About this hotel
General information
The Phoenicia Malta stands at the very gateway to Valletta, in Floriana just outside the capital's City Gate. Built in the 1930s to designs by the Scottish architect William Binnie, it pairs a chevron-patterned Maltese limestone façade with Art Deco interiors — marble floors, a light-filled rotunda and the arched ceiling of the Palm Court Lounge. It was Malta's first five-star hotel and remains one of the island's landmark addresses.
The 132 rooms and suites are set within seven acres of private gardens: a path along the bastion walls with views over Marsamxett Harbour, a quiet Relaxation Garden, and a vegetable garden and citrus orchard that supply the kitchens. An infinity-edge pool runs along a 16th-century bastion, and Phoenicia Spa & Wellness is shaped around a fortification wall built by the Knights of St John and uncovered during its construction. Dining runs from Southern Mediterranean cooking at Contessa to Beefbar in the City and an intimate cocktail bar. The hotel is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World.
Location
The hotel sits in Floriana, immediately outside Valletta's City Gate, so the capital's streets, museums and UNESCO-listed sights are a short walk away; Malta's main bus terminal is right beside it. Malta International Airport is about 8 km away, 15–20 minutes by car, and the hotel arranges private transfers, including a VIP terminal service at the airport. Fast ferries from Gozo and Sicily and cruise ships berth in the Grand Harbour, about 1.5 km away or roughly five minutes by taxi. On-site parking is available for guests.
Spa
Phoenicia Spa & Wellness covers 1,200 m² over two floors and is built around a 16th-century fortification wall raised by the Knights of St John. Facilities include a heated indoor pool, a Finnish sauna, a steam room and a Himalayan salt room, open to adults daily from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Treatments range from the Phoenicia Signature massage, combining hot stones, deep-tissue work and bamboo, to Himalayan salt stone massage, foot reflexology, KORRES face and body rituals, VISIA skin analysis and JetPeel facials. Massages can also be taken outdoors in a gazebo in the Relaxation Garden, and the Moonlight Swim reserves the pool, sauna, steam and salt rooms for two guests for two hours.
Sports & leisure
The fitness centre and studio, equipped for cardio and weight training, are open to hotel guests around the clock; personal training can be booked in advance, and yoga and Pilates classes are held in the Relaxation Garden in the warmer months. The hotel's own experiences include:
- a chauffeur-driven day around Malta on a concierge-planned route — megalithic temples, fortified cities, hidden coves
- a four-hour sunset tour along the coast
- a morning on a traditional Maltese fishing boat, with the catch then cooked by the hotel's chefs
- a poolside cocktail-making aperitivo and a tasting at a local boutique winery
- a candlelit dinner with an 18th-century menu at the Inquisitor's Palace in Birgu
The concierge also arranges yacht charters, harbour cruises, trips to the neighbouring islands and cultural tours.
For children
Families can book the Two Superior Interconnecting Rooms, two connecting rooms for up to four; baby cots are provided free of charge on request, depending on the room category. Children are welcome in all the restaurants, with children's dishes prepared on request, and the spa pool and thermal area are open to under-16s daily from 7 to 10 a.m.
Restaurants & bars
Five restaurants and bars are joined by 24-hour in-room dining, and private dinners can be arranged on request.
- Contessa — Southern Mediterranean cooking built on Malta's seasonal produce, with cocktails and tiramisu prepared tableside from trolleys; a glass-enclosed conservatory terrace overlooks the gardens; breakfast, lunch, dinner and a sparkling weekend brunch
- Bastion Pool Bar & Restaurant — open-air poolside lunches in the warmer months, Mediterranean-Asian dishes using produce from the hotel's kitchen garden; live performances on summer evenings
- Beefbar in the City — the steakhouse concept born in Monte Carlo: prime beef and global street food in a brasserie mood
- Palm Court Lounge — an Art Deco lounge beneath an arched ceiling for coffee, pastries, afternoon tea with JING loose-leaf teas and nightcaps
- The Club Bar — an intimate cocktail bar with signature cocktails, vintage wines and rare Scotch whiskies
Swimming
The Bastion Pool is an outdoor infinity-edge pool at the foot of a 16th-century bastion with views of Valletta, with sun loungers and its own bar and restaurant on the deck; it opens in the warmer months. All year round, guests can swim in the heated indoor pool at Phoenicia Spa & Wellness, framed in Maltese stone and lit by daylight.
Pets
Pets up to 12 kg are welcome (certified guide dogs regardless of weight), with a registration form sent at the time of booking; a pet bed and bowls are available on request. Pets must be kept on a leash in all public areas, including the gardens, may join their owners in a designated part of the pool deck (not on loungers or in the pool), are not allowed in the spa and should never be left alone in the room.
Rooms
The 132 rooms and suites are dressed in calm Mediterranean tones with Maltese touches — hand-blown glass on the walls, traditional tiles underfoot — while the suites lean towards Art Deco. Suite stays come with a dedicated host, a minibar trolley, an aperitivo and return airport transfers.
Pillow menu, Dyson hairdryer, bath with shower (separate bath and walk-in shower in the suites) and free Wi-Fi; all rooms are non-smoking.
Standard Signature
An interior-facing room for two with a queen-size bed, hand-blown glass on the walls and traditional tiles underfoot.
Superior Signature
A larger room for two on the quiet side of the hotel, away from the city, with a queen-size bed or twin beds.
Superior City View
A high-floor room for two with a double bed and views across the city.
Superior City View with Balcony
A compact room for two with a queen-size bed and a private balcony over the rooftops of Valletta or Floriana.
Executive City View
An upper-floor room for two with wide windows over Floriana's rooftops and Valletta's spires, a king-size bed or twin beds and a clothes steamer.
Executive City View with Balcony
A room for two with twin, queen-size or super-king-size beds and a private balcony facing Valletta or Floriana.
Deluxe Harbour View with Balcony
A room for two with a queen-size or king-size bed or twin beds and a private balcony over Marsamxett Harbour or the Grand Harbour, looking towards the Three Cities.
Two Superior Interconnecting Rooms
Two connecting interior-facing Superior rooms — one with a double bed, the other with twin beds — each with its own bathroom, for up to four guests.
Junior Suite
A suite for up to three with Valletta views, Art Deco touches in soft blue and gold, a king-size bed, a sitting room with a sofa bed and a bathroom with separate bath, walk-in shower and double vanity.
Valletta Suite with Balconies
A suite for up to four with five private balconies overlooking Valletta's City Gate and bastions, a king-size bed or twin beds, a sofa bed and a living room with a dining table.
Harbour View Suite
A suite for up to four overlooking the Grand Harbour or Marsamxett Harbour, some with a private balcony, with a super-king-size bed, a living room with dining table and sofa bed, and a bathroom with separate bath and walk-in shower.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.