These Mediterranean Islands Are Where You Really Should Be Booking Your Next Vacation

A new wave of hotels in Malta, Sicily and Bendor open for the design-savvy travelerA view of the Sicilian coast from Belmond’s Villa Timeo.Photo: Salva Lopez/BelmondMaltaThe new Romègas hotel in the Maltese capital of Valletta Courtesy M CollectiveAt the crossroads of civilizations, this island nation has long lured design buffs with its walled villages, fairy-tale architecture, and mix of Arab and European influences. Suzanne and Christopher Sharp, founders of The Rug Company, have channeled that idiosyncratic spirit at Casa Bonavita, arguably this summer’s most buzzed-about accommodations (casabonavita.com). Occupying a historic residence in the central village of Attard, its new guesthouse features 17 unique rooms plus a magnificent restaurant, palm-fringed pools, garden, and spa. Centuries-old stonework sets the stage for eclectic furnishings, among them antiques, ceramics by the nearby pottery studio Villa Bologna, and, in the divine bar, a hand-painted de Gournay mural that depicts 17th-century Valletta. And speaking of the Maltese capital: The new Romègas Hotel introduces overdue boutique lodgings to the bustling port, with 22 rooms and suites inside a nearly 450-year-old palazzo (romegashotel.com). EM Architects and interior-design studio Camilleri Paris Mode have woven together past and present, restoring the edifice while injecting contemporary comforts like a rooftop pool. For New Yorkers, a new direct Delta flight makes it all the easier to get there. —Sam CochranThe Breakfast room at Casa Bonavita in the Maltese village of Attard. Photo: Boz Gagovski/Art: Mary Fedden, Calude Bonin Pissarro © 2026 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.A guest bath at Casa Bonavita. Photo: Boz GagovskiBendor, FranceThe reception area at Zannier Île de Bendor. Photo: DePasquale MaffiniIn 1950, Paul Ricard, the French entrepreneur who invented Ricard pastis, used the fortune he made from his signature aperitif to buy an island near Marseille called Bendor, transforming its 17 acres into a Provençal hamlet. He hosted famous friends and artists like Josephine Baker and Salvador Dalí, and welcomed the public for day trips via a seven-minute ferry ride. After Ricard’s death in 1997, Bendor fell into disrepair, and in 2021, it closed. Since then, his great-grandson, Marc de Jouffroy, and French hotelier Arnaud Zannier of Zannier Hotels group, have worked together to bring it back to life. Opened on May 1, the new Zannier Île de Bendor is a five-star resort, with a restored 1960s waterfront hotel, five duplex fishermen’s cottages with private gardens, a wellness center, and myriad dining options led by acclaimed chef Lionel Levy. As in Ricard’s day, there are also art studios, galleries, outdoor installations, a beach club, a diving center, hiking trails, and an outdoor theater—all open to the public. zannierhotels.com —Dana ThomasThe courtyard pool Photo: DePasquale MaffiniCeramic plates adorn Nonna Bazaar restaurant. Photo: DePasquale MaffiniSicilyA bedside vignette Photo: Salva Lopez/BelmondA duplex suite at Villa Timeo, refreshed by AD100 designer Laura Gonzalez. Photo: Salva Lopez/BelmondLaura Gonzalez has spent many summers on Sicily, soaking up the Baroque architecture and traditional craft. So when Belmond asked the AD100 talent to reimagine Villa Timeo in Taormina, she didn’t have to look far for inspiration. Constructed in the late 19th century, the erstwhile residence joined Grand Hotel Timeo in 1929 when the properties’ owners married. Gonzalez has now revamped the lobby, created a private bar, lined the pool with blue-and-white tiles, and added a shady pergola on the terrace. The 21 bedrooms and suites, meanwhile, mix vintage pieces sourced from local flea markets with bespoke furnishings brought to life by Sicilian artisans. (Her favorites include ceramic lamps by studio Le Malagioie.) “I wanted to keep the soul of Sicily but to have a feeling you’re going to your own house,” Gonzalez reflects of the property, now nearing completion. “Taormina is very busy in the summer, but this is a calm retreat.” belmond.com —Laura ItzkowitzThis story appears in the September issue. Never miss a story when you subscribe to AD.Not a subscriber? Join AD for print and digital access now.Sign up for our daily newsletter to get the best of design in your inbox.Sam Cochran currently serves as the brand’s Global Features Director. In that role he shepherds coverage of design, culture, travel, and architecture news for the print magazine while contributing to all of AD’s international platforms, editorial initiatives, and events. Sam is also the author of the upcoming book American Designers ... Read MoreLaura is a freelance journalist based in Rome with a passion for covering travel, arts and culture, lifestyle, design, food and wine. Her writing has appeared in Travel + Leisure, Interior Design Magazine, Surface Magazine, Vogue, House Beautiful, Departures, AFAR, Fodor's Travel, Food & Wine, Condé Nast Traveler, Robb Report, ... Read More