Qawra Palace Resort and Spa

We stayed at the Qawra Palace for 7 nights from 02.10.2026 to 09.10.2026 for our 40th wedding anniversary. It was our second visit here and we have already booked to return again. On arrival in our room the hotel had provided a celebratory bottle of wine and cookies and it was a lovely touch. We had a side sea view room which got the sun almost all day. The staff were all very attentive. The room was cleaned daily and the hotel itself was very clean too. The restaurant provided a huge variety of hot and cold food which would cater for all tastes. We loved the rooftop pool and we spent a lot of time in the sea too which is easily accessible from the lower pool area. The all inclusive drinks were fine, the beer and wine was very palatable and the cocktails by the pool were just the thing whilst relaxing. It's a 5 minute walk to the bus station to get out and about and it's a 25 minute seafront stroll to Bugibba Square.

We returned from our holiday to the Qwara Palace Resort and Spa back in September and are currently still waiting for Jet2 with whom we booked the all inclusive holiday, to acknowledge and investigate our experience. Due to the length of time this is taking, we also do not wish to leave adding this review too far in the future as we would like to make others aware of our experience. We were sold an expensive all inclusive 10 night stay holiday, which cost us additional monies due to the poor experience we had and for the first time ever, we actually couldn't wait to get home. Malta however, is a beautiful country, alongside Gozo which we would recommend. As for the hotel, this review is an honest review of our experience. We are mindful, aware and appreciate that others have different experiences. This hotel does not live up to its name Qwara Palace Resort and Spa and the advertised rating of 4 star quality. For my partner and I, this hotel fell far short of this, we would say a minimum of 3 star, and in some areas even a 2 star hotel. It has also given future doubt for booking all inclusive package holidays for us, due to our poor experience and the significant cost which we had to pay. The Hotel Building This hotel fails to demonstrate a 4 star physical environment. Paintwork is observed as left unfinished and many areas of the building require re-painting. The walkway through from the main dining area to the lower pool area showed evident mould and damp on the walls. Tiles were in the process of being laid onto the walls, covering over the mould and damp which could be easily seen. In this walkway also, cleaning trolleys and wet surface caution signage were frequently left unattended and not removed for many hours as they are in other public areas. These should be removed once used and not left standing in public walkways as cleaning trolleys and equipment and chemical used can pose additional risk and hazard. The hotel provides toilets which are not serviced sufficiently enough to allow them to be kept suitably clean. There are insufficient toilets for the amount of guests. Toilet sink areas were observed in the downstairs male facility having non functioning equipment to meet hygiene needs. The physical inner toilet doors in both male and female bathrooms beside the main dining area downstairs are 'shocking' (plywood, gaps, poor quality- see images) Soft furnishings such as some of the main dining room 'curtains' are damaged and again of poor quality. We observed broken rusty rails around the pool area and decking area and the unused 'Coca Cola' advertising umbrellas and their stands (online these sun umbrellas are in good order and plain in colour with no sponsorship advertisement which would add to improving the quality appearance of this hotel), unused metal umbrella stands with umbrellas removed. are uncapped, again causing a hazard to guests. There are visibly unattractive, untidy areas around the lower main poolside area also overlooking the sea. Such areas are not 4 star grounds. Why are such areas not tidied, sufficiently maintained, concealed in an attractive and aesthetically pleasing manner for paying guests?

Our Standard Room With Balcony The sole positive we can say about this hotel is that our standard room (interior only) was spacious, relatively modern and clean. This does not however, take into account the balcony area and balcony outlook. The balcony which we would have loved to experience, an area of personal space to sit and relax on occasions, was small with a very disappointing and poor outlook, a 'congested' area of balconies with no personal space and a view looking down onto a 'false' setting area. The small balcony area had nowhere to allow swimwear and personal beach towels to dry. A simple towel rail attached to the balcony inner side would suffice,  We therefore used our room, as a base to sleep, wash and dress only.

