NB: Before you read this please remember that we should have been in Egypt during the week we were in Malta, but the FCO advice was not to travel so we changed our holiday to Malta. Also remember that, in Maltese terms, this is still outside their main tourist season. I know a lot will disagree with my comments - but if we all liked the same things there would be no reason to have a choice!!

Getting there
Following FCO advice, and seeing the information on EasyJets' website, we attempted to change our holiday from Egypt. EasyJet could not have been more helpful and there was no problem changing. Due to the FCO advice we were also not charged an admin fee. On the Beach also changed our hotel without any problems or admin fee.

The day before we flew we phoned EasyJet's helpdesk to confirm that we could check our hold luggage in the night before (their website says flights before 8-30 ours was at 8-30). They confirmed this was fine anytime after 8pm. Due to delays by staff (not EasyJet but Menzies staff at Gatwick) we arrived at the airport at 7-40 but didn't get back to the car until 10-15, which meant an £11-30 charge on the carpark!!! Good start then!

At least we had no problems with the Russ Hill Hotel or the actual flight to Malta.

We booked our transfers through ResortHoppa and, exactly as they said, their local agent was waiting for us and we were taken straight to the Hotel by a very helpful driver who gave us loads of information.

Hotel

We stayed at the Qawra Palace. Although the hotel was looking a little "tired" in some areas it was very clean, the maids were in everyday, the staff were very helpful and the beds were comfortable. The food in the hotel was very well cooked and although it was the same choices for every breakfast the evening meals were always varied and we never had the same meals twice with a choice of 3 or 4 mains and a vegetarian option every night. However, in my opinion, the meals were very "English" - Steak and kidney pie the first night we were there - and I have to say that this is part of my issue with Malta. In our particular hotel it may have been because they have a large number of long term winter visitors from England - retired and staying in Malta anything from 3 weeks to 6 months - but I think generally that Malta is very English. As an ale drinker I wanted to try the Islands own brews - Cisk lager and Hopleaf Ales. None of these were available in the hotel although I could have Stella or Carlsberg draught or John Smiths in a can!!!

The Weather

If I was feeling kind I suppose I should describe it as abysmal!! It was sunny, but chilly due to a cold wind, on our first day and on one other day later in the week. The high wind stayed for the entire week so although it may have been slightly warmer than the UK it didn't feel it. The rest of the week was generally overcast and chilly except for the Sunday when it poured down!!


The Touristy bit

My initial opinions of Malta - and these didn't really change during the week - were that on the whole the Island looked very dilapidated. A lot of the buildings looked as if they just needed a coat of paint or some rendering to the outside. There were a lot of buildings boarded up or just shut, but again this may have been because it was out of season. I have to admit that the insides of all the buildings we went into were generally very well maintained but it appeared to be at the expense of the exterior. I was particularly surprised at the amount of dog mess on the pavements too. I also had a problem with the overall "look" of the Island. In the UK you can generally tell where you are by looking at the style of the buildings. I appreciate that Malta is much smaller but no matter how many times you visited somewhere, if you couldn't see a town sign you had no idea which town you were in as they all looked the same.

I was advised before we went that the Maltese like the English but wasn't expecting all road signs to only be in English or that the first language of 85% of the population is English (according to the taxi driver who took us back to the airport). I also wasn't expecting them to drive on the left and to use standard 3 pin UK sockets.

I did hire a car even though, prior to going, I was advised that Maltese drivers are atrocious and I would be taking my life in my hands. I'm sorry but I have to totally disagree. Whilst some drivers (generally taxis) do tend to get a bit close to your rear on the whole the drivers are great. You also have to remember to give way to buses because they won't stop (even if you are already on the roundabout). If you think Malta is bad, try driving in Rhodes or Turkey.

We spent one day on the Gozo tour. It may be a case of "you get what you pay for" but we had very little information from our driver, the minibus was pretty rough (but not in a nice - traditional bus - type way), and virtually everywhere we stopped there was an entry fee not covered by the tour cost.

We visited the Knights spectacular. Due to two of the passengers on our bus not being there when the driver went to collect them we were half way to the event when the driver received a call telling him he had to go back and collect the two who had now appeared!! So this meant the event had already started when we arrived. Because the seating is in sections your ticket tells you which section and which row you should be on. Unfortunately, due to a "computer error", there were more tickets issued than seats available on the row we should have been on. So we had to stand at the back whilst they checked and double checked what had gone wrong - remember the show had already started - and eventually we were allocated seats on a different row. The food was good and the wine and soft drinks were topped up every time you asked. Not sure it was good value at €42 each though.

On the Sunday we drove to Marsaxxlok for the Market. I think it was very empty (I cake stall, approx 6 fish stalls and the same number of fruit and veg) due to the abysmal weather - this was the day it poured down and was very windy, but I think on a decent day it would be a pretty village and an interesting market.

We drove to Valletta one day - parking can be a nightmare but we were lucky that someone was pulling out as we drove past - and walked the outer perimeter of the town. We went back on our last day and this time went by "boneshaker" bus and walked through the centre of town. I have to admit I did like Valletta.

We drove to Mosta and Mdina on our second day and had a walk round. Mosta Dome was fascinating but we had only been in there for about two minutes when we were informed it was closing. Mdina is an interesting place to visit and is very peaceful as very few vehicles are allowed in.

We were half board in the hotel so had lunch out each day and I have to admit that we found the prices of food and drink very reasonable and always of a good standard.

Overall Opinions

Before I went to Malta I was told it was a "Marmite" island - you either love it or hate it. Whilst I think hate is too strong a word, we enjoyed the break but won't be rushing back to Malta. For us it was just too run down and needed a good clean (but this may have been because it was out of season). It is also far too English (we even found Classic FM on the radio!!) except on the TV channels.

I would not stop anyone else from visiting though as I believe you have to make up your own mind. I think I can understand why some people love it and go back year after year, but it just isn't our cup of tea. If the weather had been better we may have felt differently, but I don't think so.