The Westin Dragonara Resort, St Julian’s

The Westin Dragonara Resort is a 5-star hotel under the Westin brand, part of Marriott. It occupies a private 74,000 m² peninsula at Dragonara Point, in St Julian’s. The Dragonara Casino, housed in a 19th-century palace, shares the same headland. The hotel was fully renovated in 2020.

It has 413 rooms and suites, all with a balcony or terrace. They look out over the sea or the gardens. Its standard rooms are among the largest on the island. An annexe at the water’s edge houses 66 Luxury Bay Suites, some with a private pool. Executive Club rooms come with access to an executive lounge.

Five restaurants share the site. The Terrace serves the breakfast buffet. Quadro is the flagship restaurant, focused on local produce. Palio’s Trattoria offers Italian cuisine by the water. The ORVM Lounge & Piano Bar livens up the lobby. In season, the Boathouse Lounge opens in a 19th-century boathouse, with two beach bars.

For relaxation, the Bay View pool is heated all year round. The Reef Club pool, by the sea, only opens in summer. There is also a heated indoor pool, a sauna, a steam room and a whirlpool bath. The Reef Club also has a small sandy cove and ladders down to the sea. Children aged 3 to 12 have a paid club, open from 9 am to 5 pm. A diving centre operates on site.

Recent reviews praise the staff above all. They are mentioned in around two thirds of detailed comments. Reception, concierges, valets, the breakfast team and pool waiters receive the same praise. Small touches for birthdays and children come up often. The rooms are also popular: they are large, modern and very well kept. The beds are considered particularly comfortable. The executive lounge and the waterfront suites have their fans too.

The setting wins everyone over. Guests love swimming straight in the sea, from the ladders or the small sandy cove. The heated Bay View pool means you can swim even in winter. The location is seen as ideal. The headland stays quiet, yet the lively centre of St Julian’s is a few minutes’ walk away. The breakfast buffet is very generous and varied. The resort’s restaurants score well, even if their prices are considered high. Quadro and Palio’s are mentioned most often.

Criticism focuses mainly on the crowds. In summer, the breakfast room is packed and noisy, and the main pool fills up quickly. Several guests regret that housekeeping comes late in the afternoon. The hotel’s surroundings also disappoint: building sites, new blocks, untidy streets and heavy traffic. A few rooms sold as sea view partly overlook these works. Finally, sea access is over rocks, with no changing room or hot shower.

The Westin Dragonara is best suited to families and couples who want a full-service resort by the water. Its attentive service and sea access justify its rating. It is best to avoid the height of summer if you are looking for peace and quiet. Travellers planning to spend their evenings in the neighbourhood, on the other hand, may well be disappointed.

The Westin Dragonara Resort occupies Dragonara Point, at the tip of St Julian’s, on Malta’s north-east coast. St Julian’s lively centre is about ten minutes’ walk away. The sandy beach at St George’s Bay is the same distance. The nightlife district of Paceville starts just behind the hotel. A bus stop is on the main road, with routes to Valletta, 8 km away. The international airport is 12 km away, 25 to 30 minutes by car. There is no shuttle, but the hotel arranges a paid private transfer.

Good to know: several building sites surround the headland. For a quiet stay, ask for a room facing the open sea, away from the works.