115 The Strand Hotel

I had tried for almost 2 years to book a holiday at this hotel. It's location is prime and the view is superb. However, when I went to book I used one of the popular booking websites. I wanted a seaview room and the advert didn't make it clear so I called the hotel and asked them to confirm once I had booked. They told me to place the request in the comments box and that would be ok. Three days later they emailed me asking for twice the total amount. They say that I either pay or have an inland room at the back. This is not what we had agreed and it has left me having to find another hotel. Travellers beware of this practice and get your room confirmed in writing before you to this hotel.

I've seen a lot of negative reviews here and just can't understand why - we had the most wonderful time at The Strand during our week in Malta. We went here for our honeymoon and opted to go self catering, as it was cheaper and in our experience, breakfasts at hotels aren't usually worth getting up early for. The staff were pleasant and helpful and really appreciated our efforts to speak a little Maltese. There was always someone at the desk if you needed help, and they were quite well informed about the area which we found immensely helpful. The premises were well kept and cleaned regularly. Our room was basic, but for the price we paid we got a great deal - clean bathroom with all necessary facilities, small cooking area with some utensils and a fridge/freezer, toaster and kettle, a dining area, a sofa, a comfortable bed, air conditioning, a wardrobe, television with multiple language channels and a small balcony. The balcony looked out into an internal part of the hotel, so you don't get a great view, but we didn't fancy paying for a sea view so were quite content with what we had. In any case, the hotel was mainly just a base for us, so we didn't feel a nice view was necessary (although if you do want a great view, it's well worth going to the top floor and sitting on the roof balcony - wonderful harbour views there!) There's also a small but pleasant spa/pool, but personally I would rather walk a little way to the beach or the lido than stay at the hotel all day! And everything is within easy walking distance, which is a great bonus. The hotel also has its own little cafe and bookshop, which I thought was fantastic and sold lovely Maltese pastries for a reasonable price, and also has a gift shop. On our last day, we were able to leave our luggage in a small storage area until we were ready to leave, which was very helpful. All in all, I would readily go back to the Aparthotel - we got a fantastic bargain. The people who have complained about it seem to overlook the fact that it is very cheap to stay there. If you're looking for luxury, this isn't for you, but if you want a pleasant, cheap place to stay for an enjoyable holiday, with friendly staff and a relaxed atmosphere, this is definitely the place for you.

This was the worst experience i have ever had, DO NOT STAY HERE.. the reception is was very unacommidating, the rooms are dirty, we were told we had a "balcony", but really we had a balcony that opened up to a small opening in the middle of the building about 3 feet wide where sewage pipes ran down and we had to keep it closed and suffocate because it smelled so badly. So our view was the window of the toilet in another room with no sunlight. The breakfast is very poor aswell. Many people paid the cancellation fee and stayed elsewhere upon arrival. Seriously, it is not worth it because its cheap-stay somewhere nicer and cleaner on your holiday it is worth the extra $.

Our 1 week stay over Christmas was a little surreal. From the management hosted sherry parties to the 'entertainment programme' (the highlight being Tommy One Man Band) to the notices stating "It is very important to make as little noise as possible inside your room or in the corridors", this place was like Fawlty Towers on a bad day. The 70's decor, the snooty reception staff, the rubber sausages and flourescent yogurt vats at breakfast provided endless talking points and lots of hilarity throughout the week. It is difficult to rate this place as it's in a little world of its own. There were a good few plus points: Rooms were large and clean, though pretty basic and cheaply kitted out. My mum had the sea view and it was well worth the extra few bob. The view from the rooftop balcony area is equally good. Location is great, you can't fault it. And best of all, it was cheap as chips...

We spent a week at the strand and after reading some other reviews were pleasantly suprised by the helpful and welcoming staff. Our room was an apartment for three, it was cheap and had no view and the ac was very noisy, cleanliness of the bathroom left a little to be desired but despite this it was well equipped, large, lots of hot water and a good base for exploring malta. the roof terrace was the best thing of all with a jacuzzi and lovely views of sliema harbour. Good choice at breakfast and central for shops and resteraunts.

