Gillieru Harbour Hotel

This was not a 4 star hotel, fantastic location if you get a room overlooking the bay, if not you are facing the road which is noisy, air conditioning very suspect, when we stayed there they only put it on certain times but nobody seemed to know when, there was a fan system in our room but it wasn't very efficient. We were B/B breakfast OK contiental breakfast you payed extra for a full breakfast. Staff pleasant enough beds were clean although sheets were past their best also the towels. Very easy to get around on the buses, get a time table asap to make the most of the bus service, also buses very cheap, reception staff were quite good about what bus stop to get on,pleanty of resturants and bars to pick from, if you are an Elvis fan check out Simons's bar on tourist street near bus station in Bugibba (10-15min walk from hotel) Roof top swimming pool very nice and clean with great views, if you take a trip to the Blue Lagoon be warned no shade and very small main beach with loads of people, if you can take snorkelling gear as water very clean and clear nearly every where.

My mornings here where just wonderful. I left the shades open and the beautiful dawn light woke me just before my wake up call so I could go out on veranda an catch the crisp breeze and look out on to the bay before going to breakfast... Just the thing to start a day is the fryed eggs and bacon (extra charge but worth it ). Very tasty bacon. With tea, toast and fruit from the continenal tables. It was just yumm! and don't forget to ask for some local honey to put in your tea or on your toast. And also they will sell you a large or small bottle of ice cold water for your days activities. Just super... The staff really does make the difference. They are very kind and so helpful. Even going so far as to open 15 minutes early for those going on tours and making huge box lunches. You can snack all day on these babys ! Just get a bottle of water and small bottle of wine and you are set. The salt water pool over looking bay is just great to float in too. I must say, very relaxing and enjoyable and of course if you want to relax some more you can get a massage in your room. My room was cleaned and stocked everyday. The twin beds are a bit small for me, but I went right to sleep and woke rested and ready. I did enjoy my quiet time in my room going over the days events and chatting with friends. There was a bit of renovation going on down the hall but I never was disturbed by it so I am quite happy with the room itself. Overall, I think I would like to move in. I could be very happy.

