fortina spa, malta

[puzzled54]

Has anyone been to the fortina spa in Malta? What's it like, would you recommend it?

[Buenchico]

222 reviews here (generally quite good): http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g19032 7-d261105-Reviews-Hotel_Fortina_Spa_Resort-Sli ema_Island_of_Malta.html

Another 17 here:
http://www.holidaywatchdog.com/14729-Sliema-Fo rtina_Spa_Resort_Hotel-Holiday-Review.html

6 more:
http://www.expedia.co.uk/pub/agent.dll/qscr=ds pv/nojs=1/htid=1050391/crti=7/hotel-reviews

Chris

[CheekyChops]

I went in September for 2 weeks (my brother got married there) and I would definately go again, I loved it.

I was a bit worried after reading some of the bad reviews but couldn't really find fault with anything once I got there.

It's in a great location, a lovely hotel and the spa is fantastic. There is major building work going on right next door to the 5* side of the hotel but it didn't really bother me.

[puzzled54]

Did you go to the 4 or 5*? I've been looking at the website and it's not too clear about what you get. From the reviews, it looks like the 4* is a separate hotel to the 5*, which is the one with the spa facilities. Is that right? And what do you get in the way of exercise classes etc. Thanks.

[CheekyChops]

I stayed in the 4*. It is basically one large hotel but the 4* and 5* are on different sides. You all use the same facilities and restaurants though, depending on what package you go for. Eg, I was 4* but could eat for free in 5 of the 7 resaurants, I had to pay a supplement to eat in the other 2, 5* customers can eat n any of the 7 for free (I think).

Also the 5* have superior rooms with spa baths and some with roof top private pools.

Staying 5* gives you some free access to the Spa, you can still use it if you are a 4* customer but you pay extra for some things.

There weren't really any exercise classes to speak of, it was mainly spa treatment, massages, sauna's, steam rooms, beauty treatments etc.

For the amount of time I actually spent in the room and the fact that I didn;'t really fancy the other two restaurants anyway (one was Vietnamese), I was more than happy with the 4*.

[puzzled54]

Thanks for that. I've read some bad reviews on the 4*, but some people are just fussy!

[CheekyChops]

I have to agree, after worrying for months but not wanting to upset my brother who had his wedding booked there, I was very pleasantly suprised when I got there. As you say, some people are just too darn fussy!

I would say though, that the Hotel (4* or 5* side) is probably not up to the equivlent 4* or 5* standards you would get in the UK, but looking at all the other big hotels in and around Sliema, none of them were.