The Westin Dragonara Resort
The Westin Dragonara Resort is a 5-star hotel on its own rocky peninsula at St Julian's, on the east coast of Malta, with the sea on three sides and the island's main dining and nightlife area a short walk away. Families come for its large rooms, a heated outdoor pool that's open all year and a base 15 to 20 minutes from Valletta and Malta's sights.
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Is it worth it?
Who the Westin Dragonara suits, what's included and the facts to skim first.
The Westin Dragonara is a 5-star base for exploring Malta rather than a contained, entertainment-led family resort. It sits on its own peninsula at St Julian's with large rooms, two heated pools and Valletta and the island's sights within easy reach, and it's a bed-and-breakfast or half-board hotel, not an all-inclusive. What families rate is the size and standard of the rooms, the heated outdoor pool that swimmers can use all year, the all-day dining and the staff, who reviewers single out for how they treat young children. It rates highly, 9.1 out of 10 on Booking.com across more than 2,500 reviews and 4.5 out of 5 on TripAdvisor, and a family-travel site named it Malta's best family-friendly hotel with a kids' club.
The trade-off is that it isn't child-centric. There's no aquapark, no animation team and no all-inclusive, the Kids Club starts at 3 with no supervised care for babies and toddlers under that, and the resort has no sandy beach of its own beyond a small cove that opens in summer. St Julian's is Malta's dining and nightlife area, busy in the evening and especially at weekends, so it suits families who'll get out and about more than those wanting a quiet, self-contained week. The best months for young children are May and early June, or September and October, when the sea is warm and the crowds thinner; February half-term and Easter work too as a city break with heated-pool time.
Best for
You want a 5-star base for exploring Malta, large rooms, a heated pool open all year and Valletta and the sights close by, with children aged 3 and over for the Kids Club.
Maybe not for
You want an entertainment-led resort with an aquapark and animation, a sandy beach on the doorstep or supervised childcare for a baby or toddler under 3.
Best ages
Children of 3 and over get the Kids Club and the calmer setting. Babies and toddlers are welcome, but there's no under-3 childcare, so you'll be hands-on.
What stands out
Large rooms, a heated outdoor pool and a peninsula setting 15 to 20 minutes from Valletta.
What to check
The Kids Club age floor of 3, whether you want a kitchenette suite and step-free access down to the sea-level Reef Club if you're pushing a pram.
Where is it?
On its own Dragonara Peninsula at St Julian's, on Malta's east coast, about 20 minutes from Malta International Airport.
Quick facts for families
What the resort is like
Where the Westin Dragonara sits, how it's laid out and what that means for getting around.
The resort has its own rocky headland, the Dragonara Peninsula, jutting into the Mediterranean on the St Julian's coast, with the sea on three sides. At 74,000 m² it's a distinct patch of land rather than a hotel on a busy street, which gives it a slightly removed feel even though the commercial heart of St Julian's, around Paceville and Spinola Bay, is a short walk away. St Julian's itself is Malta's dining and nightlife area, so it's a strong spot for eating out in the evening, but it's lively rather than a quiet resort town, particularly at weekends. For the wider island, its beaches and when to go, see our Malta guide.
The site falls into two connected zones plus a seasonal lower level. The main building holds the standard and Executive Club rooms, the ORVM Lounge, The Terrace, the indoor pool, the spa and fitness centre and the Bay View pool terrace. A newer, standalone annex next to it holds the 66 Luxury Bay Suites. Down at sea level, the Reef Club opens in summer, with the small sandy cove, an outdoor pool and the Reef Club Bar. Because it's a peninsula, there's a slope between the sea-level Reef Club and the main terrace, and pushing a pram between the two may mean steps as well as slopes. Pool lifts are in place at both pools, but the route down to the Reef Club may involve steps, so ask before you book if step-free access matters to you.
