Where to Stay in St. Julian’s with Kids: Best Areas, Hotels & What to Avoid

St. Julian’s is one of those areas that looks like an obvious choice on the map: sea, hotels, restaurants, Spinola Bay, Bay Street and good connections towards Sliema and Valletta. But when choosing accommodation with children, I would be more careful with St. Julian’s than with many other parts of Malta. It is not a bad location, but a lot depends on the exact area you stay in and how old your children are.

Personally, I would not recommend St. Julian’s as a first-choice holiday base for a family with small children. If you want peace, a sandy beach and a simple daily rhythm of breakfast – beach – pool – dinner, I would look first at Mellieħa, or possibly the St. Paul’s Bay – Bugibba or Qawra area. St. Julian’s is livelier, more expensive and can be quite noisy in the evening. With older children or teenagers, however, it can work much better, because they may appreciate the restaurants, promenade, shops and hotel facilities.

If you already know that you want to stay in St. Julian’s and are looking for a family-friendly hotel, these are solid options with good facilities. I recommend checking availability now, as the better rooms tend to sell out quickly in peak season.

Is St. Julian’s a good place to stay with kids?

I would recommend St. Julian’s mainly to families with older children who want a combination of hotel facilities, restaurants, evening life and good access to other parts of Malta. If you have teenagers who enjoy a livelier setting, like being able to walk out for food, stroll by the sea and avoid staying somewhere completely quiet in the evening, St. Julian’s can work very well.

St George’s Bay may look like an attractive sandy beach on the map, but it is small, urban and very crowded in peak season. Because it is so close to Paceville, people heading out for the night also gather there in the evening, which means the beach is not always in ideal condition first thing in the morning. Before it has been cleaned, you may find cigarette ends, cans or other rubbish in the sand — not exactly the environment I would choose for young children.

For me, St. Julian’s is a good choice for families who want a comfortable hotel, a pool and a lively area around them. It is not the best universal choice for a family holiday in Malta. If this is your first trip to Malta and your main priorities are children, swimming in the sea and a calmer atmosphere, most families will be happier in Mellieħa or in some parts of St. Paul’s Bay. If you are mainly looking for a base with good connections for trips around Malta, I would also compare Gżira and Sliema.

If you arrive in the evening, with luggage or with tired children, the simplest option is to pre-book a transfer from the airport to St. Julian’s. The area is well connected, but after a flight with children it is usually more comfortable to go straight to your hotel than to deal with buses, changes, uphill walks with suitcases or choosing a taxi app.

If you are not sure whether you want a city-style or beach-focused holiday, start with this comparison of areas in Malta for families, where you can see the differences at a glance.

Recommended family hotels in St. Julian’s

In St. Julian’s, I would not rely only on star ratings. The exact location, surrounding noise, room type and whether the hotel offers proper family rooms rather than simply adding an extra bed to a standard room matter much more.

Which parts of St. Julian’s are best for families?

St. Julian’s is not one uniform area, and this is where many people make mistakes when choosing accommodation. On the map, everything looks close, but the atmosphere of each part is very different. For families, the key areas to understand are Balluta Bay, Spinola Bay, St George’s Bay and Paceville.

Balluta Bay: the best compromise for families

Balluta Bay sits on the border between Sliema and St. Julian’s. From a family perspective, it is often the most balanced choice in the whole area. You are still close to restaurants, the promenade and city life, but not directly in the centre of the nightlife. You also have good access towards Sliema, from where it is easy to continue by ferry to Valletta or by bus across the island.

If you want St. Julian’s but do not want to sleep in the middle of the nightlife, I would start with Balluta Bay. It is not a beach area for small children, but as a compromise between Sliema and St. Julian’s it works very well. You get the promenade, restaurants and transport within walking distance, but the atmosphere is noticeably calmer than around Paceville.

Spinola Bay: attractive and lively, but noisier at night

Spinola Bay is, in my view, the most attractive face of St. Julian’s. You have boats, waterfront restaurants and a pleasant atmosphere in the evening, as long as you do not mind a livelier environment. For families with older children, it can work well because everything is within walking distance – dinner, a stroll or an ice cream.

