Villa Rentals: What To Know Before Renting a Villa

Malta is a small island in the Mediterranean Sea between Europe and Africa, for many it has become an earthly paradise. This is a crystal clear sea, sun, Mediterranean cuisine, a civilization with a history of 7000 years.

Despite the small size of the country, here you can find a vacation that takes into account a wide variety of requirements: there are places for silence and relaxation, there are noisy cheerful round-the-clock hangouts. Fans of active sports recreation will also find an ideal option for themselves. The level of accommodation is also very diverse: from inexpensive hostels to excellent five-star hotels and luxury villas.

Most of the luxury housing in the cities of St. Julian's and Sliema. St. Julian's is the center of the city's nightlife, and Sliema is a kind of business center of Malta. It is not surprising that 70% of expensive hotels and villas you will find in this area.

Do I stay at a hotel, resort or villa?

In Malta, you can find everything from simple guest houses run by friendly Maltese families to luxury beach resorts and private villas by the sea with a driver and a chef.

Accommodation is relatively cheap, and the high level of service and friendliness of the staff in Malta are well known and will surprise you.

Where to stay in Malta?

But before choosing the exact type of accommodation, it is important to find out in which area to stay in Malta.

Travelers can immerse themselves in the lively social life in popular areas or enjoy exclusive vacations in boutique hotels, quiet private villas and rental properties that can be found in more remote areas of the island.

Tourists will be surprised by clean and comfortable housing available on a limited budget, even in the most popular areas. Those who want luxury can live royally at a very reasonable price almost anywhere on the island.

So, before you start looking for accommodation, we strongly recommend that you first familiarize yourself with the main DESTINATIONS in Malta! Every destination in Malta is really very different. For many travelers, it's great to change places every 4 or 5 days and explore several areas while on vacation. And this is what we also recommend travelers to do in Malta. Therefore, it is important to know which of the more than a dozen available distinctive areas of Malta suit you and meet your expectations.

A few more tips when choosing a hotel

1) Location

After you have selected the main tourist area, and may have used some filters such as the budget for the night and the type of accommodation (resort, villa) to see some accommodation options. Zoom in on the map and take a close look at the roads, this will give you a clearer idea of how far you really are from the beach and attractions.

2.) Availability

Transportation is important throughout the rest. Whether you're walking, driving a rental car, or taking a taxi to get where you want to go.

If your accommodation is located on a one-way road or on or near one of the streets where there is usually heavy traffic, then moving around can become quite annoying.

3.) Reviews and ratings

Reviews give an idea of the overall work and condition of the staff and property as a whole. Due to the large number of options available in Malta, as a rule, you can avoid any accommodation that has a rating below 8 out of 10.

Decide where in Malta you would like to stay

Areas of the island of Malta — If you look at the map of the island, most of the hotels are concentrated on the northern, north-eastern coast of Malta. Here is the capital of the island of Valletta, as well as the most significant and largest cities of Sliema and St. Julian's.

In the central part of the island and in the south there are their own cities, hotels and their own accommodation features.

Valletta — Malta's largest city and its modern capital. Valletta is attractive because there are a lot of various shops, a central bus station, from where buses depart throughout the island, and a port. The port is also a minus of living in Valletta, if you come to relax by the sea. In this sense, the metropolitan suburbs are more interesting, where there is no shortage of hotels and apartments of the most diverse levels.

Valletta is a historical city, there is something to see from the point of view of the history and culture of the country. The only Maltese university is located in Valletta.

Sliema, St. Julian's and neighboring towns — These two cities, as well as the adjacent Gzira and Pembroke— are the densely populated cities of Malta, offering the largest selection of hotels, villas and apartments.

In addition, here you will find:

• there are many well-equipped beaches, mostly rocky, and one of the best sandy beaches in the country is located in the Bay of St. George;
• supermarkets and shops that are mainly concentrated in the coastal area of the city of Sliema;
• Malta's only skyscraper "Portomaso" is located in St. Julian's — a business center, a shopping center, a Hilton hotel and the only panoramic bar on the island;
• cultural tourism: fortifications, palaces, villas and chapels (their concentration is high in Sliema;
• huge selection of restaurants and cafes;
• the center of nightlife: all the clubs, bars, dance floors have settled in Paceville, St. Julian's district.

