12 historic hotel stays in Malta

Slightly removed from the well-trodden end of Valletta, this 17th-century palazzo perches near the tip of the peninsula, deep among the oldest residential part of town, where progress has yet to creep and it still feels like a neighbourhood. The building dates back to 1606, making it one of the earliest residences in the capital. It was also the childhood home of Malta’s first post-independence Prime Minister, George Borg Olivier, whose father extended the house across the street via a sky bridge. Today, its 39 rooms make fine use of the space; their marbled floors, vintage furniture and the odd gallarija tick every boutique box. But the rooftop is the real lure, with a plunge pool andviews across to Fort St Elmo or Marsamxett Harbour the highlight of any stay.

More information: B&B doubles from £151pn; palaislebrun.com

The islands’ original five-star hotel has its design roots in the Art Deco of the 1930s, though the building wasn’t finished until after the Second World War. Since then, it has remained the capital’s calling-card, keeping up its Anglophile take on the high life with high teas in the Palm Court lounge and strolls of its three hectares of gardens. The grounds are the finest on the islands, with picnic areas, a bar and a pool lounging beneath the bastion walls. Craning around wedding parties for views of Marsamxett Harbour is the only chore, while Valletta’s gates lie a stroll away. Best of all, staff can arrange some great perks, including a private tour and dinner at Birgu’s 18th-century Inquisitor’s Palace.

More information: B&B doubles from around £256pn; phoeniciamalta.com

This 17th-century palazzo was originally home to a noted goldsmith, from whom it takes its name, though its current owners have retained his taste for the finer things. Several rooms come with their own sauna, while the duplex keeps the building’s original 4m-high ceilings – a trait of traditional Maltese homes that allowed their rooms to cool naturally. The rooftop plunge pool and summer bar/restaurant offer a break from the bustle, yet it’s the food that catches the eye here. Michelin-starred Under Grain takes the plaudits, but there is little drop-off at the excellent-value Grain Street out front, where views from the terrace (also the breakfast spot) funnel Merchant Street to the waterfront beyond.

More information: B&B doubles from £292pn;axhotelsmalta.com

For decades, The Xara Palace was the only hotel in Mdina, then Bifora opened in 2022. Spread across two houses (400 and 800 years old), it took 12 years of careful renovation to complete. As such, it’s a real labour of love. There are only six rooms – some of which have kept their original 4m-high ceilings – and the quietude of the Silent City really shines through as you make your way deep into its labyrinthine alleyways to reach them. The crowning glory is the rooftop, with its plunge pool (the only one in Mdina) and fine-dining restaurant offering views over the citadel. It’s a delightful spot for soaking up Malta’s medieval former capital long after the crowds disperse.

More information: B&B doubles from £168pn; palazzobifora.com

By day, visitors can take tours of the building’s 50-plus rooms and basement bomb shelter with the resident marquis, for whom this has been an ancestral home for nine generations. By night, you’re basically sleeping in a museum. This five-room B&B in a 16th-century palazzo is piled high with antiques and memorabilia, not least from the marquis’ great-grandfather, who painted the rotunda at Mosta. Everything has a story here, and while the bedrooms may look a little weathered, you come for the experience – as well as breakfast on the sunny courtyard terrace alongside the family parrot.

More information: B&B doubles from £295pn (minimum two nights); casaroccapiccolabandb.com

This family-run B&B puts you deep in the villages of inner Malta, where band clubs (community social clubs) and families still cluster nightly on the town square. Lulu is no less spirited. Set in a 300-year-old mill, it was restored using hand-cut stone quarried by the husband-and-wife owners, who will happily share a drink and pictures of the build at the pool bar or over breakfast. No request is too big – they’ll even barbecue up whatever you drag home. Its eight wood-beamed rooms are surprisingly decadent, and some even have their own plunge pool. You’re also not far from the megalithic temple ruins that scatter the south-west coast.

