Starwood Preferred Guest - Anyone been to The Westin Dragonara Resort ?

This could be interesting:

http://www.starwood.com/westin/search/hotel_detail.html?propertyID=1107&fromSearch=22XX&linkbrand=&links=all

Yes. We stayed there for two nights last October. There were a few problems:

- the room we were initially offered (which was quite large) had one of the worst beds I have ever encountered.
- the platinum amenity offered was some local nougat. It was mouldy! (Despite being in a cellophane wrap inside a box.
- the health club has absolutely no free water available

The problem with the bed was that they were only part way through moving over to heavenly beds. We switched to a smaller room in order to get one.
The amenity was replaced promptly, but it shouldn't have been mouldy in the first place.
The lack of water in the gym is outrageous.

Other than that the location is nice. The casino is not exactly Las Vegas, but it's OK if you are into that sort of thing. We didn't try any of the restaurants.

Malta generally is a bit of a strange place though. In many ways it is like going back to the UK in the 50s or 60s. Some of the buses have to be seen to be believed!

Er, why do you think the link is interesting? Did I miss something?

Looks more like i missed something.

My girlfriend really wants to go to malta for some reason and on first glance this hotel looked nice. Thanks for the review.

For those of you that are interested, the portion of my trip report (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum81/HTML/003827-2.html) pertaining to my recent experience at the Westin Dragonara Resort in Malta is now posted and ready for viewing.

I hope you find the information I provide helpful and informative.

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Caution: Please be advised that the trip report is quite long.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by christep:
Some of the buses have to be seen to be believed!
</font>

The busses on Malta are a trip. I never thought traveling by bus could be so amusing.

For those of you who don't know, there is a national network of busses, all originating from Valetta, the capital. The busses are vintage machines and all painted a bright yellow with orange hilights. Each bus is individualized by the driver -- many have mini shrines.

Its not the fatest way to get around Malta, but it is reliable and interesting.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by christep:
Some of the buses have to be seen to be believed!</font>

Glad to oblige!

You can view pictures of the buses of Malta here (http://www.philseed.com/maltabus.html).

Anybody with details about the rooms at the Dragonara?

As far as I see there are:

- standard rooms
- deluxe rooms
- royal beach club rooms (kind of club level)
- tower rooms with large terrace
- junior suites
- executive suites

Would you put them in the same order? At least this is the order the price would indicate...

Do you think a Gold could score an upgrade in November...? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by emaij:
Looks more like i missed something.

My girlfriend really wants to go to malta for some reason and on first glance this hotel looked nice. Thanks for the review. </font>

I had the same exact issue. My gf wanted to go and then I showed her the Westin Dragonara website and she was a little annoyed when I said we are staying at the Hilton (using HHonors points) instead of the Westin (using SPG points). I have heard great things about the Hilton Malta ... courtesy of a fine fellow FTer.

Warning!!!

The Breakfast in the Royal Beach Club Lounge is not free.

My benefits as Platinum Member:

No Upgrade an a wrong Bill.

I spent 4 nights there 2 years ago. I agree than Malta is a very special country but also probably one of the most fascinating.

The Westin is located in St-Julians a trendy area near Valetta (everything is close to Valetta in Malta...). This area is very busy during evenings and weekeneds with a lot of night clubs and restaurants. The casino is close to the Westin but not attached to it.

The hotel itself is fine , when I was there I was upgraded to a junior suite on the RBC level. I had 2 balconies providing very nice views. The Hilton is also in the same area.

There is some kind of a beach but don't expect anything like white sand. It is mostly rocky and concrete covered at some place...so the majority of people stay by the pools. There is 2 of them, one close to the sea and the other closer to the hotel.

Gift consisted of local goodies and a bottle of Maltese wine.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Tolew:
Warning!!!

The Breakfast in the Royal Beach Club Lounge is not free.

My benefits as Platinum Member:

No Upgrade an a wrong Bill.</font>

I am at the Hilton Malta as I type. The hotel is great and Malta is one heck of a unique place. The Hilton Malta has a great breakfast -- 2 choices if you are Gold or Platinum (since you can either eat have one kind of breakfast in the executive lounge or go for the full breakfast at the Oceana restaurant, with either one complementary. The full breakfast is amazingly full. I can see the Westin Dragonara from our room and it looks nice too, but I like the view of the Hilton pools and Med at night.

Bumping that one up again as I just booked my stay (on a spg.com prepaid rate).

edited for dates: Stayin Nov. 17 till 24th.


Any new experience about the room types offered and upgrade chances?


[This message has been edited by ralfkrippner (edited 10-13-2003).]

No Upgrade on a Prepaid Rate...

Frage nochmals nach einem Upgrade und schaue genau die Kreditkartenrechnung an, die buchen doppelt ab!!!!