corporate retreats & business events, for Groups, Plan your Trip to Malta
How to plan a company retreat in Malta?
ABOUT MALTA - Small Island, Big History!
Sunny, stunning Malta is a tiny, English-speaking archipelago of islands located just south of Sicily, in the heart of the Mediterranean. Less than 316 km² of land mass is inhabited by almost half a million people. The country consists of three main islands: Malta, Gozo and Comino, and a dozen or so tiny atolls, rising out of the shoreline.
The Maltese islands are located on one of the main sea routes connecting Europe with Asia and Africa, they have been a haven for merchant ships for a millennium. At the same time, they attracted pirates and other invaders with their strategic location, favorable climate, beautiful landscape and with the lack of dangerous animals and insects enticing settlers further.
Malta has almost 7,000 years of history, including three sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. From the megalithic temples of ĦaÄ¡ar Qim, considered one of the world’s oldest free-standing constructions, far older than the Egyptian Pyramids! To the opulent and rich architecture of the baroque capital of Malta. Valletta, known as the “open-air museum”, received the title of “European Capital of Culture 2018”.
The Maltese are also devoutly religious Catholics, boasting over 360 churches, including the capital’s St. John’s Co – Cathedral, with the famous painting by Caravaggio from 1607, depicting the death of John the Baptist.
TOURIST RESORTS IN MALTA - Characteristics
When planning a group trip to Malta, it is worth considering the location of your accommodation. Malta’s most popular tourist resorts differ significantly: in the amount and the quality of amenities, the variety of facilities e.g. pools or restaurants, the standard of the roads and surrounding infrastructure, nightlife on offer, access to the sea and beaches, landscape, standard of hotel service, and above all the price of the accommodation. Before deciding on the location, we advise you to think about how you would like the group to spend their free time. Are you looking for peace, calm and the serenity of the sea, or maybe your employees are night owls, preferring to dance and enjoy the offerings at night rather than listen to the morning singing of birds? Below we have prepared a brief description of the most important tourist resorts in the Maltese Islands, which – we hope – will assist you in choosing a suitable location for your group stay.
Around Valletta
The capital of Malta is an immensely historic area. The tiny city (0.8 km²) usually offers several luxury boutique hotels with a few rooms and two larger 5-star hotel complexes. In the islands capital, we will find facilities of a very high standard, including those belonging to LHW (Leading Hotels of the World). We recommend the culturally rich and atmospheric Valletta for business groups and conference groups with a high budget, which focuses, above all, on the excellent quality of the hotel and boasts a plethora of good restaurants and elegant bars nearby. Unfortunately, Valletta does not offer access to sandy beaches.
The surrounding areas of Sliema, Gzira and St. Julian’s
These three adjacent small towns are certainly a favorite part of both many tourists and resident islanders alike. They are attracted to Sliema’s incredible atmosphere, which is pulsating with energy, Paceville – the sprawling, exciting nightlife district of St. Julian’s, a beautiful seaside promenade several kilometers long, excellent bars and restaurants as well as the best hotels in Malta. These locations are characterized by just how close they are and a wide range of attractions – most available throughout the year. The surroundings of Sliema will be perfect especially for integration and incentive company groups and trips, who like to plan entertainment in their own group, as well as having easy access to local attractions. Accommodation in this region of Malta is unfortunately expensive. The location comes highly recommended for business stays of up to 35 people or conference trips focused on high quality hotels and services and with a higher budget.
Bugibba, Qawra, St. Paul’s Bay
Bugibba, Qawra and St. Paul’s Bay can be described as the districts of the same town, separated by an imperceptible border. They are connected by a seaside promenade. Approximately 30 minutes’ drive from Sliema, they are characterized by a dense accumulation of hotels, hostels and summer apartments. This is Malta’s largest tourist resort. It offers large hotel complexes with swimming pools, access to water sports, small karaoke bars and numerous restaurants. Unfortunately, there are no wide, sandy beaches here. However, it is still possible to enjoy swimming in the sea, jumping directly into the water from small rocky bays.
This tourist region does not offer an extensive nightlife but does boast the prestigious beach club “Café del Mar”, which organizes musical events exclusively in the summer season. Fortunately, most hotels with a higher standard try to provide guests with entertainment in the form of evening or daytime animations, shows and musical performances at the hotel.
Although Bugibba, Qawra or St. Paul’s Bay do not offer 5-star hotels or extravagant nightlife, a huge advantage of this location is access to several hotels with an all-inclusive option and moderate prices for accommodation. We recommend these places to our larger groups of over 20 people.
