More Traveller Reviews of Mellieha Bay Hotel
Great for the older generation, wonderful for a wedding.,
from A TripAdvisor Member
The reason we stayed at the Mellieha Bay was because our friends were getting married there. The rooms,basic, clean, but walls paper-thin, unfortunately,we had kids who weren't the quietest, but they were excited and on holiday!!Next door kept complaining!!, even complained on our arrival night,the noise we were making opening drawers/wardrobes!!!!!!!!!!(11.30pm) The staff are really friendly considering the volume of visitors they get each year. The food, fine, much of the same, but,fresh, well prepared,and highly edible. One of the earlier comments stated that empty bottles were left outside rooms each morning........ I can tell you why.....after full carafe wine,6 cocktails,6 bacardi and cokes,still standing,very sober, and worse......poorer by quite a few maltese pounds/lira. Challenged the Thomson rep, whom, whilst quite taken back initially, said " Just order bottled drinks " Now what does that tell you??? I wondered why it was that most people left the bar early,sober,and were in their rooms by 10.30pm, with several empty bottles outside their doors by the morning!! Anyway, have to add that the thought of sitting on balcony, drink in hand, just watching the view, wonderful.........my, what a view!!!!!!!!! Our friends got married in the garden, violinist playing, tear to the eye,lovely marriage service. Made me want to renew my marriage vows next year after 25 years! I would love to return to this hotel for.....water sports,pool, beach, friendliess,what more could anyone want? Apart..... ... from the couple,to whom we returned a 3 year old son at 11pm, having rescued him,whilst he was walking down to the sea, all alone,not a care in the world,not missed by anyone,least of all his parents,who did not even thank us!!!! Anyway,would love to go back. I would recommend this hotel to my friends, which says it all.
Truth hurts!
from A TripAdvisor Member
Before we left we made an effort to read the reviews on the internet hoping that they will help us to make the right choice. By writing this review we hope you will make the right choice and not go there expecting a 4 star hotel. First of all, the rooms are shoe box size and the bathroom tiny. The beds are military-style, metal framed, saggy matress types and slide apart should you wish to brave a romantic interlude with your partner. If you are travelling with small children you might be able to fit them under the bed or possibly in the cupboard, because between the TV and the night table your shoes already take up all the space. The food is tasty and there is a large variety every evening. The wine prices are reasonable (EUR 4.50 per bottle). Most of residents of the hotel are people over 50, and they seem to enjoy themselves. The hotel is very quiet (no drunk teenagers or disco nights). The view is 5 star. Lying on your bank bed you will be able to hear the waves breaking and see the sunset across the bay. This hotel might not be 4 star, but compared to the other hotels it is your best bet.
Soviet style, and Soviet ethics
from 20007
We were told that the hotel takes Am Ex and got a nasty surprise upon checking out: the desk would take only Visa or Master Charge. (Numerous establishments in Europe pull this trick because Am Ex commission fees are higher.) This hotel felt like a Soviet compound: five huge blocks of identical buildings. Many of the rooms had empty gin bottles, etc., sitting outside the doors, which--while I enjoy the occasional glass of wine at dinner!--struck me as strange and depressing (ditto for the countless tattoo-ed people running around the hotel; one starts to feel naked if one is tattoo-free). On the subject of dinner, it is served in an over-air-conditioned cafeteria-style restaurant . . . whereas the adjoining terrace sits empty in beautiful weather! According to the hotel, "It is for legal reasons that we serve dinner outside only two nights a week." A bit disingenuous, like the AmEx story. I would like to know who drafted that "law," because we found other places to eat outdoors in Mellieha, every night of the week. This is a hotel where one feels happier to leave than to arrive, alas.
Still the best, bar one fault.
from pmcrvt
We stayed in M.B.Hotel from 30/8/05-13/9/05, the 4th time in 3 yrs. Again it was good, only bad comment is age of computers, still using Windows 98...this is now 2005 & the standard shows & time taken to get online , really slow & costly!