We know Malta very well and we picked this hotel because of its location and also found a very good deal on the internet. We had another holiday booked elsewhere for our main holiday but wanted a chill out vacation over Easter. First of all the Gillieru is not really a four star hotel but a decent standard three star. It is a little jaded and could do with a bit of livening up, but if you want somewhere to lay your head between excursions this is the place. We knew the hotel was in a fairly quiet location away from the bustle of Bugibba but in reach of the bars and restaurants associated with the resort. We stayed half-board but only because the deal we had gave us the option for a small amount extra. We knew that the local restaurants are pretty good value so if we did not make use of half-board it did not matter. Breakfast: A bit of a joke really - stick with cornflakes and toast and you will not go wrong. If you want a full English there are plenty of places doing it for £M1 - £M1.50. They do a decent coffee or tea however in the restaurant, so you can get your caffeine kickstart with no problems. The mortadella and salami are very nice, but the cheese is of the plastic processed variety and not very appetising. A bit strange really because Maltese or Gozitan cheese is tasty and cheap. No sign of croissants although they are readily available in Malta and no natural juices, again cheap and readily available. The Maltese people I know are generous and classy so why be so cheap? It spoils the experience. Dinner: A step above canteen food. Some is very good and some not very nice at all. There are some nice desserts and tinned fruits available. The wine list is fine and decently priced. My advice is that you are probably better off going out for dinner in this resort, but it obviously depends on your circumstances. The Gillieru fish restaurant: We have been to this restaurant in past years and it was truly outstanding. This time round it was a real letdown. The staff are sour-faced and verging on being rude. They pander to their well-off Maltese customers and make others feel like they are just about being tolerated. They virtually told us off for not booking, although it was half-empty, and for not claiming our residents discount before paying the bill (!). The food has gone downhill in the last few years and we definitely will not be going back. There are better fish restaurants in Bugibba now, let alone in the more upmarket resorts of Malta. Warning: We came down to reception one day and the receptionist (Matilda?) introduced us to a rep from the Golden Bay Radisson hotel. They invite you to have a tour of the hotel and then try to sell you 'Membership' of the company. This membership will cost you £2500 for three years and then you take advantage of their offers. We actually wanted to see this hotel because it is of the standard we normally stay in and is probably where we will stay when we have a main holiday in Malta next. It is glorified time-share selling and we were aware of that but we had a nice morning at that resort at their expense. Some of the salesmen are English sales professionals and look like real sharks, but luckily we had a very nice polite local who was happy to aswer questions honestly and took our negative reply without hassle.No, we did not buy a membership. The only real problem was that we were promised £M15 cashback for going by the original rep and she did everything possible not to give us our money. We found out from her management later that a cash offer was not something they offered and that vouchers were the norm. Luckily we are experienced travellers and she was not getting away with it, and she paid the money out of her own purse. It turned the event sour but I would not put off people from looking around the Golden Bay, the deal might suit you, I don't know. A special mention for Adrian the night receptionist. I cannot praise him enough. We have stayed in a lot of hotels and this chap is one of the most helpful and thoughtful we have come across. For instance one morning we were being picked up for a trip to Sicily at 5am and when we arrived in the foyer to wait for the bus all bleary-eyed and half asleep he brought us a tray of coffee and tea. This was beyond the call of duty and very kind. He did exactly the same the day we left at 6am. The rest of the staff in the hotel were fine and helpful. To conclude I would recommend this hotel for its standard of accomadation and cleanliness, its location and views. There are bus-stops nearby which is very convenient, and it is only a short (pleasant) walk from the shops and eateries of Bugibba and Qawra. Do not stay here just for the food, it is adequate most of the time and very nice for some of the time. The staff are nice and helpful but not in your face, which suits us. All in all we had a pleasant stay but doubt if we will be going back to this hotel - there are many of a similar standard in Malta and to make this an attractive repeat booking the owners need to go that extra mile and advertise it at a good standard three star, which it is.

Date 29.12.06 We stayed 2 weeks to cover the Christmas period. The building is fine and in a good position overlooking the harbour, but the overall impression was that the hotel could do so much more to improve at very little cost. We stayed on half board terms, and the evening meals were of an acceptable standard and sometimes quite good. The temperature of the food depended upon which of the 2 chefs was serving the guests on any particular evening, as one never covered the hot food between serving guests and the other did. Breakfast was the usual drab cheese and ham slices etc, and the fruit 'juice' is diluted cordial. Some of the table waiting staff were quite good and helpful,but 2 were quite uncommunicative, indeed one gave a new meaning to the term Dumb Waiter, as he never spoke and tended to thrust items towards you at the tables. The bar is very uncomfortable, and after the first night we went out of the hotel for drinks. I would imagine that the hotel does not have a very high rate of 'return visits'

We have just returned from the gillieru hotel. This was our first visit to Malta. We found all the reviews helpful. For those of you who like their morning cuppa. Take a kettle. The Hotel itself was looking a bit tired. Hair Dryer didn't work. Shower was tempermental, ended up having baths instead. The bed linen was looking tired. holes in pillowslips, and frayed edging on sheets, not what you would expect from a 4star. Cleaning done daily, but i would say there was room for improvement. No entertainment. The Restaurant was good, with a wide selection of evening meals. Although on occasion we were made to feel as though we were being rushed through,, so they could reset the table for other guests, there was hardly time to digest your food before your plates were whisked away, even if one of you were still eating. The Hotel receptionist is Fantastic, if anything is not right she is the person to get it sorted. The Hotel is definately a 3 star not a 4. The Location is good, staff friendly, but it is ready for a refurbishment. The rooms at the front of the Hotel our noisy, with local speeders squeeling their tyres. the back rooms our quite dark and dont get a lot of sun until late in the afternoon, nicer views but cooler and darker. Other Four star rated hotels don't charge for English Breakfasts. My only complaint about the Evening meals was the distinct lack of choice of Veg. 1 only with the main course. I think overall we had a few niggles, but you can't please all the people all the time. The Location and the Staff our what makes this Hotel a must to return to.

