Victoria by Petit Chic

The hosts were so kind, and the whole B&B felt cared for and genuine. Our room was spotless and comfortable, just as it looked in the online photos. The Wi-Fi was genuinely fast, and breakfast at the little cafe nearby was fresh and thoughtfully made. It isn’t a buffet, but the food was so good and filling. Such a warm welcome from the moment we arrived. I loved staying here and would recommend it to anyone visiting Mellieħa.

Re dei Sapori, just up the street, served breakfast with a choice of main dish, baked good, and drink. The staff there were attentive and friendly. One gentleman was there each day, checked that we were happy with our stay, and recommended his favorite beach, beautiful paradise bay. I’m sorry I didn’t ask his name, and I’m grateful for the recommendation. The B&B itself was on a quiet street near the Main Street restaurants and cafes, with a bus stop close by. We enjoyed watching the sunset behind the city from our balcony, though that view depends on the house in front not being built yet. After the crowds in Sliema and Valletta, Mellieħa was a welcome change. We stayed at Victoria B&B for three nights and found the little touches, like a plug adapter in the room, very welcoming. We had what we needed, and self check-in and checkout were easy.

The noise and lack of ventilation made the room unpleasant. Both windows faced a small enclosed courtyard, so there was little natural light or airflow. Even with the bathroom window left open, a damp smell lingered, and sometimes there was a food odor for reasons I couldn’t figure out, since breakfast wasn’t in the building. Sound carried too: I could hear toilets flushing, doors unlocking, and people talking. The bathroom was also uncomfortable to use. There was no shower door, so water covered the floor, which was made of the same concrete-like material as the walls and stayed wet. The shower products were poor quality, and I couldn’t use them. At the head of the bed, there was a gap where the mattress didn’t extend, so it was uncomfortable there. On the first day, I was lying on the bed when I noticed a very strong, awful smell from the two decorative cushions, like sweat mixed with urine. They were probably filled with down feathers. I messaged the host to ask for them to be removed, since the smell was spreading through the room, and asked for a duvet or blanket because it was cold at night in mid-October and I couldn’t sleep under just a sheet. The host didn’t reply. Someone came to collect the cushions and left a thin blanket. The room felt unsanitary overall. Breakfast was a few minutes away at a pastry shop. It wasn’t what I like to eat. I prefer a healthy breakfast over pastries, waffles with sweet toppings, or toasties with cheap ham and melted cheese. This is only the second negative accommodation review I’ve written, the first was 15 years ago, but I think the feedback could help someone choose better. I absolutely don’t recommend this place. I left the same review on Booking, and they replied that I had asked for free accommodation or a refund. That couldn’t be further from the truth. I barely spoke with them, they never asked how I was or if everything was okay, and I didn’t ask for a single euro. There was no communication at all. That response showed me their ugly character.

We were really disappointed by how this was handled. Things can go wrong, and we don’t know whose fault the room assignment was, but the response felt cold. We didn’t feel welcome, and there wasn’t even an attempt to offer some kind of compensation. Instead of relaxing in the hot tub, we spent the rest of the afternoon looking for somewhere else during the busy season. We had to pay more than we usually would for a basic hotel room. We had booked eight months earlier through booking.com for September, choosing a room with a sea view and hot tub as the highlight of our honeymoon. On arrival in the afternoon, with self check-in and no receptionist, we found a dark room without even a city view. A staff member downstairs called her boss, who said she had sent a message on booking.com that morning. She said the system had assigned the wrong room and the one we actually booked was already occupied. We were offered either cancellation with a full refund or to stay and get the price difference refunded. I hadn’t seen the message, which may be my fault, but nobody made another effort to contact us about it. Other Maltese hosts had reached me on WhatsApp, so I know they had my phone number. Since we’d booked specifically for that room and the area didn’t suit our plans for the next day, we chose not to stay. I can’t comment on the rooms or anything else at the hotel.