An unsung Mediterranean gem, Malta has much more going for it than it’s often credited for. Not least its charming capital, Valletta; one of the earliest cities listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage site. Just 60 miles south of Sicily it enjoys one of the Med’s most favourable climates, there’s a long history of handsome architecture – from Roman to Rococo – and there’s a growing number of design-led restaurants, bars and shops too. Not to mention, of course, some exquisite new places to stay; one of which is not a hotel…

There’s everything you’d expect from a top hotel; flat-screen TV, iPod dock, commissioned art, rain shower and Egyptian cotton… But with a ‘No Hotel’ philosophy, that’s aimed at stamping out hotel clichés; Lucia Nova is a two-bedroomed self catering property with its own very special identity.

Exposed layers of paint and original stone walls are the backdrop for designer lighting, objets d′art and elegant period furnishings, whilst a large spiral stone staircase connects the townhouse from ground floor, through bedrooms with classic wooden balconies, to its own rooftop terrace. Reservations are by appointment only and everything from airport transfers to driven tours of the island can be arranged; just don’t ask for a room at their “hotel”…