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The Independent
05-06-2025
- The Independent
Best hotels in Valletta for a stylish stay in Malta's capital
Malta's gorgeous UNESCO World Heritage capital, with its narrow, stepped streets beneath glowing limestone facades, is packed with historic houses and palazzi converted into places to stay. Built by the Knights of St John Hospitaller (Knights of Malta), Valletta has always been a joy to visit – the smallest, most wanderable capital in the world, tucked between towering bastion walls and surrounded by azure sea – but it was, until recently, an accommodation desert. Not anymore. From Malta's grand Art Deco colonial hotel to boutiques and B&Bs ranging from classic to contemporary, traditional to tongue-in-cheek. There is something for every taste, if not quite for every budget – Valletta has been 'discovered' and as its popularity has risen, so too have its prices, though there are more affordable options in winter. It is a wonderful place for a city break or a base from which to explore the island. Within tiny Valletta, everything is within walking distance, and excursions are easy, with buses from City Gate going almost everywhere on the island. Here are ten of the best hotels in Malta's delightful capital. At a glance 1. Phoenicia Malta hotel Enter the fresh Art Deco foyer of the Phoenicia and step back in time to the British colonial heyday of this then-and-now glorious grand hotel. Imagine the late Queen, as the newly married Princess Elizabeth, dancing with Philip in the ballroom, and colonial Malta's great and good – Maltese and British – in full bib and tucker, sipping cocktails on the terrace overlooking the garden. It's more relaxed now, but, besides standard rooms that are small for a five-star, the Phoenicia is Malta's best hotel, with prices to match. Being situated just outside Valletta's towering bastion walls, it is walking distance to everything in the capital whilst having space for a long garden, pools (inside and out) and a spa. Service is attentive and friendly, with many long-serving Maltese staff. All in all, it is a destination in itself and if you can't stay here, drop by for a drink. Address: The Mall, Floriana, FRN1478 2. Casa Rocca Piccola hotel The last still-lived-in palazzo in Valletta, Casa Rocca Piccola is a house museum, a home and a classy, characterful B&B – so you can briefly live here too. Built in the 16th century for an important Italian Knight, the house is now owned and occupied by a modern Knight of Malta, the Marquis de Piro, and his charming wife – your hosts if you choose to stay. Casa Rocca is a storied treasure trove of fascinating objects from perhaps the oldest piece of Maltese furniture to stunningly intricate local lace, a Knights-period sedan chair to a very rare set of silver surgical instruments from the Hospitallers' sacred hospital. The B&B rooms are the size of suites and colourfully decorated by the Marquis's granddaughter. There's even a courtyard garden (very unusual within the walls of Valletta), complete with an underground WWII shelter and a resident parrot who loves to show off. 3. Palazzo Consiglia hotel One of Valletta's original boutiques, Palazzo Consiglia squeezes miniature versions of full hotel facilities into a stylish hotel with just 13 rooms. The 24-hour reception doubles as a bar, while the centuries-old chapel has become the breakfast room. The original courtyard is now the lounge foyer with a retractable roof, and on the solid rooftop is a pleasant terrace and plunge pool. The traditional barrel-vaulted limestone cellar has been turned into a mini-spa with a hot tub in what was once the water cistern. Some rooms are a little dark, but that is in keeping with the style and age of the property. Most of Valletta's high-class homes were built to keep the heat out, not let the sun in. Staff are particularly friendly and the hotel has a welcoming atmosphere – think of it as your temporary home in Valletta. Address: 102 St Ursula Street, VLT1234 4. SU29 hotel Open to a sense of humour? Greeted by a gnome (oddly not as naff as it sounds – these are French designer gnomes with a bit of a sense of style!), each of the eight rooms is completely different. There's the classic with its own gallarija – a traditional Maltese closed wooden balcony overlooking the street, or save yourself a trip to the gym with the Fitness Suite, which comes complete with a punchbag and boxing gloves. Reception doubles as the bar and the foyer as a breakfast room, but the bedrooms are mostly as large as the suites. And it is just around the corner from the Upper Barrakka Gardens with its stunning views over the Grand Harbour. 