Mellieħa area – peace, beaches and nature
Mellieħa is mainly associated with Malta’s longest sandy beach – Mellieħa / Ghadira Bay. This beautiful area is also one of the quietest corners of Malta, located almost an hour away from Sliema or Valletta. Accommodation in this region will be especially satisfactory to groups that are looking for a more peaceful trip and wish to integrate into their own group. Currently, Mellieha offers only a few hotels, including one facility of a good standard. It is not only the largest hotel in Malta, but also the only center offering catering only in the all-inclusive option.
Island of Gozo – Malta’s Green Lungs
Gozo is a favorite place among the Maltese, for a weekend getaway. The island with an area of ​​67 km², on which a ferry from the port of Malta can be reached in less than 30 minutes, is the quintessence of relaxation combined with beautiful landscapes and cliffs. Quiet and unspoilt, Gozo offers several good quality hotels that can accommodate groups of several dozen. The island of Gozo is recommended for 2-day business events, especially for companies preparing an incentive trip to Malta for their employees. A group stay with accommodation on Gozo is usually an addition to other accommodation and the stay program on the island of Malta.
Comino
Comino is a virtually uninhabited island with an area of ​​3.5 km². It does not have hotel any infrastructure, and we can get to it only by boat, as part of a cruise.
THE AIM OF THE TRIP
When you decide to come to Malta for a company trip, one of the most important elements of planning your stay should be choosing the aim of the event. What is the purpose of the trip and what aspect of your business should it improve? Would you like to organize an incentive trip for the best employees or contractors? Are you looking for the opportunity to combine training with leisure, get to know the team better through team building games? Or maybe you have your own idea for a group trip, but you lack a reliable external coordinator?
If you decide to hire an event company, any professional organizer of foreign company trips will help you in choosing the right stay program. To facilitate the choice and familiarize you with the terminology of company trips, we recommend familiarizing yourself with the division of individual business travel categories with short descriptions.
CHOOSING YOUR HOTEL
Please note that hotel rates in Malta at the same time may vary even by 2 or 3 times for a hotel with the same number of stars. It greatly depends on the location, facilities on offer and variables such as room equipment. Unfortunately, online reviews are often misleading. It is possible that a poor hotel has undergone a comprehensive renovation, but guest reviews still show the experience of staying in an old building. It can also be the other way around. Near the beautiful new hotel, another building is suddenly being built, and renovation work is constantly disturbing the peace of guests. If you decide to entrust us with organizing your company trip, we will present you the most accurate reviews and comparisons between the facilities. Local knowledge is our strength. We are on the spot and we are constantly and diligently monitoring any changes.
ESTIMATING YOUR BUDGET
When planning a trip to Malta for your company’s employees, remember that the highest portion of the entire stay price is usually accommodation. Consider such factors as the main goal of the trip in terms of the amount of time you plan to spend in the hotel, as well as the budget you have. Is the stay an incentive travel award trip, for which the hotel standard is often the most important, or do you prefer to stay in a lower class hotel, but instead invest in additional attractions and integration and incentive trips?
What about the date of departure? If you value the highest quality of accommodation, but your budget is limited, you could decide to go between November and March?
There is less consistent weather conditions, but high quality 4 and 5 star hotels in Malta also offer indoor pools. This is a great alternative for trips in January.
DURATION OF YOUR STAY
Another important point on the list of preparations for a group trip to the Maltese Islands is the length of your stay and the date of arrival. In our opinion, 3-4 nights are enough for intensive sightseeing and socialisation. This length of stay will also allow you to adjust a direct flight from your country to Malta with low-cost airlines. Such as Ryanair, Wizzair and EasyJet.
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CHOOSING THE DATE
The next important factor in determining not only the schedule of the day, but also the cost of coming to Malta, is your date of arrival to the island. We have noticed that many people mistakenly assume that in the Maltese Islands summer lasts all year. It is true that nobody here will see snow, and the air temperature in “winter” rarely falls below 15 ° C. This does not mean, however, that the swimming season on our sunny island never ends (usually it lasts from May to October). As the weather changes, accommodation prices also change. The price for a night in the same hotel can be EUR 50 in January and can go up to EUR 150 in August.
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THE TOURIST SEASON IN MALTA
The tourist year for business / company / group trips in the Maltese Islands is most easily divided into three periods.
