Best Hotels in Malta for Every Budget — 49 Real Picks From £89 (2026)

Malta packs a huge amount into one small, sunny island — a UNESCO-listed Baroque capital, some of the clearest water in the Mediterranean, honey-coloured villages and 7,000 years of history — and because it's so compact, one base easily covers the whole island. This is the best hotels in Malta for every budget guide: 49 real, currently bookable hotels across three price bands — 10 luxury, 10 mid-range and 29 budget — spanning Valletta, Sliema, St Julian's, Mellieħa, the quiet southern fishing towns and the sister island of Gozo. Be warned up front, because we won't pretend otherwise: Malta is not a cheap-hotel destination. The cheapest bookable room on this list is around £89 a night (on Gozo), and on the main island the realistic floor is closer to £107. There are no £30 rooms here — but there is excellent-value sea-view three-star comfort, and every hotel below links straight to its live price.

Jump to your budget: Luxury · Mid-range · Budget under £150 · Where to stay in Gozo · FAQs

Scout's 3 best budget picks right now: 🌊 Hotel San Andrea — from ~£89, right on Xlendi Bay on Gozo, the cheapest real hotel on this list. 🐟 Sensi Hotel — from ~£107, the lowest starting price on the main island, in quiet Marsaskala. 🏖 The St. George's Park Hotel — from ~£114, a well-reviewed three-star right by St George's Bay in the heart of St Julian's. From-prices were pulled live while writing — tap any hotel for today's price on your dates.

Malta sits in the central Mediterranean between Sicily and North Africa, and it could hardly be easier to reach from the UK: direct flights to Malta International Airport (MLA) run with KM Malta Airlines, Ryanair and easyJet from London and many regional airports, taking just 3 to 3.5 hours. English is an official language, the currency is the euro (€), they drive on the left like the UK, and an extensive bus network (there are no trains) links the island — Valletta to Mellieħa is only about 40 minutes. The weather is warm from May to October and mild but sometimes wet in winter. The headline draws are Valletta (the UNESCO capital, St John's Co-Cathedral, the Grand Harbour), the Sliema/St Julian's seafront and Paceville nightlife, Mellieħa (the best sandy beach, Popeye Village), Marsaxlokk (the Sunday fish market and colourful luzzu boats), the Blue Grotto and the Blue Lagoon on Comino, the silent walled city of Mdina, and the Ħaġar Qim temples. Over on Gozo you'll find the Ġgantija temples, the Dwejra coast (the former Azure Window site) and Ramla Bay. Compare live Malta hotel prices or search UK flights to Malta (MLA).

Which Area Suits You?

Because Malta is so small, your choice of base is really a choice of atmosphere, not logistics — you can reach anything from anywhere in under an hour.

• Sliema & St Julian's — the seafront heart of Malta and where most hotels are. Promenade, shops, restaurants, the Valletta ferry, and Paceville nightlife. Best for a first trip, nightlife and easy buses.
• Valletta — the historic capital, all Baroque streets and harbour views, with small boutique hotels inside the walls. Best for history and atmosphere, quiet at night, no beach.
• Mellieħa (north) — above Malta's best sandy beach, with family resorts and the northern bays. Best for families and beach days, near the Gozo ferry.
• Marsaxlokk & Marsaskala (south) — traditional fishing villages with waterfront promenades and seafood. Best for a quiet, authentic base — easiest with a hire car.
• Gozo — the rural sister island, a 25-minute ferry from Ċirkewwa. Best for peace and nature, fewer hotels, covered in its own section below.

The Luxury Icons — 10 Five-Star Resorts

Malta's top tier is dominated by seafront resorts around St George's Bay in St Julian's, plus the grand harbour-side hotel outside Valletta and the big beach resort at Golden Bay. From-prices are live rates pulled while writing — tap any hotel for your dates.

1. Grand Hotel Excelsior — Valletta · 5★ · 6,031 reviews · from ~£202/night. Sits just outside Valletta's Floriana bastion walls overlooking Marsamxett Harbour, with its own marina, lido and infinity pool. You can walk into the capital and St John's Co-Cathedral in about ten minutes — the best of both worlds for a harbour-and-history stay.

2. Hyatt Regency Malta — St Julian's · 5★ · 5,118 reviews · from ~£209/night. A newer five-star on the St George's Bay side of St Julian's, steps from the Paceville nightlife and a short seafront stroll to Spinola Bay. Rooftop pool with bay views and a modern, design-led feel.

