AX The Victoria, Sliema

The AX The Victoria is a 4-star hotel run by the Maltese group AX Hotels. It stands on Gorg Borg Olivier Street, in the residential upper part of Sliema. The seafront is about 5 minutes’ walk away. From there, the ferry reaches Valletta in around ten minutes. A corridor links the hotel to the AX The Palace, a 5-star property next door.

It has 142 rooms, with classic Victorian or Mediterranean blue decor. The 22 m² Classic rooms are on the lower floors. Balcony, Superior and Executive rooms measure 24 to 28 m². Junior Suites and Deluxe Suites reach 34 m². The Designer Collection Executive suite has two bedrooms and a private sauna on its terrace.

The breakfast buffet is served from 7 am to 10.30 am at the Copperfield’s restaurant. In winter, the restaurant also offers a Sunday lunch buffet. The Penny Black pub, on the ground floor, serves beers, cocktails and pub food. Half-board guests often dine at the AX The Palace buffet. On the roof, they can also use the TemptAsian Asian restaurant and the pool bar.

For relaxation, the hotel shares its facilities with its neighbour. The roof has two outdoor pools. One, on the 8th floor, is for adults only. The other, an infinity pool, is on the 9th floor. An indoor pool, a sauna and a steam room occupy the 7th floor. Treatments are booked at the AX The Palace spa. Children are welcome, with a free cot for children up to 2.

Recent reviews put the staff first and foremost. Reception, the breakfast room, housekeeping and the bar are praised in most detailed comments. Small touches come up often: upgrades, a complimentary cocktail or a birthday cake. Guests also love the roof terrace, with its pools, sunbeds and view of Valletta. The rooms are seen as spacious and clean, with good beds.

The location is popular for its calm, a few minutes from the seafront and the ferries. The walk back is uphill, however, which is tiring with a suitcase. The breakfast buffet is one of the most frequently mentioned features, for its wide sweet and savoury choice. A minority find it repetitive or too focused on English food. The half-board dinner, served next door, generally scores well. The Penny Black pub is also liked for its reasonable prices.

Criticism focuses mainly on maintenance. Dated bathrooms, limescale and temperamental flushes come up regularly. Several guests report a damp or drain smell in some corridors. The dark decor of a few rooms and the pub is also less popular. In summer 2026, works on the indoor pool disturbed several floors. Some find the adults-only pool cold outside the high season. Finally, the pool bar prices, in line with the 5-star hotel next door, come as a surprise.

The AX The Victoria suits couples and solo travellers well. They will find a quiet, well-equipped hotel in the heart of Sliema. Access to the AX The Palace facilities adds real comfort for a 4-star hotel. Most guests consider it good value for money. It is best to ask for a renovated room, on a high floor or with a balcony. Travellers with reduced mobility should bear the steep street in mind.

The AX The Victoria stands on Gorg Borg Olivier Street, in residential central Sliema. The area lies on Malta’s north-east coast. The seafront promenade is about 5 minutes’ walk away. The rocky beach at Fond Għadir is 400 m away. The ferry to Valletta leaves 5 to 10 minutes’ walk away. The crossing takes around ten minutes. Buses serve the whole island from the seafront. St Julian’s is about 25 minutes’ walk along the sea. The airport is 11 km away, around 25 minutes by car.

Good to know: the street climbs uphill from the seafront, which matters with luggage. A refurbishment of the neighbouring AX The Palace is also planned from November 2026 to spring 2027. Check which shared facilities will be open during your stay.