Excellent Pricebreaker deal
from pepsis
Both myself and my husband stayed at this hotel for 14 nights over the August Bank Holiday period on a Thomson Pricebreaker being lucky enough for it to be our third such type of holiday this year and the cheapest by far. We have had many holidays over the years however this hotel beats the lot with its garden, location and stunning views, especially at the weekends when the locals arrive in their boats; it really makes you feel like you are somewhere much more exclusive! There are one or two problems with the hotel which really are minor, the look of the hotel from the road approach (being the back of the hotel), the corridors to your rooms, no waiter service, bathrooms very small, however if I can overlook these being as particular as I am, then I am sure when people open their curtains and doors from their rooms to the views or wake up lying in bed to such views, they will also. You have all you need in the rooms, fridge, TV, hairdryer, mini-bar if you wish or you can stock the fridge yourself which in some hotels is not allowed and I understand that two blocks are to be closed during the winter for re-furbishments. Evening entertainment does not consist of professional shows like in Spain for instance, but is more like a 'sing-a-long', chap on his organ, Elvis impersonator etc., but this suits some people. We found it very relaxing to sit on the terraces after our evening meal and look across the bay at the town of Mellieha lit up. The pictures posted by another writer on the site do not give it justice. The location of the hotel is ideal for the buses to take you around to Bugibba, Sliema and Valetta very easily. You can also do the Dolphin Show and Water Park yourself which of course the Thomson Reps do not advise you of. The bus trips cost you 50c (£1) each, each way whatever the distance and are reasonably frequent during the day. Also the Popeye Village and ferry to Gozo are also within walking distance should you wish to walk, approx. 1 mile or again a very short bus ride. We met many couples there that have been returning for 12, 13, 14 and 15 years running so this says something for the hotel. Mellieha Bay must be one of the most stunning bays in Malta and we will most certainly be returning.
Peace, quiet and tranquility...
from A TripAdvisor Member
Location - away from the razzle dazzle of the typical sun-holiday resort, the Mellieha Bay Hotel is a stones throw from the main 'spine' road of Malta, with regular buses to the lively areas of Bugiba, Silema and St Julians, and the sleepy capital, Valetta. Myself and my girlfriend absolutely loved this hotel! We stayed a week (not long enough) and found the hotel's location was the ideal place to launch our sight-seeing assaults on Malta, with the ferry-port to neighbouring Gozo a 5 minute drive (or a 2 minute nerve-wrecking bus ride!!) away. The hotel staff were quite pleasant and helpful, the facilities modern and well equipped. The private beach made all the difference as the main beach, very popular with locals having barbeques, can become quite packed. If you're into water activities, there is a professional team on-site, ready to teach wind-surfing, scuba etc., or even speed you around the bay on a giant banana! If you have a pair of goggles, you can make your own fun as we found several varieties (and sizes) of fish close to the water's edge. The bedrooms are the only thing that may have let the hotel down a little...they are quite basic and you won't get a double bed (only two pushed together), but they do have a TV (not that you should need it) air-conditioning and a fridge, and if you're from Ireland or the UK, you won't need to bring adaptors for the sockets! The only warning I would have for visitors to Malta is in regard to traveling around the island. Be careful to make sure you can get a bus back to your hotel as buses seem to finish running around 7pm in most parts...taxi's cost a fortune as we unfortunately found out, paying approximately Eur17 for a 10 minute journey...renting a car is a good way to get to see the sparcely populated west coast, but be very careful as to which routes you take - we got lost several times, as most roads in the west could be confused for country driveways and even the most up-to-date maps can lead you astray! The Maltese people are such a welcoming people, so take a walk around some of the smaller villages - you won't be badgered into buying a watch on the beach or a second pair of sunglasses you don't need. They'll leave you be if you want, but they are a very cultured people with a facinating history and a keen devotion to religion. It's a very safe place to visit and I'm already planning my trip back. I'll definitely be staying at the Mellieha Bay Hotel again as the pros outweighed the cons 99 to 1!!!