3. Radisson Blu Resort & Spa, Malta Golden Sands — Mellieħa · 5★ · 4,985 reviews · from ~£220/night. Perched above the sandy sweep of Golden Bay on Malta's quieter northwest coast, with direct beach access and several pools. The strongest big-resort base if you want a beach-first family trip away from the nightlife.

4. Corinthia St George's Bay — St Julian's · 5★ · 4,272 reviews · from ~£174/night. The Maltese-owned flagship on St George's Bay, with landscaped seafront gardens, multiple pools and a rocky-beach lido. It's the lowest starting price of the St Julian's five-stars while still delivering the full resort experience.

5. The Westin Dragonara Resort, Malta — St Julian's · 5★ · 3,895 reviews · from ~£331/night. Occupies its own peninsula — the Dragonara headland — with two private beach clubs, a casino and one of the largest resort pool decks in St Julian's. A self-contained five-star with sea on three sides.

6. AX The Palace — Sliema · 5★ · 3,047 reviews · from ~£181/night. A polished city five-star in the heart of Sliema, a couple of minutes from the seafront promenade and the Valletta ferry. Rooftop pool, spa, and individually themed suites — the luxury pick for a walkable seafront base rather than a resort compound.

7. Hilton Malta — St Julian's · 5★ · 2,691 reviews · from ~£344/night. Anchors the Portomaso marina complex in St Julian's with four pools, a private lido and yachts on the doorstep. The long-standing business-and-leisure benchmark, and one of the most complete resorts on the island.

8. Radisson Blu Resort, Malta St. Julian's — St Julian's · 5★ · 2,386 reviews · from ~£164/night. On the St George's Bay shoreline with indoor and outdoor pools and its own beach club — and, at from ~£164, the lowest starting price of any Malta five-star on this list. Strong value at the top end.

9. Hyatt Centric Malta — St Julian's · 5★ · 2,310 reviews · from ~£167/night. A newer, design-led five-star right in the thick of St Julian's, walkable to Spinola Bay's restaurants and to Paceville. Rooftop pool and bar — the choice if you want luxury with the nightlife on your doorstep.

10. InterContinental Malta by IHG — St Julian's · 5★ · 2,242 reviews · from ~£225/night. A large luxury resort a block back from St George's Bay, with the Highline beach club, a spa and one of the island's biggest event set-ups. Reliable, full-service five-star comfort in the middle of the action.

Luxury tier note: all from-prices are estimates pulled live while writing and move with season and demand — July and August run highest. See all Malta stays · search flights to MLA.

Mid-Range Hotels — 10 Four-Stars From £141

The middle of the Malta market is where most travellers land: solid four-stars with pools and seafront locations, mostly around St Julian's, Sliema and Mellieħa, for well under the five-star rates. From-prices are live rates pulled while writing — tap any hotel for your dates.

11. be.HOTEL — St Julian's · 4★ · 15,581 reviews · from ~£168/night. The most-reviewed hotel on the entire island — a big, modern four-star near St George's Bay with a rooftop pool and reliably keen prices for the location. If you want a safe, busy, well-run base in the nightlife district, this is it.

12. The Diplomat Hotel — Sliema · 4★ · 8,390 reviews · from ~£157/night. Right on the Sliema seafront with a rooftop pool looking across the water to Valletta, and the ferry and promenade at the door. One of the best-placed four-stars for a calm seafront stay with easy access to the capital.

13. Solana Hotel & Spa — Mellieħa · 4★ · 7,937 reviews · from ~£151/night. A family-friendly spa hotel in Mellieħa village, up the hill from the sandy Mellieħa Bay and handy for the Gozo ferry at Ċirkewwa. A dependable northern base for a beach holiday.

14. Vivaldi Hotel — St Julian's · 4★ · 6,830 reviews · from ~£149/night. A large, dependable four-star near St George's Bay with rooftop and indoor pools — a steady value pick for the nightlife side of the island, popular with groups and couples alike.

15. H Hotel & SPA - Adults Only — St Julian's · 4★ · 6,059 reviews · from ~£180/night. An adults-only four-star in St Julian's with a rooftop pool and spa, aimed at couples who want the nightlife nearby but calm and grown-up indoors.

16. Verdi St George's Bay Marina — St Julian's · 4★ · 5,359 reviews · from ~£153/night. Modern rooms right by St George's Bay and the marina, walkable to both the beach and Paceville. A fresh, contemporary mid-range option in the busiest part of the island.

