The Westin Dragonara Resort, Malta

I really wanted to like this hotel, but my stay at the Westin Dragonara in St. Julian’s, Malta, was deeply disappointing.

As a Marriott Gold member, I chose this hotel expecting the usual perks that come with my status. Unfortunately, we received none of them. When I inquired about a room upgrade at check-in, the staff acted as if I was out of line for even asking. I then asked for a late checkout and was met with the same dismissive attitude, as though the request itself was absurd. I understand that upgrades and late checkouts are based on availability, but it was the condescending way they treated me that was truly frustrating. I was only asking for an extra hour—hardly an unreasonable request—and they seemed unfamiliar with the concept of Marriott Gold status altogether.

One of the main reasons we booked this hotel was for the kids’ club, which was supposed to give us a bit of time to enjoy lunch or a spa treatment while our daughter played. According to their website, it should have been open from 9 AM to 5 PM, Monday to Sunday, during the season we visited. However, when we tried to use it on the first day, it was closed because they were decorating for a party—for one child in the hotel. The next day, it was closed again for that child’s party, and on Sunday, it was simply not open at all. Nowhere on their website or during the booking process was this mentioned. When we checked in, they promoted the kids’ club but conveniently left out that it would be unavailable for most of our stay. This was a huge letdown.

On the positive side, the hotel is in a great location right on the water. The property is large, clean, and welcoming, and our room in the North Wing with a garden view and balcony was spacious and appeared newly renovated. However, we encountered several issues in the room. The minibar fridge was hot and didn’t keep anything cold. We were told the pull-out couch bed would be made up for our daughter, but when we unfolded it, we found dirty sheets and trash inside. To top it off, while there was a nice welcome chocolate plate, the card that came with it had someone else’s name on it.

Individually, these might seem like small issues, but together, they added up to a disappointing experience. I cannot recommend this hotel, and I doubt I will consider staying here again.

We stayed over the may half term. Hotel was nice but we were quite let down with the services from staff. There was a conference over a few days and it was evident that all the pleasantries were for show as it was outstanding over these days. Examples: opening the doors, saying good morning etc but this went away as soon as the 'important people' were no longer there. I do feel staff need training on customer service and this would 100% change my mind in giving the hotel higher stars. There was no lifeguard on duty the whole time we were there, considering it was half term week. It's a shame as I understand there have been lovely comments including staff but I just don't feel we had this experience. Apart from this, we had a lovely time. Hotel was very tidy. Food was lovely, location was lovely. Very picturesque. Pool side was perfect for the children.

I recently stayed at The Westin Dragonara Resort in Malta, and unfortunately, my experience was far from what I expected from a 5-star hotel.

To start with, we paid extra for a sea view room, only to find that our "sea view" was primarily a view of the pool. You could catch a glimpse of the sea if you turned a corner, which was quite disappointing.

The showers in our room were another letdown. The water was lukewarm at best unless you showered early in the morning. This inconsistency in water temperature was frustrating, especially for a hotel of this caliber.

The gym seemed to have great potential but was constantly crowded with outside members rather than hotel guests. This made it difficult to find space and time to use the facilities.

One of the most inconvenient aspects was the lack of readily available drinking water. We had to request it multiple times, and it took over an hour to arrive each time. This level of service is not acceptable for a supposedly luxury hotel.

The heated pool, which could have been a nice feature, was always overcrowded with children, making it hard to enjoy a peaceful swim.

Lastly, the breakfast was mediocre. While there was a decent selection, most of the pastries and hot foods were not enjoyable, and we often chose to skip them.

Overall, The Westin Dragonara Resort did not live up to its 5-star rating. The issues with the room, facilities, and service made for an unsatisfactory stay, and I would not recommend this hotel to others seeking a luxury experience in Malta.