Northern part of the island: Mellieha, Bugibba — Mellieha is a very popular resort. Here is one of the best and largest sandy beaches of Malta Golden Bay, with snow-white sand. In the area of Mellieha there is also the port of Chirkeva, from where ferries depart to the islands of Gozo and Comino. Bugibba is a smaller town. The beaches here are rocky. It is not rich in attractions, but it offers prices for hotels slightly lower than in the areas described above. At the same time, it is conveniently located between Meliha and St. Julian's, which allows you to get to Golden Bay and all the entertainment of Paceville within half an hour.

Central part of the island: airport, Mdina — an ancient city, narrow streets, houses that are more than five hundred years old — this place will undoubtedly be interesting to those who are passionate about history. There are very few hotels here, and the room rate starts from 130 EUR per day. Here you will also find expensive villas with a price of 400 EUR per day. If you are attracted to life away from the beaches and closer to history for less money, pay attention to the neighboring city of Rabat: there is more choice of hotels, prices are slightly lower, and Mdina at the same time is within walking distance (15-20 minutes on foot). There are hotels in Luka, and there is a church of St. Andrew, but the main characteristic of this village is its proximity to the airport.

South of Malta: Siji, Marsaxlokk — The southern coast of Malta is not very popular among tourists, although there you will find beaches and hotels. Of course, there are significantly fewer of them than on the northern coast, but there is still plenty to choose from, and housing prices in this area are much lower. This part of the island is rich in history. In the city of Siggiewi there are many churches, palaces and the remains of ancient catacombs. And nearby is Hajar-Kim, a megalithic temple complex, which is more than 3 thousand years old.

The village of Marsaxlokk is a little more popular among tourists, but it is famous precisely as a fishing village. Here you will see a huge number of Maltese boats, on which local fishermen have been going to sea for many centuries. If you are looking for a quiet place, this is what you need. Time stopped here somewhere in the 70s of the last century, when the whole of Malta was still a country of fishing villages.

Gozo Island — The second largest island of Malta. There is no airport here, so you can only get here by water from the port of Chirkeva in the north of the island of Malta. Such inaccessibility provides the island of Gozo with a special atmosphere. There are beautiful beaches, good hotels, English schools, historical attractions and even a fair of craftsmen, which operates in the summer. Despite all this, the island remains very calm, the rest here is more measured. Especially popular here are hotels and guesthouses located in old farmhouses.

At the same time, due to its location, the island offers lower prices for recreation and education than in Malta. For example, you can find small studios from 20 EUR per day. The cost of a hotel room starts from 35 EUR. There are also a lot of bed & breakfast type accommodations priced from 70 EUR in high season. There are also two five-star hotels on the island, one of them belongs to the famous Kempinski chain.

Comino Island — Located between the islands of Malta and Gozo. This is the smallest island, but very attractive in its own way. It is here that the famous Blue Lagoon is located, where the water is of amazing purity and incredible blue color. It is the Blue Lagoon that attracts many tourists and celebrities here (they say that when Madonna shot one of her clips here, the whole island was closed to the public).

During the summer season, ships and boats of all sizes bring here many guests from Malta and Gozo. In the middle or end of October, the flow of tourists dries up, and until April the island goes quiet. The rest of the time there is almost no one here.

There is only one hotel here, which is also called, like the island, "Comino". The hotel category is 4 stars. In high season, a half-board room will cost 50-60 EUR per day, and in May, for example, when the hotel is just opening, you can rent a room for a little more than 30 EUR.

If you are looking for peace and solitude in the evening — Comino is undoubtedly the best place. Among tourists, those who travel alone or adult couples predominate. Please note that the ferry service is irregular in winter, and in some months access to Komino may be completely closed.

Property Types in Malta

5 star hotels — Hotels such as Hilton, Corinthia, and Radisson are represented in this category. The level of hotels meets international standards, although prices are much lower. One night in a luxury hotel will cost you from 250 EUR in the high season. The room rate includes breakfast, and they are always decent. Restaurants of five-star hotels are famous far beyond these very hotels. So even if you have chosen cheaper accommodation, we recommend that you plan a dinner in one of the restaurants of a five-star hotel. Of course, it is better to book a table in advance.

Villas — Another luxury accommodation option in Malta is villas. These can be modern buildings with swimming pools, gardens and a house for servants with a total area of up to two kilometers, as well as ancient palaces of the nobles who once lived here, and large farmhouses.

The old buildings (former palaces and farms) retain their charm, but at the same time everything inside is completely updated to meet modern requirements. You can see the most modern plumbing in a house where the walls are already five hundred years old. The scale of such villas: from 3 to 12 bedrooms with the possibility of accommodating up to 30 people at a time. Old buildings are especially popular for romantic weddings.

The cost of renting luxury housing (whether new or old buildings), depending on the size, starts from 300 EUR per day. It is also worth mentioning separately about small villas up to 3 bedrooms. These are ordinary residential buildings with an area of up to 100 square meters with a small adjacent territory, sometimes with a swimming pool. Small villas are rented for at least a week. The cost of one week starts from 500 EUR, depending on the size and configuration.

4 and 3 star hotels, guesthouses — this is the most numerous category. The cost of housing in the middle price range starts from 50 EUR, and usually 150 EUR per day is the upper limit.

Many hotels offer half board, full board and all inclusive, although the latter option is not very popular. Breakfast is traditionally included in the room rate. A classic European menu is usually served in the morning, including porridge, bacon, eggs, bread, vegetables and seasonal fruits. The local cuisine is not distinguished by sophistication, it is quite simple. However, Italian and Thai cuisines are also common in Malta, and many hotels are ready to offer guests decent lunches and dinners. The quality of the products is always good, a significant part of them is imported from Italy.

As for the all inclusive system, it implies only local drinks, and they are very cheap and not very good quality. It is better to pay money and buy high-quality imported alcohol. First of all, this applies to strong spirits and cocktails. The local wine is very simple, but at lunch it is quite possible to drink a glass.

2 star hotels, hostels — This is perhaps the smallest category of housing. Two-star hotels seem to be even less expensive than five-star hotels. There are also hardly two dozen hostels for the entire archipelago. But if you are still interested in budget accommodation, then there is one, and even almost all year round you can book a room or a place in a shared room. In summer, of course, it is a little more difficult because of the influx of tourists.

Hotels of this category are often very shabby in terms of repairs and furniture, but here they always keep clean. Of course, there are no bathrobes and slippers in the rooms, breakfast most often comes for an additional fee. The staff is not particularly ceremonious (for example, they can go into the room and start cleaning even though you are sleeping in this room at the moment), and neither of the two elevators does not work. In general, everything is flawed, but very budget-friendly.

The cost of a two-star hotel room even in high season starts from 25 EUR. A place in a dormitory room in the hostel — from 12 EUR.

Apartments — the second most popular type of housing in Malta. This is a very extensive and diverse category with its own subtleties.

The main feature of Malta in terms of housing is that in addition to "short-term" tourists who come for one or two weeks, there are a lot of students of English schools, who, in turn, are interested in housing for three to four weeks, and often much longer. For example, students from Japan come to Malta for at least six months. Therefore, all apartments here are divided into two types:

• Aparthotels, where rooms are rented for a short period, most often up to one month. It is possible, of course, and more, but it will be cheaper and more comfortable in this case in the second category of apartments. Apartments for daily rent cost from 35 EUR per day (natural, cheaper in low season). For this amount, most often you get a small studio, where the kitchen area is not separated from the bedroom area in any way, and the living room area is completely absent. From 60 EUR per day, you can already count on a studio plus a bedroom.
• Apartments for medium and long term. In the understanding of the Maltese, a long term starts from one year, so we will call the period from 1 to 11 months average. In fact, these are the same apartments, the difference is only in price. If you rent an apartment for one year, the cost will be from 800 EUR per month (studio plus one bedroom). The same apartments for a period of six months will cost you 900-1,000 EUR (depending on the season). The indicated cost often does not include water and light bills.

The 10 most expensive localities on average for renting a two-bedroom apartment:

The 10 cheapest localities in Malta comparing the average monthly price of a two-bedroom dwelling

In Gozo, the median price per month for a two-bedroom rental

5 reasons to stay in a villa

Comfort — Maltese villas are either renovated old mansions or a chic new building. The restored buildings successfully combine ancient architecture and modern equipment, which allows you to plunge into history without compromising your own comfort. Newly built villas with advanced design and modern high-quality materials. Both options provide a high level of accommodation, so the guest can only choose what suits his preferences more.

Economy —The word "villa" immediately conjures up a check with a lot of zeros, however, oddly enough, staying in a villa is often more profitable compared to other housing options. This is especially true if expenses can be shared – for example, when it comes to family or a large group of friends. Moreover, during the low season, Maltese villas can offer significant discounts, especially if the tourist is flexible about the check-in and check-out dates or makes a reservation at the last minute.

Privacy — Staying in a villa is a great way to relax and escape from the hustle and bustle. Unlike hotels, you can plan your schedule there without being tied to the schedule – "breakfast from 7 to 9 in the morning". If you want, swim all day in the pool without sharing it with hundreds of tourists, if you want, you walk around the villa in a bikini or a bathrobe, without fear of hurting someone's feelings. Meet sunrises and see off sunsets, be alone with yourself and nature, listen to your favorite music.

Entertainments — The villas always have something to do: game rooms with billiards, free Wi-Fi, DVD players, sauna, swimming pool, barbecue. Among other things, Malta is also a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts: rock climbing, diving, cycling. There is always a place to place equipment in the villa.

Ideal for family holidays — The villa is convenient for accommodation with children, as there is enough space for everyone and everything, including toys. Children can stay anywhere: in the playroom, in the living room or outdoors on the terrace adjacent to the villa. Everything is better than in the hotel lobby, where games may not be appreciated. If suddenly one of the kids gets hungry, they can easily be fed in the local kitchen.

How to save up to 50%?

Here are ways to save money on renting a villa in Malta

• Save up to 10% — book flights in advance. The ticket price increases closer to the departure date.
• Save up to 15% — book a villa 3-6 months before arrival. You can request additional discounts for early booking if you book very early.
• Save up to 5% — get an additional discount when paying in cash.
• Save up to 20% — take advantage of special discounts during the off-season, even in early December, just before the holiday season or at the end of January, when the peak season ends. Ask for special discounts for long stays.

What do I need to pay attention to in a Maltese rental contract?

First of all, you should insist on having a rental contract. You should be suspicious if the owner does not want to give you a rental contract or asks you to put a different amount of rent from what you are paying into the contract. However, these cases are exceptions.

Usually, a rental contract will be drafted after you have paid the deposit. All property agencies use standard rental contracts which can also be altered. Sometimes the owner might ask for another contract in addition to the standard contract. In this case, pay close attention to what is written in that contract.

A normal rental contract will cover the following aspects:

• Rental period: Most long let contracts are either for 6 or 12 months with the option to extend the contract for the same period of time after the contract has ended
• Amount of rent: The rent is payable one month in advance usually via bank transfer or in cash
• Deposit: A refundable deposit of one month’s full rent must be paid. Some owners might ask for a higher deposit of two or even more month’s of full rent
• Payment of utilities: Some owners pay utilities for you and ask for a monthly advance payment towards electricity and water. Other landlords ask you to pay your utility bills on your own.

Always ask to see a utility bill and check which tariff you are paying. It should always be the residential tariff and not the domestic or even non-residential tariff which are significantly more expensive. In case you are not on the residential tariff, ask your landlord to change it. You can read more on that here and download the form to change the tariff from the website of ARMS (Automated Revenue Management Services).

• Internet: Some owners may provide internet for you, but usually you have to get your own contract. You can read more about how to choose the right internet provider here and here.
• Agency fee: A fee amounting to one month’s rent plus 18% VAT, is to be paid 50% by the owner and 50% by the tenant
• Contract termination: Usually, the lessee can terminate the contract in writing within 30 days. However, if you leave before the end of the rental period the deposit is forfeited. In case the lessor can rent out the apartment again right after you leave, he might be willing to return the deposit

When you are leaving the apartment, get the owner to sign a letter stating that the apartment is clean, all appliances are in working order and that all keys have been returned to the owner.

• Repair of damages: Normally, all minor repairs up to ~60 € are to be paid by you. Major repairs are the responsibility of the landlord unless they are caused by the fault or negligence of you.
• Subletting: In most cases, sub-letting is not allowed unless agreed on in writing. This might be the case for flat sharing where one person is the main tenant and sublets the other rooms to his flatmates.

Villa Rentals

Villa Valletta Waterfront, located in Valletta, will charm connoisseurs of history. The building, built in the XVI century, was part of the bastion, and during the Second World War — the laboratory of the British Navy. The villa has preserved the original stairs and walls of Maltese limestone, but the interior is decorated in a modern style and is fully equipped for a comfortable stay. Spending time in the pool or in the Jacuzzi, you will enjoy a fascinating view of the port, Cape Tinje and the promenade of the city of Sliema.

Villa Carob Hill — for lovers of modern architecture in Mellich, stretching on the hills of the northwestern part of the island next to the longest sandy beach in Malta. Clean lines, open spaces filled with light, expensive materials and minimalism in the interior give a feeling of freedom, tranquility and tranquility. The main staircase leads to the main entrance to the villa, where large glass doors blur the boundaries between the interior space and a large open area with spectacular views of the surrounding area. The pool adjacent to this area is located on the edge of a rocky cliff.