17. Hotel Argento — St Julian's · 4★ · 4,768 reviews · from ~£153/night. A smart mid-size four-star tucked just off Spinola Bay, minutes from the restaurants around the harbour. Quieter than the big resorts but right in the middle of St Julian's.

18. Verdi Gzira Promenade — Gżira (Sliema) · 4★ · 4,409 reviews · from ~£152/night. On the Gżira waterfront facing Manoel Island, a short walk along the front to Sliema's shops and ferry. A well-priced, modern base on the calmer stretch of the Sliema seafront.

19. Pergola Hotel & Spa — Mellieħa · 4★ · 4,131 reviews · from ~£146/night. A hillside resort above Mellieħa with several pools and wide sea views, popular with families heading for the northern beaches. Good value for a full-facility four-star in the north.

20. Paradise Bay Resort — Mellieħa · 4★ · 4,045 reviews · from ~£141/night. Occupies its own headland at Malta's northern tip, with private beaches and pools and the Ċirkewwa ferry to Gozo right beside it. The most self-contained mid-range resort on the list, and the cheapest four-star here.

Mid-range tier note: prices are estimates and shift with the season — the £141–180 band here is realistic for spring and autumn, higher in midsummer. See all Malta stays · search flights to MLA.

Cheap Hotels in Malta Under £150 — 29 Real Options

Here's the honest part. Malta runs noticeably pricier than mainland-Med spots like Spain, Turkey or Greece, and there are no true budget hotels — the real floor is around £89 a night on Gozo and about £107 on the main island. What "budget" means here is a genuine, currently-operating three- or four-star near the sea, not a bargain-basement room. The 29 hotels below are all real and distinct, spanning the lively north, the historic capital and the quiet south — the four cheapest are on Gozo and appear in their own section further down. Every one links to its live price. From-prices were pulled live while writing; midsummer runs higher.

Quiet South & Authentic Villages

21. Sensi Hotel — Marsaskala · 2★ · 1,140 reviews · from ~£107/night. A small, simple hotel in the quiet southeastern fishing town of Marsaskala, on the bay promenade away from the crowds. The lowest starting price on the main island — best paired with a hire car.

22. Port View Guest House — Marsaxlokk · 3★ · 47 reviews · from ~£112/night. A small guesthouse overlooking the luzzu-lined harbour of Marsaxlokk, steps from the famous Sunday fish market and the seafood restaurants along the front. An authentic, calm southern base.

27. Cerviola Hotel — Marsaskala · 3★ · 120 reviews · from ~£123/night. A quiet seafront three-star on Marsaskala's bay, good for travellers who want the calm southern coast and don't mind relying on a hire car for the sights.

St Julian's — Nightlife & St George's Bay

23. Hotel Scirocco St Julian's, Affiliated by Meliá — St Julian's · 3★ · 389 reviews · from ~£111/night. A refreshed three-star under the Meliá affiliation, walkable to St George's Bay and Paceville for well under the five-star rates next door. Good value for the location.

24. The St. George's Park Hotel — St Julian's · 3★ · 5,533 reviews · from ~£114/night. A large, well-reviewed three-star right by St George's Bay beach — a lot of bed for the money in the nightlife district, and one of the strongest budget buys in the busy north.

26. The G Hotel by JL — St Julian's · 3★ · 2,447 reviews · from ~£118/night. A modern, compact three-star in central St Julian's, a short walk to Spinola Bay and the buses. A tidy, affordable base right in the middle of the action.

33. Mistral St Julian's, Affiliated by Meliá — St Julian's · 3★ · 455 reviews · from ~£135/night. A tidy Meliá-affiliated three-star in St Julian's, a short walk from the bays and nightlife. A dependable mid-budget choice in the liveliest part of the island.

34. Hotel Valentina — St Julian's · 3★ · 2,710 reviews · from ~£135/night. A design-conscious three-star in the middle of St Julian's, close to Spinola Bay's restaurants. More character than most in this price band.

37. SO City Hotel Adults Only — St Julian's · 3★ · 2,783 reviews · from ~£141/night. An adults-only three-star in St Julian's for couples wanting calm within reach of the nightlife. A quieter, grown-up budget option in a busy area.

41. Onyx Hotel — St Julian's · 3★ · 2,708 reviews · from ~£147/night. A contemporary three-star close to Spinola Bay and Paceville — a comfortable, modern base for a nightlife-focused stay.

