Compare Valletta hotels

If your dream holiday involves lush gardens, sumptuous lounges and white-linen dining, there are two world-class hotels within metres of the walls.

You can almost reach out and touch the outer walls of the fortifications from the gardens of the Hotel Phoenicia as you head to the pool, while the Grand Hotel Excelsior occupies a waterfront position just a few hundred metres further away.

You don’t have to stay in Valletta itself to see the best of it.

Just across Marsamxett Harbour is the resort town of Sliema. Regular ferries zip back and forth between here and Valletta, so it’s worth looking at hotels in

Sliema if you don’t want to stay in the centre of the city. Sliema boasts many shops, restaurants and hotels, ranging from cheap guesthouses to four and five-star luxury hotels from global brands.

Just north of Sliema is St Julian’s, which has more of a holiday vibe. It’s home to plenty of dining and entertainment options, including the nightclubs and bars of Paceville, which is Malta’s liveliest nightspot. You even get a small, sandy beach, which is a rare thing on this rocky island.

If the mere mention of sand has sent you into a holiday-planning spiral of confusion, fear not, because you can easily split your time between the capital city of Valletta and one of this small country’s seaside destinations.

If buzzing St Julian’s doesn’t float your boat, consider splitting your holiday between Valletta and Mellieha Bay, in the north of the island – it’s home to Malta’s biggest sandy beach. The resort is low key and perfect for quiet family holidays, and hotels range from basic, apartment-style accommodation to palatial five-star hotels with spas.

You could also consider a twin-island holiday, staying for a few nights in one of the cheap hotels in Valletta and then hopping on the ferry to Gozo. It’s possible to book car hire in Malta and take your vehicle across to the smaller island, which is known for its Baroque architecture, excellent dive sites and laidback atmosphere.