16 of the Best Small Hotels in Malta

Malta has that perfect blend of being familiar enough, and small enough, to get around confidently on your first visit, and being so wonderfully historic and exotic looking that you feel as if you’re really travelling. So it’s the perfect destination to pair with a small hotel. In our opinion the best small hotels in Malta are perfect if you want that personalised recommendation that will take you a bit off the tourist trail. We also love our picks of small, quiet hotels in Malta because they’re housed in traditional Maltese buildings, so you’ve got that extra connection with the wonderful architecture of this island. Our recommendations for the best small hotels in Malta are also some of the most romantic places to stay on the island. We even have a pick on Gozo, if you’re planning to stay there as well.

For a romantic stay

• Stylish, private and romantic, with a real focus on clever design, the Valletta Suites are a collection of just three apartment suites within an elegant townhouse. Two of the apartments have their own kitchenettes, and two of them have a private balcony, and one a sun-trap of a terrace. All of them have chic, personalised design set against original Maltese limestone walls, and large windows, and feature antiques and objets d’art, oriental rugs, lavish fabrics and witty contemporary designer pieces.
• If you’re coming to Malta for some peace and quiet, some sightseeing, and a bit of reconnection with your partner, Julesy's BnB might be the ideal base for you. It has just four rooms, simply decorated to show off the limestone walls, traditional box balconies and big windows of this 18th century townhouse in the harbour town of Cospicua, which is just a short ferry ride from Valletta. The knowledgable hosts put on a gourmet breakfast on the roof terrace, which includes a range of pancakes, crepes and frittatas, as well as fruit, cereal and toasts. They offer regular morning cooking classes too.

For a view

• If you want your trip to Malta to offer a feel of escape and something quite different from the view out of your window at home, you might consider Boco Boutique, a six room B&B just outside the medieval heart of Cospicua, with a room terrace that offers this beautiful scene as your view. While all is historic peace and sunshine outside, inside this lovely traditional townhouse are six eclectic rooms, where original features host confident modern art, bold colours and clever design ideas. The roof terrace also has a hot tub and bar.
• Valletta’s Casa Ellul is a luxurious boutique hotel, with just eight rooms and a roof terrace with wonderful panoramic views of the city and the coastline. Converted from one of Valletta’s wonderful townhouses, in the neo-classical style in this instance, the Casa Ellul has had a very modern make-over internally, with modern luxurious bathrooms, smoothed concrete-looking walls and lots of glass. It’s certainly elegant, with some bold features lining up with the original ones to make a really interesting, charming place to stay.
• Ursulino, which is just a few minutes from Valletta’s Grand Harbour, is a seven room boutique hotel with a fantastic roof terrace with incredible panoramic views of the city and the ocean. As well as the views from the roof terrace, some rooms have their own balcony or private terrace views. The decor is contemporary and simple, but there are plenty of original features to make this a special stay both inside and out.

Some of the Most Luxurious Small Hotels in Malta

• 66 Saint Paul's is a beautifully renovated 17th century palazzo in the heart of Valletta which offers a real sense of luxury, both old and new. There are just six individually styled rooms, though when you first enter you’ll probably feel as if this is a much larger hotel. While renovating, the architects kept as many of the original features as possible, so all the rooms are quite different, and the larger ones have traditional Maltese balconies or private terraces. There’s also a roof terrace with panoramic views, and a courtyard, and spa and solarium. Perfect for seeing the local sights.

Malta’s Best Small Hotels for a Beach Break

• If you want to get a sense of what it’s like to live on Malta, as well as seeing her sights, one of the best places we can recommend is Selmunett, a two room homestay on the very edge of Naxxar, a beautiful village about 10 minutes drive from St. Julian’s, or 15 minutes from Valletta, and close to the beach. There aren’t very many homestay properties on Malta, but even if there were this would have to be one of the friendliest, with wonderful home-from-home rooms with lots of natural light and a brilliant barbecue breakfast served daily on the sunny terrace. The hosts also have a beautiful garden with an established herb garden and some impressive fruit trees.

