6 Best Hotels in Valletta, Malta

The main building of the luxurious Iniala Harbour House occupies a former bank, with the arcing walls of the old vault even forming the lobby. The rest of the premises sprawl a quiet, historic street overlooking the Quarry Wharf, happily removed from the bustle of the old citadel. Rooms are elegant affairs, with those on the waterfront commanding unmatched close-up views over the Grand Harbour. The facilities are likewise excellent, with a spa, gym, and pool room making good use of the space. But the crowning glory is the recently open ION Harbour rooftop restaurant, with its tasting-course menu helmed by Michelin-starred British chef Simon Rogan; this is also where the hotel's excellent à la carte breakfast is served. 

This property is part of the wave of boutique hotels that has swept over the old city in recent years, turning aging palazzo town houses into enviably chic stays with minimal rooms and high prices. Many sacrifice facilities for style, but this classically chic affair manages both. You'll find a huge Jacuzzi plunge pool (formerly a cistern), steam room, and spa hollowed out of the vaulted cellar of this 400-year-old town house, while a rooftop pool and chill-out area ensure you're not short of skyline views while you soak. The lobby occupies what was a former chapel, and doubles as a breakfast room, while the bedrooms all offer a different take on Baroque grandeur—all luxurious rugs, gold-leafed furniture, and dramatic murals.

Having opened in 2019, riding the sudden wave of converted-palazzo boutique stays that suddenly popped up in the capital, the Rosselli comfortably rises above the throng. On dining alone, its trio of restaurants are some of the best in Malta. The building dates back to the 1600s and was once owned by Pietro Rosselli, a gold merchant whose extravagance stood out even among the excesses of Merchants Street. Its central courtyard (so dark in many palazzi hotels) is wonderfully light, and some duplex rooms even keep the building's original ceiling height (about four meters so the heat would rise, leaving it cooler at floor level). One room even has its own sauna. The à la carte breakfast is likewise excellent, and the option to take it on the terrace outside, where views stretch down to the waterfront, is the icing on the cake.  

One of Valletta's newer boutique hotels, just off Old Bakery Street, makes for a peaceful escape from the crowds of the center. Spread across what used to be a pair of town houses that had previously been turned into apartments, the rooms are invariably large, ranging from those with balconies and hot tubs to courtyard-facing rooms that come with no view but usually have room to add a spare bed. A small bar has been opened on the bottom floor, while buffet breakfasts are served in the expanded lobby. It's a particularly good spot for families. 

Considering few hotels in the capital have more than 30 rooms, thanks to the uberstrict building regulations, the 2021 opening of an 81-room hotel within the city walls is somewhat unusual. This building used to be a mall (even an old cinema has been preserved and moved it into the basement), and as a result, there's been much more leeway to create a modern stay. The hotel also has a gym and therapy room, as well as a heated rooftop pool (the largest in the city)---with fine views of Fort Manoel. On the ground floor you'll find a Costa Coffee (a legacy of its mall days) and an excellent Japanese restaurant (AKI). And while it's on the bar-filled Strait Street, the windows are tripled-glazed, so there's not much noise. 

The capital's grande-dame hotel lies just outside Valletta's City Gates in Floriana, and because it isn't restricted by the limitations of the citadel, it has had room to expand down the years. Its manicured grounds now span 7 acres of immaculate gardens that have become a popular spot for weddings and accommodate an outdoor pool deck that lounges beneath the rough-hewn stone of Valletta's bastions. Since 1937, it has welcomed the city's movers and shakers, including Queen Elizabeth II, and has lost little of its charm; the rooms and public spaces have been updated over the years and include the addition of a new spa (sauna, steam rooms, salt room), shops, beautician, and a branch of the Beefbar.