https://thesaintjohnmalta.com/The AX Hotels in Malta have to be some of the luxurious places I’ve stayed while travelling. When I started doing research for our trip I had no idea where the best place to stay would be. As many of you know I’m an incessant planner (of course leaving time for a bit of fun here and there). If I’m going to be visiting somewhere new I want to make sure we stay in the best location and the best hotel for our budget.
I don’t think there’s anything worse than staying in a bad hotel. Having a good place to stay is just as important as the destination you’re exploring. I mean really, imagine coming home after a day of wandering around for hours and hours and having a dirty room or noisy neighbours?
That’s why when I found the AX Hotels I knew I had to stay there. Of course, the company has several hotels throughout Malta but the ones we stayed at were The Saint John and The Palace. Why two different places? Because I’m one of the most indecisive people you’ve ever met. Plus I love experiencing as much as I can when I’m away.
| What location is best? |
It’s hard to go wrong when choosing a district to stay in, in Malta as there are lots of things to do in each but Sliema and Valletta were our 2 choices.
Valletta is often the more popular choice for tourists as it’s located right in the old city. For this reason, many of the hotels are a little more expensive. Hotels in Valletta are also on the smaller side if you’re looking to be right in the middle of everything. However, you do get the benefit of being within walking distance to all of the major attractions. It’s also much easier to get around as you’ll have access to the main bus stations and bus stops right outside of the city walls.
Sliema is also a really good choice as it’s just over the other side of the bay from Valletta but has much more reasonable prices. Plus, the hotels often have much more room. If you’re looking to take day trips or rent a car and get around the island Sliema would be the best place to stay. Plus, if you do your research properly you can get a hotel with incredible views of the Valletta skyline like we did with The Palace.
| The Palace |
Our first 2 nights in Malta were spent at The Palace. We had flown in from Dublin and like most Ryanair flights, we were late. By late I mean 1 in the morning. We were exhausted and hot and a bit on the grumpy side. The concierge, Andrew, was so pleasant and jovial it was infectious. He instantly turned our moods around and made us feel at home. He also got us 2 glasses of Kinnie right away which was incredibly refreshing.
As we walked into the room, I honestly thought reception had got our reservation wrong. I walked into the suite equipped with a dining room table, a couch and the biggest bed ever. I felt like royalty. Even the bathroom was enormous and had a standing shower and a full bathtub. As we got in so late we weren’t able to really get a good look at our room view but when I woke up the next morning I was astonished. The view from our room at The Palace has to be the most incredible view I ever had in a hotel.
Breakfast also came included with the room so the first morning we ventured down to the beautiful restaurant to eat. There was everything you could have wanted in a 5-star breakfast including sparkling wine! The next morning though we decided to take the lazy option and have breakfast sent up to our room. It seriously was the most memorable breakfast eating out on our balcony overlooking Valletta. Talk about feeling like a celebrity.
Whenever I travel you know I love to workout. The gym at The Palace blew me away. It had the latest equipment and everything I needed to get a really good workout in.
The best part of The Palace? The rooftop. Without a doubt. I honestly which we had an extra couple of days in Malta just so I could spend an afternoon sitting at that pool enjoying cocktails. The view were so beautiful from the pool or even the lounge chairs on either side.
Want to book a night at The Palace? Click here
| The Saint John |
Our last 2 nights were spent in Valletta at The Saint John Boutique Hotel. This boutique hotel is for sure one of my favourites. Every little detail was thought out. I need to find out who their interior designer was for the hotel so that I can hire them for my house!
The AX Hotels in Malta all have different vibes and feels about them. The Palace, like its name, exudes royalty and luxury in every corner. The Saint John hotel, on the other hand, is built for the millennial. Every corner seems to be built for Instagram. I particularly loved the little bowties everywhere.
The hotel is also much more technology focused than The Palace. There are USB plugs right beside the bed, one of them even a high powered charger to make sure your phones are always at 100%.
When you stay at The Saint John Boutique Hotel, you also get to eat breakfast at The Cheeky Monkey. Yes, that’s the actual name of their restaurant! The decor is just as good as the hotels with monkeys throughout, swings as seats and delicious food.
The best part about staying at The Saint John? The location (well besides the comfy bed). Having been a former merchant’s residence and shop, it’s situated right on Merchant Street. For those of you unfamiliar with Malta or Valletta that’s basically the main street of the town, it’s also a pedestrian street making it a wonderful spot to be. Just outside of the hotel you can find some of the best restaurants in the city. At the very least you’ll be very centrally located.
Want to book a stay at The Saint John? Click here
All in all, we enjoyed both hotels so much I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to anyone. So which one of the AX Hotels in Malta would I suggest? If you’re looking for a luxurious stay with a quiet night sleep and beautiful views, stay at The Palace. If you’re looking for something central with all of the bells and whistles and a warm, comfortable atmosphere than stay at The Saint John boutique hotel.
*We were given complimentary stays in exchange for a review of the AX hotels in Malta but as always, all opinions are our own. We wouldn’t promote a place to stay if we didn’t absolutely love it ourselves! A special thank you to The Palace and The Saint John for being incredible hosts.
