66 Saint Paul's

The 66 Saint Paul's occupies a seventeenth-century palace on St Paul's Street, in the heart of Valletta, a few steps from the church of St Paul's Shipwreck and inside the perimeter recognised by UNESCO. The restoration kept the stone, the vaults and the balconies overlooking the street, and added a contemporary design that does not cover the building but brings it out. The rooms are all different in shape and size, from the Premium rooms with a sea view to the suites facing the Grand Harbour and up to the penthouse, with air conditioning and wifi included.

The spa in the cellars and the pool on the roof

The surprise of the house is the basement level, where the old cellars hold the Myoka Sixty Six Spa. Here there is a heated indoor pool, usable in any season, alongside a whirlpool tub, a sauna, an internal garden and a lounge given over to relaxation. The treatment programme brings together Eastern, Mediterranean and Nordic schools, with massages, facial rituals and a suite reserved for couples. Anyone looking for a steam room will be disappointed: the list of facilities signed by the spa does not include one, and it is worth knowing before booking.

At the opposite end of the building, above the rooftops of the city, the panoramic terrace holds an outdoor pool facing the Grand Harbour and the Three Cities. It is the place where the day ends, with a bar at the poolside and the light changing on the bastions.

The house welcomes guests from twelve years upwards, so it remains a quiet, adult property without being closed to families with teenagers. It is the right choice for anyone who wants to experience Valletta on foot, come back in the middle of the afternoon and find warm water under a stone vault before going out again for dinner.