43. The George, Urban Boutique Hotel — St Julian's · 4★ · 1,216 reviews · from ~£149/night. A sleek boutique four-star in St Julian's with a rooftop pool — more design-hotel than its rate implies, and a stylish way to stay near the nightlife on a budget.

Sliema — Seafront & the Valletta Ferry

25. Europa Hotel — Sliema · 2★ · 5,915 reviews · from ~£115/night. A long-standing budget seafront hotel on the Sliema front, with a rooftop pool and the Valletta ferry nearby. Simple but brilliantly placed for a seafront base with buses everywhere.

28. Sliema Chalet Hotel — Sliema · 3★ · 28 reviews · from ~£125/night. A small, friendly hotel just off the Sliema promenade, within a couple of minutes of the seafront and the ferry. A low-key, well-located budget base.

29. Eleven by Warren Collection — Sliema · 4★ · 985 reviews · from ~£127/night. A boutique-styled four-star near the Sliema front that offers more polish than its price band suggests. A smart pick if you want design touches without a five-star bill.

35. Sliema Marina Hotel — Sliema · 3★ · 6,481 reviews · from ~£135/night. A well-reviewed seafront three-star on the Sliema front looking over the marina towards Valletta, with the ferry a short walk away. A reliable, well-placed budget seafront choice.

40. AX The Victoria Hotel — Sliema · 4★ · 3,000 reviews · from ~£145/night. A traditional, comfortable four-star a couple of streets back from the Sliema seafront, with a spa and rooftop. A more classic, grown-up feel at the top of the budget band.

42. The Londoner Hotel Sliema — Sliema · 3★ · 1,961 reviews · from ~£148/night. A modern three-star near the Sliema shopping and seafront strip, walkable to the ferry. A fresh, central option for a Sliema base.

45. Land's End, Boutique Hotel — Sliema · 4★ · 1,626 reviews · from ~£150/night. A small boutique four-star near the Sliema front — the very top of the budget band and a refined, characterful way to close it out.

Valletta — Historic Boutique on a Budget

31. Hotel Castille — Valletta · 3★ · 3,869 reviews · from ~£133/night. A characterful three-star inside a 16th-century palazzo on Valletta's Castille Square, with a rooftop restaurant over the Grand Harbour. The most affordable way into the walled capital.

39. AX The Saint John — Valletta · 4★ · 652 reviews · from ~£143/night. A stylish four-star in the heart of Valletta, a short walk from St John's Co-Cathedral — boutique capital-city living at a mid-range price.

44. Osborne Hotel — Valletta · 3★ · 4,989 reviews · from ~£149/night. A long-running three-star inside Valletta's walls near the city gate — one of the best-reviewed budget-friendly beds in the capital, and a solid base for exploring on foot.

Mellieħa & the North — Family Beach Bases

30. Luna Holiday Complex — Mellieħa · 3★ · 3,026 reviews · from ~£128/night. Self-catering-style apartments and rooms in Mellieħa with pools, handy for families heading to the northern beaches. Space and a kitchenette at a fair price.

32. Maritim Antonine Hotel & Spa Malta — Mellieħa · 5★ · 143 reviews · from ~£133/night. A spa hotel in Mellieħa village built around a historic courtyard, up the hill from Mellieħa Bay. Unusually plush facilities for this price band, in a good northern-beach location.

36. Hotel VIU57 — Mellieħa · 3★ · 4,585 reviews · from ~£141/night. A modern three-star in Mellieħa with a rooftop pool and sea views, a bus ride down to the sandy bay. A fresh, well-reviewed base in the north.

38. Riviera Spa Resort – Adults Only — Mellieħa · 4★ · 119 reviews · from ~£143/night. An adults-only spa resort on the north coast near Mellieħa — quiet and sea-facing, for couples who want the northern beaches without the family bustle.

Budget tier note: these from-prices are estimates and climb in July and August; the £89–150 band is realistic for spring and autumn. Remember the £89 floor and the four cheapest picks are on Gozo, below. See all Malta stays · search flights to MLA.

Where to Stay in Gozo

Gozo is Malta's greener, quieter, more rural sister island, reached by a 25-minute car-and-passenger ferry from Ċirkewwa at Malta's northern tip to Mġarr. It has far fewer hotels than the main island, concentrated in two small resort villages — Xlendi and Marsalforn, both on pretty bays with rocky swimming. Gozo suits travellers who want peace, coastal walks, the Ġgantija temples and the Dwejra coast over nightlife and shopping. It also holds the four cheapest hotels on this entire list, including the only sub-£90 room. From-prices were pulled live while writing.

