Porto Azzurro Holiday Complex Hotel

Just got back from a much anticipated 10 nights in the above hotel and were very disappointed. On our arrival we were told we had no room, and had to rely on our niece and nephew giving up their beds and sleeping on the floor.
When we asked reception to contact our rep, the wrong company was contacted, and we were made to feel extremely ungrateful for not taking up the hotel's offer of the use of a car to take us to another hotel on the island (despite it being a family holiday, neither of us knowing our way round the island, or having our driving licenses with us).
As compensation, we were firstly offered a free evening meal (despite being half board) and even better - an extra night (but no flight!).
Our rep turned up late for our 12.30pm appointment, and despite the fact that he was pleasant and cheerful, he hardly kept in touch to see how things were and if we needed his guidance at all, telling us to ask the staff if we needed anything (which resulted in us arranging a 'shopping trip' to Silema on a Sunday where only McDonalds was open!)
We also had to use the minuscule lifts, though on our departure, one wasn't working and we had to carry our heavy cases up the stairs.
Admittedly, we stayed during the heat wave, but the 'air conditioning' was hardly adequate - probably as it wasn't actually connected up - also, one of our party had to deal with water dripping from it onto his bed during the whole stay!
The outdoor pool area was nice - and that pool was cleaned daily, but the indoor pool was stuffy, and on several occasions we had bits of skin and other objects which can't be described, floating past when using it as it was too hot to use the outdoor facilities.
The pool bar was hardly hygienic and flies were constantly around the food preparation area.
This bar was staffed by just one member of the team and it was a bit off putting when he was busy serving drinks at the same time as preparing your food, and was unable to be on constant 'fly duty'!
The rooms were 'cleaned' daily, which meant making the beds and giving you clean towels. On the whole, the rooms weren't bad, but could have been so much better with the addition of tea/coffee facilities, a fridge, and a brush of the tiled floor every other day, and giving the surfaces a quick wipe down.
The food was varied, but chillier cabinets are needed - it was ok for hot foods, (apart from the barbecue - where foods that had been cooked at least 3 hours before, tended to be cold!) but salads and cold meats were kept at room temperature, with flies for company.
Breakfast, for example, was served between 7.30am and 10.00am - I would hate to do a test for bacteria on ham and cheese that had been left out at room temperature for 3 hours or more.
We had no problems with the staff, but they didn't keep us fully informed - on our first night we ordered drinks, and were then reprimanded at breakfast the following day for not paying our bill as we'd assumed it would be paid at the end, barbecues were held on a Monday rather than a Tuesday, and started at 4.15pm - so you can imagine how hot and tasty the burgers tasted when we went down at 7.30pm expecting a 3 course buffet menu! We were also unsure whether we'd have to pay extra for a barbecue as the hotel was advertising the cost of Lm4.50!
On the whole, this isolated Maltese version of Fawlty Towers didn't ruin our holiday for us, but it was a shame that we couldn't have been moved to a nicer hotel as it wasn't a cheap holiday.
Malta is a lovely picturesque island, steeped in history, but from this location, we returned home reflecting on what we hadn't seen rather than what we did see.

Porto Azzuro Hotel what a dump, this is stated as being a 3 star hotel that may be true when it was built. It has been allowed to fall into a state of dis-repair and should now be rated as 1 star.
The lift only works when you trip the sensor several times, the rooms are well below standard. As for the food, better is served in prisons.
There is nothing in the location, so unless you have a car you have only Sammy's Tavern which I class as 1 star, or the Riveria Restaurant that is 5 stars! this may be because it is owned and run by an Italian family who care about the service they offer.
The food is excellent and the portions are large, watch out if you order the pork chops as you get 2 and they are massive, I cannot fault this restaurant at all.
If you book trips with SMS Tours take care as they are not reliable when it comes to picking you up.
If you like birds and I mean the feathered kind, this is the place for you as they share your room with you, and they nest in every available place even the air vents. So after being woken up at 4.30 am by the rooster that crows all day the birds sing their hearts out and sound as if they are in the room with you.
These comments are not sour grapes, but the truth about this hotel and location, I am sure that there are many nice hotels on the island of Malta but this is most certainly not!