A few points of local context. The Dragonara Palace, which dates from 1870, sits on the tip of the peninsula and is now the Dragonara Casino, Malta's first, opened in 1964; it's run entirely separately from the hotel and is adults only at 18 and over, so not part of a family stay. The hotel was built in the 1990s on part of the old palace gardens, and the Sunken Garden's olive trees survive within the grounds. For anything you need day to day, the shops of St Julian's are a short walk away, and if you're bringing a hire car it's worth checking guest parking with the hotel before you arrive.
Every restaurant and bar
The restaurants and bars, which ones open when and how the half board works.
The board here is bed and breakfast or half board rather than all-inclusive, and family reviewers widely recommend half board. It covers breakfast at The Terrace and dinner, taken either as a set three-course menu at Palio's or as a meal credit at Quadro and the other à la carte rooms, and it's rated good value, with less to decide each day. Which outlets are open depends on the season: in the quieter months, roughly November to April, Palio's, ORVM and The Terrace at breakfast are the core, while summer adds The Terrace's dinner buffet, the Bay View Bar, the Reef Club Bar and the Boathouse.
| Restaurant or bar | Food | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Quadro | Fine dining, fresh fish | The flagship, Tuesday to Saturday evenings, smart casual, with a TripAdvisor Best of the Best award in 2025. Half board is taken here as a meal credit. The later, quieter setting suits parents or older children more than a toddler. |
| The Terrace | International and Maltese buffet | The main breakfast room, open Monday to Saturday from 6.30am to 10.30am and on Sunday for the same breakfast hours plus a Sunday lunch sitting from 12.30pm to 2.30pm, with oat and dairy-free milk on hand. In summer it also opens for a dinner buffet. |
| Palio's Trattoria | Italian, à la carte | Handmade pasta, seafood and pizza, across the road from the main building, open for dinner Monday to Saturday from 6.30pm to 9.30pm and on Sunday for both lunch (12.30pm to 2.30pm) and dinner. The family favourite in reviews, with a children's menu that runs to fresh panko-crumbed chicken and, on one visit, a Mickey Mouse pizza. |
| ORVM Lounge & Piano Bar | All-day Mediterranean lounge | Open from morning to midnight, so young children can eat early. The social hub, with live piano some evenings and Westin Fresh by The Juicery for juices and smoothies. |
| The Boathouse Lounge | Tapas and wine | A restored 19th-century boathouse on the water, open Monday and Wednesday to Sunday from 7pm to 10pm (closed Tuesday), for around two months each summer and for guests aged 13 and over only, so not one for young families at dinner unless a babysitter is arranged. |
| Bay View Bar & Restaurant | Poolside drinks and snacks | By the main outdoor pool, 10am to 5pm in the summer season. |
| Reef Club Bar & Restaurant | Al fresco, at sea level | By the sandy cove in the summer season, for a lunch beside the sea. |
Quadro is the fine-dining flagship, Mediterranean cooking built around fresh local fish, open Tuesday to Saturday evenings with a smart casual dress code, and it took a TripAdvisor Best of the Best award in 2025. On half board it works as a meal credit. Its later, more formal setting suits parents dining alone or children old enough to sit through a longer meal more than a toddler. The Terrace is the main breakfast room, an international and Maltese buffet, with oat and dairy-free milk available, and it opens for a dinner buffet in summer. Palio's Trattoria, the Italian across the road from the main building, is the option families rate most: handmade pasta, seafood and pizza, with a children's menu that turns out fresh panko-crumbed chicken and, on one visit, a pizza shaped like Mickey Mouse.
ORVM Lounge & Piano Bar is the most useful room for young children, open from morning to midnight so you can eat early, with salads, poke bowls, grilled meats, pizzas and traditional Maltese dishes, live piano some evenings and Westin Fresh by The Juicery for juices and smoothies. Three venues run in the summer season only. The Boathouse Lounge, a restored 19th-century boathouse serving tapas and wine, admits guests aged 13 and over only, so it isn't one for young families at dinner unless you've arranged a babysitter. The Bay View Bar & Restaurant serves drinks and light snacks by the main pool from 10am to 5pm, and the Reef Club Bar & Restaurant does al fresco meals down by the cove.