On the other hand, in peak season it gets crowded, restaurants are busy and the evening atmosphere can be noisy. If you are a light sleeper, travelling with small children or using a pushchair, choose your accommodation carefully and ideally slightly away from the main streets.

St George’s Bay: a small urban beach, not a quiet family area

St George’s Bay is a small sandy beach in St. Julian’s. On the map, it looks like a strong advantage, because many central areas of Malta do not have sandy beaches. In reality, however, it is more complicated. The beach is urban, very busy in season and closely connected to the nightlife and hotels in Paceville.

For teenagers or older children, St George’s Bay can be enjoyable for a day or two, but it is unlikely to be enough as the only beach for an entire holiday. For young children and full days by the sea, I would not consider St George’s Bay a reason to choose St. Julian’s over Mellieħa, where there are more swimming options nearby. If you want to see where Malta’s sandy beaches are located, read my overview of the best sandy beaches and attractions for children in Malta.

Paceville: an area I would avoid with children

Paceville is the centre of Malta’s nightlife. It has bars, clubs, noisy streets and plenty of alcohol-fuelled tourism, creating a completely different atmosphere at night than during the day. For young people travelling to Malta specifically for the nightlife, that may be exactly the point. For a family holiday with younger children, however, I would not recommend Paceville.

The problem is not just the noise, but the overall character of the area in the evening. In my view, you will often be happier in another part of St. Julian’s or in Sliema. When choosing a hotel in St. Julian’s, always check its distance from Paceville and the main streets lined with bars.

Is St. Julian’s suitable for toddlers, kids or teenagers?

With St. Julian’s, the age of your children matters more than in many other areas. I would not stay here with a toddler. With school-age children, it depends on the hotel and your plans. With teenagers, it can actually become one of the more enjoyable areas compared to a quiet resort in the north.

• 0–5 years: St. Julian’s would not be my first choice if you want to spend most of the holiday on a sandy beach. If you prefer a hotel pool, paddling pool and comfortable resort facilities, however, the larger hotels in the quieter parts of St. Julian’s can be a very good option. For families who want easy access to a sandy beach and swimming in the sea, I would still recommend Mellieħa instead.
• 6–10 years: St. Julian’s can work if you have a hotel with a pool and are not expecting a classic beach holiday, but are open to short trips.
• 11–15 years: the area becomes more interesting thanks to restaurants, the promenade, outings and a more urban atmosphere.
• 16+: St. Julian’s can be one of the most appealing areas for this age group, particularly if you want a livelier setting and do not want to spend your evenings in a completely quiet resort.

Simply put: the older your children are, the better St. Julian’s works. The younger they are, the more I would look for a calmer, more beach-oriented location.

Pros of staying in St. Julian’s with kids

• a wide selection of quality hotels with pools and better facilities
• a good central position between Sliema, Valletta and the northern part of the island
• many restaurants, cafés, shops and services within walking distance
• a lively evening atmosphere for families with older children
• easy walks around Spinola Bay and Balluta Bay
• good for families combining hotel comfort, short trips and city life

Cons of staying in St. Julian’s with kids

• parts of the area have a strong party atmosphere, especially Paceville
• it can be noisy in the evening, particularly in peak season
• St George’s Bay is a small urban beach, not ideal for a full family beach day
• accommodation is usually more expensive than in St. Paul’s Bay or northern areas
• parking can be difficult; if you rent a car, check hotel parking in advance
• other parts of Malta are more comfortable for small children and non-swimmers

St. Julian’s vs Sliema vs Mellieħa: where to stay with kids

St. Julian’s, Sliema and Mellieħa often end up in the same decision process, but in reality they are not interchangeable. Each suits a different type of holiday. Mellieħa works best for small children and beach time, Sliema for trips and transport, and St. Julian’s for older children, better hotel facilities and a livelier evening atmosphere.

If I were choosing for a family with small children, St. Julian’s would not be my first option. If I were travelling with older children and wanted a good hotel, a pool, restaurants and some evening life, I would focus mainly on Balluta Bay or on hotels outside the busiest parts of Paceville.

How to get around St. Julian’s (transport, buses & parking)

Without a car, St. Julian’s works relatively well, especially if you are moving towards Sliema, Valletta or along the main tourist routes. Buses run frequently, but in peak season they can be full and journeys across the island may take longer. If you plan to move around a lot, it is worth understanding how public transport in Malta works in advance.

