Novotel Malta Sliema, which is actually in Gżira

The first thing to know about the Novotel Malta Sliema is that it isn’t in Sliema. The Malta Tourism Authority register places it in Gżira, on Sir Frederick Ponsonby Street, above The Strand promenade. For a visitor it makes little difference, since you can walk to both Sliema and Msida, but it’s worth knowing so the map doesn’t catch you out. The second thing is that it has something almost no other hotel nearby offers, a 37-metre infinity pool on the roof.

A modern four-star on The Strand

The MTA register gives it four stars, 293 rooms and 586 beds, which is large for this stretch of coast. The hotel’s website pitches it as a modern waterfront hotel on one of Malta’s liveliest promenades, built for both leisure and business, with views to Valletta.

The Strand is the stretch of shore linking Sliema with Gżira and Msida, facing Marsamxett Harbour. The appeal of staying here is the same as in Sliema, Valletta across the water and the ferry close by, and the difference, to my mind, is that the area feels a touch less touristy.

The rooftop, the big selling point

The rooftop infinity pool is 37 metres long, with a hot tub and a bar you can reach from the water. That bar is the Soleil Skydeck and Pool, with panoramic views. There’s also an indoor pool by the spa, which is run by Carisma Spa & Wellness.

In an area of apartment blocks with hardly any gardens, a pool like that is what sets this hotel apart. If you’re travelling in summer and want to mix Valletta with a swim without heading to a beach, I’d rank it high.

Once your dates are set, check which hotels are still free in Novotel Malta Sliema, Gzira before prices climb.

Eating and drinking

The restaurant is Tria, serving Mediterranean dishes, from seasonal soups to pasta, and breakfast is a buffet. The Isola Bar opens from morning to late evening with locally inspired cocktails. For dinner out, you have the whole Gżira and Sliema seafront on foot.

Getting around from Gżira

From The Strand you can walk to the Sliema jetty, where the ferry crosses to Valletta non-stop; I’ve put fares and timetables in the Valletta ferries. By road, Valletta means going round the harbour through Msida, with traffic at almost any hour. To compare with hotels in central Sliema and Tigné, see my hotels in Sliema.

Once your dates are set, check which hotels are still free in Novotel Malta Sliema, Gzira before prices climb.

Who it’s for, and who it isn’t

I can see it working for couples and friends who want a proper pool without giving up Valletta a ferry ride away, and for work trips, since the hotel pitches itself that way too. I wouldn’t choose it if you want a small hotel with character, or if you’re driving and plan to move around a lot, because of the Msida traffic. If you’re weighing it against a three-star by the ferry, compare it with the Sliema Marina Hotel on Tigné Seafront, simpler and with a rooftop hot tub instead of a pool. In high summer, the rooftop pool is the real reason to pay a little more here, and in winter the indoor pool and spa keep it useful when the sea is too cold.

If you would rather have a local show you round, book a guided tour in Sliema and choose by the reviews.

A car frees you from timetables: search car hire in Sliema on DiscoverCars and compare companies.

So you do not pay over the odds, look at trains, coaches and flights to Malta on Omio and pick the one that suits you.