The Radisson Blu Resort & Spa, Malta Golden Sands is an all-inclusive, five-pearl beachside resort popular with families. It overlooks one of Malta’s best sandy beaches, and it offers a full slate of water sports for active types, plus an enormous, full-service spa for guests who want a relaxing holiday. The 337 guest rooms are clean and contemporary with enormous bathrooms and furnished balconies, many of which have stunning sea views. There's also free Wi-Fi, but the connection can be spotty. The Radisson can get a bit hectic in high season, so guests who want a more exclusive type of luxury may prefer a smaller property, like The Palace in Sliema.

The 313-room Mellieha Bay Hotel is an upscale, hillside hotel offering all-inclusive and half-board rates. One highlight is a private beach, though it is accessed via steep steps. Rooms are modern and simple, with seaside balconies or terraces, flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, and kettles. Outdoor pools surrounded by lounge chairs overlook the sea, and there's also an indoor pool. Dining is casual, including a beach bar and Mediterranean restaurant. This large property also has a fitness center, English bowling green, two tennis courts, a water sports center, and a nightclub with live shows. This seaside location is beautiful, but isn’t as energetic as St. Julian’s.

The large Ramla Bay Resort is a competitively-priced resort with four-pearl features on Malta’s northernmost coast, including a private beach, a water-sports center, and views of Gozo and Comino Islands. Many of the 281 homey rooms and stylish suites have sea-facing balconies, and all feature flat-screen TVs and heat or air-conditioning. The location is great for outdoor activities and the resort includes with three saltwater pools, poolside and beachside dining, and a private sandy beach, though several features need a fresh coat of paint or an overhaul. All-inclusive and half-board options are available here and guests should check ahead on restrictions that accompany these plans.

A short walk from central Sliema, Preluna Hotel & Spa is an upscale, all-inclusive family friendly resort with 280 rooms. Guest rooms are comfortable, clean, and modern, with updated bathrooms. The resort’s private beach club includes a large saltwater pool with a gorgeous harbor view, and the 360-degree view from the rooftop bar and terrace is particularly spectacular. While the resort is spotless and roomy, it's not particularly charming, and it can get crowded during high season, when both the pool and the beach open up to the general public.

Situated across from Ghadira Bay, the 285-room db Seabank All-Inclusive Resort & Spa is an upper-middle-range family-friendly property with a long list of amenities. Guests are drawn here for the kids' club, live entertainment, bowling alley, sandy beach, and lively lagoon pools. Quiet can be hard to come by here, though guests that are looking to escape the crowds can relax at the adult-only outdoor pool. The property is also home to an indoor pool, fitness center, and modern spa. Themed dining, three bars (including one at the theater), and six casual restaurants serve everything from Brazilian to Asian buffets. Simple, nautical-style rooms have flat-screen TVs, safes, tile floors, and sea-facing balconies, in some. Caverna Suites have coral designs and hot tubs.

The Marina Hotel Corinthia Beach Resort is an upper-middle-range, family-friendly resort hotel with 200 understated, airy rooms with balconies and most with gorgeous sea views. Dedicated divers, water sports enthusiasts, spa fans, foodies, and sun worshippers will each find their niche here, and, despite the abundance of activity, the resort manages to remain peaceful and relaxed, without the forced gaiety of many all-inclusive properties. However, note that many of the resort's amenities are actually at the neighboring, more luxurious Corinthia St. George’s Bay.

With sleek, white, and Moorish designs, the 515-room db San Antonio Hotel & Spa stands out against Qawra’s rocky limestone shores and blue waters located across from the hotel. Outdoor pools, including a children's pool and an adult-only rooftop pool, overlook the sea. A Moroccan-themed spa features a gym with a boxing studio, and an indoor pool and hot tub under a skylight. On-site dining is elegant, but there are often long queues for seating. Minimalist, Moroccan-themed rooms offer balconies or terraces, and many come with sea views. However, this area mostly has rocky beaches, unlike the sandy shores at Radisson Blu Resort & Spa, Malta Golden Sands.

The 250-room mid-range Riviera Resort & Spa is an unfussy, budget-conscious waterfront hotel situated along a rocky beach on Malta's north coast. The location is isolated, but convenient to ferries for Gozo and Comino Islands and the resort includes features like a dive school, a fitness center, and racquetball court. Two outdoor pools and a bar overlook the Mediterranean, and the decent on-site spa has a heated indoor pool and hot tub. There are several dining and drinking spots on site and the resort offers all-inclusive plans. Guest rooms are feature flat-screen TVs and air-conditioning, but they are outdated, subject to various deposits upon check-in, and air-conditioning usage has restricted hours

The 425-room Blue Sea St George’s Park & La Vallette Resorts is one of the cheapest all-inclusives in Malta. The property has a number of decent amenities, including three outdoor pools, a seasonal entertainment program, and a fitness center. But the low price tag comes with bare-bones rooms with cleanliness and maintenance issues, mediocre food, and several extra fees. The location in the heart of the nightlife area makes the Blue Sea a passable pick for young partiers who just want a place to crash after a night out in Paceville. All other guests may want to look elsewhere.