Valletta is the tiny capital of the Mediterranean island nation of Malta.
Malta’s capital is brimming with splendid architecture, piazzas and alleys, traditional wooden balconies, monuments, museums, palaces, churches and more than its fair share of restaurants, cafés and shops. This city has some of Europe's most amazing medieval relics, from the great Fort St Elmo to the St John's Co-Cathedral that hosts the iconic work of Caravaggio.
The BusinessClass.com guide to the best luxury hotels in Valletta:
1. The Phoenicia Malta - 9/10
The Phoenicia Malta is an iconic hotel just beyond the ancient city walls next to Valetta’s Triton Fountain. Long regarded as a national treasure, the landmark 1920s-style hotel has welcomed stars, socialites and the heads of Europe for over 60 years. The style stays true to the era with live piano music in the lobby, and a gorgeous 3-hectare landscaped garden. Rooms are spacious and elegant, air-conditioned with a minibar and tea and coffee-making facilities. Designed in collaboration with Peter Young, interiors retain original features such as authentic tiled floors with locally sourced furniture, and white and cream patterned textiles with touches of blues and reds – offset by large green-leaved plants. Most rooms at the Phoenicia have baths with showers in them. Most have a separate bath and shower.
The circular Palm Court lounge and bar is the hotel’s heart, with wonderful 1930s white-and-glass doors that lead into the main restaurant. The main Phoenix Restaurant has an inside area and a spacious terrace. Look out for sweet Maltese oranges at breakfast, usually accompanied by platters of local ricotta and excellent ham that’s carved fresh from the bone. A smaller bar has dark wood and leather walls covered in photos of old Malta. Treat yourself to a relaxing massage at the spa. The Phoenicia features a seasonal, outdoor infinity pool overlooking the harbour.
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2. Rosselli – AX Privilege - 9/10
The Rosselli – AX Privilege is a luxury hotel on Valetta’s palazzo. Set in a 17th-century building formerly owned by a member of the Knights of Malta, it combines Baroque architecture and modern facilities. A haven of style, the Rosselli offers 25 unique rooms and suites that were reimagined by award-winning designers Forward Architects, who worked to achieve a balance of timeless elegance and modern indulgence. The result is ultra-modern rooms that exude beauty and comfort, with loads of detail to be appreciated in the coloured marble, warm wood, mirrored glass and large-print wallpapers. Spacious bathrooms offer large walk-in shower rooms and free-standing baths. Three ‘wellness’ rooms have their own sauna.
At street level, Grain Street offers an authentic dining experience with plates to share, and wines served by the glass. On the lowest level, Under Grain is a refined dining experience that was awarded One MICHELIN Star three years in a row. The roof terrace bar-café is the perfect place for an aperitif or a quiet mid-morning coffee. Working to make your stay a memorable one, the Roselli goes the extra mile with personalised butler service.
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3. The Xara Palace Relais & Châteaux - 9/10
The Xara Palace is a unique 17th-century palace hidden in the medieval fortified Silent City of Mdina, the old capital of Malta. The palazzo retains much of its historic character and is the only luxury hotel in Mdina. Enjoying unparalleled views of the beautiful Maltese countryside, the hotel’s seventeen high-ceilinged rooms and suites are individually and tastefully decorated with antique furniture and paintings, luxurious Parisian fabrics and king-size beds.
Lower-floor street-side rooms look out onto a Medieval alley and the rooms on the higher floors have sweeping 180-degree views over the island. Most have freestanding baths, as well as private terraces complete with whirlpools. On the rooftop is the Michelin-starred de Mondion restaurant. All the sights of Mdina – the cathedral, the Carmelite church, Palazzo Falzon – as well as the little city’s cafes and restaurants are on the hotel’s doorstep. The Xara Palace is a haven in which to pause and be pampered.
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4. Grand Hotel Excelsior - 8/10
Grand Hotel Excelsior is built into the bastion walls of Valletta. To one side of it is Marsamxett Harbour with views across the water to Manoel Island and Sliema, while on the other side are the fortifications of Valletta with the main gate a short walk away. The hotel’s public areas are decorated with an eclectic mix of Roman sculptures, elegant Chinese furniture, old Batavian paintings and boldly patterned carpets. The massive windows face the harbour and beyond. Rooms combine classic and modern design.
