plr

I'm hoping for all recommendations for 4-star reviewer-rated hotels, guesthouses or B&B's in the price range of approximately $75-100 USD per night. TripAdvisor is not particularly helpful in my searches so far....

walkabout

I'm not sure I understand the title of your post. Are you looking for hotels in Valletta? If so, I have heard good things about the Castille Hotel.

I stayed at the Preluna Hotel in Sliema. There was a bus stop on the corner opposite the hotel, and a lot of shops and restaurants within walking distance. I liked the location, and the rooms were good size,with a mini-fridge. Seaview rooms are even better. It was the off season, and I even negotiated to get one night free.

plr

Thanks, walkabout. Maybe I should have entitled:
"Best Lodging for easy access to Valletta Bus Terminal."
Looks like most of the hotels are clustered in Sliema, but that means taking a bus over to the terminal every day to get launched into the day's adventures, right?

ReturningKnight

Depends what you're after. I doubt anyone would want to spend more than a day or two in Valletta. What sort of adventures are you after?
The nicest place to stay in my opinion is St Julian's. From there it is just 30mins by bus to Valletta (buses run every 10mins), and is also linked by direct bus every 30mins to the airport (route X2). St Julian's is full of restaurants and good hotels, and is also where all the nightlife is.

ReturningKnight

Incidentally, Juliani Hotel which has some very nice views and very close to the bus stop is within your budget on Expedia and other websites. It would definitely be my choice but not if you are after peace and quiet It's on a very busy seafront road. Rates very well on tripadvisor too.

Amy

Well, actually, I loved staying in Valletta for a week, and I stayed at Hotel Castille. It's not luxurious, but definitely atmospheric. It all depends on what you're looking for: I was there for the history and nature and walking, not the nightlife and beaches. http://www.hotelcastillemalta.com/ And it was quite easy to get to the buses.

ReturningKnight

Glad you liked Valletta Amy. I would go there if I was after peace and quiet (it's deserted at night) or visiting for teh rich history the islands have. The entrance/fountain/bus station area starting from under the hotel you mention is one big building site, though on the plus side you could go there to take a pic with one of Renzo Piano's controversial projects in the making. The largest bus station is at Valletta too, but you can avoid it if you plan your journey ahead...there are various stops where you can interchange. There are some beautiful promenades in Sliema/St Julians to walk along.
A very good hotel just outside Valletta is the Phoenicia, with the Excelcior being a close runner up. The Osbourne is in the same category as Castille, but has more character and better food. The only B&B I would consider is the Asti.

plr

RK, I'm not after night life, so ruled out St Julian's. Love historical sites of most kinds, museums, some little bit of idle shopping. I stay on my feet till I drop, typically, and love it. I'm still hoping for clarification (without having to yet learn the bus timetable schedules)--is there a way to get to major archeological sites/cities from Sliema without having to constantly go to the main terminal in Valletta?

ReturningKnight

@plr: If you list the sites/cities you wish to visit, I can give you a detailed reply. I would certainly want to visit Valletta, Cottonera (Birgu, l-Isla & Bormla) for Knights fortifications, Paola (for hypogeum with pre-booking), Tarxien (for neolithic temples)- all these are very well served by bus. But I'm sure you've done your research and have your own list. So go ahead and list...

ReturningKnight

@plr: If you list the sites/cities you wish to visit, I can give you a detailed reply. I would certainly want to visit Valletta, Cottonera (Birgu, l-Isla & Bormla) for Knights fortifications, Paola (for hypogeum with pre-booking), Tarxien (for neolithic temples)- all these are very well served by bus. But I'm sure you've done your research and have your own list. So go ahead and list...