Gillieru Harbour Hotel

While the Gillieru Harbour Hotel's sandstone facade and arched windows seem to mimic that of the neighboring ancient chapel, stepping inside, the comparisons end there. The reception area -- as most of the property -- while clean and well-maintained, feels stuck in the '70s with busily patterned seating and drapery, polished stone floors, and dark-wood trim combining for a dated feel. This relatively small family-run hotel stands at five floors serviced by two elevators (though not always functioning simultaneously). A second-story footbridge connects to the hotel's main selling point -- the pool terrace where most guests congregate and can take in superb panoramic sea views. Even finer vistas can be enjoyed from the rooftop terrace where there are few seats and shade (though a flight of stairs to reach it). As much of the island, clientele largely hails from the U.K., and this hotel attracts more couples -- often on package deals -- than families with kids.

While not the most-coveted location in Malta, the hotel boasts an impressive setting overlooking the old fishing harbor in the Saint Paul's Bay district of Bugibba. There's also a small square next to the hotel, which includes an ancient chapel. The resort's plentiful dining, shopping, and nightlife opportunities are about a 10 minutes' walk away along the seafront promenade. Rocky beaches are also within walking distance, or buses stop just outside the hotel and connect to the shingle Qawra Point Beach in around 20 minutes (where Malta National Aquarium can also be found). A more impressive stretch of sand is under a 15-minute drive at Golden Bay, while the historic capital Valletta and Malta International Airport are around half an hour by road.

The hotel has 74 rooms, all of which are decorated with a combination of knotty pinewood furniture, tile floors, and colorful coordinated fabrics; while clean and tidy, decor is undoubtedly dated and low on frills. The views are the star of the show, with most rooms featuring superb bay panoramas from balconies housing plastic furniture; early birds can even watch fishermen unload their catch from colorful boats in the neighboring harbor. Contrary to some claims, however, not all rooms have balconies and rooms facing the neighboring church and street are prone to some noise.

All rooms are air-conditioned, and come with flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, and telephones, but no tea- and coffee-making facilities. Both in-room Wi-Fi and use of old-fashioned safes are charged. More up-to-date bathrooms have walk-in showers that are open on one side and basic toiletries; hairdryers are available on request.

A bright though old-fashioned dining room serves a continental buffet breakfast with sea-view floor-to-ceiling windows; while the buffet breakfast is included in the rate, cooked options are extra. There's also a restaurant specializing in freshly caught local seafood, and an on-site Italian eatery opens over the summer months and is particularly popular with guests.

The fairly small outdoor saltwater pool has a separate section for kids and is surrounded on three sides by the sea. Two poolside tiered sun terraces offer plenty of space for sunbathing, though loungers are shabby and need replacing. A pool bar is open during the busier half of the year, but the hotel does not provide any poolside activities or entertainment. Free but slow Wi-Fi is available around the reception area. While there's no car park on-site, parking is available in the surrounding streets.