Casa Ellul - Small Luxury Hotels of the World
by the TopOfHotel team
Casa Ellul is Malta's first boutique design hotel, a 9-room townhouse in the heart of old Valletta — strong on privacy, a well-judged blend of old and new, and a walk-everywhere location.
Casa Ellul is Malta's first boutique design hotel, a 9-room townhouse in the heart of old Valletta — strong on privacy, a well-judged blend of old and new, and a walk-everywhere location.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
Picture a 150-year-old neoclassical townhouse on a narrow stone street in Valletta's old town, carefully restored into the first boutique design hotel on the island of Malta — that's the appeal of Casa Ellul. There are just 9 rooms and suites in one building, so each is looked after individually and no two are alike. Open the door and you're met with high Maltese limestone ceilings; some rooms keep their original patterned tiles, others are relaid in Maltese style, paired with warm contemporary furniture and local art the owners chose piece by piece. Several upper-floor suites have a private jacuzzi set out in the room, and some have their own bright timber Maltese balcony jutting over the old street. The highlight is the top-floor Penthouse, with a private terrace looking over the honey-coloured sandstone roofs of the whole quarter. Soft beds, good linen, and staff who know every guest by name because there are only 9 rooms — it feels more like the home of a tasteful southern-European friend than a chain.
Food and amenities
Breakfast is served in your room or up on the rooftop, whichever you prefer, and there's a private concierge who'll book restaurants, a boat trip to Comino's Blue Lagoon, or a tour of Mdina, the quiet old city in the middle of the island. Because nearly everyone in Malta uses English as an official language, the team handle several languages easily. The small rooftop terrace is the social heart of the place — a tidy little space with chairs for a glass of wine as the sun drops and turns the old town's sandstone and church domes orange, which plenty of reviews call the highlight of their Valletta trip. What you won't find is a pool or spa, though in-room treatments can be arranged on request.
Location and getting there
The whole point of staying here is that you step out the door and you're already in the UNESCO old town. Old Theatre Street is a quiet street in central Valletta, a few steps from Manoel Theatre — one of Europe's oldest theatres still staging shows, built in 1731 — about 2 minutes away. Walk on roughly 5 minutes to St John's Co-Cathedral, a Baroque church lined with gold leaf and holding two genuine Caravaggio paintings. The narrow stone lanes are full of little cafes, restaurants and gift shops, and it's about 8 minutes to Upper Barrakka Gardens for the city's best view over the Grand Harbour. For transit, the Valletta Terminus bus interchange is roughly a 10-minute walk, and Malta International Airport (MLA) is about a 25-minute drive.
Things to know before booking
Straight talk to help you decide. Because it's a small 9-room townhouse, the on-site facilities are limited: there's no pool or spa, so anyone after full resort amenities may feel something's missing, even with in-room treatments on request. Some lower-floor rooms are fairly compact, in keeping with old Valletta houses — if you want more space or a private jacuzzi, just go straight for an upper-floor suite or the Penthouse; the price gap is small but the experience clearly isn't. The other thing to know is that Valletta's old town is a walking city of sloping streets and steps, which can be hard going for older guests or anyone wheeling a big suitcase to the door, and there's no private parking — you'll use a public car park or park outside the centre. Some reviews also mention the morning church bells, which carry in Valletta, so light sleepers may want earplugs, though many call it part of the charm of staying in a UNESCO old town.
Our take
After reading through real guest reviews and weighing it against every other hotel in Valletta, Casa Ellul - Small Luxury Hotels of the World is the boutique design hotel with the clearest personality in town — small, private, tasteful, and genuinely in the heart of the old town. If your idea of the trip is a couple waking up for coffee on a rooftop over the old town, wandering the narrow stone lanes, catching a concert at Manoel Theatre, then coming back to soak in a jacuzzi in a properly Maltese room, this is about as good a fit as it gets. But if you're travelling with young kids, or you want a pool, a spa, full resort amenities or private parking, it may not be the one — look at the resort hotels around Sliema or St Julian's instead. Overall we give it 9.2/10, best for couples, honeymooners and design lovers after a private stay in the heart of old Valletta.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- Malta's first boutique design hotel, with only 9 rooms, so it stays private and the staff get to know every guest by name.
- A central spot in Valletta's old town on Old Theatre Street — 2 minutes' walk to Manoel Theatre, 5 minutes to St John's Co-Cathedral, and good restaurants all over the city.
- The design blends a 19th-century neoclassical townhouse with contemporary furniture and Maltese art, and keeps genuine timber Maltese balconies.
- Several upper-floor suites have a private jacuzzi, some come with their own colourful wooden balcony, and the Penthouse has a private terrace with old-town views.
- Part of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, which curates around 500 boutique properties from more than 80 countries, with a small rooftop terrace for coffee over the old-town rooftops.
- There's no pool or spa on site, since it's a 9-room townhouse with limited space, so anyone wanting full resort amenities may feel short-changed — though in-room treatments are available on request.
- Some lower-floor rooms are fairly compact, in keeping with old houses in Valletta. If you want more space or a private jacuzzi, book an upper-floor suite or the Penthouse instead.
- Valletta's old town is a walking city of sloping streets and steps, which can be hard going for older guests or anyone dragging a large suitcase to the door, and the hotel has no private parking.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
Things to do near Valletta
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Insider Tips
- If you can, ask for an upper-floor suite with the private jacuzzi and a timber Maltese balcony — the feel is clearly a step up from the lower-floor rooms.
- Head up to the rooftop terrace around sunset, roughly 18:00 to 19:30, when the orange light washes over the old town's sandstone — great for couple photos.
- Manoel Theatre is a 2-minute walk; if your dates line up with a concert or opera, book tickets ahead, as it's one of Europe's oldest theatres still staging shows.