TravelValue: England: il-Baħar

Friday, December 1, 2017

Bugibba, Malta: By "George", This Little Pub Was Quite The Find

The George

Tourist Street Qawra

San Pawl il-Baħar (Bugibba) Malta

Phone: +356 2734 9002

Prices: €€€€

We stop by The George nearly every night for a pint on our way back to our apartment from the Bugibba Bus Terminus, but tonight was the first time we actually had something to eat.

I saw someone eating the mussels last week and they looked incredible. We stopped by last Tuesday for dinner, only to find that the kitchen is closed on Tuesdays ... DRAT! The kitchen was open tonight, fortunately, and we had a very enjoyable dinner (or is it "pudding"?).

Being a retired Air Force airman, I had a couple pints of Bombardier, getting us off to a good start, then it was on to the Bangers and Mash for the wife €8 and the Mussels, of course, for me. The bangers and mash were quite savory and tasty, three scrummy sausages on top of mashed potatoes topped with brown gravy and a pork rind ... very nice. My mussels (€16), a kilo no less, were in a stout, cream and horseradish sauce that was quite spicy and delectable. The accompanying crusty bread was fresh, soft and perfect for dipping in the tasty sauce. I had to add a side of chips (€3) because that is the way the French do it and we all know that the French do it better than the Brits ... I'm winding you up, so don't get your knickers in a twist!

The food and service, thanks to Julie, were spot-on, but the prices are just a tad high compared to other places on Malta we have frequented, so that is one reason for the small deduction in rating. The other being the fact that the first time we heard about The George was from a gent on the corner across from the bus terminal advertising free music and £1 pints that night, but when I ordered a pint of Bombardier later that evening, I was charged €3.50 (£3.09), more than three times the advertised price. Finally, a €10 to €14 burger should also come with a side of chips, but that is just this reporter's opinion.

My blog is called "TravelValue", so I must be honest when it comes to little things like "value", bang-for-the-buck if you will. For example, €4 for a pint of John Smiths last night seemed a tad high, the bangers and mash (with no side/salad) would be better priced in the €7 to €7.50 range, and at €16 the mussels might come with a side of chips (fries) as has been the case in most places I have had mussels in the past. Otherwise, I can find no faults with The George and we shall return after a week's closing for maintenance on the 11th.

Cheers big ears!

CombatCritic Gives The George 8 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better Mate!

Eight Bombs Equates To:

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Title: Bugibba, Malta: By "George", This Little Pub Was Quite The Find

Key Words: Bugibba, Malta, The George, pub, the, George, mussels, moules, frites, chips, Qawra, San Pawl, il-Baħar, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, review, Yelp

Translation for Civilians: WTFO! = "What-The-Fuck ... Over!"

Airbnb: Bugibba, Malta - Nice 2BR/1BA Apartment, Convenient Location, Great Views, Reasonable Price

Airbnb Apartment

"Fabulous view, cosy apartment in sunny Malta"
Dawret Il-Qawra, Springfield Court
San Pawl il-Baħar, Malta

Reasonably priced, clean, two-bedroom, one bath apartment in Bugibba (Northeast Malta) with partial sea view and view of salt flats as well as surrounding countryside, including Mosta (left above) and the ancient Malta's capitol of Mdina (right above).

The apartment building is relatively new (20 years or less) with the apartment on the 4th Floor (center right above, second floor from top). For the price, the views are quite lovely and the apartment is close to stores, restaurants, and public transportation (see my review of Malta Public Transport).

View of Mediterranean (Far Left) and Salt Flats From Balconies

Countryside View, Including Mdina and Bird Park Malta (Top Left)

View of Mediterranean (Far Left), Salt Flats, and Kennedy Grove From Balconies

View of Mdina in Distance and Bus Stop (Fugass) Across the Street (Right of Tree)

Pros

Central location, close to public transport, restaurants, shopping
Great value
Decent size, private 2BR/1BA apartment
Two balconies, great views (sea, salt flats, Mosta and Mdina)
Large refrigerator with freezer
Washer
Bath Tub and Shower
Air conditioning/heat
Basic utensils (pots, pans, bowls, cutlery, toaster, kettle)
Elevator (4th Floor Apartment)
Garage (if you have a vehicle)
Secure building (pass code for entry, cameras)