46. Hotel San Andrea — Xlendi, Gozo · 3★ · 1,842 reviews · from ~£89/night. Right on the little seafront of Xlendi Bay on Gozo's southwest coast — the cheapest bookable hotel on this whole guide, with swimming off the rocks below and the bay's restaurants at the door.

47. La Playa Hotel — Marsalforn, Gozo · 3★ · 664 reviews · from ~£99/night. A simple seafront hotel in Marsalforn, Gozo's main resort village on the north coast, a short walk to the bay and the old salt pans. Excellent value for a quiet island base.

48. Hotel Calypso — Marsalforn, Gozo · 4★ · 3,266 reviews · from ~£102/night. A four-star on the Marsalforn waterfront with a rooftop pool overlooking the bay — the best-value comfort on Gozo, and well reviewed for the price.

49. Block — Xlendi, Gozo · 3★ · 819 reviews · from ~£116/night. A modern small hotel just above Xlendi Bay, walkable to the little harbour and the coastal walks. A fresh, contemporary choice on Gozo's prettiest bay.

Gozo tier note: prices are estimates and rise in summer; Gozo's hotel stock is small, so book early for July and August. See all Malta stays · search flights to MLA.

Malta on a Budget — the Honest Summary

Malta rewards you with sunshine, history and some of the clearest water in the Mediterranean, but it asks a fair price for its beds. The cheapest real hotel is Hotel San Andrea on Gozo from ~£89; the lowest starting price on the main island is Sensi Hotel from ~£107; the best-value seafront-and-buses base is Sliema (Europa Hotel from ~£115); and the cheapest way into the historic capital is Hotel Castille from ~£133. Travel in May, June, September or October and midweek to keep rates down. Compare all Malta hotels with live prices →

UK Practicalities

• Direct UK flights: KM Malta Airlines, Ryanair and easyJet fly direct to Malta (MLA) from London and many regional airports, about 3–3.5 hours. Search flights to MLA.
• Airport: Malta International is near Luqa, roughly 20–30 minutes from Sliema/St Julian's and Valletta by taxi or bus.
• Getting around: extensive bus network (no trains); a hire car helps for the quiet south and Gozo. Drive on the left, like the UK.
• Language & currency: English is an official language; the currency is the euro (€). Malta is one hour ahead of the UK in summer.
• Best months: May, June, September and October for warm weather at lower prices; July–August is hottest and dearest; winter is mild, cheap and good for sightseeing.
• Entry: visa-free short stays for UK travellers (up to 90 days in 180); check whether ETIAS applies before you fly.

Explore More Sunshine Escapes

If Malta is on your Mediterranean shortlist, these JetMeAway guides cover the neighbouring sun spots the same budget-first way:

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Malta Hotels FAQs

Is Malta expensive for hotels?

Yes, more than most people expect. Malta is a small, popular island with limited hotel stock, so rates hold up even in the budget band. The cheapest bookable hotel on our list starts around £89 a night (on Gozo), and on the main island the realistic floor is roughly £107. There are no true rock-bottom hotels the way there are in mainland Spain or Turkey — budget in Malta means a clean three-star near the sea, not a £30 room. Prices climb further in July and August.

What is the cheapest hotel in Malta?

On our verified list the cheapest bookable hotel is Hotel San Andrea in Xlendi on Gozo, from around £89 a night, right on the little bay. On the main island of Malta, the lowest realistic starting price is Sensi Hotel in the quiet southern town of Marsaskala from around £107, followed by Hotel Scirocco in St Julian's from around £111. Tap any hotel for live prices on your dates.

What is the cheapest area to stay in Malta?

The quiet southern fishing towns — Marsaskala and Marsaxlokk — and Gozo tend to be the cheapest, because they are away from the Sliema–St Julian's nightlife strip where most of the demand sits. Sensi Hotel in Marsaskala starts around £107 and Port View Guest House in Marsaxlokk around £112. The trade-off is that you will rely on buses or a hire car to reach the beaches and the capital, but Malta is so compact that even the south is under an hour from Valletta.

Which month is cheapest to visit Malta?

