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- Santana Hotel
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Santana Hotel
Malta and Gozo, Europe
Qawra
Right at the heart of Qawra, right at the heart of the action, the Santana hotel has to be one of Malta's most desirable spots. With its light sea blue livery, the hotel signposts its location – just a minute from the seafront itself.
The Qawra seafront is a favourite spot for holidaymakers, with its many shops, bars, cafes and restaurants. Beyond the promenade is another of its main attractions, the rocky beach, a haven for swimmers and sun bathers – and a great place to explore. Qawra is also home to some of Malta's most prized cultural sites too – no visit is complete without a trip to the historical towers and the church of St Francis of Assisi.
The Santana Hotel gives you a little bit of everything Malta has to offer:
Even with such a perfect location, the Santana Hotel is more than just a base for exploring and enjoying Malta. It is, after all, a four star hotel with four star facilities to match.
There's a Wellness club offering over 80 health & beauty therapy treatments (at a fee ) and adding to the spa feel is a sauna and the opportunity for a massage (at a fee), plus a superb wellness centre with over plenty of treatments available.
After all of that, you can pick and choose one of the bars or restaurant's to while away a few pleasant hours in the evening.
Guests of the Santana Hotel often like to round things off by staying to enjoy the hotel's own schedule of entertainment – it does make for a very sociable end to the day.
Finally to bed. All rooms feature an en suite bathroom, most have a bath/shower and some just have showers. Rooms also feature tip top amenities like satalite TV (with pay TV), radio and hairdryer. Another bonus – keeping the temperature just right is a cinch with the centrally controlled air conditioning. Rooms were fully renovated in 2019 including the bathrooms which all rooms except Studio's feature a walk-in shower. Please note. All rooms free Wi-Fi and free use of safe. Most rooms feature a balcony – so you can look out at the twinkling lights of Qawra. Please note 'Economy Rooms' do not feature a balcony but only a window.
The Santana Hotel is as much a reason to choose Qawra for your Maltese holiday destination as the towers of the Knights of St John, or the beaches or the accessibility to other locations. Choosing the right hotel really is that important.
Please note that this property is currently undergoing renovations. Some images displayed in the gallery are artist’s impressions.
Special Offers
It pays to book early! The earlier you book the more you will save!
10% Early Bird Discount
Valid for stays 01/11/2026 - 31/03/2027, if booked by 30/09/2026. Valid for stays 01/04/2027 - 31/10/2027, if booked by 31/01/2027.
8% Early Bird Discount
Valid for stays 01/05/2027 - 31/10/2027, if booked by 28/02/2027.
Early Bird Discounts are not combinable with each other but are in addition to any other offers or discounts. Combinable with Long Stay Discount.
The longer you say the more you save! Stay 21 nights or more and save 5% on your hotel stay.
Valid for stays 01/11/2026 - 23/12/2026 & 03/01/2027 - 31/03/2027.
Combinable with Early Bird Discount.
Facilities
- Pool Bar (Open in Summer) Weather Permitting
- Zazen garden bar
- Rooftop Pool (Open May to October) Weather Permitting
- Rooftop terrace
- Indoor freshwater pool^
- Wellness club offering over 80 health & beauty therapy treatments*
- Café open 8.30 until late
- Rooftop pool bar
- Internet facilities are available*
- Restaurant and Italian restaurant
- *Some facilities may incur an additional fee
- ^Heated in winter. Please note the indoor swimming pool is closed for 2 weeks every August for yearly maintenance.
- Zazen Garden opens in Summer
Room Types
The Local Area
Just a minute from the picturesque seafront at Qawra, the Santana is at the heart of one of Malta's prime tourist areas with excellent shops and entertainment. Guest facilities include an indoor freshwater pool with jacuzzi, a sauna and massage (at a fee) and fitness room. Meals are served in the main dining room.
Tripadvisor Reviews
4.0 Very Good901 reviews
Excellent
49%
Very Good
24%
Average
15%
Poor
7%
Terrible
5%
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
Very disappointing first impression for a four-star hotel
I am very disappointed with my arrival at Hotel Santana.
After a very difficult journey due to my flight being cancelled and then rescheduled, I finally arrived at the hotel late at night, exhausted and having had very little to eat or drink all day. As a four-star hotel, I expected at least a bottle of drinking water to be available in the room, particularly for a late arrival.
Unfortunately, the fridge was completely empty. When I contacted reception to ask if I could have a bottle of water, I was told that I would have to go out to a shop and buy my own. I found this extremely disappointing. After travelling all day and arriving late at night, the last thing I wanted was to have to get dressed again and leave the hotel simply to find drinking water.