With a car, the situation is more complicated. Parking in St. Julian’s can be frustrating in high season, especially in dense areas or near Paceville. If you plan to rent a car, choose a hotel with parking or a garage. Otherwise, what should be a comfortable base quickly turns into daily searching for a space.

For shorter distances, evening returns or airport arrivals, taxi apps often work well. You can find a full overview in this guide: Taxi in Malta: Bolt, eCabs, Uber and prices.

Things to do in St. Julian’s with kids

I would not come to St. Julian’s for sightseeing. I would treat it more as a hotel and evening base: pool during the day, a short trip or a transfer to Sliema or Valletta, and dinner out in the evening followed by a walk by the sea. With younger children, hotel facilities are key – pools, kids’ areas or animation programmes. With older children, the fact that something is happening in the evening starts to matter more.

If you do not want to organise transport yourself every day, one simple organised trip works well from this part of the island. I would not plan anything too demanding with children from St. Julian’s, but I would certainly recommend a cruise around Valletta’s harbours or a trip towards Comino and the Blue Lagoon.

• walks around Spinola Bay and Balluta Bay
• dinner by the sea or in one of the waterfront restaurants
• a short trip to Sliema and ferry to Valletta
• boat trip around Valletta’s harbours
• day trips to Valletta, the Three Cities or the north of the island
• hotel pool as the main base during hot summer days

In summer, expect the pool, air conditioning and shorter activities to play a big role during the day. Malta can be exhausting in July and August for both children and adults, so St. Julian’s works best when your hotel itself offers enough comfort and you do not need to organise long beach transfers every day.

How much do hotels in St. Julian’s cost?

St. Julian’s is one of the more expensive parts of Malta. You are paying for the central location, higher-category hotels, restaurants and proximity to nightlife. For families, the difference between a standard double room and a real family room is often significant, so prices can rise quickly.

• off-season: approximately €100–180 per night
• summer and school holidays: approximately €180–350 per night
• resort hotels and sea-view rooms can be significantly higher
• family rooms with pool facilities tend to sell out early in high season

If budget matters, compare St. Julian’s with Sliema and St. Paul’s Bay. For a similar price, you can often find a more practical location for families or a larger room elsewhere.

Tips for choosing a family hotel in St. Julian’s

• avoid accommodation directly in Paceville if travelling with children
• Balluta Bay or the quieter side towards Sliema is usually the best compromise
• check whether the hotel offers a real family room, not just an extra bed
• if renting a car, choose a hotel with parking
• with small children, expect most swimming to happen in the hotel pool
• if arriving in the evening, a pre-booked transfer is easier than public transport
• if your priority is a sandy beach, compare St. Julian’s with Mellieħa

Is St. Julian’s a good choice for a family holiday?

St. Julian’s can be a good choice for families, but it should not be the automatic first option. I would mainly consider it with older children or teenagers if you want a comfortable hotel, a pool, restaurants and a livelier evening atmosphere. With small children, I would lean towards Mellieħa; if day trips are the priority, Sliema or Gżira; and if you want better value for money, St. Paul’s Bay.

The biggest mistake is choosing St. Julian’s just because it is well known and looks central on the map. Here, the exact area, hotel and the age of your children really matter. If you pick Balluta Bay or a well-located hotel outside the busiest streets, your stay can be very comfortable. If you end up too close to Paceville while expecting a calm family holiday, you will likely be disappointed.

If this comparison has convinced you that St. Julian’s is the right choice for your family, do not choose a hotel on price alone. In this area, it is worth paying for a better location, a pool and quieter surroundings rather than ending up too close to Paceville. You can check current prices and available family rooms here.

What to book after choosing your hotel in St. Julian’s

Once you have chosen your accommodation, the remaining tasks are arranging transport from the airport and making a basic plan for your stay. If you arrive in the evening or with tired children, the most comfortable option is to book your airport transfer in advance and travel directly to the hotel. For everyday journeys, you can then combine public transport in Malta with taxi apps.

You do not need to plan an activity for every day. In St. Julian’s, alternating time by the hotel pool and short walks with one or two pre-booked trips works well — for example, a cruise around Valletta’s harbours or a trip to Comino and the Blue Lagoon.