Venus Aparthotel

Awful, awful, awful. You get what you pay for - not. I personally have basic standards that were certainly not met - by the plaster falling from the walls, the brown stained pillows and mattresses, the frayed and still dirty bedding and towels. The balcony railing on our 3rd floor barely reached adult waist height and was very loose.
We had two rooms, one of which had a broken door and the other still had the previous holidaymakers living in it. We had to walk across the road for our meals - meals that I would not give to my pets. Disgusting, vile food and drink that I could never force upon my poor children. This was all learnt in the first few hours. I did not think it could get worse. No rep on hand to complain to.
My youngest daughter ended up in hospital having surgery on her back on our first night. She was bobbing up and down near the edge of the 'kiddies' pool at the Venus. She caught her back on the very sharp edging of the pool and ripped through flesh and muscle to expose the bones of her spine. She underwent emergency surgery to repair the damage.
We spoke to the holiday rep the following day who was rude and very aggressive. We moved out and found alternative accommodation that day. Vile place, vile staff who lie constantly.
DON'T GO THERE IF YOUR PERSONAL STANDARDS ARE HIGHER THAN THAT OF A RAT.

Horrific.
I stayed there for 2 weeks and I have decided to try and sue the company as they promised me a nice holiday with good views. When I got off the bus, I looked at the hotel and felt like I wanted to scream. The hotel was disgusting! I walked into the reception area and the staff were very unfriendly. I think she deliberately tried to send me into the wrong room and she sent me to the wrong hotel.
When I got into my room, I looked at the bed and it was dirty. My dog's pillow was cleaner and I would rather sleep in my toilet.
The food was disgusting, it was like eating a pile of horse manure and all the food was slimy and after that I had food poisoning for 3 weeks!
The pool was deep and unclean, it looked like they had let a shark loose on a young child and let it rot in the bottom of the pool!
Near to the beach my a**e it was about as near to the beach as Russia is near to England! It was a awful walk! You had to walk down some disgusting street with rats and other creatures crawling up my leg.
My husband originally bought me this as a thank you for our 25 years of marriage and after the holiday I am surprised I didn't kill him!
It was horrific, if you are going or thinking of going then I would literally hire a skip and sleep in it as you would get better value for money!!
I am disgusted in what I saw and would never venture anywhere near Malta with a barge pole!! If you are thinking of it then go to a good hotel about 3* - 5* and near the beach as you will avoid most of the disgusting sites!! If you are after something more cultural then go to Sicily as we got a boat trip there and it was lovely!!
Overall review: 0 / 10 (horrible)

Our rooms were not available on arrival. Keys were being handed out to other rooms which were already occupied. The management were not sure of who was staying where.
Some guests had to clean their own rooms before they could get into them. People wandering into the hotel off the street. No security guards. Total indifference/rudeness of reception staff to complaints.
The apartment should have been available at 4:00am it was not ready until 3:00pm, other guests were still in the room at 11:30am as they had double booked the room. Our apartment to take 3 hours to clean and we were warned not to open the windows because of cockroaches.
The apartment was hot and humid with one fan hanging off the wall which was never repaired and the telephone in the room did not work and was never repaired. The boiler was constantly on adding to the heat and was eventually turned off, as it could not be repaired, we then had no hot water.
All of us suffered from flea bites.
The children’s pool was unclean, the water a milky colour and the pool area filthy. The main pool area was unclean and filthy with regular sightings of cockroaches. The sunbeds all had something wrong with them.
No-one stopping noise from the pool area after 9pm, complaints of excessive noise not being dealt with and children were allowed in the pool unsupervised late into the night.
This hotel and its sister hotel, The Palm Court, where we were offered alternative accommodation, are the worst run, dirtiest and unsafe places we have ever stayed at and definitely not somewhere to take children.
It took us 4 days to find other accommodation.

DO NOT STAY AT THIS DUMP UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES !!!!
This is without any doubt the worst hotel me and my partner have stayed at. It is so run down and dirty. The sheets were not changed the whole week we were there, the fan on the ceiling was loose and made a terrible squeaking noise, the sheets also had rips in them.
The room was dirty and the bathroom was even worse with the shower hanging off the wall, the bath full of dirty marks. Oh and we found a cockroach on the floor on the way to our room. The lift does not feel safe either. I found the food across at the Palm Court not to bad, and a good variety over the week.
The resort itself is great if you like England with sunshine. Full of English pubs shops etc all over the island. But Buggeba was like a little England more so. A night out could consist of bingo or kareoke or just sitting in a pub getting drunk if that's your thing.
Don't use the reps for trips they are to expensive. We used the buses to get around and they were brill always on time and really cheap. Go to the silent city its beautiful.
I would not go back to Malta again to touristy for my liking. But please if you do go to Malta please please don't stay at this dump of a hotel, even the rats are leaving it cos its to dirty for them.

