Marina Studios

A private apartment in a historic Maltese setting, with the useful bits in place for an independent diving break: air conditioning, a kitchenette, a dining area, WiFi and a balcony facing the city. Marina Studios suits you if you would rather have a base with room to make your own breakfast than a full-service hotel routine. Less ceremony, more control over the kettle and the fridge. Sensible after a day when your main achievement was getting out of a wetsuit without falling over.

The aparthotel has a terrace, a minimarket and a tour desk, while private check-in and check-out keep the practical side fairly direct. English and Italian are spoken by the hotel team, so you can deal with the essentials in English from the start. The atmosphere here is that of a small apartment stay in Cospicua rather than a resort built around poolside lounging.

You are in Cospicua, Malta, at 131 Triq San Gwann, within the Three Cities area. That puts you in a lived-in urban setting rather than beside a resort beach. The Three Cities are right around you, the Malta at War Museum is about 1 km away, and Fort Sant Angelo is roughly 1 mile from the property.

Valletta remains close enough to make part of your stay, with Valletta City Gate about 1.2 miles away and Upper Barrakka Gardens around 1.1 miles away. The Valletta Waterfront is about 4.5 miles away. For a swim, Rinella Bay Beach is the nearest listed option at roughly 1.5 miles by road; Tigné Point Beach is about 6 miles by road, so this is a base for exploring Malta rather than a hotel where you wander straight from your room onto the sand.

You have a few places to eat close by, including Cafe Rouge, Date Art Cafe and Nuovo Cafe San Giorgio, all within roughly half a mile on foot. Malta International Airport is about 3.9 miles away by road.

The studios are arranged for practical self-catering rather than elaborate hotel living. You have a proper kitchenette with a refrigerator, oven, stovetop, microwave, toaster, kettle and kitchenware, plus a dining table. That gives you somewhere to put food, make tea and sit down properly when your appetite has caught up with the day's diving. A private bathroom, hairdryer and toiletries keep the post-dive routine uncomplicated.

For two of you, the Standard Studio keeps things straightforward, while the Deluxe Double Studio gives you a little more room to spread out. If three people are travelling together, the Deluxe Quadruple Room uses a double bed and a sofa bed; it is the practical choice for sharing, though it is still an apartment room rather than a place to expect personal territory for everyone. Family rooms are available, children of any age are welcome, and cots can be requested for children up to two years old. There are no extra beds.

Air conditioning matters when Malta has been generous with the heat. A fan, heating, soundproofing, a mosquito net and tiled floors are also part of the room set-up, while the private entrance and city view give the studios a more self-contained feel. The balcony is a place to sit with a drink and look across Cospicua; it is not presented as a sea-facing outlook. A flat-screen television with satellite and cable channels, along with a streaming service, covers the quieter end of the evening.

The useful leisure option here is the terrace: somewhere to sit outside when you have showered, unpacked and decided that a second expedition before dinner would be excessive. There is no need to turn every afternoon into an organised activity. The city-view balcony attached to your room gives you another private place to slow down, with a dining area close at hand for an unhurried snack or a cold drink.

If you want to get out, the tour desk can help shape the non-diving part of your stay, while bicycle hire and car hire make wider exploring possible. The Three Cities are on the doorstep, and Fort Sant Angelo, the Malta at War Museum, the Tarxien Temples and the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum give you plenty of history to investigate between dives. For a quieter day, stay local, use the terrace and let the tiled room, air conditioning and a working kettle do the heavy lifting.

Malta International Airport is about 6 km from the property by the accommodation's stated location details, with the road distance around 3.9 miles. An airport shuttle is available and must be arranged with the property; shuttle service, car hire and bicycle hire are also available. Parking is not available at the property, so a hired car needs a little thought before you arrive.

Check-in runs from 14:30 to midnight, and you need to tell the property your arrival time in advance. Check-out is by 11:00. Private and express check-in and check-out are available, as is luggage storage, which is useful if your flight and your room do not line up neatly. The lift serves the upper floors.

WiFi is free throughout the property. Laundry and ironing services are available, and a minimarket on site can save you a trip when all you need is breakfast material or something cold for the room. Smoking, parties and pets are not allowed. The minimum age for check-in is 18, and cash is accepted for payment.