Review - Ludi

I think it's fairly obvious that there aren't all that many child-friendly places to go to in Malta so when something new opens there are high expectations.

I found out about Ludi via Facebook and the photos look promising so I thought that I'd see what it's all about. Gathered a couple of friends and off we went to Ludi in Mosta which describes itself as "Not just a bookshop, but a fun and creative space to learn and to be."

I think that it definitely has the potential to be that but it's not quite there yet.

Here are the pros and cons*

Pros

• The first impressions are good as the place is large and there are beautiful artworks and murals everywhere - you can tell that a lot of time and effort was put into making the place look special and appealing to kids.

• The space is very inviting and can take a fair amount of children without getting too crowded. 

• There is a lovely selection of books in both English and Maltese are available for sale, although I wasn't quite sure whether any were 'samples' as they were all at kid's level allowing them all to be touched by little fingers.

• Also, a great selection of toys - most of them wooden - and suitable for various ages. 

• The 'play area' has a padded flooring which is always welcome for the little ones and appears to be very clean.

• There is a lovely nappy-changing area which is private, yet still within the room, and which is clean and equipped with the basic necessities.

• It is possible to sit down and have a drink and a chat while your child plays safely - and I think that is the ultimate requirement of all parents.

• The staff are very friendly and helpful and very good at interacting with the kids.

Cons

• There's no air-conditioning so it can get a bit stuffy although there is a back yard which allows air to circulate.

• Children aren't allowed in the backyard, yet the door is open and there is no gate to prevent them from going outside (so you might spend most of your time acting as a goalkeeper to keep your little one indoors).

• The menu focuses on being healthy which appears to be a lifestyle choice of the owners and that's fine, but unfortunately none of the things that we ordered were actually very tasty. The cappuccino was a basic coffee, the tea was Early Grey (as opposed to regular English Breakfast) which is a very particular taste and sadly the cake was bland (not even the kids ate it). Considering that it's part of the 'price package' I think that this definitely needs some sprucing up.

Star rating: 3.5-4/5 (it really does hover between a 3.5 and a 4)

Conclusion: Overall I did like the place and I will definitely go back

* this is completely my own opinion based on my experience and should not prevent you from going to the place and trying it out for yourself