Where you stay matters more in Malta than in most places. The islands are small, so your base decides what is convenient and what is a long trip. Sliema and St Julian’s are where most people land, and for good reason, but they aren’t the only sensible answer.
The best hotels in Malta are not all in one place. This page starts with the area rather than a list of names.
Comparing across the booking sites is worth the two minutes it takes.
- Which area should I stay inSliema, St Julian’s, Valletta, Gozo or the south: how to choose.
- Where to stay with familiesPlaces that work with children, with pools, space and a short walk to food.
- Where to stay for couplesQuiet, characterful places for two, away from the strip.
- Where to stay on a budgetHostels, guesthouses and cheap stays that are not grim.
- Gozo farmhousesConverted farmhouses with private pools, and why Gozo does them best.
- Accessible staysStep-free stays and the accessibility questions worth asking first.
- Where to stay for nightlifeStaying where the night is, and how much sleep you are trading.
- Luxury stays in MaltaThe luxury end, and what the money buys.
- Long stays in MaltaMonthly rates, winter lets and staying long enough to need a washing machine.
Choosing an area
Sliema and St Julian’s
They are dense, modern and convenient. Everything is walkable, the ferry into Valletta takes five minutes and the buses go everywhere.
Neither is pretty, and if you’re anywhere near Paceville check exactly how near before you book.
Compare every area
Valletta and the Three Cities
You stay in small hotels and townhouses inside a UNESCO city that empties every evening. The Three Cities give you the same architecture with fewer visitors and a view back across the harbour.
The catch is stairs and almost no parking. Come without a car and it’s the best base on the islands.
Best for couples
The south and Gozo
Marsaskala, Birżebbuġa and Marsaxlokk cost less and feel like real towns. Gozo is slower, greener and a ferry away from everything on the main island.
Both suit a longer stay more than a first trip. Choose the area first and the property second.
Gozo farmhousesCompare places to stay
Malta builds constantly, and a listing photographed last spring may now face scaffolding. Paceville is loud until the early hours across a wider radius than the map suggests. Search recent reviews for both before you book.
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