Health and Safety Concerns We both had upset stomachs on occasions during our stay and having eaten at the hotel. This affected our holiday in numerous ways, not eating meals we had paid for, having to find toileting facilities promptly and spoiling our time on holiday due to the feeling unwell. There are significant slip and trip hazards around the hotel. Areas around the poolside were unkempt, untidy, broken, required addressing, broken floor tiles, raised areas such as tiles, plastic drainage raised and fallen, both therefore causing hazards. There is a significant use of artificial 'grass' around the main pool side area. This artificial 'grass' (if it can actually be called this!) was observed as damaged in many places, lifting up allowing for trips. Railings around the main outside pool area site observed as rusty and broken in some areas. We observed nails standing out of decking posts on the rockside decking when erect. We observed unlevel and movable floor tiles around the infinity pool area.

Pool Areas Pool Area (main pool and children's small toddler pool) This area is unattractive, unwelcoming and in need of a large overhaul. The pool water is very cold. We chose to swim in the sea. This area in reality is not the same as in the advertised images on the Jet2 booking site and Qwara Palace Hotel. This can be said with all advertising images. If these actual images were on the holiday booking sites for Qwara Palace Resort and Spa we would NOT have given the hotel consideration further.  There are no lifeguards on duty at pools or rock side area.  

Rock Beach Decking Area Due to the poor state of the pool area and the environment and atmosphere of the upper infinity pool area, we chose initially to spend some time on the decking area overlooking the sea. We were however, very surprised and disappointed, adding to less enjoyment of our holiday, to see on choosing to go to this area one morning, that the decking area was being taken down.  Part of our holiday enjoyment comes from being able to relax, swim and enjoy, the sea or beach area. We had been to this decking area the previous day . To our surprise though, on this day, having observed no signage on previous days, to advise guests of its removal, or indeed any information on the Jet2 website or hotel website, that it would be removed in September and the date, it was very disheartening. We asked a facilities member who was working on this who advised that the decking was being taken down as it was the end of the Summer holiday period.   The removal of this decking area including the large metal joists was dangerous. The only safety precaution we could see for guests and the public was thin red and white tape placed along the edge of the decking which was erected. No barriers. The area should have been cordoned off during this time. Furthermore, post, some of the decking and joists being taken down, rubbish, screws were not tidied and cleared away for several hours.

Staff Service Unfortunately we found staff to be lacking warmth, impersonal and lacking the laughter and 'chat' of the holiday experience.  Staff observed making drinks, clearing tables at mealtimes with little to no interaction with us. It all just seemed very impersonal.  

Entertainment  The daytime and evening entertainment that we observed was limited. The entertainment appeared repetitive. The' best' entertainment we found was when guests provided the entertainment for karaoke, including myself, on our first evening at the hotel. We did not however attend this again and tried to go out of the hotel as much as possible to try and enjoy our holiday. The hotel made us feel fed up, down and so very disappointed that we had booked this hotel yet again.The standard of outdoor stage area for 4 star accommodation is again 'shocking'.    Entertainment Team The entertainment team whom we observed on a few occasions as their presence appeared non-existent and their demeanour and attitude lacking sociability and luster and life to provide guests with a happy, fun and enjoyable experience. We felt this was a negative experience as on all previous holidays we have found staff engaged and interactive with us, daytime and night time, all adding to the 'holiday' experience.

Offensive Odours There was a frequent and noticeable pungent odour of sewage around the pool area on many occasions.There was an evident odour of cannabis frequently around the hotel, inside and outside areas.

