There’s something magnetic about The Phoenicia Malta. Maybe it’s the way the light hits the limestone at sunset, turning the façade gold, or the quiet confidence of the staff who greet you as if you’ve stayed before. Within minutes of arriving, I understood why this hotel isn’t just where you stay in Valletta, it’s where the city begins.
Malta is a year-round destination, the kind of place that still feels sun-warmed even in November. When much of Europe is grey and shivering, Floriana glows at a steady 20-something degrees, its sandstone walls catching the light like honey. Against that backdrop, The Phoenicia Malta feels almost cinematic – timeless, sunlit, and entirely its own.
Set beside the capital’s old gates, The Phoenicia Malta has been part of Malta’s story for nearly a century, welcoming everyone from officers and artists to royals and romantics. Yet it never feels trapped in its past. It’s proof that heritage and modernity can share a lobby without competing for attention. Some hotels lean on nostalgia; The Phoenicia Malta keeps redefining what timeless actually feels like.
Located in Floriana, just outside Valletta's city gates, The Phoenicia Malta sits where Malta’s history meets its modern heartbeat. From the terrace, the Grand Harbour opens like a painting, and from the entrance, you can see the city’s palaces and auberges built by the Knights of St John.
Designed in the 1930s by Scottish architect William Bryce Binnie, the hotel began life as Malta’s first true luxury property, hosting officers’ wives and visiting dignitaries who crossed the Mediterranean for a taste of high society. By the time Princess Elizabeth waltzed through its ballroom in the 1940s, it had already become a legend. Today, it remains Malta’s grande dame: stately without stiffness, elegant without ego.
The architecture is a love letter to Maltese craftsmanship. Binnie used local limestone, terrazzo, marble, and teak to mirror the island’s noble houses. Inside, there’s a sense of calm that only buildings with history seem to possess. Whitewashed walls, patterned tiles, soft blue tones and arched windows that filter sunlight in that unmistakable Maltese way.
Everything feels considered. The chandeliers glow with the patina of age, the staircases curve like sculpture, and every corridor feels calm. It’s history, edited beautifully.
At The Phoenicia Malta, food is part of the experience – elegant, modern, and deeply connected to the island.
Contessa, the hotel’s signature restaurant, feels like a love letter to Mediterranean flavour. By day it’s flooded with light, by night it transforms into one of Floriana’s most elegant dining rooms, framed by views of Marsamxett Harbour. The menu celebrates Maltese ingredients with quiet confidence – fresh seafood, handmade pasta, local produce cooked simply and beautifully. Think prawn crudo with citrus oil, slow-cooked lamb shoulder, and delicate pastries filled with honey from Gozo. Every dish tells a story of place, season, and restraint.
Afternoons belong to the Palm Court Lounge, where tea arrives on silver trays beneath swaying palms, and evenings often end in The Club Bar, a dimly lit den of leather, brass, and perfectly stirred martinis.
And while Beefbar in the City sits proudly within the property, it operates independently. The Monaco-born brand brings a cosmopolitan energy to Valletta’s dining scene with dishes designed for indulgence and sharing. Highlights include the Croque Sando, layered with dry-aged ribeye ham, mozzarella and the restaurant’s signature sauce; Quesadillas filled with braised wagyu meat, Oaxaca cheese and truffle; and the Ceviche Rosado, a seabass ceviche dressed in raspberry truffle oil with cucumber and sweet potato quinoa.
For mains, the Black Angus Centre Cut Ribeye arrives perfectly marbled and seasoned, while the Korean BBQ wagyu brings a playful balance of heat and richness, served with lettuce and pickled carrot. Add Parmesan and Fresh Truffle Fries or Guanciale and Jalapeño Skewers, and you have the kind of meal that defines the night. It’s stylish, sensory, and undeniably fun – the perfect counterpoint to The Phoenicia Malta’s quiet grandeur.
Each of the 132 rooms and suites carries The Phoenicia Malta's signature mix of old-world charm and modern ease. The interiors feel calm and deliberate: creamy walls, patterned tiles, crisp linens, and windows that frame Valletta in morning light. My room looked over the city’s honeyed rooftops, where church bells punctuate the day like clockwork. The bed was impossibly soft, the air faintly scented with sea salt.
Small touches elevate everything. The complimentary minibar, the neatly arranged espresso machine, the bathroom stocked with local citrus-scented products. Executive Rooms come with balconies for sunrise views, while Deluxe Harbour View Rooms offer cinematic sweeps of the coast. Suites like the Valletta and Harbour View feel almost residential, with light-filled sitting rooms and marble bathrooms built for long mornings.
Turndown happens quietly, lights low, curtains drawn, everything just so. Returning to that room after dinner, I realised comfort here isn’t an accident. It’s the point.
The gardens set The Phoenicia Malta apart. Seven acres of landscaped greenery unfold from the city gate to the bastion walls, where orange trees perfume the air and pathways lead to the Bastion Pool – an infinity-edge masterpiece built into 16th-century fortifications. It’s one of the most cinematic swims in Malta.
The Phoenicia Spa and Wellness sits partly within those same ancient walls. The space pairs history with tranquillity: a heated pool, hammam, salt room, and treatment suites scented with neroli. My massage ended with herbal tea on the terrace, sunlight flickering across the limestone. For a moment, Valletta felt miles away.
The Phoenicia Malta has hosted royals, prime ministers, film stars, and generations of locals celebrating milestones. But what makes it special today is not its guest list. It’s the grace with which it still does everything. The service is instinctive, the pace unhurried, the atmosphere calm without ever being dull.
Awards aside, its real success is how effortlessly it connects past and present. You feel it in the glow of the chandeliers at dusk, in the way the doorman remembers your name, in the gardens that seem to slow time. The Phoenicia Malta doesn’t try to impress you. It simply reminds you what real hospitality feels like.
I flew in with KM Malta Airlines, the island’s new flag carrier, and it set the tone before I even landed. The A320neo fleet is sleek and quiet, the crew effortlessly warm, and the service feels more boutique than business.
With direct routes from London, Paris, Rome, Amsterdam and beyond, KM Malta Airlines makes Malta feel closer than ever. The airline has carried forward the nation’s aviation legacy with a sharper focus on comfort, sustainability, and personal service.
The descent into Valletta’s Grand Harbour is unforgettable, and with The Phoenicia just eight kilometres from the airport, you can be poolside before your luggage tags have cooled.
@phoeniciamalta
www.phoeniciamalta.com | kmmaltairlines.com
The Mall, Floriana, FRN1478
Now that the Christmas season is officially underway, we have curated a list of the best Christmas markets in the country.
Nestled in the heart of the Austrian Alps, Le Chalet is a modern hideaway like no other, effortlessly fusing together home comforts with a slice of luxury.
Olivia Bennett checks into Olea All Suite Hotel and finds a modern, minimalist gem.
Kerene Barefield embraces barefoot luxury in the stunning Maldivian Fari Islands. Below, read her review of the super slick Ritz-Carlton.
Discover The Sybarite's round-up of some of the best festive markets in Europe, from Paris to Bruges.
Join Kristyna Jandova as she experiences the gentle rhythm of family life at this design-led haven, where pure luxury meets ease and children are joyfully welcomed.