This is now my 5th stay at this accommodation and I have to say that for what you pay the accommodation really isn't bad at all (room 3B). Okay so it's basic but clean and well situated hence the reason for my continuous return.
British Jet is a great airline with a modern McDonnell Douglas 90 aircraft. The outward and return flight was on time and the crew were friendly and helpful. Smooth take off & landing. Air Malta and British Airways does have a way to go to catch up to this airline.
Each year I have stayed at the Venus and Rueben’s as it was called a year ago things have improved and it is noticeable.
The staff are friendly and helpful. The pools are clean and tended too every day.
I must admit that Malta Bargains is the cheapest operator to Malta and will continue to get my custom in future years. So if you’re looking for a holiday to Malta and only read reviews to help you make your mind up to book then give this one a try and you won't be disappointed, and you will even be amazed at the cost too.
I have given the rating of 8/10 as the value and cleanliness together with the service by British Jet. If you want 4 stars then book a 4 star but be prepared to pay for it! (Common sense really).
Looking forward to my next Malta holiday next year.

I and my fiancé have just returned from a fantastic week in Malta staying at the Venus Aparthotel.
After reading some of the reviews on here before we went I was quite worried about the accommodation, but when we arrived I was pleasantly surprised.
The room was clean and modern, the bathroom a little old fashioned but in good working order. There is no air conditioning but there is a ceiling fan and cool air puffer which we found fine.
The pool at the Venus was small and water cloudy so we didn't use that pool, but as Palm Court is the sister Hotel across the road we could use all the facilities there.
The pool at Palm Court is much bigger and clean, there is a bar, and all meals were served there.
We were on half board and ate breakfast in the hotel everyday which was really nice - toast/Jam, cereal, full cooked breakfast, & cold fruit juice. We ate dinner once, the food was basic but is edible, and plenty of people were really enjoying it but as I’m vegetarian there was limited choice (as there is with any half board hotel).
But there are loads of really lovely restaurants & Bars at very reasonable prices on the walk down to the sea front and in the main square as you walk into Buggiba.
We would highly recommend the Captain Morgan Cruises to Comino, the waters are crystal clear and lovely to swim in and lunch is included which was lovely -great value for money.
We also did a trip to Sicily which we really enjoyed, it is expensive & be prepared for a very long day on a coach but the sights of Sicily are beautiful and it’s well worth it when you are on Mnt Etna 2000 meters above sea level - a once in a life time opportunity for most.
We also took the number 49 bus to Valletta for the day; go early, as the shops siesta between 1-4 but all the museums, cafes and main tourist bits stay open. If you are interested in history the Chinese Terracotta Soldiers exhibition is at the National Museum of Archaeology until July, it is amazing. There is also a great cafe in the square called Caffe Cordina which I would recommend for lunch.
One thing we would say to look out for when you are out and about in Qawra is the time share touts who also call themselves holiday club, holiday return etc. They are really annoying. They may tell you that you have won a Holiday (they are using the Airtours name) or offer you free gifts like alcohol or cigarettes to get you in the hotel to listen to a sales pitch which is really boring & long - basically they all want money from you & get a bit funny & pushy if you say no.
However, if you can handle that then at least you get to sit in an air conditioned hotel, get a free drink and they give you your promised free gifts even if you say no (even if the bottles of alcohol are tiny)!! I personally suggest avoiding them.
If you are thinking of booking this holiday then go for it or if you have already booked you will enjoy it, just make the most of it and make the effort to see Malta.
If you bear in mind the small amount of money that you pay for the holiday then you should agree this is a great bargain.

1 reader found this review helpful

Having read some reviews on here, I was a bit uneasy when arriving at the Venus.
But my initial thoughts upon pulling up outside in the bus were, "Is this it? This doesn't look as bad as the reviews made out!” And to be honest, it wasn't! Just as well too, as I was there for 45 days.
I am actually returning to the Venus again this Friday for a week (May 2007), so that should prove to anyone reading who may feel a little anxious from some of the prior reviews!
I can safely say though that if you want a basic, no nonsense, and cheap hotel with good value for money, then look no further. We had a maid service every day, the room was basic yet clean with fresh towels being left daily and all the staff brilliant.
As already mentioned in the previous review, during my stay (from Feb-April), the meals where being served over at the Palm Court (this may have changed now, I will check when I return there this Friday!).
Granted, the meals got a bit tiresome due to our lengthy stay, but if you are going there for a week, or even 2 weeks, there would be plenty on the menu for you to enjoy.
Again, the food is simple but plenty nice enough and you can eat as much as you want. I would recommend eating out though as well, there are some great restaurants nearby doing top local dishes!
The good thing about the Venus (and its sister hotel Palm Court), is that it’s a simple 2 minute walk into Bugibba, which has a bus terminus. You can then take a bus to literally ANYWHERE on the Island for as little as 23 cents.
In addition to the buses, Bugibba has plenty of bars and restaurants. If you’re young, make sure you check out Miracles bar in Bugibba on a Sunday afternoon for loads of live DJ’s and a great atmosphere!
Also a 15 minute bus ride and you can be at the increasingly popular nightlife capital of Paceville, or the picturesque Mellieha Bay.
You may wish to splash out on a more expensive hotel, but if you are a veteran to Malta and want something easy, or you’re on a budget, this would definitely be ideal for you.
The only complaint was towards the end of the stay; an extremely rude young chap serving in the Palm Court restaurant, but hey you get those types of people everywhere!
Hope your stay was as enjoyable of mine, remember, it’s what you make of it!