For a quiet spot

• If you’re planning to stay on Gozo, look up Dar tal-Kaptan, a beautifully converted farmhouse B&B with just four suite-style rooms, some with kitchenettes. The owners are really charming, and their home is vibrant and stylish, with a wonderful collection of local nicknacks. There’s a large pool in the courtyard, with a hot-tub attached, and they have an honesty bar and Maltese cakes on offer round-the-clock. Welcoming, laid-back and memorable.
• Historic, yet under the radar of most visitors to Malta, Senglea is a traditional Maltese town a short ferry-trip from Valletta, and close to Birgu. And that’s where you’ll find The Snop House, converted from a seriously charming traditional townhouse in an untouristy part of town. There are six rooms with relatively contemporary decor and art set against traditional features. They offer breakfast, and there are a couple of good restaurants close by.

• One of the nicest things about staying in a small hotel is the personalised service. You often meet the owners to have a proper chat, and they’re able to give you great location specific advice, and share the story of their establishment with you. In the case of the ten room Chapel 5 Suites in Naxxar they could tell you about their unique townhouse building, with its gorgeous courtyard pool, and about their collection of interesting Indonesian-style furnishings and decor. The owners also offer a delicious breakfast served on the roof terrace, from where there are lovely views of architecturally pretty Naxxar. And they offer complimentary yoga lessons.

• The B&B De Rohan is a few miles outside Valletta, in the historic, and charming, village of Haz-Żebbuġ. It’s another good choice if you want a Malta escape, where you see more than just the main sights. Its five rooms are contemporary, with stylish, comfortable decor, but it’s the public spaces, including the lounge with a pool table, and the gorgeous courtyard with outdoor pool, that really bring this property to life and make it a great place to stay.

Valletta’s Best Small Hotels

• The Saint John may not be that small in some eyes, but it's so good that we think it bears a mention here. There are twenty one rooms of varying sizes, but each is stunning with chic contemporary interiors that beautifully complement its period townhouse exterior. Plus you're right in the heart of the action with the whole of Valletta at your fingertips.
• The Vincent is a nine suite hotel converted from a 400 year old palazzo in the heart of Valletta. Each of the suites is uniquely decorated, but all have kitchenettes and en suites, coffee machines and air conditioning. Once inside you’d never guess how old this building is, the conversion is quite modern, with lots of glass and modern art to contrast with the original beams, limestone walls and large windows. There’s no restaurant, but there are plenty nearby, and they do offer breakfast.

Malta’s Best B&Bs

• Knights in Malta is private, quiet and totally original, with a real feeling of being part of someone’s dream home. There are five rooms, all different and uniquely decorated, in a beautiful, traditional, large Maltese townhouse. Arranged around a private courtyard and sun terrace with a hot tub, these characterful rooms are decorated with carefully collected antiques, and details that range from opulent drapes and gilt mirrors, to tiled floors and brightly painted statues. They offer breakfast, and regular themed supper evenings, in the dining room. This is a really unique place to stay, perfect if you’re looking for somewhere authentically Maltese.
• In our opinion The Stone House in St Julian's qualifies for several of our best small hotels categories: it’s certainly romantic, and wonderfully traditional, with just two rooms in a perfect period building with a lovely terrace and plunge pool. Close to some of the best local restaurants. And it’s only about ten minutes walk from the beach. But it’s also a B&B, and a really lovely one at that.
• The Loggia Mariposa is another of Naxxar’s B&Bs, and another beautifully converted Maltese townhouse. Here you'll find nine simply decorated rooms with the same exposed limestone walls and classical art as the public areas. There’s a wonderful arched cavern of a kitchen and lots of traditional details to be appreciated, but not much colour or fuss. The owner is onsite, and is lovely to chat to, and this is a popular spot for walkers as well as sightseers.

Still not sure which to book?

• Browse through our list of all the best places to stay in Malta,
• or you could refine your search to just the best places to stay in Valletta, or in St. Julian’s on the coast, or consider the best hotels on the island of Gozo, just off the coast.
• Or you could read our article recommending 9 of the Best Luxury Hotels in Malta.
• Alternatively, you could contact one of our friendly Gurus for personalised advice.