Sam Teesdale jetted off to Malta for a winter break, staying at the AX Odycy hotel. He went to check out the island’s reputation at great for catching the winter rays
The small island country of Malta, found between Italy and North Africa, has long been regarded as one of the best places to get away for some winter sun.
With affordable flights, a flight time of around three hours, and close ties to Britain, it’s no wonder that it’s ranked number one on easyJet’s top winter getaways for 2025. But, there are, of course, wins and trade-offs with winter holidays.
Yes, the crowds on a winter getaway are a fraction of what they are in the high-season, but then again, so are the temperatures. It’s a mixed bag. Which is why I set off to stay at the all-inclusive AX Odycy hotel, to see whether a winter getaway was worth the hassle and cash.
The weather
With December looming on the horizon, the weather was understandably up and down. There were rainbows, downpours, thunderstorms, sea winds of 50mph and also, some moments of glorious sunshine.
So, while it was most definitely a climatological smorgasbord, Malta was undoubtedly warmer than Blighty. As is always the case with holidays, the final day, which was spent in the airport, saw completely clear skies and a lovely temperature of 20 degrees. Such is life.
Sunbathing
Sunbathing is indeed possible in the late November Malta sun, weather permitting, but whether you’ll see the all-important tan lines appear is a different question. Temperatures reached a cool high of 17 degrees, but, coupled with some fairly relentless winds and sporadic rain bursts, it made for some of the less balmy sun-worshipping experiences I’ve had in my life.
However, it is most definitely warmer and more enjoyable than braving the UK’s measly end-of-November highs of five degrees. So, yes, sunbathing is possible. You will just have to wrap up warm.
Swimming in (unheated) hotel pools
For this, I will have to assign a 1/10 on the enjoyment scale. Although the AX Odycy was blessed to have a lovely heated indoor pool, this was not the case for the numerous rooftop pools. It’s humbling when the brut served at breakfast is warmer than the outdoor pool water. I naively thought that as a hardy Lincolnshire-native, I could firm a quick dip in 15-degree water. So I put my nervous system’s cold shock response to good use, and after some undignified guttural breathing, I decided that swimming was not on the agenda in winter.
Hot tubs
The hot tubs at AX were brilliant, with no notes to report. After a while, it does essentially feel like you’re sitting in a big bowl of human soup, but still, anything is a blessing after the Arctic plunge of the non-heated pools. Opportunities were scarce to have the jacuzzi to yourself, with fellow Brits understandably hogging the coveted warmth of the hot tubs.
Sitting at the ‘beach’
‘Beach’ may be a bit of a misnomer as the beaches near the hotel consisted mainly of jagged limestone. The water was not much warmer than the rooftop pools, so yes, while you can sit at the beach, it most certainly won’t live up to the Euro-summer images you probably had in mind.
Visiting tourist sites
Now, this is an often-overlooked but important factor in winter getaways. I had the distinct sense both in the hotel and out and about that the crowds were a fraction of the size normally seen in high season. My visit to Disney film-set-turned-living-museum, Popeye Village was a similar experience, and I was able to roam unabated by the throngs of tourists one normally encounters on a typical high-season holiday.
Dining
Dining both in and outside of the resort was notably different from a summer holiday. Although I had never visited before, AX Odycy had a quieter atmosphere and dining was similarly subdued.
The hotel was not empty by any stretch, and it still enjoyed a good number of guests, but there were no notable instances of queues and lots of room and time to dine leisurely without the constant barging and overstimulation normally expected at an all-inclusive.
Prices
Finally, the prices. As it was low season and during term time, the prices were incredibly good value. Popeye Village cost just £13 to spend all day there, with minigolf and popcorn included, while AX Odycy’s stunning Junior Suite, complete with private wraparound balcony, came in at £750 per person.
The holiday offered great bang for my buck, so it’s no wonder Malta has become such a popular destination for Brits looking to warm their cockles over the winter months.
Book it
Lastminute.com offers convenient, great-value package deals. Its January Sale starts at the end of December. A six-night stay for two adults in the 4* AX ODYCY in Qawra, Malta from 12 to 18 January costs from £199 per person, with flights from Manchester included.