Barceló Fortina Malta

Barceló Fortina Malta is a five-star seafront hotel on Tigné Seafront in Sliema, the busy resort town directly across Marsamxett Harbour from Valletta. It is one of the more complete full-service hotels on this side of the island, and it suits travellers who want comfortable rooms, a proper spa and a pool without giving up easy access to restaurants, shops and the sea. The setting is the draw: the hotel faces the water, the Tigné Point peninsula is on its doorstep, and the domes and bastions of the capital sit on the far side of the harbour, especially lovely when they light up in the evening. The rooms cover a wide range. There are deluxe and superior rooms, many with a sea view or a partial sea view, premium rooms with a private pool or a terrace with a hot tub, junior suites with a terrace and sea-front outlook, and apartment-style options for longer stays. Sea-view rooms are the ones to ask for if the budget allows, since the water and the harbour are a large part of what you are paying for. The hotel has both an indoor pool and an outdoor pool with sun loungers and umbrellas, so it works in the cooler months as well as in high summer. Sunbed rules can be strict at busy times, so check how reservations work when you book. Wellness is a strength. The Ina Spa offers massages, facials, manicures and pedicures, and hydrotherapy, with a sauna, steam room and Turkish bath, and there is also a gym and a hot tub. For eating and drinking, the hotel has Stella’s Restaurant and the Bridge Bar, which serves light Mediterranean dishes, and the surrounding streets add many more choices. Breakfast is not always included in the room rate, so check what your booking covers before you arrive.

Location is the practical reason to choose this hotel. The Point Shopping Mall is about a minute’s walk away, Tigné Fort is a few minutes on foot, and the pedestrian shopping street of Bisazza Street is only a short walk beyond. The long Sliema promenade, with its rocky bathing spots, cafes and sunset strolls, is close enough to reach on foot or by a very short drive.

The passenger ferry from the Sliema side to Valletta runs across the harbour in minutes, and it is a far nicer way to reach the capital than sitting in traffic, so many guests make the ferry the centre of their sightseeing plans.

Think about how you will use the hotel. If you want a base with a spa, indoor and outdoor pools and a calm, polished atmosphere, it is an excellent choice, and it works well for couples, for a wellness-minded break and for travellers who like to come back to comfortable surroundings after a day among the limestone streets of Valletta and Mdina.

It is less suited to travellers who want the old-city atmosphere on their doorstep, in which case a night or two in Valletta itself may be better. Sliema is lively and built-up, and evenings can be busy in summer.

Practical points are worth checking when you book. The airport is roughly a twenty-minute drive, and the hotel can arrange a shuttle for an extra charge. Parking, breakfast and some spa services may also cost extra, and rates vary a lot between the peak summer weeks and the quieter shoulder seasons, when the weather is still pleasant and the price is often noticeably lower. A sea-view or terrace room is the best way to make a stay here feel special.