Panorama 10+, conveniences hit and miss
You couldn’t ask for a more glamorous panorama over the Valletta harbor, which is a wonder to behold, whether by day or night, when the monuments of the ancient city across the water are lit up like a stage set. The air-conditioning in every room is first-rate—a godsend in a hot climate! And there’s a washing machine, another big plus—but where was the detergent? No dryer, but there’s a clothes rack and clothespins for drying clothes on the terrace.
But there’s a lot I wish I had known ahead of time.
The apartment is in a pedestrian zone, on a street that is all steps. If the driver leaves you off at the corner of Triq Melita (which carries traffic) and Triq St. Orsla (or Ursula), you’re all set. If not, you might find yourself wandering endlessly through a hilly labyrinth. This happened to me, and the GPS was no help at all.
The front door of the building doesn’t lock or even close. The building is a walk up, and it’s 75 steps to the penthouse.
The housekeeper left out clean bed linens but didn’t make the beds—a first in my long experience with Airbnb.
Amenities are spartan. Before checking in, I asked about toiletries and was told there were bathroom essentials for one night (really?). In fact, there were none at all. No shampoo, no soap. Kitchen essentials—salt, pepper, oil—are mentioned in the listing, but we couldn’t find any. There were jars with half a teaspoon of sugar, a tea bag, and a half a teaspoon of coffee. Espresso maker makes one cup. Tea pot holds on cup.
The gas stove has five burners. Only one worked, and the flame was very low.
The split-level living area is dramatic, but there’s a three-foot drop to the lower level and no guard rail. Definitely not child-proof, though there’s a crib in one of the bedrooms.
Light sleepers may not like the frosted-glass bathroom and bedroom doors. You get a lot of light scatter at night.
These points noted, Joseph Charles is the most responsive of hosts, and you can reach him and his assistants easily. When we wanted a car and driver at short notice, they got us together with a fabulous guy named Newel, who knows his island like the back of his heavily tattooed hand.