High chairs and children's menus are confirmed at The Terrace, Palio's and ORVM, the three outlets a family with little ones will use most. The 13-and-over Boathouse doesn't need them, and it's worth asking at Quadro, the Bay View Bar or the Reef Club Bar.
How dining and booking work
The Terrace and ORVM are walk-in. Quadro, Palio's and the Boathouse can be booked through the Marriott page or by phone, and room service is available. If you're travelling in the quieter months, plan around the smaller line-up: Palio's and the all-day ORVM will be your mainstays, with the seasonal poolside and sea-level venues shut until summer.
Rooms and suites
The room and suite types, official sizes where the resort publishes them, the three pools and the whirlpool, plus how you reach the sea.
There are 413 rooms and suites, and the resort was renovated recently. Standard rooms start at 40 m², which the resort markets as Malta's largest standard hotel rooms, and most rooms and suites have a balcony or terrace, many with a sea view over the St Julian's coast. Every room and suite comes with the Westin Heavenly Bed, air conditioning, free WiFi, a minibar, a tea and coffee maker and an LCD or smart TV as standard, whatever the category. That's worth knowing with a baby or toddler, since the minibar keeps milk cold and the kettle makes up a bottle or formula without leaving the room. The table below covers the categories where the resort publishes a size, plus the Luxury Bay Suites, where it doesn't. The standard tier is a 40 m² baseline with sea-view options rather than a fixed list of named rooms. If you want two rooms that link, ask the hotel directly.
| Room or suite | Size | Family notes |
|---|---|---|
| Deluxe room (standard) | 40 m² | The standard room, which the resort calls Malta's largest standard hotel rooms. A balcony or terrace, but no kitchenette. |
| Deluxe Sea View | 40 m² | A named category you can book for a sea view, the same 40 m² size as the standard Deluxe room. Sea views vary by room position, so ask what a room looks onto before you book. |
| Executive Club room | Not published | A room sold with Executive Club Lounge access (see the box below). Under-12s aren't admitted to the lounge during the evening drinks-and-canapés service. |
| Deluxe Accessible room | Not published | Eight of these, with a larger bathroom, a support bar, a walk-in shower and a second, lower spy hole in the door. |
| One-bedroom Luxury Bay Suite | Not published | In the newer 66-suite annex. A full kitchenette (coffee machine, fridge, microwave, hob, pots and pans), a walk-in rain shower, a free-standing bath, a sofa bed and two terraces. Room for up to five, with a cot added. |
| Two-bedroom Luxury Bay Suite | Not published | The same annex and fittings across two bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, one with a bath. |
| One-Bedroom Presidential Penthouse Suite | 88 m² | Plus a 60 m² terrace with a hot tub, a kitchenette, a work desk and a separate guest powder room. |
| Two-Bedroom Presidential Penthouse Suite | 265 m² | Plus a 144 m² terrace with a heated infinity pool, entered through an internal courtyard with olive trees. |
| Three-Bedroom Presidential Penthouse Suite | 210 m² | Three en-suite bedrooms, a fireplace and a heated outdoor pool on the terrace. |
| Penthouse Suite | 240 m² | Top floor, three bedrooms sleeping up to six, four terraces and a fully equipped kitchen. |
For a family, the most useful room is a Luxury Bay Suite, in the newer annex. The full kitchenette, a proper one with a hob, fridge, microwave and coffee machine rather than a token kettle, lets you store milk and prepare formula or baby food, and the separate bedroom gives somewhere to settle a napping child while you sit up in the living space. It comes in one- and two-bedroom layouts, and one family reviewer fitted six people, including three young children, into a two-bedroom. The standard 40 m² Deluxe rooms are large for a 5-star and fine for a couple with one small child, but they have no kitchenette. Children are met with colouring books at check-in and a Westin teddy bear in the room.
The Executive Club Lounge
Some room types come with Executive Club Lounge access. The lounge runs daily from 7am to 8pm, with a continental breakfast from 7am to 10.30am and pre-dinner drinks and canapés from 6pm to 8pm. Children under 12 aren't admitted to the lounge during that 6pm to 8pm service, so it's more of a grown-up perk than a family space in the evening.
