At £911.29 a night, the three-star New Alexandra Palace Hotel in St Julian’s is, without doubt, Malta’s most expensive hotel. If one books through Ryanair’s website, that is, the website travelmalta.com reported.

On Friday 23 March, the price for the night of 7 April was quoted as £911.29 for two adults at the New Alexandra Palace on half-board basis (see screen shot above left). A second night, Easter Sunday, was quoted at the more reasonable £50.55. Of course, there was an additional £44.47 taxes and service fees to add per night. Grand total for two nights was £1,050.78 or Lm667.45. Ryanair also requires that full payment is made when making a hotel reservation.

Scanning Ryanair.com for accommodation in Malta on 7 and 8 April one is offered, for instance, £190 a night on an all-inclusive basis at the five-star Fortina Spa Resort. A room at the four-star Riviera Resort and Spa, on a B&B basis was £75 a night, £27 at the three-star Sunflower and £183 at the four-star San Antonio Hotel and Spa.

At the New Alexandra Palace, meantime, the price listed is £729.58 for 7 April, plummeting to £34.16 on 8 April. And taxes have dropped to £35.30 per night (see screenshot above right).

However, on phoning the hotel, Island Travel Trader Online was told the property was fully booked on 7 April, but a double room was available for Sunday, 8 April. Price tag: Lm20 (£31.49), inclusive of breakfast.

The New Alexandra Palace’s price on Ryanair’s site is claimed to be an “E-Special Rate”. These, claims the Irish low cost carrier, are rates “negotiated” by its “dedicated team” at “savings up to 50 per cent off regular rates... you’ll always find a great hotel at a great price”.