Hotel Atlantis - Malte

In the small sea resort of Marsalforn, 300 m away from the downtown village and from the seashore. It takes 15 minutes to get to Ramla Bay ( sandy beach ) by car and 10 minutes to get to Victoria. Valetta and the airport of Malta are both located 1 hour and 30 minutes away from Marsalforn ( ferry boat trip included ).

The hotel houses a diving centre where equipment can be rented and a shop. The instructors can make you discover one of the 36 diving spots of Gozo ( from 6 to 35 m in depth ).

Built in 1986 and expanded in 1994, the Atlantis hotel consists of several buildings from 2 to 4 floors which face each other on both sides of a dead end. You can go from one side to the other through the basement which was fitted out as a wellness centre with an indoor swimming pool, locked into a glass cage. Nearby, there is a fitness room, a squash court, a Jacuzzi, a sauna and an aerobics room. Generally speaking, the hotel privileged the functionality to the charm. Do not thus choose this complex for its decoration. Fortunately, the really friendly reception compensates for the long white corridors, the reception area with the won-out sofa and the bit dark restaurant's room. Ask to stay on the part located near the diving school : these are the most recent buildings. Outside the most ancient part, an esplanade was fitted out with a swimming pool and a pool for children, surrounded by a synthetic lawn. Several deckchairs and sunshades are set all around to allow you to laze in the sun.

The hotel's 81 rooms are very simple, airy and rather big. Here, no extra decoration : it is functionality which takes precedence ! As for furniture, you will find two twin beds, a chair, a big closet and a small desk. The floor is tiled. You will have to choose between two types of view : the swimming pool or the countryside. Be aware that all the rooms do not have a balcony. It is fully equipped : remote-controlled air conditioning, direct telephone line, small satellite television and safe ( extra ). The bathroom, functional like the rest, is provided with a bathtub and with a liquid soap dispenser.

Despite the terrace facing the swimming pool, the restaurant's room is a little sad. During peak season, this only restaurant is opened for three services, with reduced time slots which are similar to those of a boarding house. Breakfast is served buffet-style. It's a pity that the choice is not wider ( hot dishes are extra ). For lunch, you can enjoy the snack menu, whether it is in the restaurant or in the snack-bar of the swimming pool. Finally, for dinner you will have to choose between the menus ( Maltese and Mediterranean cuisine ). In summer, the hotel organizes musical evenings around a barbecue.

In front of the centre of the village, the bay of Marsalforn was fitted out as a "lido" ( rocky esplanade strengthened by some concrete ). A little farther, there is a tiny sandy beach. The first choice, as well as the second one, is not very pleasant for spending a day by the water : the noise of the cars passing some meters away can quickly become annoying. You should prefer the beach of Ramla Bay even if it is very frequented in summer.