Who goes to the Med to eat indoors?
from A TripAdvisor Member
My husband and I go to Malta every year and stay in some excellent 3-star hotels in Mellieha. Having read the accolades for the Mellieha Bay Hotel, we decided to splurge this year and stay there. The good things about the Mellieha Bay Hotel are that it is close to the main beach and that every room overlooks the harbor. That said, the hotel is very overpriced (18 Maltese lire [US 108 for a couple] per person per night, with breakfast only; the other hotels are 15 including both breakfast and dinner!). The main thing that I disliked about this hotel is that meals are served indoors. At no other hotel or restaurant in Mellieha or Valletta does one eat indoors in the summer. Who goes to the Mediterranean, after spending the entire year at the office, to eat indoors?! Also, one morning was not feeling well and my husband wanted to bring me a bread roll and juice to the room (my breakfast was supposed to be included in the hotel fee), but the breakfast "wardens" would not let him. He had to buy the same roll and juice for 3 lire/9 US in the same restaurant. This parsimony on the part of the hotel was shabby indeed. We have already booked for Mellieha for next year -- at a cheaper yet classier hotel where we will eat our meals outdoors, enjoy a view of the Sea (not just the harbor), and have free transport to the beach six times a day. My impression is that the tour groups who stay in this hotel do not know what else is available in Mellieha. This hotel is worth 12 Maltese lire per person including breakfast and dinner (75 US for a couple) -- not 18.
fantastic hotel
from A TripAdvisor Member
this hotel was absolutely fantastic, the staff were so friendly, the maid service was superb and the food was wonderful! i can't imagine anyone not liking this hotel. It is very quiet in mellieha, but if you want a get away from all the hustle and bustle holiday this is perfect. we returned to england on 3.8.05 and have booked already to go back next year!
Don't believe July 19th 2005 review!
from A TripAdvisor Member
Second year here and great hotel! Re 19th July 2005 review - is this person talking about the same hotel? We (me, dh and dd age 7) were in hotel then (12/7 to 26/7) and found none of their problems: Hot water, as much and whenever we wanted it. Almost always at pools or beach after 10am as kids club sign up was at 10am and never had any problems finding a sunbed at our pool of choice (there's two sets of pools - each with an adult-type and a smaller children's pool) or at the beach Daily maid service (floor washed, beds made/changed, bathroom cleaned), towels replenished as we wished it (usual routine of put towels in bath if you want them replaced). Almost always had one toilet roll in holder and two full spare rolls-don't know how they expected us to use one toilet roll each daily! Self service restaurant with good choice, if you wanted anything slightly different food wise, speak to one of the chefs and they would try their best. Anything else just speak to any waiter who could all speak perfect English. Any problems, reception staff very friendly and helpful, as were all staff. Many activities laid on but absolutely no pressure for anyone to join in, no pushy staff going round annoying/persuading you. Fairly large hotel but layout (several lounges, bar areas, pool areas, terraces plus beach area - last four all with free sunbeds and parasols) along with friendly staff made you feel you were in a much smaller place. I know of many people who either come back year after year, or who have come back after a few years gap and all say they really like the place. If it was as bad as this reviewer claims, there wouldn't be as much repeat business!
Great value holiday
from A TripAdvisor Member
An enjoyable first time stay in Malta. Half board accomodation with good food and a bright, airy room overlooking great views over the bay. Staff were helpful, prices were reasonable for drinks and food. The hotel was generally very clean and quiet at night. Plenty of bay facing or poolside sun beds with plenty to do on such a small island. We shall return to the same hotel without doubt. Cannot think of one critisism worth mentioning well worth the £1000 spent.
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We have recently returned home from an excellent holiday with you , what value for money food excellent and varied , hotel clean and tidy , staff very helpful and friendly apart from one or two , sea views brilliant across the bay , entertainment was good and we were made... more