Hi Folks,

Just returned from another great holiday in Malta. We stayed at the Marina Hotel situated on the front in Sliema. We had a few 'teething problems' when we arrived but these were quickly resolved by the management and staff who we found to be very friendly and helpful at all times.

There were a number of students staying in the hotel who were attending courses to learn English. We thought this might have been a problem but as it turned out, these students were kept on a tight rein by the organisers and by the hotel staff. They were also allocated separate tables in the dining room. As we agreed we'd rather have them than drunken lager louts any day!

The Marina is a 3 star hotel so it's not the hotel to choose if you're looking for 5 star luxury. We chose it because of its position relative to the festivities that we knew were taking place while we were there. We certainly appreciated its proximity to the buses and the ferry to Valletta. Bed linen was clean, beds comfortable, and the air conditioner was very efficient.

Our room was large with a fully equipped balcony affording an excellent view across the bay to Manoel Island and Valletta. It can be very noisy because of the constant traffic but once the double glazed patio doors were closed, it became quiet in the room.

Food was plentiful and quite good but with limited choice. To my knowledge nobody was suffering any ill effects from eating in the hotel. Tablecloths and utensils were all very clean. Above the restaurant was the well-equipped roof sun terrace with spa pool though we never got round to using this facility.

We had a great time in the Marina and I think the wonderful staff that worked there complemented this. The only drawback that the hotel had was the lack of a swimming pool but nevertheless I think the hotel represents good value for money and I would certainly use it again for future hols,

Trev