Me and my boyfriend stayed in the Venus in Feb. (07) for a week.
When we arrived we were unsure as to what to expect, as the majority of reviews written on here were negative.
However we arrived to a very clean, spacious and tidy room, beds were made, clean towels laid out etc. The shower in the bathroom however, had no stand so we had to hold the shower head whilst having a shower, which wasn’t so good.
We switched on the TV and to change channels we had to use our room key to poke the buttons, however we mentioned it to reception and the maintenance man fixed it the next morning, which we were pleased about.
There's nothing much else I can say bad about the Venus. We had fully working heating and fan temp which we could change at any time from our room.
Beds we found were very comfortable and room furniture clean and modern, so overall on the accommodation side, it was very pleasant, considering the budget price we paid.
As soon as we unpacked etc we realised our dinner would be served across the road, at Palm Court, due to us being half board we thought we should take advantage of the food that we paid to eat..
We ate there once, the day we arrived, and the food served was not what we wanted to eat, it was all laid out in open containers, the carvery meat had no taste and was very chewy, salad was very bland, and overall on the food side, it wasn’t nice!
After that, we ate out every meal times, and had some great meals in some fine restaurants which worked out extremely cheap!
We also went on some tours which we booked across the road at a car hire/tour shop; the tours were only equivalent to a few pounds each, which we thought were amazing!
Buses are only around 50cent and that could be to Valletta or across the island. Very cheap!
I most probably will be visiting Malta again as there is so much to see and is a great place to spend a holiday, however I think, I will pay that little bit more, and have fine meals served at least in the same restaurant.
Venus isn't the Ritz but is a pleasant base for accommodation.

This holiday was bought for my husband and me as our wedding present. That’s right it was our honeymoon!
As soon as we arrived the smell was stomach turning. There was cockroaches in the reception areas.
I dreaded to think what our room would be like, but when we got up there... oh my god! It was filthy.The sheets were torn and stained as were the pillows. They also smelt vile.
We had cockroaches in our room, the bathroom was disgusting and the fan was close to dropping of the ceiling.
We did see the pool get cleaned from our balcony; however this was done by emptying a very large bucket of salt into the water. That was it. The sides of the pool were thick with slime. Basically I would not have swum in it.
The food? Well we were booked in as full board but there was no way I was going to eat anything offered to me. We ate out all the time; we didn’t even bother with a coffee or tea in the morning, preferring to go to the local café.
The staff just didn’t care and the barman.....well he never talked only grunted.
However the local people in Malta are some of the nicest people I have ever met, very helpful and friendly. If you are planning a trip to Malta please make sure you don’t book into the Venus or its sister hotel.

I journeyed to the Venus Aparthotel worried about what I would find after reading some of the comments that have been written.
When I got there I found one of the best holidays I have had abroad.
Our room was always clean and the bed linen changed. I think people have to bear in mind what they paid for there holidays before they go criticising.
The rooms were basic yes but it’s only a 3*hotel you can’t expect a 5*. The towels and bed linen were changed constantly and the beds were always made when we got back from our jaunts out.
During our holiday we faced a fan that was about to separate itself from the ceiling, a tap that didn’t have hot water, a light that separated itself from the wall and a bathroom door handle that locked me inside it (we had to get the maid to get me out.)
And all were rectified as soon as we requested. But I felt none of this mattered- you have to have a sense of humour.

The staff were amazing and always willing to help sort out problems and they were all cheerful (especially the man who woke us up at 5am for our wake up call we ordered!) I cannot say anything better about the staff.
As for the pool being dirty- it wasn’t. I swam in it and I didn’t have either conjunctivitis or an ear infection. And the claims that there was a smell of raw sewage are incorrect to-there was no such smell and we went in the summer!
The food was nice if you like living on chips. It was catered more towards British, so not very good if you wanted to eat Maltese. It was all edible though- and there was unlimited tea and coffee and unlimited ice cream!
On a night we went to Qawra as there was no entertainment on at the Venus- it was all on at the Palm Court. We went to the Qawra Palace for our drinks and entertainment.
I have to say this holiday was one of the best I have had abroad.
Yes it may have been basic but you didn’t pay for 5* so you don’t get 5*. I would highly recommend Malta to my friends and family and I am thinking of making a trip back there with my parents.
P.S the TV wasn’t broken. You just had to rent the channel changer from the reception. Personally, I don’t feel you need a TV. There’s so much to do!