We had a room overlooking the road, this road is very noisy most of the time, a regular route for several buses to Buggiba, local 'youngsters' wheel spinning their cars on the road. Maybe the rooms overlooking the pool are better in this respect? The rooms decor and furnishings were showing their age, loose tiles in the bathroom, tatty mastic around the bath and sink, the linen could do with being replaced. The room could have been cleaned better - I agree with a previous comment that the owner has lost interest in maintaing the hotel. The pool was in the shade in the first half of the day and didn't warm up - the Titanic sank in warmer water! This area didn't look as good as the picture in the brochure as it was in need of fresh paint. The in house 1st floor restaurant smelt like it was serving 70's school dinners every time we passed, so bad we never felt compelled to enter! The attached Fish restaurant to the rear of the hotel had reasonable food but the service was like an episode of fawlty towers. Not worthy of the 4* rating it displays on the entrance. Across the road is a small family run Maltese restaurant which was cheaper than the fish restaurant and had great friendly service and wonderful food (booking advisable) but unfortunately it closes on Sundays and Mondays so alternatives have to be made.

I totally agree with the reviews of the Gillieru dated Sept 6th and 24th, and also 3rd Augst. . Having stayed in several Mediterranean resorts we found the service and accomodation here much as we expected. I would like to add a few comments about eating in the area. Breakfasts in the hotel were a little disapointing - the coffee and tea were very good but the fruit juice was just sweet squash. I would agree about the comments about the Da Rosi across the road - we had a great meal there with excellent service and tremendous food. However out of season it is closed on Sundays and Mondays. The Gillieru has a 'Pizzaria' restaurant next to the fish restaurant which is very strange. The tables have plastic cloths and there are no starters on the menu. The waiters are very offhand and tucked into their dinners whilst we were eating. The head waiter spent most of his time on his mobile (cell) phone. The beer was warm and flat and the plates were almost cold. However when the pizzas finally arrived they were excellent. A suitable place for children to eat. The big dissapointment was the fish restaurant. The first time that we tried it the service was very slow and the prices high for the quality fo the food. However there was a wedding party taking up the waiter's time so we gave them the benefit of the doubt. When we tried again on our final night the service was abysmal and we were not the only ones complaining. The restaurant opened at 7.30 when our order was taken and our first course arrived after 20 mins. After another hour we asked where our main courses were and were told that as we ordered steaks 'well done' it would be a while yet - steaks do not take 90 mins to cook. The head waiter (dressed in jeans and trainers) took offence at our complaining. When the food arrived it was reasonable but not worth the wait. If you like to 'promenade' in the evening then there is a nice 15 minute walk to Bugibba along the front looking at everyone else (from all over europe) doing the same. I would stay at the hotel again, especially in a room with a sea view, but avoid the fish restaurant.

After spending only two nights out of seven at The Suncrest Hotel (awful place) we were moved to The Gillieuru Harbour Hotel. The hotel is located in St Pauls Bay and as we had paid for a sea view room our balcony had fantastic views over the bay. The sea view was well worth every extra penny spent and was great to watch the boats come and go. My husband also bought a small fishing rod from a local shop and I sat on the balcony whilst he did some fishing. I have read some of the other reviews about 'plastic cheese slices, plastic flowers on each floor, grey towels, grouting needing replacing in the bathroom' and I totaly agree with it all. My husband described it as 'the Maltese have everything,they just don't know how to deliver it'. All these little niggles could so easily make this hotel fantastic. The hotels plus points so outway all these little glitches. Location is superb, the bus stop is only one/two minutes walk away which goes to Valletta,Mdina,Craft Village,Sliema etc... The best restaurant we found was across the road from the hotel, Da Rosi. The food was great, homemade Raviolli was fantastic,Lobster St Paoul and Chicken Gourmet all superb. The only down side was the service was slow on our second visit (friday night)as it was very busy but on the previous visit service was impecable. I would recommend this small friendly hotel and area of Malta to anyone looking for a quietish, relaxing holiday with beautiful sea views.