The Seaview Rooms have French windows leading to private terraces overlooking the harbour. The hotel's three restaurants and five bars serve a wide selection of international cuisine, including seafood and vegetarian meals. The main restaurants, both have floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the harbour. In summer the Tiki Bar and the Yacht Club on the water’s edge serve light lunches and grills. The Excelsior is known for its extensive buffets that include cuisine from around the world. Extensive facilities include a gym, spa, and sizeable indoor and outdoor pools. It has its own yacht marina and harbourside terrace, as well as a private beach to lounge on.
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5. Iniala Harbour Hotel - 8/10
Iniala Harbour House is perched atop Valletta’s St Barbara Bastion, the city’s most-coveted street. Spread across four exquisitely renovated Maltese townhouses, it blends history with innovation to offer an elegant mix of design concepts. Rooms, suites and residences feature French windows, iconic Maltese balconies and terraces with private plunge pools. Situated on the stunning rooftop is ION Harbour Restaurant where two Michelin-star chef Alex Dilling serves his award-winning haute cuisine. The Vault is in the lobby on the ground floor of the Harbour House and where there’s a stylish cocktail bar serving signature drinks.
The Iniala’s Essensi Spa in the heart of the hotel’s stone vaults creates a sense of escape with facilities including treatment rooms, a steam room, a sauna, a relaxation area, and a heated pool. For the complete Iniala experience visit The Works gym, with its state-of-the-art facilities just steps from Valletta’s charming East Street. Popular points of interest near the accommodation include Valletta Waterfront and Upper Barrakka Gardens.
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6. Palazzo Consiglia - 8/10
The Palazzo Consiglia is an intimate boutique hotel on a typically narrow Valletta street of limestone townhouses fronted by traditional gallariji – Maltese-painted wooden balconies. The original courtyard has a retractable roof making it a feature year-round. It acts as the lobby, bar and extension of the breakfast room. Historic features include the chapel’s carved holy water basin, while furniture, wallpapers and lighting are a charming modern mix. The 13 individually decorated rooms are modern and individually named ranging from Romantica to Ecologica, Industriale to Maltija. Most have wooden floors with light Persian-style rugs and free-standing wardrobes. All have extra-comfortable king-sized beds and a choice of a bath or shower. Each room has a capsule coffee machine, television and Bluetooth sound system.
The two-centuries-old bell-shaped cistern – a water storage system that was mandatory in all Knights-period Valletta houses – has been converted into a heated plunge pool. While the original vaulted limestone cellar is now The Cantina, a top-quality wellness area offering spa treatments, a steam room and a sauna. The roof terrace has a reading nook, sunbeds and an alluring plunge pool that looks out at the dome of the neighbouring chapel.
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7. La Falconeria Hotel - 8/10
La Falconeria is on the storied Melita Street, once informally referred to as Strada del Gran Falconiere as it is here that Maltese falcons were once kept by the Knights of the Order. La Falconeria has two sides to the building. The front half is hundreds of years old and dates back to the era of renaissance nobility with marble floors and artistic finishes. The other half was destroyed in WWII and rebuilt in a modern style that matches the symmetry of the building.
Forty-three rooms are split into seven categories and located in various sections of the building around a wide courtyard. All rooms have traditional flooring and are finished with modern furnishings and open balconies. The façade of the hotel is dotted with balconies of different classical styles, with French Balconies on the first floor, Traditional Maltese Balconies on higher floors, and open balconies for the Suites and the Executive Suite. The outdoor courtyard is central to the hotel and provides a tranquil open-air oasis. Sitting in the courtyard on a breezy, summery day with a chilled drink is just a small slice of island life offered here.
