- Malta Holidays
- Mdina
- The Xara Palace Relais and Chateaux
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The Xara Palace Relais and Chateaux
Malta and Gozo, Europe
Mdina
The hotel is set right within Mdina's mediaeval walls. Mdina's monuments, museums and Roman villas are just a few steps away from the property. Buses leave from nearby and travel across the island. There is a children's playground 150 m away. The nearest beach is 20 minutes' drive away at Golden Sands, while the shopping facilities in Sliema and Valletta are both likewise some 20 minutes' drive from the hotel. St Paul's Cathedral and Museum is around 5 minutes' walk away, Palazzo Falson is some 10 minutes' walk away and the Roman Domus is roughly 15 minutes' walk away. St John's Co. Cathedral is around 20 minutes' drive from the hotel, while the Mnajdra and Hagar Qim temples can be reached in roughly a 30-minute drive. Malta International Airport is around 14 km away.
The hotel is nestled in a 17th-century building. It provides quiet accommodation with breath-taking views over Malta and the Mediterranean Sea. The interiors feature antique furniture and original paintings, as well as the latest modern amenities. The hotel offers a total of 17 rooms over 3 floors. Facilities at this air-conditioned city hotel include a lobby, 24-hour reception and check-out service, a hotel safe, currency exchange facilities, a cloakroom and lift access to the rooms. The hotel includes a cafe and restaurant. Internet access is available, as well as room service and a laundry service. There is also a car park for the use of guests.
Facilities
- 24-hour reception
- Wi-fi
- Local and international calls
- Car hire
- Transfer service*
- Room service
- Laundry service
- Air conditioning in public areas
- Hotel safe
- Currency exchange facilities
- *Some facilities may incur an additional fee
Due to the surrounding area and the number of steps around the hotel, it may not be suitable for those with mobility difficulties.
The Local Area
Tripadvisor Reviews
4.5 Excellent856 reviews
Excellent
64%
Very Good
20%
Average
8%
Poor
5%
Terrible
3%
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
A Lovely Experience
We had a truly wonderful experience during our stay. Although it was only for one night, every aspect was exceptional, from the beautiful room and outstanding service to the wonderful dining experiences. The attention to detail and warm hospitality throughout made our stay truly memorable.
Our room was absolutely perfect, with a beautiful terrace and jacuzzi. We particularly enjoyed spending the evening there, relaxing and watching the spectacular Santa Maria fireworks — such a lovely and unforgettable way to spend the night.
We also had an early dinner at the Trattoria, where the food was simply exceptional. We enjoyed the octopus stew and the prawn arancini from the speciality menu and both were absolutely delicious. Later in the evening, we ordered some desserts through room service and once again the service was outstanding.
Breakfast at the De Mondion Restaurant was another highlight. The exceptional view, combined with the attentive and incredibly quick service, made for a wonderful morning. A special mention to the two lovely ladies who served us and took such good care of us.
Our compliments also go to Chef Dorian, who prepared a beautiful breakfast tier including local products, bread, pastries, some ham and fruit. Everything was fresh, delicious and beautifully presented. The Eggs Benedict and French Toast were both divine and perfectly prepared.
We would also like to give a special thank you to all the staff on duty, who went above and beyond to make our stay extra special. Their genuine kindness, thoughtful gestures and warm hospitality did not go unnoticed and added an even more personal touch to an already wonderful experience.
It may have been only one night, but it was a truly memorable stay. The exceptional food, wonderful service, attention to detail and warm hospitality made the whole experience very special. We would be delighted to return!
Review by Sylvana B Island of Malta, Malta
Beautiful Historic Property & Perfect “Home Base”
If you want to explore Mdina this is the perfect spot (& you’ll literally be IN a castle but don’t worry there are elevators). Staff was very gracious and I found the amenities to be lovely (robes, slippers, etc). Pool is a short drive offsite but they have a car to take you. Air conditioning worked great down to 18 degrees C. Technically normal taxis can’t pull up to the hotel so recommend booking through the hotel so they are licensed to enter the gates especially if you have luggage. My one suggestion to the hotel is you MUST provide separate shampoo & conditioner — the combo does not work for people with long hair.