Make sure to get a room with a see view. If you get that the price is ok. Othertwise make sure the AC is working. Avoid rooms facings garden or without windows. The staff is very helpfull and will assit you in any way they can. Nice breakfast menu. If your planing to take a day trip, don´t hesitate to use any of the agents along the strand they all seem relayble I´ve used 2 of them. whit out any problems.

I spent two nights on a business trip, this was the only hotel that I was able to book on short notice. Unfortunately for me I understood why, for a three star hotel the quality was extremely low. The staff do not seem to have any formal training, no sense of welcoming whatsoever and give the impression that they would have preferred to be elsewhere. I booked a harbor view room and was at least pleased to have a balcony on which I could escape from the dreadful room. Most of the furniture was very basic quality and had obviously not been changed since many years, scraped and scratched. The bed structure appeared to have been made from rough wooden planks vaguely screwed together. The bathroom was to say the least usable but definitely in need of a good scrubbing. One positive point though was that the room was relatively large. It had a reasonable sized salon with some simple furniture. The tiled floors were clean throughout the room although the paintwork was in dire need of a refreshing. I had breakfast in the hotel on the first day, the buffet was terrible, cheap meats and processed cheese with a very poor choice of bread. Coffee came from an automatic machine and appeared to be of the instant kind. I drank a coffee on the second day and ate breakfast elsewhere that morning. I did not eat there in the evening as a local tour guide operator kindly explained that I would make a better choice eating in one of the close by restaurants, enough said.... The location is not so bad and does have an attractive view, although the main street down below has its fair share of boy racers, but then again all of the hotels on the boulevard suffer from this problem. I would definitely say this hotel was nothing short of grubby and would not go back. It does not merit three stars and would give it no more than 2 out of 10.

Stayed here for 4 nights, on arrival at the hotel the reception area is clean and well presented however it was downhill from here. Staff: The reception staff were rude, arrogant and lacked basic customer service skills and general manners although they did have local knowledge of bus routes etc. Room: We had booked an inland view studio room however an inland view was in fact no view or rather the studio opposite. There was no natural light in the room, we did approach reception to request another room and they showed us room 706 however this was just as dark and dirtier than the first. The bathroom was very small, the shower useless and not as clean as expected there was also no opening window (the window looked into a cleaners cupboard) or ventilation. The beds and pillows were past their best although the sheets were clean we still had to sleep on towels because of the state of the pillows. The beds are also no good if you are over 5’5”. The air conditioning and fridge were the only plus points the room had to offer. Location: Hotel is in a good location and the taxi from the airport cost 8.75LM (prepay the taxi inside the airport which is situated to the left at the end of the car hire firms). There is a bus stop on the opposite side to the hotel, buses 62, 64 and 66 go to Valetta and 645 to Gozo ferry terminal and Melliha Bay and 652 to Buggiba. The buses are very cheap and a regular service although you may end up with your back in traction due to the pots holes, mad driving and condition of 1960’s/1970’s buses this however all adds to the fun! There are several restaurants within walking distance and many fast food outlets such as Burger King, McDonalds, Pizza Hut and TGI Fridays. Malta is a very pleasant place especially in the evening when the streets come alive with locals who meet up on the sea front and you always feel safe there are however rowdy Italian students although they do not cause you any trouble. Overall we would return to Malta but would choose to stay elsewhere (possibly the Waterfront Hotel which looks lovely).

my family and i have just returned from a lovely stay at 115 the strand once we got sorted. At first the rooms we were allocated were like little prison cells (clean and tidy) but very dark. we were gutted when we thought the weather was cloudy, until we put our head out of the bathroom window and looked up 8 floors. we went to reception the following morning to see if we could change our rooms the girls there were very helpful and found 4 new rooms with sea view and balcony which were a lot better. the rooms were cleaned every day, towels changed etc. bookbites and nice things were lovely little shops that our kids loved to look round. we found the hotel and it's staff excellent. But our only complaint was the large amount of spanish language students were ill mannered and rude and to be honest their teachers were not much better. That is our only complaint. We had a fab holiday and would go back as long as there wasn't at many students.