More information: B&B doubles from £85pn; lulumalta.com

The Silent City of Mdina was the capital of Malta until the arrival of the Knights to the islands in the mid-16th century. Today, its honey-coloured alleys are a joy to lose yourself in, particularly at night when the daytrippers leave. It’s then that The Xara Palace shines. Facilities aren’t confined to the 17th-century palazzo, where aristocratic roots emerge in the art and antiques filling the halls and high-ceilinged rooms. Instead, the hotel’s restaurants scatter the citadel, including the Michelin-starred De Mondion, whose rooftop
doubles as a breakfast spot with views that sweep the countryside. The hotel pool even lies in neighbouring Rabat, where you can combine dips with visits to the town’s sprawling underground necropolises.

More information: B&B doubles from £198pn; xarapalace.com.mt

One of the capital’s newer stays has swiftly built a reputation for itself as one of the best. Part of this is down to its location. Sprawled across four honey-hued townhouses and a former bank (the reception lies in the old vault), its waterfront rooms have unmatched balcony views of the Grand Harbour, where so much of Malta’s history played out. The other reason for its rise is down to the rooftop ION Harbour restaurant, masterminded by British chef Simon Rogan, which became the first venue on the islands to bag a second Michelin star. That it doubles as the breakfast room, dishing up views of the Three Cities and a morning menu just as cultured, is a bonus. The 23 rooms span impressively sized suites, apartments and a guesthouse, all decked out in neutral colours and two-tone murals, while the facilities are rounded off by a basement spa and one of Valletta’s rare hotel gyms.

More information: B&B doubles from £315pn; inialamalta.com

Of the many palazzi in the capital to have been converted into boutique stays in recent years, none match the 400-year-old Consiglia for its facilities. Down in the vaulted stone cellar you’ll find a plunge pool adapted from a medieval cistern, which looks as if someone retooled the Batcave for a good time. Accompanied by a spa, steam room and sauna, it’s a unique find in a city whose strict building rules curb most hoteliers’ ambitions. Head up through the lobby (a former chapel) to the rooftop, where the pool and deck area offer glimpses over the harbour. Even the street outside is charming, with the steps that slide down to the waterfront often filled with cushions and jazz music on summer nights.

More information: B&B doubles from £188pn; ikcollection.com

Occupying part of the old bastion built by Malta’s Knights, this stylish stay takes its name from the macina (crane) that was added in the 16th-century to hoist goods ashore and de-mast ships. It continued in use until the 1920s, though you’re more likely to see yachts than warships in the marina these days. Its transformation into a design hotel with a rooftop pool and notable restaurant is all the more remarkable given this was an office for Malta’s Labour party for years. Inside, the 21 suites blend the stone of the old walls through its minimalist rooms. It’s also well-placed to explore the Three Cities, where the Knights first settled, with the grand fort of Birgu ever in sight from the terrace.

More information: B&B doubles from £192pn; cugogranmacina.com

Most travellers pass through Mellieħa, in the hilly north-west of the mainland, en route to its eponymous bay or the ferry to Gozo in Ċirkewwa. Few stick around – which is a shame. The adults-only Lure, opposite a rather grand 19th-century parish church on the old town square, is one more reason why they’re missing out. Views from its marbled rooms and rooftop pool skim down to the water, while the big ‘lure’ here is its steam room and spa, though the terraced Core restaurant runs them a close second. It’s particularly well-placed to explore the little-visited Second World War tunnels and shelters that were hand-dug beneath the village in the 1940s. It’s a side to the town that few see.

More information: B&B doubles from £170pn; lurehotelmalta.com

The quiet countryside of Gozo is a popular escape for Maltese mainlanders, who often hole up in its converted farmhouses for the summer. There are far fewer options for hotel escapes though, so the 141-room Kempinski, just inland from the cliffs and dive sites of Dwejra, makes for a welcome outlier. Its grounds incorporate a celebrated spa, three hectares of semi-tropical gardens, several pools and just as many dining options – there’s even teppanyaki served in the gazebo – while the cool, marbled rooms, suites and apartments come with their own private balconies to soak it all in. In addition, it’s a great base for visiting the island’s citadel capital and megalithic Ġgantija temple complex.

More information: B&B doubles from £100pn; kempinski.com