Rooftop Infinity Pool This we visited on approximately 5 times during our stay. We did not go to this pool until at least after 17.00 hours on these occasions. The hotel touch screens state that the 'infinity pool' is a 'place to relax and unwind'. Perhaps on 2 of the occasions we found the area, 'similar' to this statement. However, on the other occasions we found some guests (there were alot of younger same group/sex guests), written signage of behaviour  at the infinity pool area was ignored, negative behaviour which had an impact upon ourselves and our enjoyment and use of this area. Shouting, use of music speakers in different areas by different groups, smoking of Cannabis. Following this we made a verbal complaint to the hotel reception staff. Basically we had had 'enough'. We also identified a couple of other issues about the hotel but advised this was a separate complaint and we had contacted Jet2 and would be making a formal complaint about the hotel. We were informed by reception staff that the hotel had contacted the police about the challenging behaviour of the disruptive guests, the police came, the guests left the hotel but then the guests returned once the police had left the hotel. We visited the area once the police had gone which shows that the guests carried on doing what they were doing. We understand that the hotel cannot be responsible for the behaviour of its guests but the hotel managers and staff do need to be responsible for the way that the hotel manages these guests who are disruptive or 'spoiling' the environment for others. We all enjoy fun and are all paying guests. On our departure, the staff member did not ask us if we had enjoyed our stay or how was our stay and was therefore also unable to have this opening to air our concerns further. We also just wanted to leave and get back home to the UK!

Restaurant Eating Areas, Food and Drinks There is no standard outdoor seating area for dining. We are not including the small area we observed at one of the hotel restaurants where you are entitled to eat at (one dinner per person per week in any of the hotels' themed restaurants) This is unclear when booking also. A significant highlight of our summer holiday with warm evenings is to eat outside in lovely surroundings. This hotel falls very short of this and a great disappointment. The restaurant is outdated, furniture of poor quality, crowded with people and minimal spacing between tables to allow for walkways and even pulling your chair out to sit down at the table. The Qwara Palace Resort and Spa states ,'As part of the All-Inclusive Package, enjoy a lavish Breakfast, Lunch, Afternoon Snacks and Dinner in the Da'Vella Restaurant...' This statement is untrue. There are most certainly limited food choices and food is not lavish whatsoever. The food is of poor quality, lacks variety and options are repetitive. There are no cooking stations to offer guests variety and taste, unless you consider woks of 'pasta' being regarded as a 'cooking station'. The quality of drinks is poor. Drinks are weak in taste, watery and this includes both non alcoholic and alcoholic drinks. Cling film is wrapped around the soft drinks dispensers/wine/beer daily at breakfast time around soft drinks machines/wine/beer. Why is this? The use of cling film is also very non eco friendly. At the unkempt poolside bar, there is no provision to have food as part of the all inclusive package. This was disappointing and in relation to other 4 star hotels we have been to, very poor. No bottled water is available as standard in the all inclusive package. Water at this hotel is supplied in large water standing bottles/ metal water stands. These were in majority observed to be dirty and some of the few units, set standing in the sun providing warm water to drink. These water units, if neglected and placed in areas such as this, can quickly grow bacteria and biofilms. A 4 star service and non existent at this hotel. We were served drinks at the pool side bar which frequently had long queues, in plastic cracked glasses on several occasions. On one occasion I was also served a slush drink which had 2 wasps at the bottom of the plastic glass. At this hotel, there is no provision for drinks after 23.00 hours. The evening time is when we wish to be able to get a drink. 23.00 hours is early closure in comparison to other 4 star hotels we have stayed at previously. There were no additional serving areas anywhere in the hotel.

A very busy hotel, we couldnt have our room til exactly 3pm, but they did give us a wristband and allow us to use the facilities. The room was clean and comfy, and the balcony faced inwards, but was very quiet at night. The pool areas were clean, always managed to get sunbeds but certain guests have their own speakers playing their own music for everyone to hear, even though the hotel says its a no no, on top of the hotel music. The bars can have queues at them quite regularly, whilst one of the barman does cocktails and the other 2 decide to have a tidy up, between 5 and 10 minutes was the average wait, and even then people tried to push to the front, with the staff serving them and asking them to join the queue next time. The beer was fine, cocktails not bad. The restaurant was busy, but always spare tables and food was good and plentiful, and the staff were always busy. Its a big hotel, very busy, at times the lifts can have a wait. The 3 specialist restaurant were good. Overall, a nice hotel spoiled by certain guests.