Comino Hotel

The Comino Hotel's sits on a rocky shoreline with picturesque cliffs separating small, sheltered sandy beaches. The main building makes a cheerful first impression, painted in soft shades of pink and tan with orange trim, which compliment the surrounding landscape. Inside, the main lobby has an unfinished, almost industrial look, with laminate floors, high ceilings, and functional support columns surrounding a lounge area with three old couches. Wooden tables and chairs are scattered across the wide space between the reception desk and the lobby bar. The bar end of the room has more character, featuring a white-painted stone wall and a large open fireplace in the corner. As the only hotel around, it's popular with couples looking for a quiet stay on the island.

The hotel overlooks San Niklaw Bay on the small island of Comino, which is only accessible via water taxi or private ferry (which the hotel offers). Getting to the hotel can be inconvenient; ferries run from the mainland as well as the island of Gozo to the north, and the ride takes about 30 minutes. From the airport, the trip can take upward of two hours, and ferries don't run in the evenings. There's nothing immediately surrounding the hotel, except for beaches and nature trails through the island's craggy terrain. Roads are minimal and because the island is home to only a handful of residents, there are no cars. Guests can walk to the the Blue Lagoon, a popular snorkeling destination on a picturesque bay with a white-sand beach, in under 15 minutes. The most prominent structure on the island is Saint Mary's Tower, a fortified medieval watchtower on the southern coast. It's a bit of a hike, so renting bikes to reach it is advisable.

The hotel has 95 air-conditioned guest rooms spread across two floors, roughly half of which have sea views, though all have small furnished balconies. Standard rooms have either double beds or two twin beds, and some adjoining rooms can be connected. Plain tiled floors and white walls are paired with gray-painted wood furnishings and dated fabrics. Large wardrobes provide enough space for clothes and storage, but there are no seating areas; solo chairs are tucked in a corner only because there isn't enough room between beds and the vanity tables they belong to. Free Wi-Fi is included along with dated tube TVs and mini-fridges. A pair of suites add living areas with couches, and have two balconies. There are also 46 secluded bungalows geared for couples, about a 10-minute walk from the main building (or a two-minute ride in the house van). All have twin or double beds and living rooms with couches. Private furnished terraces have plastic tables with shade umbrellas and most have sea views. The tiled bathrooms have either average shower/tub combos or walk-in showers. 

Like guest rooms, amenities at Comino Hotel are dated, but they're generally well-maintained. The main building has an outdoor pool with a sundeck above a private beach. There are plenty of loungers all around, and there's a second sunbathing terrace above the pool with even more loungers and shade umbrellas. An on-site diving center is nearby for certified classes and scuba gear. There's also a second large pool for adults with its own sundeck, and a private rocky beach can be found near the bungalows. Other outdoor features include a large boules pitch and six tennis courts (two are located in the bungalows area). For dining, there are two buffet spots; The Blue Lagoon Restaurant serves a variety of international fare in the main building, which has a large dining room facing the sea, and Club Nautico serves the bungalows, with seating on an outdoor terrace. Free breakfast is included, and all-inclusive rates are available. There's also an outdoor terrace bar with snacks and cocktails, and the main lobby bar serves drinks, along with snacks and ice cream. Walking trails can be accessed from the hotel, and bikes can be rented on-site. Wi-Fi is free throughout.