Dolmen Resort Hotel

Thomas Cook Airline--crowded with little to no legroom. Hotel, particularly Room 591, allocated to us, would not rate even 2 star in Beirut! Furniture old, torn, stained and tired. Bathroom euipment certainly needing upgraded. Restaurant menus unappetising mostly and repetitive. Some rooms have been refurbished obviously but a CRT television of a type I discarded 15 years ago still able to function. although I had to lift it across the room to reach a suitable plug! If you still intend to book this hotel, I recommend only bed and breakfast. The addition cost for half board is high when considered against the really good selection and cheaper prices of small restaurants a few yards from the hotel.

1 reader found this review helpful

Hotel was excellent - food above average . Management and staff very helpful . Service again above average . Spa and all pools within hotel grounds clean and well maintained. There is a tennis court which we didnt use . Malta is alittle more expensive since it has joined the E.U. but bus fares remain very cheap and eating out is still good value . Would certainly use this hotel again and would book with Travelrepublic - airport parking prebooked with Travelrepublic was very good value and was a very smooth transaction . Transfers - flights and hotel again all perfect.

7 readers found this review helpful

As a middle aged couple, we have just returned from a week at The Dolmen. Prior to going I had read reviews on here and didn't really know what to expect as the reviews were very mixed. We don't usually choose a hotel which is so big but we were very pleased with it.
It is called a Resort Hotel I guess as it is a resort in itself and really does have something for everyone from children straight through to adults.
There is a wonderful cafe bar where you can eat in or out around the pool. There is an upmarket restaurant, a restaurant right besides the sea with the most stunning views, a spa, an indoor pool, numerous outdoor pools, an entertainments room (this was done outside when we went), a wine bar, a nightclub and a casino. I am sure that I have forgotten something, oh yes and an ancient temple in the grounds!!!!!
We did book one of the superior rooms on the 6th floor. It was amazing and we had one of those tempur mattresses which you really did not want to get out of. The size of the room was exceptional and the balcony was almost as big as the room.
We booked this room as we wanted to ensure that we were at the top of the hotel and there are only superior rooms at the top. I do have to agree that some of the rooms on the other floors looked tired in comparison. What we always find is that a four star hotel in Malta is not as smart as one in say, Spain or Portugal.
The room was cleaned daily to a high standard and we could have fresh towels when we liked. There was a small mini bar in the room which was not overpriced but we took out all the hotel stuff and used or own and put our milk in there (and wine!) as we had tea making facilities. The air conditioning was very good, we really needed it as it was 30+ most days. It was also left on for us by the cleaners so that our room was cool when we returned. In many hotels it is switched off when you are not there.
The hotel encourages recycling and there are containers on each floor for bottles and newspapers.
The only downsides we could find is that with late entertainment etc and breakfast going on until late we were needing to sleep. The cleaners would knock on your door to clean your room quite early. Even when we made sure that the "do not disturb" sign was on, they were still very noisy in the corridors. In addition the hotel was full and there were often queues for breakfast.
The resort was heaving and that made hiring a car difficult and parking often a nightmare. The hotel has its own car park but there is a charge. If going in the summer my advice is to book a car before you go.
Qawra is a few minutes walk from the next town which is buzzing at night with lots of bars and restaurants through we didn't find the food, on the whole, very exciting.
I would recommend the hotel and would pay the extra for the superior room as it is well worth it.

We have just returned from an excellent 2 week break at this hotel. We stayed in a junior suite, which was extremely spacious and modern in appearance, it had two bathrooms, 1 bedroom and would comfortably sleep 5 (there were 3 of us). The views were fabulous, the hotel facilities brilliant. Our 5 year old son loved the kids club, daily activities etc and so did we. I think the summer programme commences on 1 July (for activities etc). Excellent resort for those with younger families who want a hotel centred holiday. Our son took part in a mini Happy Feet musical staged by the fabulous Animation team, I think the adults enjoyed watching it more than the children who were taking part. Guests were a good mix of British, Irish, French, Scandanavian, Spanish, Italian and German.
Good range of other facilities, sea front bathing area more suited for adults with direct access into sea, beauty spa, Amazonia club etc.
We also visited Gozo (a must, the ink blue sea around the Azure window is very beautiful), and the Popeye Village (I would give the latter a miss next time round!).

In February I booked a 1 week holiday at the Dolmen Resort from 11 - 18 June. Having previously had 2 enjoyable stays at this hotel I was really looking forward returning. However, I arrived just after midnight to find that they had given my room to someone else and arranged for me to stay at another hotel for the night. Needless to say this hotel was awful. As a 78 year old woman travelling alone I was really really upset about this treatment. I was not allowed to check into the Dolmen until 2pm the following day and the management were not at all apologetic. This totally ruined my holiday and although I have emailed them twice to see if they would apologise they do not even bother to respond. They really don't seem to value their customers at all.