5. Domus Zamitello hotel Sit on the roof terrace of this 17th-century Knights' palazzo turned boutique hotel and watch the Vallettan world go by. To one side is the city's main thoroughfare (pedestrianised), to the other the striking 21st-century parliament and the open-air theatre built into the WWII ruins of the National Opera House – you can even watch a performance from here. Inside, the original courtyard has been covered with a retractable roof, creating a lovely light space. Original features have been retained, especially on the red carpeted stairway and second-floor communal sala. There's a full concierge service (available on WhatsApp if you wish) – or even a butler – and a very good Mediterranean restaurant that's open all day, every day. Rooms are traditional but not remotely heavy and painted in creams, dusty greens and gold. The palazzo-hotel is still owned by the family that was given it in 1805 after the Knights left Malta. 6. Rosselli hotel The USP here is the food. The hotel's smart cellar restaurant, Under Grain, earned its Michelin star early and has retained it. The head chef is Maltese and oversees all the hotel food, so the casual Street Grain eaterie and the breakfast offering are also a cut above. The hotel is a smart boutique with a bright covered courtyard, roof terrace and plunge pool, and a modern style that sort of loses the historic palazzo underneath – apart from the few rooms with a traditional gallarija (closed wooden balcony) that connects you to Valletta. Staff are attentive and there are some enjoyable extras, including a weekly Valletta walking tour and two wine tastings – all free to guests. 7. Saint John hotel The Saint John shares Rosselli's front desk and high-quality breakfast at lower prices – what's not to like? There is no reception at Saint John, nor a bar or a restaurant, but it is only 50 metres to the 5-star service of the Rosselli with its full concierge services and breakfast overseen by a Michelin-starred chef. Rooms aren't large, but they are comfortable, contemporary and have a touch of lightly humorous mock-industrial design, including pipework painted on the misted glass bathroom doors and historic-looking dial-up telephones with push-button numbers. 8. Iniala hotel It's all about the view here (and the price). This luxury ultra-designer boutique hotel full of original contemporary art sits atop Barbara Bastion, fronting a sweeping panorama of the famous Grand Harbour. It's quite something to wake to this vast expanse of (almost always) sparkling blue water surrounded by history in golden limestone. Straight ahead is Fort St Angelo, Malta's oldest castle and first base on the island of the Knights of St John (the Knights of Malta). Enjoy the views as you eat your fresh fruit, pancakes, or a full English breakfast in the rooftop restaurant. The view is equally spectacular by night, and come evening, the rooftop turns into ION by Simon Rogan, Malta's only two-Michelin-starred restaurant. Address: 10-11 St. Barbara Bastion, Valletta VLT1961 9. 66 Saint Paul hotel The original limestone courtyard of this classic 17th-century palazzo has been covered with a retractable roof and given a curving white contemporary twist – the staircase leading up to the hotel's comfortable rooms. Above the rooms sits the roof terrace – a lovely place for an aperitif even in cooler months, and to sunbathe and cool off in the plunge pool in summer with a view over the roofs to the Grand Harbour. Despite having just 18 rooms, reception is 24/7 and the service is personal; the receptionist can help with any plans in Malta, as well as serve you drinks from the bar. 10. The Coleridge hotel With just five rooms and a particularly friendly staff, this is more like a house with the host living nearby than a hotel in the usual sense. Set inside a converted traditional Valletta townhouse, rooms, which are really suites and all individual in character, combine Maltese limestone and designer murals with antique furniture and an Anglo-Maltese feel. Coleridge had no connection with this particular building, but did work for the newly installed British governor just a couple of blocks away in the heart of the town. The hotel sits on a charming and typical Valletta street hung with gallariji, two of which belong to the Coleridge, a third to the duplex apartment next door, which is also available to rent from the hotel. The hotels featured in this list have been carefully selected by The Independent 's expert travel writers, each with a deep knowledge of the destinations they cover. Our contributors either live in these locations or visit frequently, ensuring a personal and informed perspective. When picking which hotels to include, they consider their own experience staying in the hotels and evaluate location, facilities, service and all the other details that make for an exceptional stay for all types of traveller.
