Malta was a whole vibe; it was the city and holiday I needed without knowing I needed it. While the time in Malta was excellent, preparing for the trip was not. It was challenging to find the right information to make the best decision or the trip. One of those hard to find information was with regards to the best base to explore Malta. Valletta being the obvious choice but with very high hotel and Airbnb rates - it was not the best option for someone on a budget, and the available accommodation was limited. In hopes of getting favorable rates, I tried switching travel weeks. The closer to summer we got, the lower the property availability and higher rates - so after over three weeks of trying, I gave up on staying in Vallerta and decided to consider neighboring towns.
With numerous options to choose from - it was a hard decision without the relevant information. Some of the options were Sliema; Rabat; Saint Paul’s Bay; St. Julian; Gozo - I am sharing the pros and cons of each location to help you make the best decision for your travel needs. Unless you stay in Valletta, keep an eye on the last bus home as those tend to stop running around 8 pm from most parts of Malta and 6 pm for the Gozo Ferry.
Sliema - I stayed in Sliema, and I loved my stay here; It was located centrally with easy access to other parts of Malta; it was less crowded, and the hotels were more affordable. There are some fantastic cafes and restaurants. The hotel I stayed in was basic; The property is ideally located and clean, but amenities were lacking. If you want clean accommodation on a budget - the Sliema Marina hotel is an option if you want something fancier, Mr. Todd and AX The Victoria Hotel. If you want to be close to Vallerta but not in Valletta, this is your best option. The Sliema ferry runs every 30 mins into Valletta. If the ferries are not operating, the buses run every half hour as well
Find the timetable for the Sliema to Valletta Ferry here
Valletta. It is the principal city in Malta and where every other visitor is looking to stay and very likely where I would have stayed if I had the budget and available options were worthy. Having now visited, I think I made the best decision to stay in Sliema. For a first visit, stay in Valletta if you can since it gives you the most convenient access to other parts of Malta because most of the buses originate from here. Staying in Sliema over a holiday weekend when the seas were high (so ferries were limited) meant a longer wait for buses. If you stay here - I recommend Grant Hotel Excelsior, Palazzo Jean Parisot Boutique Suites, and the British Suites.
Gozo. I initially considered staying in Gozo until I realized it was an island in the Mediterranean. Getting to Malta (Valletta and other areas) will involve a half-hour ferry ride and a 1.5-hour bus ride each way. The ferries stop running at 6 pm. If I had seven to ten days in Malta, Gozo might have been perfect because it was quiet and beautiful and seemed like the best place to escape a busy schedule and spread out visits into Malta. I visited on a day trip and had a lovely time, but given how little time I had for the trip - Gozo was not an option. Kempinski Hotel San Lawrenz and Casa Gemelli Boutique Guesthouse in Gozo are highly rated.
Mdina & Rabat. I did not consider staying in Mdina or Rabat because I discovered them late in the planning process. Thankfully, I was able to visit Mdina during my time in Malta. Rabat is quite close, so if you consider either locations as a base, it should not change your itinerary significantly if you stay in Rabat vs. Mdina (or vice versa). While I did not stay there, my visit did reveal the wait time for buses from Mdina was slightly longer than the wait time from Sliema. I was visiting over Easter, so there were more people in the city than usual. Mdina is a silent city, and it was a lovely place to visit; Bacchus was a highly recommended restaurant in Mdina. Valley view villa retreat and The Xara Palace Relais & Chateaux are highly rated accommodations in Mdina.
Saint Julian Bay (Paceville). Saint Julian Bay is the hub of nightlife in Malta. If that is something you are looking for in your holiday, then St. Julian might be the base location for you; most of the spots open till about 4 am, and they generally don’t change entrance fee. If you have a rental car, where you stay does not matter as much, but if you rely on public transport. From St. Julian, it is a short twenty-minute trek to board the Sliema-Valletta ferry. You can take a bus from St Julian into Valletta or take the same 20 min to try to Sliema ferry stop, from there navigate to the appropriate bust stop in Sliema to get to your destination. Two highly recommended hotels in St. Julian bay are The Hilton Malta and The Westin Dragonara Resort.
Having visited Malta now, I would likely still choose Sliema as my base city - it just checked all the boxes for me.