BB De Rohan

Set down a narrow cobbled alley just off the Zebbug village square, BB De Rohan trades sea view for street life, the kind of stone-walled lane where washing lines cross overhead and the church bells carry. The house opened in 2016 and keeps a village pace: breakfast served between 7.30am and 9.30am in a room that looks over the pool deck, and a pool open around the clock. Rooms come in four types, from a standard double to a double with balcony over the pool, an annex studio across the road with its own kitchen, and a room with an outdoor jacuzzi terrace and sunbeds. A living area holds a television, a library and a snooker table. It is a compact stay. The coast is close rather than at hand: Golden Bay's sand lies 13.8km off, Ghar Lapsi's rocky shore about 7.5km, and the ferry to Gozo and Comino leaves from Cirkewwa, 23km north. Valletta is 8.5km away, Mdina four. Parking is free on the surrounding streets, and lock-up storage for luggage and bicycles is available on site.