Fortina Hotel
Sliema, Malta

Mr B Sankey, Telford

Used this room for a one night stopover before going into the five star. Very poor quality supposed to be 4 star would not rate it 2. Cramped room, tatty furniture, dust along wall. Bathroom has seen better days, not worth the money. In past have used Sliema hotel this is a 3 star and in comparison so much better.

Mr M Middlemiss , Lincoln

Room was fantastic. Not child friendly, staff very unhelpful and very unfriendly, food was awful, prices were scandalous and upkeep and decor of hotel was dirty and in need of renovation and very smelly around pool area from outside toilets. Pool area dropped straight into concrete at sea edge right next to toddler pool, very dangerous! Loungers had no cushions. We were thrown out of another hotel pool area as we had children and told to use the pool on other side of hotel which was not safe.

Old guests in hotel, very snobby and looked down on us as we had children, even though they were the quietest and most well behaved children. Not for families and food has gone downhill, restaurants in hotel had us waiting 3 hours for a main meal we ended up walking out, along with other guests. We were offered another night free but service and meals were very slow to come out again. Would never come back to this hotel. Taxi's were always late when collecting and dropping off by at least 30 minutes or more or never turned up at all when booked and paid in advance.

Mr A Muir, Ilkeston

The view over the Harbour and Valetta from our fifth floor balcony was very pleasing and the free Harbour Cruise was excellent. The room was adequate for our week's holiday, but the praise ends here. The balustrade on the balcony was very unsafe, loose and wobbly, and the water in the taps and toilet was brown. When we checked in, the television wasn't connected to a signal. After complaining three times, twice to daytime staff and once to evening staff, it was connected to the wall socket. We were then surprised to discover that we could only get 5 English language news channels and you had to purchase a TV package. Even Travel Lodge and Holiday Inn give you free TV. Not exactly a 4 Star service.

We appreciate that the hotel can't control the weather, but on the occassions when they closed the Lido Bar the guests were forced to use the lounge bar, about 20 feet away, and the price of a pint of local beer, (already the dearest price we experienced in the resort at 4 Euro, 60 Cents) jumped up 90 Cents a pint. But by far, the worst experience we had in the Fortina Hotel was when we were persuaded by a rep to a tour of the 5 Star next door in exchange for two 10 Euro drinks vouchers. We were told the tour would be just over an hour long. The rep who showed us round was quite pleasant and chatty but it soon became apparent that we were in a Timeshare presentation. After the tour of the Fortina Spa Hotel suites we returned to the office where another rep took over and the presentation became forceful and intimidating and as we were beginning to feel pressurised and unsettled we ended the meeting. The duration of the meeting was now two and a quarter hours.

Mr A Muir, Ilkeston

Mrs A Goddard, Radstock

When we got into our allocated room (we booked a standard Seaview) and were amazed to find it was a garden view room! We immediately reported the error to reception and was told there were no sea view rooms left! I was then taken aside by the Duty Manager who apologised and told us that the room he had put us in was a much better than the standard sea view one and bigger. He told us to go to reception on Monday (2 days later) and he might be able to offer a sea view room then. We did not go back on the Monday because we had unpacked and only had 5 days left on our holiday. We were very disappointed though to miss the view of Valletta that we had paid extra for! The TV in our room also did not work for 2 days (reported on the Saturday) and only got this fixed on the Monday as well. Not a great start.

Mrs D Carr, Stockport

Stayed in room 611, lots of space and nice view of lido and Valletta.

Mr R Reid, Purfleet

Great location.

Mrs J Taylor, St. Leonards-on-sea

This was our third stay at this hotel as we both love the view of Valletta, the fortified capital, from hotel balcony across the sea inlet. Despite contacting the hotel directly (email) requesting provision of a balcony room for which I would happily pay we ended up in a windows room only. The reception girls could do nothing as reservation staff had gone home. Had to resolve the following morning when we obtained a balcony room which had not been used the previous evening (day of arrival)! Same thing occurred last year. Food is good but hotel would be three star if located in the Far East and use of the sauna is 10 Euros per visit. Domestic staff very pleasant. At weekends the pool area is taken over by jolly Maltese families who pay an entrance fee so unless you nab a sunbed early in the day you will not get joint sunbeds together if at all when visiting the pool later in the day.

