Bayview Hotel and Spa

I would say the major selling point for the hotel is it's rooftop pool. The hotel is on the harbour, and you can see straight across to Valetta, it's just a wonderful view and surpisingly few other hotels around there seemed to have a similar pool, so this is it's big plus for it.

Unfortunately the rest of the hotel isn't in great shape. Smell: our room (614) was right below the pool and had a really bad damp smell, as did the corridor on the 6th floor.

Air conditioning: The air conditioning in my room, and my friends room (618) did not work well, and was very loud. We ended up keeping the balcony doors open at night as that was cooler than the aircon could get it.

Noise: It's very loud around the hotel and a lot of building work is ongoing. Obviously having to keep the balcony door open made that much worse, and it's not something that bothers me, but I know others find it hard to tolerate.

Worn down: Obviously they go for best photos (except of the rooftop pool view which they should show more), but the hotel is dated and a lot of little bits of damage. It's not a huge issue, but it's the price it is for a reason.

Staff: Unfortunately some of the front desk staff were very rude. I really hate mentioning staff, everyone can have an off day, but there was one man who was so actively rude anytime we had to speak to him that I think it bears mentioning. I wasn't down complaining about the issues listed here, I could deal with it, but he was genuinely rude and horrible both times. It upset me a lot and did put a downer on the holiday unfortunately.

I rarely leave reviews, but after our stay at Bayview Hotel, I feel compelled to share my experience so that other travelers know what to expect.

To be completely honest, this was one of the most disappointing hotel stays I have had in years. The reality of the hotel is very different from what is shown in the promotional photos online. The rooms are significantly more worn down than advertised, and the overall condition of the property gives the impression that maintenance has been neglected for quite some time.

During our stay, we ended up using two different rooms. Unfortunately, both rooms suffered from exactly the same issues, which makes it clear that these are not isolated incidents but ongoing problems throughout the hotel.

The bathrooms were particularly disappointing. The soap holders in the showers were loose and looked as though they could fall off the wall at any moment. Even worse, every time we showered, water leaked across the bathroom floor. Not just a few drops – large amounts of water ended up outside the shower area, leaving the entire bathroom floor wet. It felt unhygienic, poorly designed, and simply unpleasant to deal with on a daily basis.

The biggest issue, however, was the air conditioning. Visiting Malta during the summer means that a properly functioning air conditioning system is essential. Unfortunately, the AC in both rooms was locked to a fixed temperature and could not be adjusted to a cooler setting. As a result, the rooms remained far too warm throughout the night. Sleeping comfortably became difficult, and several nights were spent tossing and turning because of the heat. When you pay for a hotel, being able to get a decent night’s sleep should be the bare minimum expectation.

The breakfast was also underwhelming. While there was a reasonable selection of food, the quality left a lot to be desired. Several items appeared as though they had been sitting out for a long time. The beans were dried out, the eggs were rubbery and overcooked, and the entire buffet felt tired and uninspired. It certainly did not match the standard you would expect based on the hotel’s presentation.

The only genuinely positive aspect of our stay was the staff. Every employee we interacted with was friendly, polite, and tried their best to help. One of our friends arrived later than expected, and the staff were accommodating and solution-oriented, helping us arrange a family room for a small additional fee.

After explaining the issues we had experienced, the hotel upgraded us for our final night to a beautiful, modern room. This room was exactly what we had expected from the photos online. Most importantly, the air conditioning actually worked properly and could be adjusted to our preferred temperature. For the first time during our stay, we were finally able to sleep comfortably through the night. We genuinely appreciated this gesture, and it showed that the hotel is capable of offering a much higher standard.

Unfortunately, that final upgrade also highlighted just how disappointing the rest of our stay had been. If the standard of the upgraded room had been what we received from the beginning, this review would have been completely different.

Good staff can only do so much. The kindness and professionalism of the employees deserve recognition, but the underlying issues with the standard rooms overshadowed the positives. Worn-out rooms, leaking showers, poor maintenance, ineffective air conditioning, and a disappointing breakfast experience made this stay fall well below expectations.

What concerns me most is that we experienced the exact same problems in two separate standard rooms. This suggests that these issues are not accidental or temporary, but rather a reflection of the hotel’s overall standard.

I genuinely wanted to like this hotel, especially given its location and the friendliness of the staff. However, after our experience, I cannot recommend Bayview Hotel. There are simply too many shortcomings for the price being charged, and I left feeling disappointed that the hotel was nothing like what had been advertised.

I would not stay here again.

Amazing hotel, extremely helpful and friendly staff, particularly Adam and Omar who went above and beyond for my friends and I. Will certainly be returning!