Situated in between Italy and the North African coast, the lovely little island of Malta is an interesting little paradise, easily accessible from Europe and a nice destination no matter the time of year. It’s a place that’s filled with history and intriguing places to explore, with old medieval towns that seem so far away in time with their tiny little streets and old buildings with courtyards, or superb palaces hidden from view.

Mdina is one such place, a UNESCO World Heritage City in fact, one that’s very popular among travelers coming from all over the world. It’s a charming little town called ‘Silent City’ for its tranquil vibe, surrounded by hills and countryside. We’ve had to visit Mdina and a few other villages nearby, that’s why we decided to stay at Corinthia Palace Hotel, that’s just 15 minutes away from Mdina and also from Valletta.

This five-star wonder is located right in the middle of the island, and given the fact that Malta is so small, that means access to everything it has to offer. Besides its wonderful location, the hotel itself is a superb property, tucked away in the middle of beautiful gardens right across the Presidential Palace. How’s that for a neighbor? The hotel feels relaxing from the very first steps inside, like a peaceful oasis of luxury.

First Impression

The initial building of the hotel was actually a 19th century villa where the Edward de Bono used to live in childhood. If you don’t know who that is, try lateral-thinking. The villa was bought by another family before becoming a restaurant. The final transformation happened a couple of years later, when the restaurant was transformed into the wonderful Corinthia Palace Hotel that it is today.

And that’s how the Corinthia Hotels story has started. As we mentioned earlier, once you step inside, you instantly notice the calm and relaxation that governs the place. And not just the hotel itself, but the staff as well, which are warm, helpful and pay close attention to every detail to make your time there completely worth it.

We were welcomed with a glass of fresh orange juice and then helped us out with everything we needed before escorting us to the room.

Accommodation

The hotel offers a total of 150 rooms and 9 Executive Suites, each of them with a private balcony and a lovely view outside towards the surrounding gardens, a perfect spot to start any day. The rooms are spacious, luxurious, with comfortable double beds and nice soft and warm carpets on the floor. Which is especially important when you get out of bed in the morning.

Of course, the most opulent of them all are the Executive Suites, featuring king-sized beds, spacious lounge and living areas, luxurious baths and large balconies. That’s the room we’ve had the privilege of staying in as well. Each suite has its own minibar, with coffee machine, access to complimentary breakfast and also to the Executive Lounge, with all day snacks & refreshments.

The bathroom and shower were very good, with a lot of room, an elegant bath tub, and for some lucky guests, the bathrooms have relaxing views towards the gardens as well.

Eating & Drinking

The Corinthia Palace Hotel has plenty on offer when it comes to eating & drinking. They’ve got The Summer Kitchen, their most recently opened restaurant, with award winning chefs and classic dishes with a twist, like homemade pizza, grilled meats and various types of pasta.

The Rickshaw is the more exotic restaurant of the hotel, a perfect choice for those who want to try out something a little bit more different, with dishes inspired from the cuisine of countries like Thailand, China, Japan or Singapore. Cocktails from the Far East are also on the menu, to provide an exotic alternative to the usual drinks.

Villa Corinthia, the crown jewel of their restaurants, is there for those who know what fine dining is, and want to take it to the next level. With marble floors, white linen tablecloths and irreproachable service, the 100 year old villa transformed into a restaurant is an exclusive location, perfect for the more pretentious out there.

The hotel also has an Executive Lounge as well, overlooking the beautiful gardens and offering tailor made services, available for guests in Executive suites and rooms. Everything feels more private there, and they’ve got extra business services for those who need it. On offer there is always tea, coffee, alcoholic drinks, juices and snacks, available all day long, homemade pastries and cakes, and some of the best wines and spirits for a lovely evening.

Spa & Wellness

Inside the garden space, there’s a lovely swimming pool with deck, with a shape resembling the Neolithic Hagar Qim temple of the island. There are also several other pools spread around the gardens, including one for dogs called the ‘Palace Pups Pool’, should you want to bath and lounge in the sun with your dog. The surrounding gardens are simply mesmerizing and well maintained.

But let’s get to the more interesting part, the hotel’s spa. Called the Athenaeum Spa, it comes with plenty of beauty and body treatments, jacuzzi, outdoor pool, hydrotherapy and sauna. There’s also an impressive fitness center available, called Pulse Fitness, which is known as one of Malta’s best sport and health facilities, with only high end equipment. It was bigger than our gym!

Final Thoughts

In the end, the Corinthia Palace Hotel proved to be one of the best hotels we’ve stayed in so far. The staff was very friendly, the service was always good, and all their spaces are comfortable and spacious. The hotel’s location was really nice as well, especially with those lovely gardens around, and the fact that you can reach almost anything on the island in a short time is a good thing.

The hotel has a certain grandeur that you won’t find in too many places, and since the president lives right across, that gives it the feeling of a royal residence as well. We couldn’t recommend the Corinthia Palace Hotel & Spa more. We had a wonderful stay there and we can’t wait to get back!