Pools and water features
There are three pools and one whirlpool. The indoor pool in the main building is heated and open all year, daily from 6am to 11pm, with no stated age limit; the adjacent fitness studio is for guests aged 16 and over. The Bay View pool is the heated outdoor main pool, open all year, daily from 8am to 10pm, on a terrace looking out to sea, with a children's pool section and a whirlpool that children are allowed in. The 8am opening is a small thing families praise, since early risers can get in before breakfast. The Reef Club pool, down at sea level by the cove, is outdoor, unheated and open in the summer season only, daily from 10am to 6pm, and it too has a children's pool feature. There's no splash pad and there are no water slides; the children's pools are small, shallow, separate pools rather than water-play features.
A heated outdoor pool open all year means you can swim even when the sea is too cold, which is unusual on Malta; the Westin is one of the few 5-stars on the island to offer it, so a February or October trip still gets proper pool time.
The beach and sea
The resort has no large sandy beach of its own. What it markets as two private beaches are in fact two lido areas with sundecks and steps or platforms into the sea from the rocks, plus a small sandy cove at the Reef Club that opens in summer and is a good spot for younger children to get a sandy, sea-level paddle in season. For a proper sandy beach, St George's Bay is about 600 metres away, a 5 to 10 minute walk on paved ground that isn't entirely flat: it's a small, sheltered public bay with calm water and lounger hire. Malta's largest sandy beach, Mellieħa Bay, is about 12 miles (20 km) north, 30 to 35 minutes by car.
For water sports, boating, snorkelling and scuba diving are available through Divewise Malta, an award-winning PADI dive centre on the resort grounds, with sea access from the lido. More on Divewise in the things-to-do section below.
Babies and toddlers
The Kids Club and its age floor, babysitting and the baby kit the resort provides.
The Westin Family Kids Club takes children from 3 to 12, daily from 9am to 5pm, and runs children-only, so parents aren't in the sessions. It's chargeable to the room, with no figure published, and the programme is meant to rotate: the official description promises a changing calendar of arts, crafts and games, though a family visiting in February found a shorter session of colouring, board games and a foosball table, so what's on may vary a lot with the season. The age floor is the key limit for families with babies and toddlers. There's no supervised care of any kind for under-3s, so parents of a baby or toddler are fully responsible for supervision throughout.
For an evening out, the hotel doesn't run babysitting itself, but the concierge will arrange independent babysitting on request; book it ahead and expect to pay separately, so sort it when you book. A cot is free on request. Baby-changing is provided in all the toilets, a practical point reviewers pick out. There's no specific baby-food or weaning provision, but the all-day ORVM and, above all, a kitchenette suite let you handle early meals and prepare or store milk and food yourself. There's also an outdoor playground on site, open to all ages at any time with no booking.
Things to do
Beyond the pools, the on-site activity centres on sport, diving and the spa. The WestinWORKOUT Fitness Studio is open daily from 6am to 11pm, complimentary, for guests aged 16 and over, with cardio machines, free weights and TRX, plus a sauna and steam room; classes and personal training cost extra. Divewise Malta, a PADI 5 Star centre on the grounds, runs courses, certifications and boat trips to wrecks, reefs and caves; its Bubblemaker and Seal Team pool sessions take children from 8, and Open Water and Junior Open Water courses start at 10. The Beauty Clinic handles facials and holistic massages, including aromatherapy, stone and candle treatments, body scrubs and wraps and couples' massages, with in-room treatments bookable 48 hours ahead; it's a beauty clinic rather than a full destination spa.
Two things sit next to the resort rather than in it. The Dragonara Casino is immediately adjacent on the peninsula tip, run separately and adults only at 18 and over. For golfers, the Royal Malta Golf Club, an 18-hole, par-68 course, is about 4 miles (7 km) away.