The Independent
29-04-2025
- The Independent
Best hotels in Malta for luxurious breaks, peaceful getaways and family-friendly holidays
Once upon a time Malta was a package holiday paradise of cheap sun and sea for the over-sixties, but in the last 15 years that has completely changed – and with it the style, quality and range of hotels. Today all ages flock to this island nation in the middle of the Mediterranean – six times as many people visited last year as live here – and there's accommodation for them all. Some people come for a sunbed by the pool or an umbrella on the beach in a need-never-leave resort, while the active seek the dive centres, sailing charters or cliff-top walks. Some drop in for a festival from rock to baroque, and want stays to match. Many now visit for Malta's USP, its unique and fascinating history (and prehistory) from Neolithic temples older than Stonehenge to the honeyed limestone legacy of the Knights of St John and remains of the nation's starring role in WWII. Historic buildings have been restored and converted into hotels full of character and comfort, while new accommodation has been constructed to cater for different tastes. Here are 10 of the best hotels in Malta for 2025. Best hotels in Malta 2025 1. Phoenicia Malta hotel Enter the fresh Art Deco foyer of the Phoenicia and step back in time to the British colonial heyday of this then-and-now glorious grand hotel. Imagine the late Queen, as the newly married Princess Elizabeth, then resident in Malta, dancing with Philip in the ballroom. And colonial Malta's great and good – Maltese and British – in full bib and tucker, sipping cocktails on the terrace overlooking the garden. Things are more relaxed now, and besides standard rooms being small for a five-star, the Phoenicia is Malta's best hotel, with prices to match. Being just outside Valletta's towering bastion walls, it is walking distance to everything in the capital while having space for a long garden, pools (inside and out) and a spa. Service is attentive and friendly, with many long-serving Maltese staff. All in all, it is a destination in itself and if you can't stay here, drop by for a drink. 2. Casa Rocca Piccola B&B Live like a Maltese aristocrat in this B&B within the only privately inhabited but publicly viewable palazzo in Valletta. Your hosts are the Marquis de Piro, a modern-day Knight of Malta, and his English wife. Oh, and their talkative parrot. Your stay includes a visit to the historic parts of the house full of fascinating furniture, art and objects from a portable altar to a Knights-era sedan chair, paintings from the Grand Master's galley to silver surgical instruments from the Knights' sacred hospital – not to mention the World War II shelter beneath the house. And you're right in the heart of Malta's tiny, walkable capital, just 100m from the main square and the Grand Master's Palace. 3. BOCO Boutique hotel In Bormla-Cospicua (hence Boco), a traditional area of the Three Cities, little touched by tourism, this enjoyable, good-value boutique hotel is full of contemporary art and humorous touches: life-size Boco in human form climbs from floor to floor; glass shower doors are painted with colourful figures; and headboards become installations. Outside, a five-minute walk takes you to the labyrinthine Medieval streets of Birgu (or Vittoriosa), the Knights' first base in Malta, or to Galley Creek and the picturesque 10-minute ferry ride across the Grand Harbour to Valletta. 4. Corinthia Palace hotel In an upmarket residential area of Malta, opposite the palace of Malta's president, this peaceful hotel offers a stay away from the tourist hordes. Its main restaurant occupies the original 19th-century villa around which the hotel was built. Spacious and traditional, each with a balcony, while in the garden there is a large multi-level outdoor pool and behind a glass wall, a lovely, well-heated indoor pool and spa and a substantial gym. Service is attentive and helpful, and there's a complimentary shuttle into Valletta twice a day. On the roof is a Michelin -mentioned restaurant and, in the foyer, with plenty of seating, a vegan café. 5. Kempinski San Lawrenz hotel Just fully refurbished, this low-rise five-star hotel tucked into the landscape on the edge of a traditional village on Malta's smaller, more rural island of Gozo has palm-fringed pools in the gardens and a substantial heated pool in the spacious spa. An extensive menu of treatments ranges from the usual massages and facials to specialist Indian Ayurveda. This is a place to relax. Gozo moves at a more leisurely pace than the main island and the Kempinski has all you need for a real break, as well as easy access to the rest of Gozo. It is a few minutes' walk to the village square with its oversized parish church, bar and blacksmith, and less than half an hour to the dramatic coastal landscape of Dwejra, the 'inland sea' and cave tunnel, a little boat trip and a Knights-period tower. 