We were only here for a few days, but we absolutely loved it and, if we ever return to Malta, would have no hesitation in rebooking this wonderfully quirky bungalow in the middle of the countryside. The owner, John, was as welcoming, generous, respectful and helpful as we could have wished for (we were even treated to some delicious home-grown prickly pears from his fruit orchard next door … something we’d never tried before but I highly recommend them), but at no time was he intrusive, very much leaving us to enjoy our minibreak in our own way. The bungalow’s remote location means that hiring a car is essential and we were grateful for John’s advice to save money by hiring a very small one; when we first saw the long, narrow, walled entrance lane and ninety-degree corners, we fully understood why (don’t rent a minibus!). Earlier I described the bungalow as “quirky”: it has a traditional and rustic charm, brilliantly contrasted by having a space-age shower bath that doubles as a mini disco (I’m not kidding: lights, music, the works!), a sauna (which we didn’t use because the weather was so HOT!), and every modern appliance we needed to enjoy our stay, including a fully functioning wi-fi. Outside is a large south-facing patio, with a pool that was clean and deep (if you have young kids, bring some waterwings), a barbecue, a pizza oven … together with plenty of wood which John said would be okay for us to use in addition to charcoal. He also said it would be okay for us to play music outside if we wanted to, as there are no immediate neighbours; so we did! I have no idea if the aviary of budgerigars and finches appreciated our musical taste, but they chatted and chirped cheerfully from dawn to dusk (you might want to bear this in mind if you’re looking for a silent retreat to write your next novel!). We did go out on brief trips: to the shop, to the beach, to a fishing village … but to be honest, we were just as happy hanging around the bungalow such is its appeal.