November to March
PROs
- Cheapest hotel prices
- Lowest flight prices
- The perfect time for conferences, especially for large groups
- Great time to explore the island for groups with elderly people, pilgrimages, etc. Malta is blooming at the time – it resembles the Polish spring
CONs
Water in the sea too cold for bathing
Inconsistent weather. Sunny days with temperatures up to 20 ° C are intertwined with days with (most often) brief rainfall and gusty wind Restless sea, attracts with the view of spectacular waves, but prevents charter boats and water sports
April – June, October
PROs
- Favorite term for corporate groups
- Moderate accommodation prices
- Bathing season
- Moderate air temperature (approx. 25 ° C)
CONs
- Possibility of sudden but strong showers
July – September
PROs
- Sunny, rainless holiday weather
- The water temperature in the sea is even 26 ° C
- A rich calendar of concerts, festivals, and other events
- Open season for seaside bars and discos under the open sky
Cons
- High prices of all hotelsNo availability for larger groups
- High temperature and humidity can be uncomfortable for the elderly
MEALS
A trip to Malta in the minds of many people is very often compared to other Mediterranean holiday countries. This is highly inaccurate. The Maltese Islands, unlike Egypt, Tunisia, or Turkey, do not offer multi-kilometer tourist resorts with a standard all-inclusive option. On the island, only 5 hotels offer all-inclusive packages. Why? Malta just does not have enough space for it.
Annually, over 2 million tourists come to Malta! Information for those thirsty for local specialties such as the islands Maltese Cisk beer and wine from several local vineyards. However, this is not a problem during company stays in the Maltese Islands.
For groups who want unlimited access to alcohol with the price of accommodation, we offer one of five all-inclusive hotels (only 3- or 4-star). For other clients we have prepared stay offers with the options of 2 meals a day at the hotel, most often with unlimited access to wine / beer during dinner or lunch.
Our accommodation plans for companies and groups during daily attractions and trips around the islands still propose new, restaurants that have been checked thoroughly by us. Often serving wine and / or beer without restrictions.
TOURS AROUND THE MALTESE ISLANDS
Malta may seem small, but don’t be fooled by its size! Each of the Maltese Islands tours or activities should be carefully planned. Poor condition of national roads, traffic jams, different opening and closing times – often inadequate to the information on their official pages – and a very relaxed, southern European mentality can lead to many unforeseen difficulties in the implementation and timing of the event.
While delays and changes in the schedule of the day, caused by a lack of understanding of the Maltese conditions, do not have to have a significant impact on the course of the stay of trips for employees, companies or partners may prevent the achievement of the objectives of the whole trip to Malta!
TRIPS FROM MALTA TO SICILY
Ready4Malta does not provide any kind of service to Sicily, we neither an organiser or intermindiary for such trips.
COVID-19
Paradoxically, we consider the local consequences of the global pandemic in the tourism sector and in the context of stays of companies and business groups in Malta good. Malta very quickly closed the country’s borders, suppressing the spread of the virus, nipping it int the bud. As of June 1, only 9 deaths were recorded on the island, mainly among people over 80 years. Counting on the significant density of inhabitants in popular regions of the country, the government introduced strict preventive measures. The control of cleanliness and hygiene in bars, hotels or restaurants has been increased. The principles of “social distancing” were introduced and the number of air connections was reduced. This led to a visible but also deliberate decrease in the number of tourists visiting the island, and as a result, in Malta it just got more spacious! The Secretary General of the Commonwealth even said that Malta coped with the pandemic best among European countries.
TRADITIONAL MALTESE CUISINE
Few people realize that at present over 20% of Malta’s inhabitants are foreigners. The multiculturalism of the Maltese Islands has visibly affected the local cuisine. Traditional dishes of the Mediterranean diet such as salads, pasta, seafood, fresh grilled fish, and delicious thin-crust pizzas are mixed here with the unique Maltese cuisine and influences of ethnic cuisine of influential inhabitants of Malta. Of course, you cannot forget wine with your meal! However, this does not mean that the Maltese do not have their own unique dishes and snacks. When in Malta, you must try:
- rabbit dishes – fenkata
- local fish – lampuki
- goat’s cheese – Ä¡bejniet
- Gozitan olive oil
- ‘Ftira’ traditional bread with tuna – Ħobż biż-Å»ejt
- Local Pastries – pastizzi
The Maltese also pride themselves on producing a local non-alcoholic spicy orange soft drink – Kinnie – and Cisk Larger beer.
