use the gents located below the swimming pool.

Malta is not the prettiest of islands, but it does have history and a lot of archaeological sites which we found interesting. The people are very friendly and welcoming.

We just wish we had chosen a better hotel up to the standards we have come to expect.

The Hotel Mellieha Bay in Malta is a fantastic hotel! There are lovely pools, plenty of sun loungers and beautiful views across the bay,

We are a thirty something couple with an 8 year old, and we enjoyed our stay there so much that we will be returning again 2006.

The only downside was that the evening entertainment could have been geared more towards families, but it was a fabulous holiday, and we are going back again this year. Great food choices if staying half board, so be prepared to put on some weight.