I appreciate that bottled water may not be complimentary, but I would have expected a four-star hotel to have some provision for guests arriving late, whether through reception, a vending machine, room service or the option to purchase a bottle directly from the hotel.
First impressions matter, and unfortunately my first impression of Hotel Santana has been very disappointing. I hope the rest of my stay gives me a better experience.
Great hotel with a few teething issues
The hotel, location, staff. food and pool etc are great. However, currently staying and few teething issues that have slightly dampened the experience and hopefully not the norm.
Day one no hot water for a shower, happens, day 3 after foot slogging around Sliema and Valletta returned to hotel dripping with sweat as it’s a tad warm. Went for a shower no water at all. Reported it to reception to be told it has affected the whole hotel and maintenance investigating. Not great given we would like to get showered and dressed for dinner.
As said probably a one off and shouldn’t put you off.
Hidden gem of hotel
Wonderful service by all of the staff. Valentina was very helpful and nice.
A great hotel.
Dreadful
Dmitri checked us in and was not at all welcoming. My husband and I, and in later years, my husband, family and I have been coming to the Santana for over 26 years. This was our 13th visit. Unfortunately, my husband died last year and so my family and I booked to return to our favourite hotel as a matter of comfort and familiarity in the hope that the first time we ventured on holiday without my husband it would not be too traumatic.
Well! First of all, there was the welcome. Annie, the lady that sells trips, was there and greeted us like family. She mentioned to Dimitri that we were special guests having been so many times. Alas, all Dimitri said was 'all our guests are special guests'. Of course, all guests are special but what would have been nice would have been a recognition of our long-standing commitment to the hotel. Pity hotel management didn't think this when the hotel was in such disrepair due to continuing maintenance following the renovation work.
We had requested a high floor but we were given the second floor. In hindsight this was a very good thing as the lifts were out of order so many times. Thankfully being returning guests we were familiar with an alternative lift (service lift) which we used frequently and which took me and my granddaughter down for breakfast one day. This lift was so very useful, especially on the day we were going home carrying 4 heavy large suitcases. There was an utter disregard for guests who also were going home that day and who had to manhandle their luggage down the stairs and I cannot understand how management expected guests to walk up and down stairs if they are on high floors and have mobility issues. On one occasion my family was stuck on the hotel roof (where the pools are situated) unable to come down in the lift. The stairs were blocked due to construction work. I shudder to think what would have happened if there had been a fire!!!! In addition, Cold showers were frequent. No hot water and more to the point NO EXPLANATION.
I had previously sent two emails (the first not even acknowledged) to Hotel Reservations requesting non-slip mats in both showers as both my daughter and I are disabled. I was allocated a room with a shower over the bath!!!!! I just about managed to negotiate myself over the side of the bath every time. My daughter was continually worried about this and kept checking that I was ok when getting ready each morning and evening.
No explanation was given re the television going off every day. Reception staff didn't know anything about it!! They didn't even know about the cold showers. Obviously, no communication!!
There were exposed wires everywhere awaiting fitting for lights. No sockets near the beds in order to charge a mobile overnight and no mirror over the dressing table to do one's make-up. Obviously, rooms were designed by a man.
I had cockroaches in my room. No-one seemed to be concerned. I told Dimitri this and told him this was the first time in 26 years I had ever seen cockroaches here and he said "in Malta?" and I replied "NO HERE, IN THE HOTEL".
In addition, the balcony was stifling due to being enclosed within two hotels. I felt penalised for being a single occupant in a twin room even though I had paid the required amount of money.
Another disappointment was the removal of the shop. My granddaughter always loved going in a looking around a buying a few things and it was very useful for purchasing bottles of water etc., when going out on trips.
On a positive note, the bar staff were brilliant and remembered us, even showing us pictures on their phones of us being at the hotel in previous years. Food was good and waiters were really friendly and looked after my granddaughter so well. It was never a problem if nothing on offer didn't suit her as chicken nuggets and chips would always be offered. My family and I can't thank the bar staff, the pool bar staff, restaurant waiters and chefs enough. You were all fantastic!!
In conclusion, the hotel should never have opened at all until all the work was completed. I did not appreciate cockroaches in my room, the horrible cold showers, lifts being out of order and the total lack of interest in me and my family as guests. The personal touch has obviously gone and it felt like my family and I were an inconvenience.
I AM NOT SORRY TO SAY WE WILL NOT BE BACK.......EVER.
Review by sandradO7797YL Burnley, United Kingdom
Why don't you Come
The location is adorable and the food is Very Nice and tasty.
