Malta

Auberge de Provence

We really enjoyed out two weeks here. John was a friendly and helpful host, even opening the pool for us when Summer arrived early, and letting us have some of the fresh produce from the smallholding. The kitchen is remarkably well equipped for this type of property, and the large patio area outside also has lots of worktops and even another sink. The budgies did like to chatter away, but that added to the charm of the place. Echoing the comments on small cars, we had a Peugeot 108 which could fit down the alley without folding the mirrors, but a large car could be left out on the road.

Very peaceful. Precisely what I needed for a working trip. Able to work late with no distractions. Bags of space and a homely touch. Lovely smell from the garden.
Nothing really. Exactly what I needed.

Relaxing, quite and beautiful. Everything was clean, organized and well taken care of. The host was very kind and helpful with very good communication.

The property is perfectly located if you want to a more authentic Maltese trip, it is around a 15 to 20 min walk from the town centre where local buses can take you right into the heart of Valletta (35-45 min) or to Qormi park and ride (15-20 min) where you can access the rest of the island with ease, you can buy a weekly ticket at the airport. I enjoyed walking but as I travelled myself it was that bit easier, if you are travelling with children I'd certainly recommend hiring a small car as the Maltese roads don't really have pavements. Local sights include the Ghar Lapsi, Hagar Qim, Limestone Heritage and the Blue Grotto (the ones I visited) and in my opinion are walking distance although there is a bus stop (Lanza - 5 min walk from the property) where the bus will take you there in about 10-15 min. I found the people to be friendly when I walked into Siggiewi for groceries or meals/drinks and I'd certainly recommend Levels Wine Bar if you chose to go out in Siggiewi. The property excellent, the main bedroom is spacious with air-conditioning, plenty of storage space for clothes and a desk for working, it also has the home sauna which works well. The kitchen has everything you need for preparing meals and most importantly for me the coffee machine! The bathroom has a fantastic rain fall shower with built in radio for those that sing in the shower. The grounds are excellent, unfortunately it was mostly overcast and so didnt use the pool but the courtyard is perfect for family BBQs with scenery in keeping with traditional Maltese countryside. The host and owner John is extremely responsive any queries and will offer help where he can. I would recommend asking questions about Maltese habits or let him know of your plans as he might be able to offer insight in how to streamline your travel.
The time of Year I travelled, I will likely return to Malta some day.

The location was perfect, far enough away from the busiest parts of the islands but still only 15-20 minutes from the furthest areas. Less than 5 minutes from all of our favourite restaurants, a beautiful cove to swim in, and some stunning cliffs for photography. The house itself was exactly what we needed, very well equipped and the garden is stunning with a fantastic pool. We loved listening to the birds while relaxing on the sun loungers. The owner was available at all times and was very friendly and welcoming. Will definitely be back!

The location of Auberge de Provence was perfect for us as a couple. We enjoyed privacy and seclusion but with amenities close by. The large supermarkets (Pavi &amp; Lidl) were just 12 minutes away by car and had everything one could need. There is also a coffee shop/restaurant right next door which was very well priced with helpful friendly staff. John was an excellent host and was very helpful in all aspects, recommending places to visit, shop and refuel the car etc. Nothing was too much trouble and he was very quick to respond to any correspondence. The pool was well maintained and the air conditioning in very good working order, which was essential in the bedroom as it was very hot each day, averaging 29 degrees or higher. John recommended we hire a small car as the lane to the property is narrow and we would completely agree with this. The property and pool area were very clean and linens were changed weekly. We had a wonderful stay and would highly recommend, we will return!!

Lots of outdoor space and the pool was very clean and well maintained. Good facilities both inside and outside the property.
No complaints at all, my only tip is the drive leading to the property is narrow so don’t rent a large vehicle, I had a Citroen C3 and had to fold the mirrors.

A rural gem!
We were only here for a few days, but we absolutely loved it and, if we ever return to Malta, would have no hesitation in rebooking this wonderfully quirky bungalow in the middle of the countryside. The owner, John, was as welcoming, generous, respectful and helpful as we could have wished for (we were even treated to some delicious home-grown prickly pears from his fruit orchard next door … something we’d never tried before but I highly recommend them), but at no time was he intrusive, very much leaving us to enjoy our minibreak in our own way. The bungalow’s remote location means that hiring a car is essential and we were grateful for John’s advice to save money by hiring a very small one; when we first saw the long, narrow, walled entrance lane and ninety-degree corners, we fully understood why (don’t rent a minibus!). Earlier I described the bungalow as “quirky”: it has a traditional and rustic charm, brilliantly contrasted by having a space-age shower bath that doubles as a mini disco (I’m not kidding: lights, music, the works!), a sauna (which we didn’t use because the weather was so HOT!), and every modern appliance we needed to enjoy our stay, including a fully functioning wi-fi. Outside is a large south-facing patio, with a pool that was clean and deep (if you have young kids, bring some waterwings), a barbecue, a pizza oven … together with plenty of wood which John said would be okay for us to use in addition to charcoal. He also said it would be okay for us to play music outside if we wanted to, as there are no immediate neighbours; so we did! I have no idea if the aviary of budgerigars and finches appreciated our musical taste, but they chatted and chirped cheerfully from dawn to dusk (you might want to bear this in mind if you’re looking for a silent retreat to write your next novel!). We did go out on brief trips: to the shop, to the beach, to a fishing village … but to be honest, we were just as happy hanging around the bungalow such is its appeal.

Maison conforme aux photos. Excellente communication avec John qui, en plus, nous a autorisé à rendre la maison plus tard car notre vol était en fin de journée. Un grand merci à lui. Le seul point négatif est que la trentaine d'oiseaux qui sont en cage et juste à côté de la piscine sont très bruyants du matin jusqu'au coucher du soleil. C'est dommage car le lieu est bien isolé Il faut aussi savoir que l'accès à la maison en voiture est très difficile car la route est très étroite et bordée de murs en pierre (il faut faire les 200 derniers mètres en repliant les rétroviseurs). Il est obligatoire d'avoir une petite voiture et de rouler très très lentement...

House consistent with the photos. Excellent communication with John who, in addition, allowed us to return home later because our flight was at the end of the day. A big thanks to him. The only negative point is that the thirty or so birds that are caged and right next to the swimming pool are very noisy from morning until sunset. It's a shame because the place is well isolated You should also know that access to the house by car is very difficult because the road is very narrow and lined with stone walls (you have to do the last 200 meters by folding the mirrors ). It is mandatory to have a small car and to drive very very slowly...

Auberge de Provence

1 property