Description: +Located where?+
In St George's Bay, St Julians, Malta. Just 10km from the airport and about 7km from the capital Valetta.
+ Reception+
Large and airy, with revolving doors as well as two swing doors, usually with a doorman on duty. The reception desk is manned 24hours and there is a separate desk to arrange car hire and a concierge to help with getting a taxi. Smart receptionists speak many languages and are quick with check in. Reception also will assist with parking under the hotel.
+The Lobby Bar+
Opposite the Reception, it is open from 08.00 - 02.00am and serves not only tea and coffee, but can rustle up whatever cocktail takes your fancy! In addition, tempting cakes are in a covered display and are well worth sampling!
+The Rooms+
All rooms and suites are elegantly furnished and I think this has been done with care for detail. The colours are warm and calming in corals and teal colours, in the rooms I have seen, the wood is light in colour but looks expensive. There is air conditioning with individual controls, and I'm pretty sure each room has a balcony although views vary. Each room has a safe, colour television with satellite programmes and an option to pay for movies. Should you need to press your clothes there is an iron and ironing board and of course facilities to make a coffee or tea, or a minibar if you want something stronger. Linen is changed daily and the cleaners are very efficient.
There are 451 bedrooms, but only 3 specified suitable for physically challenged people. There are standard rooms, deluxe with King size beds, and different suites. There is a Presidential Suite but no doubt at a cost! The hotel has 15 floors in the different sections, the 3 top most floors are for Club Inter- continental. Other guests are not allowed in this area.
The bathrooms are clean and modern with a bath, toilet, washbasin and walk in shower. Hair Driers are standard and efficient! White towels are plentiful, large and fluffy and dressing gowns and face cloths are also provided. Small bottles of shower gel, shampoo and conditioner, body lotion and soap are provided, also tissues, sewing kit and shoe shine cloth. The doors are heavy and sound proofed, card type keys are provided. The corridors are wide and deeply carpeted so noise is kept down and have some lovely large pictures of animals taken by a member of the family on his travels abroad. There are huge tables at the lift areas with large bowls of Pot Pourri.
There is a 24 hour room service if you can't bear to leave your room and also valet and laundry service, which we did not use.
+Places to eat+
Harubba Restaurant
The Harubba Restaurant, which is on the first floor, has an International Buffet. Breakfast is served here, and like a lot of restaurants has everything you can think of, and also a buffet in the evening. On some occasions chefs come from other Intercontinental hotels and it was a Greek buffet whilst we were on holiday. It is above the reception, but open plan so you can see what is happening around you.
Soprano Restaurant
The Soprano Restaurant is on the same level and can be opened up, with the Harubba, to make into one large restaurant. It is advisable to book in advance as this is a smaller restaurant and they do not take too many at a time. It is called a theatre as you can see the chefs performing! They cook a la carte Italian and seafood dishes.
Al Fresco Restaurant
This is open in the summer months, weather permitting. Lunches and dinners are available, sitting under the huge umbrellas in the landscaped gardens.
Narcis bar and Restaurant.
This is in the pool area, which is on the roof of part of the hotel and overlooked by the Club area. Sitting and enjoying a lunchtime snack or light meal and absorbing the sea view is very pleasant on a summer's day. This is open depending on the weather too. Grills are most popular and also cold drinks and coffees are served to people lying around the pool.
There is also the Carissa bar with comfortable settees and chairs and a wide screen television if you want to relax.
Eastern Breeze Restaurant
I've left the best to last. My husband had booked a table and we strolled down and were soon seated in the attractive restaurant. It overlooks the street, and the window was tastefully disguised behind a wooden frame with all things eastern. The girls were dressed in Japanese style dresses and many were of Eastern origin, which added to the ambience. We were given our menus as the cocktail trolley arrived and sipped our chilled martinis as we choose what delicacies we should sample. The Eastern Breeze takes you on a culinary journey from Asia through to the Mediterranean. We choose the Japanese sushi, sashmi and maki rolls as part of a selection of the Nine sins! At least I think it was nine! This was a starter for 2 people but it was no trouble to provide enough for the 3 of us. I had a noodle dish for the main course, and can't remember what the others had. I even managed a delicious coconut ice cream for sweet! The meal was not rushed and was a very enjoyable experience. Little sweetmeats were served with coffee, which we just had to eat!
+Health and Fitness+
After all that eating you need to burn off a few calories! You can be energetic and go to the Cynergi health club, accessible through the garden, which has state of the art equipment. Sit pedalling your bike and watch a film, lift a few weights climb the wall. Brad Pitt used this gym before his own equipment was shipped over whilst filming a couple of years ago! Changing rooms are available, towels provided, and a juice bar with seating is a good place to recover! There is a lovely indoor pool, which can also be reached from the main hotel, it is 17 metres in length with separate changing rooms, and a lifeguard was always on duty when I was there.
The outdoor pool is enormous! It is on the roof and is 47 metres in a lagoon style, shallower at the one end for children. Cool to get into at times but you soon become acclimatised! There are toilets and changing rooms near one of the lifts, and showers near the pool. Soft music is piped around the area and there are neat garden areas with palm trees and bright flowers.
After all that exercise, I felt in need of a massage and the Beauty studio can oblige. Sauna and steam baths are available and hot stone massages. Facials and manicures are amongst the vast list of treatments and all priced at a similar range to good beauty salons in Britain
+Shops+
All this eating and exercise left me in need of a bit of retail therapy. There is a lovely jewellery shop, where I window-shopped and a small boutique where you can buy swimwear, sun cream or bits and pieces you've forgotten. Books, maps, postcards and plenty of gifts are also stocked.
There is a shopping centre with more restaurants just across the street if you feel the need to explore a little.
+Gardens+
The gardens are well maintained with lots of water features, the fish are large and colourful and the turtles are interesting to watch as they lie and bask in the sun, or race around the pool, playing follow my leader. There are plenty of areas to sit or lie in the sun, and we never had a problem getting a sun lounger when we wanted one. Some of the trees are really tall and give the gardens some character.
+Conference Rooms+
There are 18 different meeting rooms, including a large ballroom. We have seen several conferences going on whilst we stayed, it can cause some delay at Reception, and make the lobby area busy, but they tend to eat in one of the function rooms or at other hotels with other delegates so it doesn't cause too much of a problem. The largest room can cater for 740 for a drinks reception or seat 400 for a banquet, these rooms are found on different levels and named after the owner's family De Cesare or after planets.
+Cost+
I suppose there has to be something nasty in every review! You can book direct, make your own travel arrangements, and choose what type of room you want or use a travel agent and book everything together. It depends on time of year as with most hotels.
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