The entrance, launge bar are not very large, but nice marble finition and very well maintained. The 2 elevators are somewhat slow, certainly on the rush hours. One of the problems is that they are not computer connected with each other. If they would do that, it would avoid that nearly all guests push on both buttons where after the both elevators either stop or go to the requested floor. There is no proviate parking, but in front of the hotel it is reasoble to find place, mainly end of the day or in the evening. First night we received room 205 a 1 room apartment, small with a tiny kitchen. The voucher showed seview, but this seemed not availble. The big problem however is that all rooms with 4,5,6,7 and 8 are due to the long construction inside the building. It means that you have "prison view" on a wall with some daylight falling in the square funnel. Simply horrible if you stay a week or longer. (Nothe that is concerns 50 pct of the rooms) The next day at the reception they offered me or a seaview (which is in fact harbour view) hotel room or an apartment with separate sleeping room at the back side. We choose the latter, room 410. It was called "streetview" but in fact giving view on a the backyard with downstairs a palmtree and behind the back of other blocs. Anyway much more acceptable. There was a small balcony, but again I do not understand why it did not have the same size as those in front. Only standing outside was possible. Anyway I could live with this. On itself the appartement was excellent in size for 2 persons, but I fear that with 4 persons for which it was designed, it is really tight. The furniture is good, enough hangers place etc for 2 persons at least. The little TV is offering free and paytv. The free tv is very bad quality, tenically speaking. The kitchen itself is ok. The equipment is very poor and hardly sufficient for use of 2 persons. It is impossible to fry meat for 4 persons at once! A very tiny frieing tefal pan. On top of that the electrical plates (2 ) canot be considered as safe. Probably due to bad earthing it was not confortable to touch the cooking equipment in metal with your bare hand, due to slight electricity! The main problem in the rooms is contrary to the well maintained public areas the very poor daily maintenance. - the fridge was completely frozen, and the little freezer simply not to use due to icing. I have myself defrosted and cleaned the fridge! So I could use the freezer part and the fridge was working well afterwards. - dirty kitchen towel and table cloth, which as per instruction I put on the floor was not replaced! I had to call services, who after hours did immediatly the necessary, but it is not the idea. - another day, garbage bags were not taken away, but they did take the empty bottles (probably for the return fee in the supermarket!) - the beds were properly made up each day. That is ok. - the general cleanlyness of the floor could be much better. - in fact 2 or 3 times I needed to leave a note for the maid with some remarks, which I simply consider it was "standard" even for a 3 star. The "swimming jacuzzi" on the top floor is nice after a day visits. It is not suitable for "real swimming", but it is certainly a refreshing tool. There are chairs free available. They seem rather new. As all the public or common places in this hotel the area is clean and well maintained. General conclusions of the main positive and negative items: 1. The positive points: - excellent location at Sliema. Easy to drive to all directions. Nice place and view for the rooms at the front. Is certainly a major plus. - the staff at reception and in general is very polite, helpful and friendly. - the apartments itself (not taking the view into consideration) are nice. The furniture is good. - public areas such as reception, bar and the 8th floor with the terrace are nice and well maintained. - prices for drinks in bars and catering are fair and certainly not more expensive as elsewhere. 2. The negative points: - the inside rooms with "prison view" are a serious problem due to the small long structure of the building. I do not have a solution for it of course, except not sending guests anymore if they stay a week or longer, unless there is a guarantee that they have minimum the backyard view. It is really a pity. - the room maintenance. This is a problem which can be solved without extra exploitation cost. Better control and a checklist for the maintenance staff would solve most of the items under point "rooms". A systematic defrost for example between each guests rental would take a minimum of time and would energy on the other side.