Hotel Fortina - Sliema

The hotel situated in very nice place in slima with easy access near the point ( new shopping center ).

This is not a 4 star hotel by international standards. At best it is a low 3 star, the plastic garden furniture in the breakfast room is a bit of a give away. The rooms smell of smoke and are small. The lifts rarely work so request a low floor so you can take the stairs. On the plus side it's an excellent view and location. The garden is also very nice with the lights at night time. To sum up, if you want a four star then this is not the place for you but if you want an ok cheap 3 star then this will be just fine.

The main attraction of our "superior sea view" room was the view across the east harbour to Valetta. That was well worth the lack-lustre general ambience of the hotel, which hardly lived up to its 4* claims. It's basically a bog-standard package hotel, which piggy-backs on the up-market Fortina Spa hotel next door. "4*" hotel, but 1* orange juice, which I find a usually-reliable indicator. That said, it was OK for a short trip, and that view! Sliema is a concrete mess, but with plenty of restaurants. The fun way across to Valetta was the ferry, but 30 min frequency, and limited hours, make it less useful than it could and should be. The bus alternative is also fun, and dirt-cheap. Make sure you pick up a bus map, though, to locate the Sliema-bound bus stances in the maelstrom at the Valetta end. The map also helps to navigate the islands by bus. We went to Mdina/Rabat, and the bus trips added to the fun and interest.