Chris Briffa is the wunder-architect who’s overseen some of Valletta’s most stunning conversions of historic buildings, and this is he and his partner Anna’s personal project. They initially converted the 16th-century townhouse used to home his architectural practice into three inexpensive yet beautifully designed self-contained rooms with cooking facilities. Each is on a separate floor, with a theme (Gallery, Library and Atelier). Next came Retropad, a self-catering maisonette in a quiet residential street nearby, followed by 5 impeccably chic apartments occupying the entirety of a building a few doors down, each smartly styled to give you a guaranteed one-of-a-kind hideaway.
All are decorated with a changing selection of art by local artists; furniture includes beautiful mid-century vintage pieces. In the townhouse there's a communal kitchen and terrace upstairs, and each of the bedrooms has a private roof terrace dotted by design classics such as Verner Panton chairs. The eclectic Retropad has a salvaged marble-topped table acting as kitchenette plus a hexagonal tiled floor, while the latest additions vary in size but all have their own cooking facilities and access to a shared roof terrace, ideal for sundowners. All are utterly unique.
Highs
- For couples who appreciate art, beautiful design, meticulous attention to detail and fantastic use of colour, with a vintage twist
- Very good value: designer looks at affordable prices
- In charming residential streets of Unesco-listed Valletta
- All townhouse rooms have large south-facing roof terraces with deckchairs and glorious views across the periwinkle-blue waters of the harbour and golden-walled Fort St Elmos
- No need for a car. The city is easy to navigate on foot, and you can bus/ferry to beaches, the Three Cities and Gozo
Lows
- No room service, no maid service (though it can be arranged at an extra cost) and limited reception hours; you're very much left to your own devices (though some will prefer this)
- Though kids are allowed, the properties aren't very suitable for children; there are no extra beds available but a couple of apartments can fit a travel cot, one of which has a double sofa bed
- Retropad is in a different building to all the other apartments and has no outside space
Best time to go
June and September are the best months to visit Malta as the weather is perfect, the sea is warm enough to swim, and there are not so many crowds. July and August are hot, busy, but fun, and May and October are also lovely months to be here. Easter and Christmas are celebrated extensively, so are other good times to be here.
Our top tips
Use Valletta as a base for visiting the rest of Malta, and Gozo, the neighbouring island, as distances between places are never very far. You can easily be in the city in the morning, the beach in the afternoon, and a bar or restaurant in the evening.
Location
Valletta Vintage is in the heart of Valletta (the capital of Malta), which is a compact city so it's easy to walk around as long as you don't mind hills and steps. The whole collection is close to Fort St Elmo, and the district has a residential, local feel that adds to its charm.
By Air:
Fly into Luqa (Valletta) Airport (8.5km); click on the links below for a list of airlines serving this airport.
Getting Around
You won't need to hire a car (Valletta Vintage can organise a transfer, or just jump in a taxi), but car hire is cheap for when you want to explore elsewhere on the island - see our car rental recommendations. You can park for free outside the property.
Otherwise there's a network of local buses heading almost everywhere from Valletta (the bus depot is a 10-minute walk from the townhouse).
Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.
More on getting to Malta
Airports:
- Luqa (Valletta) Airport 8.5 km MLA
Other:
- Beach 1.0 km
- Shops 0.1 km
- Restaurant 0.1 km
Our guests' ratings...
Based on 4 independent reviews from i-escape guests
The design of the space was terrific and the views from both sides great. Roof terrace a real bonus. The team were very helpful and responsive.
Excellent location, near to everything but also really quiet at night. Beautifully designed apartment, very comfortable and lots of lovely thoughtful touches like nice coffee and DVDs. I loved the design of the bathroom but maybe not practical for longer stays. Only negatives - the shower head kept slipping down so couldn't actually shower underneath it. The AC is pretty weak and we struggled to understand how to close doors properly. But overall we enjoyed our stay and would recommend to others.
We stayed at Valletta Vintage for 3 nights before heading to Gozo for a week and the apartment helped make a wonderful start to our holiday. The location is ideal - an easy short walk to cafes, bars and restaurants - and also quiet. The owners' recommendations in their visitors' guide were great - we tried several of them. The apartment is light and spacious (we stayed in Gallery) with a big comfy bed and every detail thought about, to make for a relaxed stay in beautiful surroundings. Tiny bathroom and coffee-making area. Lots of stairs to climb. With access to two large terraces, each with stunning views of the city and a shared kitchen and dining area. We had these to ourselves but can't imagine they would ever be crowded, with so few apartments in the block. Delightful.
Owing to a mix up with the booking we were given a new apartment in the collection, Do, part of another 17th century townhouse. It was beautifully designed, in a great location and perfect for a couple. A terrace on the roof was a good place for an evening drink. The expanding Valletta Townhouse collection offers a great alternative to Valletta’s boutique hotels
Feedback is only from guests who have booked and stayed through i-escape