The area and days out
The location works best as a springboard, and Bolt and Uber both run smoothly across the island, which is easier with young children and luggage than the slower public buses. Valletta, the UNESCO-listed capital, is about 6 miles (10 km) away, 15 to 20 minutes by taxi, with the Grandmaster's Palace and its armoury, the Upper Barrakka Gardens and their midday cannon and honey-coloured streets of coloured balconies. Two family days out stand out nearby: the Esplora Interactive Science Centre at Kalkara, about 7.5 miles (12 km) off, has more than 200 hands-on exhibits, a planetarium and a big outdoor playground with water play, and the Malta National Aquarium at Qawra, about 12 miles (20 km) north, has a walk-through tunnel tank and an outdoor playground, open daily 10am to 6pm with last entry at 5.30pm.
For older children and a change of pace, the Three Cities across the Grand Harbour from Valletta are quieter and reached by traditional dghajsa water taxi; Mdina, the walled Silent City and a Game of Thrones location, has a playground outside the gates and the Fontanella Tea Garden for views and cakes, about 30 to 35 minutes' drive; and the Tarxien Temples are UNESCO-listed prehistoric temples older than Stonehenge, with a children's audio guide. The Blue Grotto, a sea-cave system, is reached by boat. Two bigger days out need a ferry and a whole day each: the Blue Lagoon on Comino, a famous swim and snorkel spot, and Gozo, Malta's quieter sister island, both around 25 miles (40 km) to the north-west, with Gozo offering the red sand of Ramla Bay and the Citadel.
Loves and gripes
What families rate and what they flag, how it compares with other Malta resorts, the journey in, the weather and its green credentials.
Reviews land firmly on the side of a quality stay with a clear set of caveats. Here's what comes up most, on both sides.
What families love
- The staff, singled out for how warmly they treat young children.
- The size and standard of the rooms.
- The heated outdoor pool, usable all year.
- The pools opening at 8am for early risers.
- The all-day ORVM for flexible early meals.
- The location as a base for Valletta and the sights.
- Half board as good value, and Palio's and its children's menu.
- Baby-changing in every toilet, and the welcome gestures for children.
Common gripes
- It isn't child-centric: no aquapark, no animation, no all-inclusive.
- The Kids Club starts at 3, with no cover for under-3s.
- No sandy beach of its own beyond the small summer cove.
- The Reef Club pool is unheated and summer-only.
- St Julian's is lively rather than a quiet retreat.
- One reviewer found the décor more chain hotel than design-led.
- The peninsula catches the wind on some days.
How it compares
On Malta the Westin is the choice for families who want a quality base for exploring rather than a resort that lays everything on. Our db Seabank at Mellieħa is more overtly child-centric, an all-inclusive with a huge lagoon pool, animation and Malta's largest sandy beach across the road, so it suits families wanting everything on site, though it's a step down in room quality. The Radisson Blu Golden Sands has the sandy-beach advantage at Golden Bay but a more remote location. AX ODYCY at Qawra adds an aquapark and all-inclusive board for families chasing water-park fun. Paradise Bay near Ċirkewwa has a Blue Flag sandy beach, a free kids' club and a lower price, in a more self-contained spot. The Westin wins on room size and standard, dining, the heated outdoor pool and its position for sightseeing; it loses to the others on a sandy beach and on all-in entertainment.
The journey in and the best monthsGetting there and when to go
Malta International Airport at Luqa is about 20 minutes away by taxi, and eCabs, Bolt and Uber all operate from the airport. The hotel can pre-book a transfer, but you have to request it in advance rather than it being laid on automatically. Flights from the UK are direct from most major airports and take around three hours. The resort is open year round: the indoor pool, the Bay View pool, ORVM, The Terrace and the Kids Club all run all year, while the Reef Club pool and bar, the Bay View Bar and the Boathouse are summer-only.
For young children May and early June bring reliable sun, warming sea and pre-peak prices, or September and October, when the sea is still warm at 24 to 26°C and the crowds have thinned. July and August are hot, at 32°C, and the busiest and priciest. February half-term and Easter work too, though more as a city break with heated-pool swimming than a beach holiday, and you should expect cooler evenings and some wind.