This was our second visit to Malta, the first being in a hotel, which we didn’t enjoy.
We found our accommodation at Porto Azzurro on our first visit, inspected our apartment, and paid for the next year, (2007) there and then.
We both thoroughly enjoyed our six week stay, but must admit that we didn’t use the dining room, instead having lunches in the bar, and ordering food to eat in the apartment.
Malta is Malta, so you either love it to death, or hate it!
We enjoy walking, and found that great walks, both coastal and country, to be within a few feet of the hotel front doors. Car hire we arranged by price, ending up with Avis, who proved to be a BIG disappointment. We won’t that mistake again.
Our apartment was clean, modern, and comfortable, with great balcony views. It was cleaned daily, the bedding being changed twice weekly. A small shop for immediate needs is situated in the basement, but we tended to supermarket shop, having the car.
The staff were cheery and very helpful, and we made friends there that we hope to maintain into the future. We both enjoyed our stay so much we have booked at Porto Azzurro for the next five winters, (Jan/March).
Cant rate the place highly enough for the money.

My holiday at Porto Azzuro was absolutely excellent! The staff were very friendly. The bar and restaurant were very clean and the staff always had a smile on their faces!
The pool was really good and we saw it being cleaned regularly. The pool bar was really good and provided good refreshment from the heat!
The only downside was the food, which was sometimes quite cold but if there was something you wanted if you didn’t like the food, they would be happy to oblige.
The hotel is a little out of the way but if you want peace and tranquillity, here is the place to be in Malta.
It must have been good because I have been back twice now and its better each time!

Holiday was great staff pool bar and everything was ok one thing about Malta is that it isn’t that lively and nothing to do I’d say its a 40 + holiday.
Beaches in Malta aren’t that great but the weather is. It is cheap to get around on buses but they are scary to go on lol. Overall great holiday, would go back and I’d recommend to people over 30. If you’re going to Malta I’d pick a hotel closer to the town in valetta because there isn’t much shops and pubs and restaurants in the little town.
Malta airport is lovely, it’s a new building nice inside. We were welcomed well and helped where to go, great holiday!

Porto Azzuro obviously has improved based on earlier comments, Quiet lazy location but ideal for traveling to best beaches and fabulous Gozo. Staff friendly, apartments clean, cannot comment on restaurant as went self catering (which was great) but facilities generally good (indoor pool, shop, sauna, multi gym etc), you certainly get your monies worth.
Any timeshare that is taking place is low key and no one approached us as it appeared to be taking place with people from outside who themselves had expressed an interest.
People staying at resort were a mix of nationalities inc. Welsh, Scots, English, Danes, Dutch, Germans, French, Italians and some Maltese and everyone was welcome, plenty of sun beds (enough for all) and excellent pool area
Only advice would be to exchange your money outside of the hotel as their rate is terrible and hire a car for 3 days as Malta is a great place to see if you've got wheels (make sure you go to Gozo on the ferry, family of four inc. car for less than 10 Lira).

Found the whole deal good. Food was average, staff helpful, fine indoor pool & gym.
Easy to get out and about on the buses. Loved it.
Mellieha, and the views over bay of the sea and Gozo Comino. From Marfa ridge one can see the whole of Malta, not far from the Popeye Village which had a wonderful xmas theme. So much culture & History, and interesting places, beautiful churches and genuinely friendly natives.
Only down side was the weather lots of rain in December.

I found the accommodation basic but ok, the pool area was lovely. The staff were great, very friendly. The only thing that spoiled it was being bothered by the timeshare staff who are a mix of Brits, French etc not Maltese.
It has put me off going back that hotel. It was very easy to get around the island by bus, there were two stops at the bottom of the hill (not too steep) travelling in both directions which got you to anywhere on the island, very cheap fares too!
Malta is a beautiful island but St. Paul’s bay was a bit too quiet for me. If I did return id prefer to stay at a more lively resort.