6. Villa Serenity B&B, Gozo A lovely family-run Gozo B&B with large rooms, great breakfast, a plunge pool in the garden and a wonderful location between the traditional village of Sannat and the towering Ta' Cenc cliffs – the perfect place for a sea view sunset walk. Join locals in the village square (at the bar of the football club or the band club where musicians rehearse for the annual festa) or follow the cliffs down to Mgarr Ix-Xini for a swim or a snorkel in clear blue sea. Alternatively, take up your hosts' offer of a personalised Gozo tour seeing the sights with them, both on and off the beaten track. 7. Iniala hotel The USP here is the iconic view (and the price). This luxury ultra-designer boutique hotel full of original contemporary art sits atop Barbara Bastion fronting a sweeping panorama of the famous Grand Harbour. It's quite something to wake to this vast expanse of (almost always) sparkling blue water surrounded by history in golden limestone. Straight ahead is Fort St Angelo, Malta's oldest castle and first base on the island of the Knights of St John (the Knights of Malta). The view continues over breakfast as you eat your fresh fruit, pancakes, or full English in the rooftop restaurant. The view is equally spectacular by night, and, come evening, the rooftop turns into ION by Simon Rogan, Malta's only restaurant with two Michelin stars. Address: 10-11 St. Barbara Bastion, Valletta VLT1961 8. Cugó Gran Macina hotel On the banks of the Grand Harbour's most historic creek, Cugó Gran Macina is named for the masting-crane (il-macina) that used to stand on the Knights-period bastion into which the hotel is built. Close to the entrance to Senglea – one of the Three Cities (really three tiny towns) that fringe Galley Creek (or Dockland Creek as the British called it), the hotel is backed by residential streets relatively untouched by tourism. Rooms are built into the fortifications, so they are all different shapes and sizes, some with glorious views over the water. Interior design is contemporary with lots of black slate, striking against the honeyed stone of the original structures. The roof terrace affords panoramic views, and just below it is the rooftop pool. Little Bastion restaurant at ground– and water–level serves Mediterranean and fusion food at breakfast and dinner. 9. Westin Dragonara Resort hotel Malta has quite a few large resort hotels but this one is a cut above with large rooms, great food and facilities for all the family. In an enclave all its own (which is just as well as it's not in the nicest area) it has everything you need for a summer holiday – and, unusually, for a spring, autumn and even winter one too. Crucially, the main outdoor pool, two Jacuzzis and a kids' paddling pool are heated year-round. So too is the indoor pool, and there's a spa and an on-site dive centre. The seaside Reef Club – with thatched umbrellas on the rocky beach and tiny sandy cove – is open in the warmer months. The Westin does the best buffet breakfast in Malta, which will set the whole family up for the day, be that in the resort or out exploring the island. 10. Palazzo Consiglia hotel In the heart of historic Valletta, this 400-year-old townhouse has been miraculously converted into a 13-room boutique hotel with full hotel facilities in miniature. The central courtyard in warm limestone has been covered with a retractable roof, while the chapel is now a pretty breakfast room. Reception doubles as the bar (and has some bar food), while down in the vaulted cellar, the original cistern has been converted into a spacious hot tub – and there's a room for spa treatments, too. The rooftop terrace boasts views and a plunge pool, and the staff are helpful and friendly. It's a welcoming place to return to after a day out seeing the sights.