Weather
Malta is small and low-lying, so the Valletta figures below cover sea-level St Julian's well. The sea is warm enough to swim without a wetsuit from July to October, still 24°C in October, and marginally cool at 22°C in June, with the two heated pools extending swimming either side of that. Rain is concentrated from October to January and July is virtually dry. Scirocco winds off Africa can bring hot, humid, dusty spells in spring and autumn, and the peninsula setting means wind is noticeable on some days.
| Month | Daytime high | Overnight low | Rain | Wet days | Sea temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 16° | 9.5° | 77 mm | 10 | 16° |
| February | 15.5° | 9° | 74 mm | 8 | 15° |
| March | 17.5° | 10° | 41 mm | 6 | 15° |
| April | 20° | 12.5° | 22 mm | 4 | 16° |
| May | 24.5° | 15.5° | 7 mm | 1 | 19° |
| June | 29° | 19.5° | 5 mm | 1 | 23° |
| July | 32° | 22° | 0 mm | 0 | 26° |
| August | 32° | 23° | 14 mm | 1 | 27° |
| September | 28.5° | 21° | 55 mm | 4 | 27° |
| October | 25° | 18° | 79 mm | 6 | 24° |
| November | 21° | 14.5° | 86 mm | 9 | 22° |
| December | 17.5° | 11° | 80 mm | 9 | 18° |
Typical monthly averages from weather-station records. Sea temperature is the open-water figure, so a sheltered bay can feel a degree or two warmer.
Sustainability
The resort says it holds Green Key and Blue Flag certifications, and it's listed in the Eco Certification Malta directory as a certified green accommodation provider, with that certificate running to the end of 2024. On the roof, 1,000 solar panels with a 336kW capacity supply around 15% of the hotel's yearly electricity and cut its carbon footprint by roughly 600 tonnes a year.
Questions
The things families ask most, the official pages worth a bookmark and when this guide was last refreshed.
Is there any childcare for a baby or toddler under 3?
No. The Kids Club starts at 3, so a baby or toddler under that is with you throughout. For an evening off, the concierge can line up independent babysitting, which you pay for on top, so arrange it when you book rather than on the night.
Does the resort have its own sandy beach?
Not really. Swimming is off two lido platforms on the rocks, plus a small sandy cove at the Reef Club that opens in summer. For a proper sandy beach you walk about 600 metres to St George's Bay, so if sand matters most, weigh a summer visit or that short walk before you book.
Can the hotel sort a transfer from the airport?
Yes. It's a 20-minute taxi ride, and eCabs, Bolt and Uber all run from the airport rank. A hotel transfer isn't laid on automatically, so if you'd rather have a car waiting, ask for one to be pre-booked when you book.
Which room works best with a baby or toddler?
A Luxury Bay Suite in the newer annex. Its proper kitchenette means you can keep milk cold and make up bottles or baby food in the room, and the separate bedroom gives a nap space away from the living area. A cot goes in free on request.
Is there a shop on site for nappies and formula?
The shops of St Julian's are a short walk away, so plan to pick up nappies, formula and sunscreen nearby, or bring enough to see you through the trip.
Is there parking if we hire a car?
The Westin doesn't confirm dedicated guest parking, and the car park on the peninsula belongs to the casino. If you're hiring a car for day trips, contact the hotel about parking before you arrive rather than assuming a space.
Can we still swim if the sea is too cold?
Yes. Both the indoor pool and the outdoor Bay View pool are heated and open every month, so a February half-term or an autumn trip still gives warm-water swimming when the sea is too cold for the little ones.
Is it step-free down to the sea-level Reef Club?
Possibly not throughout. The peninsula slopes and there are likely steps between levels, though pool lifts are in place. If you need step-free access with a pram, check the route down to the Reef Club with the hotel before you book.
See more Westin Dragonara photos
Open the Westin Dragonara photo gallery →
Useful links
- The Westin Dragonara Resort: the resort's own site for rooms, dining and the Kids Club.
- GOV.UK Malta travel advice: entry rules and safety updates before you travel.
- Malta with little ones: our guide to the island, its beaches and when to go.
Last updated 17 July 2026.
