The Best Honeymoon Hotels to Book in Malta

Location, location, location: overlooking the grand harbour, the Phoenicia is minutes from the riveting National Museum of Archaeology and a 15-minute walk from the baroque-era Valletta waterfront. In a serene side street surrounded by greenery, it rolls out Med-flavoured rooms: Maltese-tiled floors, fresh creams and natural greens and blues. It’s easy to shrug off work-life worries as you lie by the pool, encircled by the walls of the old fortress. Begin each day with a breakfast of freshly squeezed sweet Maltese orange juice, local ricotta and freshly carved ham with eggs cooked any way you could possibly want. You’ll be ready to roll – and Valletta absolutely rocks.

Guests at this hilltop beauty choose it for its location, overlooking Mellieha village and its sweep of bay, as well as the Maltese islands of Gozo and Comino. It’s a hotchpotch of apartments and studios, blending natural-coloured walls in leafy and raffia patterns with rich blue beds and stylish wooden furniture. Young ones love the children’s play area and games room, as well as the indoor and outdoor pools for fun splashabouts. Factor in time for a sundowner at the cute Cave Bar before exploring the shops, bars and restaurants 200m (650ft) from your front door.

Honeymoon couples will adore this antiques-filled 17th-century palazzo: a converted property in Malta’s original capital, the atmospheric medieval city of Mdina. Go fancy at the open-air rooftop restaurant, Michelin-starred de Mondion, set into the historic walls. This is where you’ll breakfast on fresh fruit and just one more of those irresistible pastries. High-ceilinged rooms are calm temples of earthy colours across walls and rugs – aim high for wow-inducing 180-degree views over the island. If you’re celebrating, splash out on one of the suites with a terrace to relax in your very own whirlpool tub.

An eight-minute walk from Portomaso Marina and the beach is this style-savvy spot, all bold geometric designs contrasting with earthy-coloured fabrics. Upgrade for a balcony or terrace. Paceville is party central: the young and the beautiful come to bop in the bars and clubs until the small hours. If you’re, by contrast, an early riser, the hotel bar is where you’ll breakfast on scrambled eggs, crisp croissants and fresh fruit, before a splash in the turquoise rooftop pool. Feel like a movie star by drying off on the sunbathing deck with a cocktail from the bar.

At Golden Bay – one of Malta’s best beaches – soft sands are lapped by the clear sea. Maximising on the location, this romantic hotel is a winner, with bright and modern balconied rooms and outdoor pools overlooking the Mediterranean. This is a place for leisure and lazing – treating yourself to Ayurvedic spa treatments before a blast of heat in the hammam. Get bendy with daily yoga, or stretch yourself courage-wise with diving and paragliding. Seven restaurants include a spot for morning sausages and for continental treats – you and your loved one will be spoilt for choice.

Set your sights on the islands of Comino and Gozo – they’re visible from this colossal beachfront resort, a short distance from the 17th-century Saint Agatha’s Tower, on Malta’s northwest Marfa peninsula. Boats bound for both leave from the hotel’s own waterfront. Relaxed dining means eating what you want when you want, from brekky pastries to seafood suppers. Suites have glass walls to let that lovely light in, with room decor ranging from sandy shades to cream and blue. Splash in the trio of outside saltwater pools set into rocky terraces lapped by the sea.

This is your best base in prime partyville Paceville, noticeable by its palatial entrance – all towering columns and grandeur. It’s quite the pleasure dome, with no fewer than six swimming pools; there’s even a rocky beach for ease of access to the sea. Make time for a relaxing poolside massage. Staid rooms bathed in browns and beiges allow the scenery and sea views to steal the show – best seen from your balcony. Executive rooms come with their own reception, concierge and lounge.