Malta - A Mediterannean Gem
We boarded our minibus taking us to our hotel for the next 2 nights, the Phoenicia, just outside the city walls of Valletta. Pulling up to the hotel was like stepping back in time, a grand looking building with a beautiful entrance into a cosy but luxurious lobby area. We were met in the lobby by a member of the hotel staff who arranged for our bags to be taken to our room whilst we checked in at reception. Check-in was very quick and was made all the more enjoyable by the staff who seemed genuinely happy to see you. The hotel is set over 4 floors and has just under 150 rooms, so really felt quite intimate with the spaces being cosy and inviting rather than sprawling and impersonal.
The room was decorated in a contemporary style using modern colours. It had all of the amenities that you would expect from such a standard of hotel including free use of the safe, wifi in rooms and tea/coffee making facilities. There were some lovely views from the room, particularly at night across to a harbour nearby and the huge church across the road. The bathroom was large and had a bath with shower over. A nice touch was the mini toiletries provided by the hotel and the list of items that you could request if you’d forgotten to pack them.
I had a wander around the grounds of the hotel. The views from the hotel gardens is stunning and in the summer would be a lovely place to sit with a glass of wine and enjoy the view. At the far end of the gardens there is an outdoor swimming pool and pool bar which in the summer offers the chance to cool down and enjoy a ‘resort’ feel to your stay.
We went for dinner that evening in the hotel restaurant which was preceded by a Manager's Drinks Reception. This reception is a common occurrence and ALL newly arrived guests of the hotel are invited. After the reception we made our way into the restaurant for their Maltese theme night. There was a starters station where there was a huge choice of local dishes, salads, soups and breads. There was then a hot food station with a choice of main courses and there was also a fresh cooking station where meats were cut fresh from the joint for you including roast lamb and roast pork. Finally there was a beautiful desserts station with a range of local and international sweets to choose from.
The hotel bar is a really inviting little place with leather sofas and comfy chairs where you can enjoy a drink in lovely surroundings. The barman was excellent and made it more an experience than just a drink in a bar.
The next morning I enjoyed breakfast in the hotel restaurant, again with a good choice of cold and hot breakfast options. Cereals, fruit, pastries, cooked breakfasts, omelettes and other eggs cooked to order all served with fresh coffee or tea of your choice, various fruit juices and even Bucks Fizz for those that like the finer things in life.
After breakfast we headed out on our trip for the day. We had a fabulous guide whose stories, experiences and pride for Malta was what made the tour so unforgettable. We entered the city of Valletta, just 5 minutes walk from the hotel, and it felt like entering a fortress. The walls are being restored at the moment because Valletta will be the European Capital of Culture 2018. We wandered the streets of Valletta, visiting the Presidents Palace, the Upper Barraka Gardens with its views over Valletta harbour, the various Auberges (homes of the Knights of St John) and finally the beautiful Co-Cathedral of St John with its inlaid marble tombstones and intricately hand carved walls.
Our bus then took us around the harbour to an area called Vittoriosa. Here we walked through an area where there were underground bunkers that were built into solid stone walls as protection during the Second World War. We visited the viewing post where guards would have kept a look out for enemy ships and then went onto the Inquisitors Palace where we explored the various rooms and artefacts. There is even shrapnel damage to the exterior of the building still evident from the times when the area was bombed in the war. We then took a walk around some of the traditional streets, only just wide enough for a small car to travel down. This took us into the main square and finally onto the harbour where we met our minibus to take us to Marsaxlokk (pronounced Marsashlok) for our last port of call for the day. We arrived in Marsaxlokk as the sun was starting to go down. The village is well known as a fishing port and attracts many locals at the weekends for the farmers market and excellent restaurants on the sea front. Definitely worth a visit! We then made our way back to the hotel to get ready for our evening at another hotel in the area, The Excelsior.
We arrived at the Excelsior that evening for dinner. We were showed around the hotel which is much larger than the Phoenicia at nearly 500 rooms and felt more like a holiday resort than a city break hotel. It has a huge outdoor pool area, childrens facilities, indoor pool and spa as well as a huge restaurant that I felt had a cruise ship feel about it with big open spaces and views over the harbour. Dinner was excellent with a huge choice of starters, mains and desserts and had a more international feel to it.
The next morning was our last day on the island and I have to say I was quite disappointed at having to leave as I had enjoyed my stay so much. We still had a lot to visit in the 3 short hours before we headed to the airport.
Our first stop at Dingli Cliffs was very brief, we only stayed long enough to take a few pictures. But the view was pretty spectacular.
It was now time to visit Mdina, 'the Silent City' which I have to say was a highlight of the trip for me. With its tiny streets, amazing architecture, interesting history and fabulous views to the North and South of the island, I found Mdina a real gem of a place to visit. Whilst there we had a look around the Xara Palace Hotel, which is apparently a favourite with film stars. A unique little hotel with bags of character and luxury touches.
We made our way back to the airport having had a truly enlightening visit to this amazing island and I for one will DEFINITELY be going back for more.