Cons

Spotty communication with hosts - difficult to reach via phone/text
Lack of clear instructions (trash disposal/recycling, cable, Wi-Fi, washing machine, oven, taxi service, restaurants, shopping)
Uncomfortable - master bed too hard
Fireplace listed, but not functional
Uncomfortable and worn/broken seating
No coffee pot (only Nescafe and a kettle)
Lack of supplies (trash and recycling bags, detergents, paper towels, TP, very few spices, etc.)
Just one set of sheets for each bed and they didn't fit - flat sheet not big enough for large bed - need fitted sheets
Zero cleaning during 3-week stay (€60 Cleaning Fee)

The "Fugass" bus stop is within 100 feet, connecting you to Mosta, Valletta, the airport, hospital (Mater Dei), Rabat (Mdina), and more, so transportation on Malta Public Transport is simple with a €21 weekly bus card (available at bus terminals and many shops) or you can pay €1.50 each way (ticket good for 2 hours). The buses have their flaws (fast drivers, winding roads, erratic schedules), but are an efficient way to get around Malta and Gozo

Here is a list of places to visit while in Malta with links to reviews and/or websites:

Hagar Qim Temples
Mnajdra Temples
Fort St Elmo/National War Museum
Ta' Hagrat
National Museum of Archaeology
Skorba Temple
Domus Romana
Gran Castello Historic House
Ghar Dalam
Inquisitors Palace
Malta Maritime Museum
Old Prisons
St Paul's Catacombs
National Museum of Natural History
Malta National Aquarium
Tarxien Temples
Ta' Bistra Catacombs
Fort St Angelo
Grandmaster's Palace State Rooms and Armoury
Popeye Village
Hal Saflieni Hypogeum **

You can also book tours through travel agents, one (Colour My Travel) offering a FREE 90-Minute Walking Tour of Valletta.

Gozo

Gozo, one of the three Maltese Islands (only two accessible by tourists - Malta and Gozo), also has a vast history and is well worth an extended visit. Here is a list of must see venues on the island:

Gozo Museum of Archaeology

Ggantija Temples

Gozo Nature Museum
Citadel Visitor Centre

Ta' Kola Windmill

Restaurants

Bugibba

La Stalla
La Sorpressa
The George (British Pub)
House of Spice (Indian)

Valletta

The Submarine (Great, cheap Italian sandwiches)

Rabat

Toffee & Co (Local/Maltese - Inexpensive)

Xlendi (Gozo)

The Diamond (British Pub/Food)
Zafiro (Mediterranean)

Mgarr

Mgarr United

Gozo Hotel

Want to get away for a couple of days? Go to Gozo and stay at this inexpensive, bay front 3-Star hotel:

San Andrea

Just for grins, here is a post on the cats we saw during our three week stay, called The Maltese Kitten

Here are more photos of the apartment:

Living Room

Elevator

Entry

Kitchen

Master Bedroom

Large Closet

Entry

Washing Machine

Fireplace?

Living Room

Second Bedroom (Bunk Beds)

At less than $34 per night, Maxim's apartment was an excellent value. There are quite a few pros and cons, but the cons are fairly minor compared to the more important and numerous pros. I think my readers should be aware of both the good and the bad when I write a review and would be doing you and Maxim a disservice if not completely honest. That being said ...

CombatCritic Gives Maxim's Cosy Apartment 9 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Nine Bombs Equates To:

"U.S. Marine Response To A Verbal Greeting Or As An Expression Of Enthusiasm"

Read Reviews By CombatCritic:

Yelp - Elite '14/'15/'16/'17 - 650,000+ Views A Year

Tabelog - Official Judge (Silver)

Zomato - #1 Ranked "Verified" Foodie - Over 1,890,733 Review And Photo Views

... And Don't Forget To Subscribe To TravelValue TV on YouTube

Title: Airbnb: Bugibba, Malta - Nice 2BR/1BA Apartment, Convenient Location, Great Views, Reasonable Price

Key Words: Airbnb, Bugibba, Malta, apartment, convenient, location, views, reasonable, price, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, accommodation, hotel, motel, bargain, Airbnb.com

Translation for Civilians: