The Xara Palace Relais and Chateaux

I’ve recently stayed at this stylish little hotel together with my mother and we both had the most enjoyable time. Xara Palace provided us with every comfort we could wish for, becoming our home away from home for 8 days and proved to be an ideal base for exploring Malta. The hotel is located within the historical walls of Mdina in a former palazzo and gives one an opportunity to become a part of a sumptuous private world of the aristocracy that lived here in the past. The place is beautifully furnished with antiques and artwork that can be admired both in the public spaces as well as the guest’s rooms. All staff members are very friendly and welcoming - we both felt extremely well looked after as our every wish had been anticipated and no detail overlooked. Our split level room was very comfortable and specious and cleaned on a daily basis to a high standard. Breakfast is served at the table in the form of à la carte but there are plenty of options to choose from and the quality of it was excellent. We have dined three times at the adjacent Trattoria and were very impressed with both the meals and the friendly, relaxed ambiance of the place . We also really enjoyed using the nearby pool located on the grounds of the Xara Lodge where guests are greeted with a glass of fresh lemonade and drinks as well as further food options are also available. I’d only suggest to pay more attention to the cleanliness of the pool - during one of our visits, we had seen quite a lot of leaves and dead insects in the water which could have been the result of the water not being filtered or cleaned regularly. I’ve been told the hotel is in the process of getting the planning permission to put a new pool on site and within the Mdina walls as part of the Spa to be opened in the near future and I’m sure it’s going to elevate the whole establishment to an even higher level of comfort.

The Xara Palace is an exceptional hotel in absolutely every way - the converted 17th century palazzo is extraordinary, the rooms very comfortable, the food is absolutely amazing (I loved the breakfast) and the staff is very friendly and serviced focus. The Xara pool is a short drive but the staff eagerly drives you down the hill and the pool area is very nice. I stayed two nights which is really all you need. The town of Mdina is stunning and the Xara is the best place to stay by far in either Mdina or nearby Rabat. I have stayed all over the world and rate this five stars all the way and I would put this hotel on my Top 15 favorite hotels from all over the world list. A must see! I’ll be back again…..

A hidden gem. Looked after superbly by Denis and the whole team. Everyone was exceptionally helpful and lovely. They all went out of their way to make our stay as enjoyable and carefree as possible. Our room was comfortable and spacious with breathtaking views over Malta. The restaurant was indeed a special experience which we would highly recommended.