Review by PinkKT New York City, New York
Exceptional Stay
We absolutely loved our stay at The Xara Palace. In fact, I think it ended up being one of the highlights of our entire trip to Malta. There are plenty of beautiful hotels in Malta, but The Xara Palace is different. Staying inside the ancient walls of Mdina, surrounded by so much history and character, makes the experience feel much more like you are actually living in Malta rather than simply visiting it. The hotel itself is beautiful, intimate, and full of old-world charm without ever feeling overly formal or pretentious. One of my favorite parts of the stay was simply walking out of the hotel in the evening and wandering through Mdina after the crowds had gone. The streets become incredibly quiet and peaceful, and there is something pretty magical about being able to experience that from a hotel right in the heart of the city. The staff were wonderful throughout our stay—warm, friendly, and genuinely interested in making sure we were enjoying ourselves. We never felt like just another room number, and that personal touch really stood out to us. We also loved coming back to The Xara Palace after our days exploring Malta. We had some very busy days—boat trips, beaches, sightseeing and plenty of exploring—and returning to the quiet atmosphere of Mdina was the perfect contrast. What I think I will remember most, though, is how special the whole experience felt. The Xara Palace has personality, history, and a real sense of place that you just don't get at a typical luxury hotel. We came to Malta hoping to have a great family trip, and we certainly did. But staying at The Xara Palace made the trip feel even more memorable. We would stay here again in a heartbeat and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone looking for a truly unique and special experience in Malta.
Review by Jake H Greenville, South Carolina
Unforgettable honeymoon! An oasis for a just-married couple in love! ❤️
We chose Xara Palace in Mdina for our post-wedding honeymoon stay in Malta and we are so excited and happy that we did! Originally, our plan was to stay in Malta for 7 nights - 3 nights at Xara Palace in Mdina and the remaining 4 nights at a different hotel in Valletta. Our first 3 days at Xara were absolutely magical - we've been to many beautiful 5-star hotels all over the world already, but never experienced such attentive, kind and proactive staff anywhere else. Every detail about this hotel is beautiful - hotel rooms & suites carefully thought out, impeccably clean (very important in Malta as we found the island quite dirty overall...) and breakfasts were delicious. We also really enjoyed dining at their attached Michelin-awarded and recommended restaurants in the vicinity of the hotel.
After our 3 nights at Xara Palace, we were sad to leave to Valletta, and actually decided to return the very next day after spending one night at another 5-star hotel in Valletta which we found dirty and horrible. How happy and relieved were we when we found out there are still rooms available! After our bad experience in Valletta, it was like a breath of fresh air to be able to return back to Xara Palace, and our stay was EVEN BETTER than the initial first nights. Denis Young L., the hotel director, was just amazing the entire time - he even upgraded our hotel room to make our stay even more pleasant after the inconveniences we experienced in Valletta. We would also like to mention Silvia Pappalardo, the front office manager, whom we met only at our 2nd stay upon our return to Xara Palace. She is just wonderful and you can tell that her and Denis' way of working has such a positive impact on the quality and experience the guests have at the hotel. Everybody on their team works like a Swiss clock, including front desk, housekeepers, restaurant staff, etc.! :)
We would also like to mention that Xara Palace was kind enough to organize cost-free car lifts to and from their swimming pool area (5-minute drive from the hotel but we heard a new swimming pool within short walking distance from the hotel is also being built at the moment). There were a few days when the pool was under maintenance/not available - on those days Xara Palace took us to another luxurious 5-star hotel in Valletta called the Phoenicia and we had such amazing time using their pool facilities.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone from Xara Palace from the bottom of our hearts once again. We can't properly express in words how much of a wonderful stay my husband and I had. The staff really personally ensured we would have the most peaceful, relaxing, luxurious and romantic stay. We will never forget our stay with Relais & Chateaux in Mdina and are already excited to visit other R&C properties around the world. ❤️
Review by Lilly S Derry, United Kingdom
An Exceptional Stay — Truly in a Class of Its Own
An Exceptional Stay — Truly in a Class of Its Own
Our stay at The Xara Palace Relais & Châteaux was nothing short of exceptional. From the moment we arrived, we were made to feel genuinely special and incredibly well cared for.
Our luxurious room was beautiful, elegant, immaculate, and thoughtfully presented, with every detail adding to the feeling of comfort and indulgence. The level of cleanliness throughout the property was impeccable. What truly stood out, however, was the service. The staff are exceptional — warm, genuinely kind, friendly, and incredibly attentive, while maintaining the highest level of professionalism and etiquette.
We lead quite a busy life, so finding a place where we could genuinely slow down, relax, and feel completely looked after was exactly what we needed. The Xara Palace provided that feeling effortlessly.
Having stayed at many hotels and boutique properties across Malta, we can honestly say that this was, by far, the best all-round experience we have had. It is the rare combination of luxury, beautiful surroundings, exceptional service, attention to detail, comfort, and that personal touch that makes a stay truly memorable.
A very special thank you to the entire team for making our stay so wonderful. We will certainly be back and would highly recommend The Xara Palace to anyone looking for a truly special and luxurious experience.
Isaac Camilleri Liberto (RUSH Parkour Malta)