My wife and I have just returned from staying here for a week from 29th August to 5th September 2006 and really can't understand what the moaners are complaining about! After reading some of the reports, we were expecting a run-down affair with a miserable staff! Far from it, we were greeted by a smart modern and clean hotel with smiling and helpful staff throughout. We had a lovely time at the Gillieru Harbour Hotel and can thoroughly recommend it if you want a quiet relaxing holiday as this is what the St.Paul's Bay area is, well away from the noisy areas with large restaurants and cafes on the waterfront, but within leisurely 10 minutes strolling distance of e Bugibba with cafes, shops and entertainment. Those reading previous commenrts about 'thread-bare towels' can rest assured that all our towels were new, soft, white and fuffy! However, we only had one set between us and had to request a second set. Likewise, the complimentary hair shampoo sachets were only replaced by the maid once and I had to complain about this on two occasions! OK, the bathroom tile grouting did need re-doing, but how many people are going to sit in the hotel bathrooms and examine the grouting on their holidays just to write a complaint about it? Our gripes are only really minor, but it would have been nice to have had sheets that were large enough to fit the bed properly and WHITE sheets and pillow cases, not GREY ones(caused by being washed in too hot water!). We stayed half-board, as we had never been to Malta before and didn't want to have to search for somewhere to eat each evening. Food in the hotel was mostly good with three choices of starter, three choices of main meal and three deserts each evening. As for breakfast, what on earth are the 'cheese slice moaners' complaining about? There were plenty of choices for a normal Continental Breakfast , but you had to pay for anything cooked if you wanted it. One of the managers is always on hand at meal times and both are very pleasant, as are the waiting staff, including the only waitress, Ashley. Yes, we did have an issue with a dirty tablecloth on the first day, but since then all were replaced daily and were spotless. They are obvoiusly striving to meet any complaints. The swimming pool is at the back of the hotel and is atop a 'ship themed building'. It is salt water and you always knew who had just arrived as you heard the exclamation "oh, it's salt water", but this wasn't a problem and an Army of girls were always around the pool at 0730 each morning cleaning the whole area. There would be no chance of you missing breakfast, as the girls could be quite noisy around the pool! Having said that, we had a sea view at the rear of the hotel and would highly recommend that you go for one of these. The view over St.Pauls Bay with all the small boats in it just couldn't be faulted and to sit on our balcony sipping a glass of wine while the sun went down was sheer bliss. We spoke to a couple who had a room at the front of the hotel, who said it was a little noisy with traffic and fumes and they wished they had paid the sea view supplement. We went on a few trips, but found they could all be booked locally much cheaper than our rep. was selling them for, so did not need to trouble our rep. throughout our stay.

My husband and I have just returned from two weeks in Malta, staying at the Gillieru Harbour Hotel. After reading many posts before going I was slightly disappointed in the hotel. Definitely not a four star now, and most of the staff seem quite distant/bored. Perhaps it's living off it's reputation. We did have a room overlooking the sea which gave us some fantastic views. The chambermaid was very cheeery (pity more of the staff didn't have her attitude) but the towels often had seen better days (grey and more like bath mats, though my husband wondered if that was to stop guests taking them home!), the sheets were threadbare and did not fit the bed. We did take a kettle with us which was a good tip. We were there on a B&B basis and knew about the cheese slices - what's wrong with using the local cheese? The fresh bread is very good. We tried the fish restaurant one night and found it very disappointing. We wandered through like lost sheep to be confronted by a gum chewing member of staff who demanded to know if we'd booked a table. When told no, she grudgingly pointed to one ontside muttering it was one of the last spare ones. Paper napkins, no butter knife and rather tasteless fish. Not a restaurant I'd go back to when there are much better ones nearby. Again living off the reputation. We'd been warned about timeshare touts but did not expect a phone call to our room about four hours after we'd arrived inviting us to "visit" the sister hotel at Golden Bay the following day. Forewarned is forearmed and politely turned it down! The hotel could be so good with a little more enthusiasm from those in charge, especially in such a fantastic location. I'd think twice about staying there again.