Gillieru Hotel

First of all I have to say that I have stayed in this hotel before and there are many positives. I like the pool area. It had been refreshed, new paint, umbrellas and sunbeds. The location is great for St.Paul's Bay. Near to restaurants, Mosta road for buses. The ferry to Sliema etc. The staff were lovely. However, my single room was a bit of a disaster. The room didn't have sufficient lighting once the curtains or nets were closed (I had to close them as I was on pool level) I had to ask for a lamp for some extra light. There was only one plug socket in the room. I managed to get an adapter as the fridge wasn't working either. Eventually everything was plugges into a very unsightly adapter on the dressing table. The kettle, the fridge, the lamp and the television were all supposed to run from this. The chair at the dressing table practically gave way when I sat on it as there was no support at the bottom. The toilet seat was loose and eventually came off completely and the telephone didn't initially work! However, the handy mad Abdul was as helpful as he could be. The bed was reasonable comfortable, the pillows were awful. The view was great, although it was a standing balcony, so difficult to see very clearly once sitting. Only just enough space for one chair. I am not sure whether anyone had been in this room for a long time, but at around 100 euros per night I expected better. On saying all of this I still like the feel of the place and the location. I am still waiting for a response from the hotel to my issues.

I rarely write negative reviews, but I feel compelled to share my experience to help prevent other travelers from going through the same thing. ​The only positive aspect of this hotel is its location on St. Paul’s Bay—and absolutely nothing else. ​The room was extremely outdated. The furniture looked like it had simply been given a quick coat of paint to appear new, with very poor results. The bathroom was equally old and unmaintained: the toilet was loose and wobbly, there was a persistent unpleasant odor, and the exhaust fan made an unbearable noise. ​The air conditioning was so loud that we had no choice but to turn it off completely just to be able to sleep. On top of that, the television was not working at all. It was truly an embarrassing state of affairs for a hotel claiming to offer a 4-star experience. ​I sincerely hope other rooms in the property are in better condition, because if this is the standard across the board, the 4-star rating is completely inexplicable.

Great location and lovely staff, but the room needs major refurbishment

I stayed at the Gillieru Harbour Hotel for five nights after being impressed by its photos and reviews. The location is excellent, the air conditioning worked well, and the staff I met—including the receptionist and cleaning team—were friendly and helpful.

Unfortunately, room 515 did not meet the standard I expected from a four-star hotel. The furniture was very dated, and the paint was cracked and peeling in places. The room needs repainting and substantial refurbishment. The two small beds pushed together were uncomfortable, there was little space in the bathroom for personal items, and the shower controls, fittings and lighting all felt tired. Even the toilet paper was very rough.

Breakfast was also disappointing. The selection changed very little from day to day, the hot food was poor, and on one occasion I had to ask for bread before it was brought out.

I’m sharing this as a warning for anyone thinking of booking. Please look carefully at recent reviews and don’t rely on the photos alone; my room did not reflect the impression they gave me. Based on my stay, I would not describe the room as meeting the standard I expected, and I found its condition unhygienic. It was worse than I would expect from a small B&B in Europe. If you’re travelling to Europe and expect the quality commonly associated with European hotels, please bear my experience in mind before booking.

I can only speak about the room I stayed in, but it needs substantial attention and refurbishment. The hotel has a beautiful location and welcoming staff, and I hope it invests in improving its rooms and breakfast.