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8. Barrister Hotel Valetta - 8/10
Barrister Hotel Valetta is within the historic city walls on St Christopher’s Street in a building that once housed lawyer's offices. Inside there’s a sophisticated 200-year-old staircase that travels up the whole building and is crowned by an elegant glass dome skylight – the centrepiece of the hotel. The limestone exterior characterises Valletta’s grand residences and the wooden Maltese balconies which are testimony to the building’s prestigious past. Boutique in size, the property has 18 rooms that range from Superior to Deluxe Rooms, with a limited selection of rooms with private hot tubs on their Rooftop Terraces. The style of the rooms is cutting-edge with Scandinavian-style furniture, chrome fixtures and marble surfaces. The rooms feature facilities like a mini bar fridge and tea/coffee making equipment as well as a flat-screen TV. They come with a walk-in shower and bath. A pillow-top mattress, foam pillows and down pillows are featured in every bedroom.
D'office offers a variety of Central European meals with the bistro adding local culinary flavours and premium drinks. In close collaboration with one of the island’s most talented design teams, the owners have developed The Barrister Hotel – Valletta to offer sophisticated comfort with eco-friendly efficiency. Throughout your stay, the hotel can help with suggesting the trendiest restaurants, theatre tickets, or planning visits to Malta’s main attractions.
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9. Cugó Gran Macina Grand Harbour - 8/10
The Cugó Gran Macina Grand Harbour is where historical fortress walls contrast with modern interior design and luxury fittings. The 21 suites range in size, most have unobstructed views of the Grand Harbour and the surrounding marina. The designers at Daaa Haus transformed the hotel through the creative use of unique lighting, tufted wool rugs, Scandinavian pieces, and bespoke Italian sofas and beds. The elegant design uses polished raw steel, lava stone, Carrara marble, Maltese hard stone and tainted glass.
The fine dining restaurant offers cuisine derived from the island’s Mediterranean-Semitic roots. The menu is constructed by a multi-award-winning team and led by talented Chef de Cuisine Jorge Lugo and Chef Chris Hammett. Dining al fresco in the summer months is an unforgettable experience. The hotel has a swimming pool tucked discreetly on the rooftop of the annexe building with a terrace looking out across the water. Other features include airy public spaces and a bar. In the immediate vicinity of the hotel, there are opportunities for jogging, swimming, sailing and other sports.
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10. Hotel Juliani, St Julian’s - 8/10
Hotel Juliani is a charming, recently-renovated townhouse in Spinola Bay, in the heart of St. Julian’s. The only luxury boutique hotel in St Julian’s, it is a tranquil oasis with gentle shades of blue, grey and cream with wall-mounted water features throughout. The 47 spacious rooms are mostly on the fourth floor and higher. All are similar in colour and style with extremely comfortable beds. The rooms have tea and coffee making facilities and include a minibar and TV. Each bathroom has soft bathrobes plus a walk-in rain shower.
The on-site Zest restaurant specialises in European and Asian cooking and includes a terrace bar. One of Malta’s best-kept secrets, Café Juliani provides a calm oasis with an elegant and relaxing ambience with a varied menu. During the summer, head to the rooftop bar to admire the view of the bay with a selection of nibbles from the Michelin Plate Zest Restaurant on the menu. There is a lovely little rooftop pool. Indulge in a range of beauty and wellness treatments at Spa Royal on the 1st floor and a fitness centre equipped with Cybex and TRX training machines. Situated in the centre of St. Julian’s, you’ll find restaurants, bars and shops and attractions nearby.
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11. The Coleridge Boutique Hotel In Valletta - 8/10
The Coleridge Boutique Hotel in the heart of Valletta is steeped in history. The building dates back to the early 1600s and was crafted by the finest European architects and engineers of the day. The early Baroque palace used to accommodate British poet Samual Taylor Coleridge who wrote extensively about his time on the island. On a traditional narrow Valletta street hung with characteristic balconies, The Coleridge is suitably traditional with a particularly British flavour appropriate to the hotel's name. The reception desk is in the racing-green front hall beneath prints of horses.
The owners decorated themselves, selecting each piece of antique furniture and bringing much of it from the UK. The six rooms are named after Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s famous poems. All are furnished with Large Super King size beds, wardrobes and gilt-framed mirrors. Two have balconies overlooking the street and all have contemporary designer bathrooms. Environmentally conscious, there’s an eco-sensitive approach reflected in the choice of water-based paint, woodwork restoration, rainwater collection, locally-sourced ingredients, eco-certified cleaning materials and the use of certified-ethical down pillows.
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