Island of Malta holiday farmhouse: Gharghur

My wife and I rented this property as a last minute getaway and were very pleased with it. Joe, the owner, was by far the most helpful and accomodating of all the owners I dealt with when trying to find somewhere at short notice - and he bent over backwards to organise things for us even though he was on holiday at the time himself!

The property is on the SW outskirts of the village of Gharghur, and provided an excellent base from which to explore Malta. Although you wouldn't have to have a car, as bus stops are nearby, we'd recommend it. There is an excellent local mini-mart 2 minutes walk up the road and the combination of the outdoor BBQ and good kitchen meant we really enjoyed staying in.

The house itself is big, spacious and naturally cool with stone floors and walls. The rooms are all large and airy unlike a lot of the properties we looked at in the main tourist locations. The courtyard in the picures is all the outdoor space available which may be an issue if you've got older kids, but it's surrounded on all sides by wall/buildings which would be good for small kids.

The only slight disappointment for us was the building work that was taking place next door (as it is in most places in Malta). However, it won't last indefinitely, and wasn't enough to spoil the holiday. Although the property is surrounded on all sides by other dwellings it still felt secluded and private.

If you're looking for a spacious property with some character, run by an ideal owner, look no further.