The Barrister Hotel – Redefining Maltese Luxury In Valletta

Valletta, the capital of Malta is a city I have always wanted to go to and when I finally got the chance to visit Malta back in August, I wasn’t disappointed with Valletta. The city is compact, ideal for a city break and is peppered with luxury hotel options ranging from small boutique hotels within the historical city walls to larger resort style properties outside the city walls. The latest luxury hotel option in Valletta is The Barrister, a boutique hotel which was a former lawyers office, just moments away from Republic Square. We were lucky enough to spend a night there enjoying a top floor hot-tub terrace suite. Read our review to discover more about this luxury hotel.

Background & Concept

This is one of the newest properties to open in Valletta having opened earlier in 2019, the space was a former lawyers office and has been renovated and enhanced to offer a luxury boutique experience right in the heart of Valletta. The hotel was the brainchild of owner Mark (who we had the pleasure of meeting during our stay). Mark has spent a long time in and enjoying the hospitality industry from his early days as a tour operator for Thomsons, through to his years in the oil and gas industry staying in cities and countries across the world including Spain, Libya Dubai, Vietnam, Sweden and Scotland.

In 2005 Mark started laying down the plans for a hotel in Valletta, as that time the city wasn’t the hotspot it is now and the appetite to invest in commercial property in Valletta wasn’t there. Over the course of the next six years prices in the capital increased and the city grew in popularity and it wasn’t until 2017 that Mark found the property that would end up being The Barrister Hotel.

The building was chosen to become the hotel for a number of reasons; one being the history of the property. As it was the office of the most prominent government lawyer in Malta it has a fascinating history. Throughout 2017 and 2018 time was spent renovating the building and enhancing it, walls had to be moved to increase room space, and historical features restored. You will notice the original bannister which travels right up the whole building, the bannister is 200 years old and fell during the second world war. The finished product is something which is classical and elegant, it feels contemporary but there are also strong link in the building’s past in the interior design and architecture. In addition to this Mark wanted something which also felt Maltese as so many of the hotel’s on the island have lost this and have a cookie cutter feel to them.

Location

Located within the historical city walls the hotel is situated on St Christopher’s Street which is a very short stroll to Republic Square and St John’s Co-Cathedral. Valletta city centre is very small and compact so everything is within easy walking distance of the hotel.

Service and Check In

Service at The Barrister is all about the personal touch and Mark’s main objective at The Barrister is to give a true Maltese experience, whether it is organising tours for you or recommending local restaurants that are off the tourist trail, there is a real home from home feeling to The Barrister and you will be guaranteed a warm welcome on arrival.

Rooms & Suites

Boutique in size the property has 18 rooms ranging between 15sqm and 28sqm, all guest-rooms can cater for two people and extra beds can be put in any room if required. A luxury in Valletta, all the rooms at the hotel have a view outside, many hotel’s in the city offer rooms with a courtyard or internal view. If you want extra space, head to the rooms on the top floor which include terraces, with two of the terrace rooms also having hot tubs, which are pure luxury to wind down in after a day exploring the city.

The style of the rooms are clean and contemporary, it has a “Wallpaper Magazine” feel to it, so think contemporary Scandinavian style furniture with lovely chrome fixtures and marble surfaces for good measure.

Hot Tub Terrace Suites

During our stay we were lucky enough to have a hot tub terrace suite of which there are two in the hotel. They occupy the top floor and have views looking out to sea and are sun-traps through throughout the entire day.

The bed was incredibly comfy and on each side of the bed are chargers for your computers and phones to plug into.

The all important Nespresso is included in the room along with fresh complimentary water and a mini bar with lots of goodies which are complimentary too. I loved walking around Valletta, it really is an incredible city, but I was equally looking forward to coming back in the evening and using the hot tub again. If you haven’t had a hot tub in your room before I recommend trying one out during a holiday.

Food and Drink

At the moment the hotel serves breakfast in their bistro ‘Guilty’ and offers a selection of continental-style options to start the day but the plan is to enhance the food offering in the bistro to make it an all-day destination presenting a menu of Mediterranean food items from places in Europe that have influenced Malta.

Final Thoughts

I really enjoyed my stay here, Mark and the team were so helpful and welcoming and Mark’s passion for the property is evident. The hotel is guaranteed to become a staple in the luxury hotel scene in the city and we have included the hotel in our guide to the best luxury hotels in Valletta.