Winston Aparthotel

3 readers found this review helpful

We arrived to a warm welcome by Austin the owner/manager. The apartments are a bit dated, but clean and comfortable. We were not expecting air conditioning but fortunately for us it had just been installed as were safety boxes in the rooms. Ample fans are provided for people not wanting to pay extra for air conditioning.
The cleaner and her husband Joe were very good and we had a laugh with them.
The Winston is in an ideal location central for everything really. You don't need to bother with a tourist office as Austin knows everything and will point you in the right direction ie buses, where to eat, places to go etc.
Time Share touts could annoy you but just ignore them or have a bit of banter with them.
In all we had a great holiday. The Maltese people are genuinely friendly and helpful.

4 readers found this review helpful

This was our third visit to the Winston Aparthotels, on arrival Austin the manager was there to welcome us into our apartment. We have stayed in three different apartments over the years each with different people.
We have found over the years nothing is any bother to Austin whether it be big or small. The apartment we just stayed in was a three bedroom apartment with a bathroom and an en suite shower room, the apartment was very basic but at the end of the day its just somewhere to put ya head down and kip!
I am disabled and Austin was always helpful in meeting my needs, on a number of occasions he would offer to get the ramps out around the complex and would also make sure I was fine with getting around.
The in-house bar was always welcoming and relaxed, the staff Vince, Tony, Jayne, Diane and Matthew were always so helpful and friendly. The food was always cooked freshly and was definitely worth the wait some nights! The prices were always reasonable and I would recommend a trip to in-house before they close at the end of this month.
I would say that Malta is like Marmite, you either love it or hate it and in my case I definitely love it.
Roll on my holiday in 2009!

3 readers found this review helpful

My family stayed at the Winston complex, and although there was no air conditioning, there were fans, and the hotel was clean. We found Austin (the owner) very polite and willing to help if you needed it. Over all we had a great time, great stay in the hotel and would recommend my friends stay at the complex. The bar downstairs is very good too, we had most of our meals there. We are hoping to go back next year and hopefully will be staying at the Winston complex.

3 readers found this review helpful

Just returned from one weeks holiday in Malta staying at the Winston Apartments (allocated on arrival) with my partner.
The apartments are very basic and dated but after all they are only somewhere to sleep and you are able to cook a meal if need be. My first impression when we got off the coach wasn't very good, there was lots of rubbish around and building work going on right next door (we couldn't hear anything from our room). However, once you have got into your room and realised how close you are to everything and have met Austin, the owner, it really is a good apartment complex.
There is a supermarket just next to the complex which we found to have everything you would need for cooking the odd meal. The bus station is about a five minute walk and you can get all around the island on a day pass for 1 lm 50 which is great.
There are lots of restaurants and bars to try - our favourite was called Watercolours which is on the sea front.
One of the negative points about this holiday is the amount to people trying to sell you timeshares - you have to be firm with them!
All in all a good holiday but i don't think Malta is a place i would return to.

2 readers found this review helpful

Urgh! What can I say? This is without doubt, the worst holiday that I have ever had.
The only good thing about it, is that we only booked a week, not a fortnight! The apartment was diabolical. Bare 3-phase cables drooping across our balcony; a half derelict 'apartment' block opposite; full of stray cats; a table with 3 and a half legs and only enough eating utensils for 3 people, in a four bed apartment. The shower had no holder, so you had to try and clean yourself with one hand, whilst holding the shower head with the other. Across the ventilation shaft behind the bath, you could see across into the neighbouring apartments bathroom, and although it had a frosted window, it didn't leave much to the imagination if the other people were having a shower. Not good.
Underneath the apartment was a late night karaoke bar and supermarket. The wailing from the bar went on until 2pm and the deliveries from the supermarket started at 6am. The ceiling fan had to be kept switched off, as it was in danger of falling from the ceiling. The owner, Austin was great - as long as you bought lots from the bar - otherwise he was indifferent.
One girl slipped on the step outside the bar, banging her head really badly. I saw Austin witness this, then slope off into the office, to make himself scarce. Outside the apartments, you run the gauntlet from timeshare reps, stopping you on every corner. The beach, if you can call it that is just literally rock, scattered with used condoms. There are a couple of good beaches, a car or bus ride away. The silent city of Medina is worth a visit, also a boat trip to Comino Bay - beautiful, amazing sea, but again, no beach.
All in all, a really horrible holiday - wouldn't go to these apartments again if someone paid me. If the marks out of ten went into minus, I'd chose them.

1 reader found this review helpful

My friend and I have just returned from a fantastic holiday in Malta staying at the Winston Complex apartments. It was my friends 7th visit and my 1st, so everything was new to me.
Our stay was made all the more pleasant by the apartment complex we stayed in, and the manager Austin who was only too pleased to help with any requests.
The trouble with some holiday makers is that they go with the intention of finding something to complain about, and I believe we are breeding a culture of compensation claiming.
We experienced a minor plumbing problem on our first evening so reported it the following morning; it was fixed while we were out.
The apartments are clean and functional as is the kitchen and bedroom.
As for facilities, yes the pool is a little on the small side but in the temperatures we were experiencing it was handy to cool off in.
The 'In House' bar and restaurant is run by Vince who is also extremely friendly and helpful. The food is good and cooked freshly, so at busy times you may have to wait a while but it is worth it. A lot of local residents use it so that has to say something for the quality and prices in itself.
There was some talk of construction work causing noise problems; yes there is some work going on at the very end block of apartments so they are not placing people in these rooms. My friend and I are very light sleepers and we were never disturbed by the work.
I can highly recommend these apartments for the quality of cleanliness, the friendliness and helpful manner of the staff and the price.
I will be going back either later this year or certainly next year.

1 reader found this review helpful

I will never go to a two star rated apartment again. It was a nightmare, rooms were to small, the pool to small, not enough sun beds, and the place was full of pizza eating, beer swilling scousers, Hell bent on making as much noise as possible until the early hours.
Malta itself is a nice place, lots to do, lots of sunshine, but in future I be going to a destination where easy jet from John Lennon airport is not reachable. The hotel manager was very helpful, and the bar staff friendly.
The local beach was a bit rocky but a short bus ride will take you to a sandy beach like golden bay or Melina Bay.
There’s lots of places to eat, and the food was very good. And the people very friendly.

My husband and I stayed at the Winston hotel in may 2005. This hotel is very basic, and in need of modernisation. Although kept clean and tidy, beds could do with replacing, as well as furniture, and decor. The kitchen was like something out of the ark and the shower was very poor. The hotel is not suitable for older, or disable people as there or no lifts.
The pool is between two blocks of rooms and very boring. We were woken about six in the morning as our room was directly above a large supermarket. We also had a late flight home and used the late departure showers and lounge, not fit for a rat. Having said all that Austin the manager was very friendly and helpful, the staff were also very nice. We would go back to Malta again, it's a brilliant place to visit, but, we would definitely stay somewhere else.

We were rather dubious about holidaying in Malta with 2 young children, but what a surprise. The Winston is clean and comfortable and Austin the owner is a delight. Any problems and he will sort them.
We were delighted with the island of Malta and had an exceptional holiday! The local people are fantastic and very welcoming. We have already booked to return to Malta and the Winston for 2006, we had a fantastic time.

1 reader found this review helpful

The building and rooms are old, but very clean and in a great position. Austin, the owner will do anything you ask, but some people don’t ask, and moan later. I think it is the only time we have been in an apartment and not had to clean something on arrival.
The kitchen is large, and we had three bedrooms and two bathrooms, one en suite, well worth the extra few pounds.