November to March is cheapest, when the summer crowds have gone and rates soften — though the weather is mild-to-cool and some resort pools close. May, June and late September are the sweet spot for warm weather at lower prices than the July–August peak, when Maltese hotels are at their most expensive. If you only care about the lowest room rate, aim for midweek nights in winter.

Are there budget hotels near Sliema?

Yes. Sliema has some of the best-value seafront three-stars on the island: Europa Hotel from around £115, Sliema Chalet Hotel from around £125, Sliema Marina Hotel from around £135 and The Londoner Hotel Sliema from around £148 all sit within a short walk of the promenade and the Valletta ferry. They are not cheap by mainland-Med standards, but for a seafront base with buses everywhere they are the strongest budget value in the busy north.

Are there hostels in Malta?

There are a handful of hostels, mostly clustered in St Julian's and Sliema for the summer party crowd, but Malta is not really a backpacker-hostel destination the way Southeast Asia is. For two people travelling together, a budget three-star room from around £107–125 with a pool and a private bathroom usually beats two hostel dorm beds on both price and comfort. This guide focuses on real bookable hotels for that reason.

Is Gozo cheaper than Malta?

Often yes, at the very bottom of the range — Gozo has the single cheapest hotel on our list (Hotel San Andrea in Xlendi from around £89). But Gozo has far fewer hotels overall and they are concentrated in two small resort villages, Xlendi and Marsalforn. You also have to factor in the 25-minute car ferry from Ċirkewwa. Gozo is best if you want a quiet, rural base; for a first Malta trip most people stay on the main island and day-trip to Gozo.

Where should I stay in Malta for the first time?

For a first visit, base yourself in Sliema or St Julian's. They form one continuous seafront conurbation with the widest choice of hotels, the promenade, the shops, the nightlife of Paceville, and the best bus connections to the rest of the island. From there Valletta is a short ferry ride, Mellieħa's beaches are about 40 minutes north, and the whole island is within day-trip reach. Because Malta is so compact, one base easily covers the entire island.

Is Sliema or St Julian's better?

They sit side by side and blend into each other, so you can't go far wrong. Sliema is a touch more relaxed — a long seafront promenade, good shopping, the ferry to Valletta, and calmer evenings. St Julian's is livelier, with Spinola Bay's restaurants and the Paceville nightlife district, and it has the biggest concentration of resort hotels around St George's Bay. Choose Sliema for a calmer seafront base, St Julian's for nightlife and the big resorts.

Where should families stay in Malta?

Mellieħa in the north is the classic family choice — it sits above Malta's best sandy beach (Mellieħa Bay), has family resorts like the Radisson Blu Golden Sands, Solana Hotel & Spa and Pergola Hotel & Spa, and Popeye Village is nearby. Sliema also works for families who want the seafront and easy buses. The big St George's Bay resorts in St Julian's have pools and beach clubs but are close to the nightlife, so ask for a room away from Paceville.

Which area is best for nightlife in Malta?

Paceville, at the top of St Julian's, is Malta's nightlife capital — bars and clubs packed into a few walkable streets, busiest in summer. Staying in St Julian's puts you within walking distance; Sliema next door is close enough for a taxi home but far enough to sleep. If nightlife is your priority, pick a St Julian's hotel like Vivaldi, Hotel Valentina or The G Hotel by JL.

Is Valletta a good place to stay?

Valletta is wonderful if you want history and atmosphere over beaches and nightlife. The UNESCO-listed capital is a walkable open-air museum — St John's Co-Cathedral, the Grand Harbour views, honey-coloured Baroque streets. Hotels inside the walls are mostly small boutiques, and budget-friendly ones like Hotel Castille, Osborne Hotel and AX The Saint John let you stay in the capital without a five-star price. The catch is that Valletta is quiet at night and has no beach of its own.

Where should I stay in Malta for a quiet trip?

For calm, look south and rural: Marsaskala and Marsaxlokk are traditional fishing villages on the southeast coast with waterfront promenades and none of the northern bustle, while Gozo is the quietest option of all. Adults-only hotels like H Hotel & SPA, SO City Hotel and Riviera Spa Resort also cater to travellers who want peace. You'll want a hire car or patience with buses to reach the main sights from these bases.

Are there direct flights from the UK to Malta?

Yes — Malta International Airport (MLA) has plenty of direct flights from the UK. KM Malta Airlines, Ryanair and easyJet all fly direct from London and several regional airports, with a flight time of roughly 3 to 3.5 hours. That easy direct access is one of Malta's biggest advantages over long-haul sun destinations. Search flights to MLA to compare fares for your dates.