This has to be the worst hotel by far for choice of food. As a very well travelled person, and well aqauaint with 4 star accommadation, I have to seriously query the standard of this hotel. The rooms are dated, the bathrooms are small, and very outdated and tired looking. The choice of food has to be the worst thing about this hotel. As we were half board, we expected the choice of food to be of an edible standard. There are only 3 choices of main course for evening meal and 2 choices of sweets. If you want soup, then there is the take it or leave it choice! Cheese and biscuits are available, but again, 2 cheeses and only the one kind of biscuit. I would not recommend this hotel on a half board basis, but if you just want somewhere to sleep, and that is central for everything, then this is ideal. It is spacious with plenty of sunbathing places, and plenty of beds...no having to get up and lay your towels to reserve a bed. The entertainment is very limited and not at all like the brochure suggests. On the whole, I would rate this hotel 2 star for food, and 3 star for rooms but 5 star for location. Take a picnic with you if you want to eat at this hotel as the word "diabolical" springs to mind. I write this as a qualified mystery shopper. (23 years experience)

2 readers found this review helpful

we have been to malta 5 times but last year we stayed at the dolmen in jul we had a nice time the food was a1. The staff was very helpful the adccommodation was very clean allround. Hope to go back soon ie 08. Things to do in the dolmen was loads kids club pools x4 disco bars good entertainment most nights .Out and about loads of bars and food places the weather was very hot 90s most days. The dolmen is a 4 star and should be a 5 star the maltese people are very nice. the veiw from the dolmen is very stunning

We arrived excited and hoping for a relaxing Autumn break in Malta. We booked 7 nights B&B at the Dolmen after researching the various hotels on this and other review sites.
We arrived at the hotel at 22:30 at night along with three other couples who were on our flight. On our arrival we were greeted by the hotel staff in what is without a doubt a beautiful hotel - The Dolmen.
We were all told that there had been some overbooking and we were to be moved to the Sunshine Hotel for the first four nights, to return to the Dolmen on the Sunday night for the remaining three nights of our stay. We were all tired and did not put up much of a fight as we were assured that the Sunshine was the same standard as the Dolmen. Needless to say the Sunshine is listed as a four star, but is old, run down and in need of renovation (2-3 Star at best).
I am not a "Holiday Snob" by any means - but I do (like anyone else) expect to get what I have researched and paid for. We returned to the Dolmen the first morning of the holiday and when I explained that we had booked the Dolmen and not the Sunshine - the attitude of the manager and staff was "we are double booked and have placed you in a four star hotel". They would not be budged and we remained at the Sunshine.
When we did get into the Dolmen for the last three nights it was as fantastic as we had researched and I would happily go back there time and again as the location and facilities are great. However given the way we were messed around and relocated I would not risk it again.
I have rated the holiday overall a 2 out of 10 and this is based on our poor experience as stated above - it really did ruin what could have been a perfect holiday. If I had been at the Dolmen for the whole week I have no doubt I would have graded it a 9 out 10.
Please be warned - this is a fantastic hotel and reasonable in price - but you DO run a BIG risk of ending up in the Sunshine that I would rate no more than a 2-3 star hotel at best.

2 readers found this review helpful

This was our first time to Malta and we were a bit apprehensive because we booked it over the internet.
This was nothing to worry about!
We paid a little extra for a room with a Sea View and what a view it was.
The Hotel was amazing, staff all friendly and efficient, rooms were spacious and cleaned every day, and the food, WOW, it was great there was so much choice and plenty of it.
Everywhere was clean and tidy
We took our 10 year old son with us and he loved the hotel and staff they were all great with him, he spent a lot of time on the internet which they have situated in the hotel lobby.
He loved the indoor pool and outdoor pools which were kept spotlessly clean at all times.
This is a Top Class Hotel and I would seriously recommend it to people we would definitely go back there.

1 reader found this review helpful

We have just returned from Malta, staying at the Dolmen Resort Hotel.
The Hotel and facilities were excellent. The food choices were second to none and our room, with large patio area was overlooking the sea.
The cleanliness of all areas in the hotel and staff attention was very good.
The Dolmen Hotel overlooks the coast line and with all the amenities available you need not leave the Hotel to enjoy a completely relaxing holiday.
Arriving late there is also a 24hr restaurant near one of the swimming pools and again the food and service there is excellent.
The bus terminus is a 5 minute walk from the Hotel and provides a good service around the island. Bars, restaurants, and shops are all within easy walking distance.
Our Thomas Cook rep gave a very good "Welcome Presentation" and collection for tours were always on time. I would certainly recommend a day trip to Gozo but to benefit you need to go on an organised tour.
It is our third time in Malta and we would certainly return to the Dolmen Resort Hotel. September, October, and November are warm comfortable months to visit.