Villa Del Porto – charming boutique hotel in a traditional town house

 

Villa del Porto is one of the best examples of how to transform an old building into a stylish, modern boutique hotel while keeping the old spirit of the place. The hotel despite of the modern equipment and amenities managed to keep the authentic atmosphere. The old, Maltese patterned floor tiles, the timber balcony and the original stone slab ceilings supported by iron beams all show the efforts made in order to preserve the place as it was at its peak.

 

Villa Del Porto can be found in Kalkara, next to the city of Birgu. It is believed by some historians that it was the first inhabited land in Malta.  In 1530, the Knights of St John started the development and fortification process of the area and made Kalkara a suburb of Cottonera and Birgu. Due to the rapid increase of the population, Kalkara became independent from Birgu in 1897. Many of the houses were built between 1850s and 1950s and represent the traditional terraced houses of the era.

During World War II, the town suffered a lot due to its proximity to the drydocks of Cottonera. Despite of the damages caused by the bombardment, Kalkara has lots of sights that it can be proud of. The Chapel of Our Saviour, the Parish Church, Fort Ricasoli, Fort Tas-Salvatur, Fort Rinella, Villa Bighi and Villa Portelli. 

Who wouldn’t like to spend some time in a beautifully restored town house surrounded by the remains of history? 
Aldo Camilleri, the managing director of Villa del Porto shares our view concerning the importance of conservation and preservation of the old traditions and he strives to provide this authentic atmosphere for his guests. Though the hotel has all the important amenities that one would require in the modern age, it still kept the charming and peaceful interior of a typical Maltese terraced house. The twelve rooms are very well equipped and the view on the harbour is truly breath taking. The family rooms are comfortable for families who intend to spend some time in a friendly and calm environment close to the historical centre of Valletta and the “Three Cities”. 

After our visit at the hotel, we can say with confidence, that Villa del Porto is unique in its way and conveys value to its guests. The hotel represents how well the modern and traditional items go together and promotes the simplicity and grandeur of the old times. It is also a way of keeping the culture alive and we are really glad to find places like this in the heart of Malta. 

For more information please visit the website of the hotel.

Betti :)

For more information about the whole range of experiences we offer, please visit the Merill Eco Tours website. We organise experiences upon request for small and medium sized groups. Feel free to email us on info@merillecotours.com or call us on 21/27411388.