How long is the flight to Malta from the UK?

About 3 to 3.5 hours direct from London, and a little more from northern UK airports. It's a short-haul flight, so you can leave in the morning and be on a Maltese seafront by lunchtime, with no time difference worth worrying about in summer (Malta is one hour ahead of the UK).

Do you need a car in Malta?

Not if you base yourself in Sliema or St Julian's — Malta has an extensive public bus network (there are no trains) and the main hubs are well connected, so you can reach Valletta, Mellieħa and most sights by bus. A hire car helps if you're staying in the quieter south or on Gozo, or if you want to reach beaches and temples without waiting for buses. Remember that Malta drives on the left, like the UK.

What currency does Malta use?

Malta uses the euro (€). Cards are widely accepted across hotels, restaurants and shops, though it's worth carrying some cash for small cafés, buses and the Marsaxlokk market. There are ATMs everywhere in the tourist areas.

Do they speak English in Malta?

Yes — English is an official language of Malta alongside Maltese, a legacy of British rule, so you can get by entirely in English everywhere. Menus, signs and hotel staff all operate in English, which makes Malta one of the easiest Mediterranean destinations for UK travellers.

What's the best time to visit Malta?

May, June, September and October are ideal — warm sea, plenty of sun, and fewer crowds and lower prices than the July–August peak. Midsummer is hot (often 32°C+) and busiest. Winter is mild but can be wet and windy, with cooler seas; it's the cheapest time and fine for sightseeing, temples and Valletta, less so for the beach.

Is Malta good for a beach holiday?

Malta has beautiful sea but relatively few large sandy beaches — most of the coast is rock and low cliffs with crystal-clear swimming. The main sandy beaches are in the north around Mellieħa (Mellieħa Bay and Golden Bay), which is why families cluster there. Sliema and St Julian's swim off rocky lidos and platforms rather than sand. For the postcard swimming — the Blue Lagoon — you take a boat to the tiny island of Comino.

How do I get to Gozo?

Gozo is reached by a frequent car-and-passenger ferry from Ċirkewwa at Malta's northern tip to Mġarr on Gozo — the crossing takes about 25 minutes and runs day and night. From the Sliema/St Julian's area, driving up to Ċirkewwa takes around 40–45 minutes. A newer fast passenger ferry also links Valletta and Mġarr directly in summer. Gozo is easy as a day trip or a quieter second base.

Is Marsaxlokk worth staying in?

Marsaxlokk is one of Malta's most photogenic spots — a working fishing harbour lined with brightly painted luzzu boats, famous for its Sunday fish market and its seafood restaurants. Staying there, at somewhere like Port View Guest House from around £112, gives you a calm, authentic southern base away from the resort strip. It suits travellers with a hire car who want village life over nightlife; buses connect it to Valletta but sights are a drive away.

Which Malta hotels are adults-only?

Several on this list: H Hotel & SPA in St Julian's, SO City Hotel in St Julian's, and Riviera Spa Resort near Mellieħa are all adults-only, aimed at couples who want a quieter stay near — but not in — the busy areas. They're a good fit for a relaxed break or a romantic trip.

Are Malta hotels near the beach?

It depends on the area. In Sliema and St Julian's the hotels are on the seafront but the swimming is off rocky lidos and platforms, not sand. For sandy beaches you want Mellieħa in the north, where resorts like the Radisson Blu Golden Sands sit right above the sand. On Gozo, hotels in Xlendi and Marsalforn are on small bays with rocky swimming. Always check whether a hotel means sandy beach or rocky lido.

Do I need a visa for Malta?

Malta is in the EU and the Schengen area. UK travellers can visit visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period for tourism; you just need a passport valid for the length of your stay. From 2026 you may also need an ETIAS travel authorisation — check the latest requirements before you fly.

How do I book these exact hotels at the prices shown?

Every hotel name in this guide links to that hotel's live page on JetMeAway — real-time rates with taxes shown and a date picker to match your trip. The from-prices quoted here were pulled while writing and will move with your dates and season, so tap through for today's number. No booking fees either way — we're a comparison engine and earn from the partner, not from you.

Ready to Book?

Every hotel above links to its own live-price page — real rates, taxes included, and a date picker for your trip. Malta is small enough that one base covers the whole island, so pick your area and go.

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