Mrs P Eager, Newport Pagnell

Very mixed - they do not know which rooms have balconies. We were moved the following day to a room with a balcony - still did not get a balcony. One of our party had one and the other nothing. The food was hit and miss. Terribly burnt bacon and fried bread for 2 days running with the greasiest eggs I have ever seen. Sloppy presentation, poor selection of salad; lettuce, cucumber and tomatoes and that was your choice. Staff polite but not very lateral thinking; our card stopped working so they reactivated it and then when we went to use the other one they had deactivated both but only activated one. The restaurant is more like a canteen; tablecloths in the evening were used once on Easter Sunday, why not every evening to give a better ambience. The chefs and cooks were all banging and clattering around making the room terribly noisy and not a pleasure to eat in at all.

Mr R Dawes, Hartlepool

Nice hotel, food good but some of the decor in the corridors looking a little 'tired'.

Mr G Vallins, Orpington

Location good, rooms and facilities kept clean. Pools and sun loungers not overcrowded.

Mr C O'neill, Wadebridge

Room was OK with a brilliant view of Valetta. Would not rate hotel as 4 star, more like a good 3 star. Everything in the room plus bathroom worked and supplies were fine, just a little tired, in need of some refurbishment. Dine around was very good, buffet selection better than expected, both breakfast and evening meal.

Mr D James, Barnstaple

I've been to the Fortina 4* a few times now and over the years they are refurbishing different areas. The indoor swimming pool is large and has been fully re tiled and decorated. The food is good and the menu varied. I went for 10 days which took in Good Friday, I could not fault the hotel and staff. Rooms are cleaned daily. I had never been with sunshine.co.uk and was nervous as to how everything would go as you have to book hotel/flights/transfers separate but all on the same booking. I needn't have worried as everything went smoothly. I had requested a high floor but was given one on the 1st. I informed reception I had requested a high floor and was moved the next day to the 7th, with a lovely view over Valletta Harbour. The resort of Sliema is central to the island and is where all buses depart from to other destinations. It was a great location to stay.

Mr K Roberts, Walton-on-thames

The general cleanliness, facilities, food and staff were all of a high standard. We chose a garden view room, rather than a see view which would have looked across the road. (The road is quite busy but it is not the main road in and out of Sliema) The garden view room had a balcony which would have been cool in the heat of the summer and we were still able to sit out there in October! The hotel had an excellent pool and sun bathing area which was accessed through the corridors of the hotel which were under the road. One thing to note is that the hotel has seven excellent restaurants and if you are staying on a B and B basis there is no need to go any further for good food.

Mr K Oliver, Tunbridge Wells

We had a lovely room on floor 7 at the back of the hotel overlooking the garden with the sea in the distance. The location of the hotel was perfect within easy reach of buses and the ferry over to Valetta. The food in the buffet had a good choice and we tried the Indian, Mediterranean, Japanese and Italian restaurants. The Japanese was rather disappointing with no Sashimi available. The Italian was fantastic but huge, so if you have small appetites share! Bar staff were not very friendly and quite slow which was a shame.

Mrs A Key, Ferndown

Great hotel, swimming pool and food was excellent.

Miss F Johnson, Crook

The hotel is in a fantastic situation, with wonderful sea view across to Valletta. However, the room we were in was far too small for 2 people (the view and balcony were the things that changed our minds about asking for a change). Also the furniture was a little dated, with cupboard doors coming off their hinges.
The food was fantastic with very good Christmas and New Year gala buffets- at no extra cost.

Ms N Liu, Guernsey

Room was clean and having a balcony with sea view was amazing. Enjoyed pool bar for nice relaxing atmosphere and pool out the front which was more lively. Breakfast was great and choice of restaurants on site which serve brilliant food. Staff friendly and helpful and location was perfect, right on Tigne sea front and also close to a shopping centre.

Miss K Carr, Crewe

Very pleasant, great view over Valletta, food very good, staff very helpful, very clean. Room was small and a bit out dated but that was only a small moan.