Topaz Hotel, Buġibba

The Topaz Hotel is a 3-star hotel that opened in 1987 in Buġibba, part of St Paul’s Bay. It stands on a quiet residential street, 700 m from the main square. The hotel has 254 rooms over five floors, spread across two buildings. Standard rooms measure about 18 m², with twin beds and often a balcony. Pool-view rooms overlook the terrace. Triple and family rooms are also available.

Dining centres on The Emerald, a large buffet restaurant open all year round. It serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, with Maltese and European dishes. The hotel also has a pizzeria, Altavilla. In summer, the Beryl Pool Bar serves drinks and snacks by the water. Entertainment is on offer most evenings.

The outdoor pool is 32 m long. It is surrounded by a vast terrace with sunbeds and parasols, and includes a paddling pool. An indoor pool takes over during the colder months. There is also a massage room, a hairdresser, a games room and a lounge with a library. The hotel has neither a spa nor a gym.

Families are well looked after, with rooms for up to four people and free cots. There is no kids’ club. In summer, the hotel advertises a free bus to the beach at Mellieħa Bay. Two meeting rooms also host groups of up to 400 people.

Recent reviews praise the friendliness of the staff above all. Reception, the restaurant team and the housekeepers are often singled out. The outdoor pool is the other strong point. Guests like its size, its spacious terrace and how easy it is to find a sunbed. Daily housekeeping and overall cleanliness score well with most guests. Several regulars even come back every year.

The evening buffet is liked for its choice, and drinks are served at dinner on half board. Breakfast is seen as generous but not very varied from one day to the next. As for the location, the area is quiet and the bus stops are close by. Buġibba’s square and the seafront are about ten minutes’ walk away. The pool bar serves drinks and snacks at low prices, with an afternoon happy hour.

The downside is clear: the hotel has aged. Furniture, bathrooms and beds are often judged dated. The air conditioning is the most common complaint, too noisy or too weak in high summer. In winter, many guests find the indoor pool cold. Others report damp smells, slow lifts and street-facing rooms with no view. A few reviews mention cockroaches or balcony doors that do not close properly. A room refurbishment is under way, sometimes with building noise.

The Topaz suits travellers looking for a budget base with a pool and half board. It appeals to couples, solo travellers and families who are not too demanding about comfort. It is best to book a pool-view room, which is nicer than the street-facing rooms. At summer weekends, day visitors fill up the pool. Travellers who value modern comfort or are light sleepers may well be disappointed.

The Topaz Hotel stands on Triq Censu Tanti, a residential street in Buġibba. This part of St Paul’s Bay lies on Malta’s north-east coast. The main square is 700 m away, about ten minutes on foot. The rocky seafront is 800 m away. Buġibba Perched Beach, the nearest lido-style beach, is about 1 km away. The Malta National Aquarium is 2 km away, towards Qawra.

A bus stop is 300 m away, with routes to the north of the island and to Valletta. The capital is about 16 km away, 25 to 30 minutes by car outside rush hour. Good to know: the hotel has no car park, and street spaces are scarce in the evening.