Nestled within the quiet, tree-lined streets of Attard—one of Malta’s historic "Three Villages"—Casa Bonavita has officially unveiled its flagship luxury accommodation: The Folly Suite.
Housed inside a meticulously restored 18th-century palazzo, Casa Bonavita functions as an ultra-exclusive 17-room boutique sanctuary designed by Christopher and Suzanne Sharp, co-founders of the renowned luxury brand The Rug Company. Operating behind discreet, limestone-washed perimeter walls, the property blends the atmosphere of a private ancestral estate with world-class hospitality standards.
The newly introduced Folly Suite represents the pinnacle of the estate’s design vision. Key details of the new suite include:
Architectural Origin: A standalone, oval-shaped structure built in 1890 as a garden folly.
Property Footprint: Features a secluded private pool, private garden lush with date palms and flowering bougainvillea, a master bedroom, a walk-in closet, an intricately tiled bathroom, and a private rooftop terrace.
Interior Design Highlights: Hand-painted trompe-l’œil mural drapery on the walls creating a tent-like ambiance; custom and vintage furnishings including antique Casa Pupo lamps, a four-poster bed, and bespoke sofas crafted locally in Rabat.
Nightly Rates: Starting at €2,000 per night.
Design Collaborators: Conceived by Suzanne Sharp Studio alongside Italian decorative artists Alfonso Orombelli and Luna Aulehla Greppi.
The opening marks a key milestone in Malta’s luxury hospitality sector, catering to high-net-worth travelers seeking privacy, architectural authenticity, and artisanal design outside the island’s high-density coastal tourist zones.
Chronology
The development of Casa Bonavita and its newly launched suite spans more than two centuries of architectural evolution and over a decade of personal design stewardship.
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| CHRONOLOGY OF CASA BONAVITA & THE FOLLY SUITE |
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| 18th Century | Construction of the main palazzo in Attard as a noble estate. |
| 1890 | Erection of the oval garden folly within the estate's grounds. |
| 2010–2014 | Acquisition of the property by Christopher and Suzanne Sharp. |
| 2014–2023 | Multi-year adaptive reuse, structural stabilization, and redesign. |
| Present | Public debut of Casa Bonavita (17 keys) and launch of The Folly. |
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The 18th Century: Palazzo Foundations
The main residence of Casa Bonavita was constructed during the height of the Baroque influence in Malta under the rule of the Knights of St. John. Situated in Attard—a village historically favored by Maltese nobility and clergy for its temperate microclimate and citrus orchards—the estate served as a private residence built from local Globigerina limestone.
1890: The Creation of the Folly
During the late Victorian period, as European landscape gardening trends favored romantic and whimsical structures, the estate’s owners added an oval-shaped garden folly in the grounds. Designed purely as an aesthetic ornament and sanctuary for leisure, this building remained largely untouched in layout for over a century.
2010s: Acquisition and Vision
Over ten years ago, Christopher and Suzanne Sharp acquired the palazzo. Drawn by Suzanne’s personal Maltese heritage, the couple embarked on a multi-phase restoration. The objective was to create an intimate luxury retreat that honored traditional Maltese vernacular architecture while incorporating global design elements.
Present Day: The Unveiling of The Folly Suite
Following years of specialized restoration of the main building, the Sharp design team completed work on the standalone 1890 garden structure. With the debut of The Folly Suite this month, the estate reaches full operational capacity, offering its complete 17-room inventory to international guests.
Supporting Data
The transformation of Casa Bonavita from a private residential heritage site into a luxury boutique hotel reflects calculated spatial planning, artistic investment, and market positioning within the Mediterranean luxury market.
Estate and Suite Specifications
Metric / Feature
Estate Baseline
The Folly Suite Specifications
Total Room Inventory
17 Guest Rooms & Suites
1 Standalone Suite
Building Footprint Geometry
Traditional Quadrangle Palazzo
Oval Structure
Private Amenities
Central Courtyard, Shared Pool
Private Pool, Private Garden, Rooftop Terrace
Base Nightly Rate
Variable Luxury Tier
Starting from €2,000 / night
Primary Architectural Material
Maltese Globigerina Limestone
Maltese Limestone & Hand-painted Fresco Interior
Key Artistic Elements
Curated Curios & Custom Textiles
Freehand Trompe-l’œil Mural, Checkerboard Floors
Interior Craftsmanship and Sourcing Metrics
The design philosophy within The Folly Suite relies heavily on antique sourcing and hyper-local craftsmanship:
Antique Content: Approximately 90% of the interior furnishings are restored vintage or antique pieces individually sourced across Europe. Key highlight pieces—such as the suite’s executive writing desk—were selected from Christopher and Suzanne Sharp’s personal private collection.
Local Manufacturing Integration: To support Maltese manufacturing traditions, the Sharps partnered with historic upholstery and interior firm Camilleri Paris Mode, located in nearby Rabat, Malta, to produce custom-tailored sofas designed specifically for the suite’s unique oval walls.
Onsite Artistic Execution: The trompe-l’œil drapery wall murals were executed entirely onsite by Italian painters Alfonso Orombelli and Luna Aulehla Greppi. Working without pre-printed guides or projection templates, the painters worked directly onto the curved plaster, creating an organic, improvisational, canvas-tent visual illusion.
Official Responses and Statements
The design philosophy behind Casa Bonavita and The Folly Suite stems directly from the creative vision of its owners and artistic collaborators.
Suzanne Sharp, co-founder of The Rug Company and lead creative force behind Suzanne Sharp Studio, emphasized the delicate balance between architectural preservation and lighthearted design whim:
"It is a tiny, slightly eccentric building from another time, and we wanted to preserve that sense of fantasy while making it somewhere incredibly comfortable."
— Suzanne Sharp, Design Director and Co-Owner of Casa Bonavita
The decision to commission freehand murals rather than structured, symmetrical patterns was central to maintaining the historic integrity of the late-19th-century building. According to the design team, working with artists Alfonso Orombelli and Luna Aulehla Greppi allowed the curved, non-standard proportions of the oval structure to dictate the rhythm of the artwork:
Design Concept: The trompe-l’œil effect mimics draped fabric, paying homage to traditional royal pavilion tents while softening the hard stone surfaces of the historical structure.
Improvisational Technique: By avoiding rigid measurement templates during application, the artists achieved an aged, soft-focus finish that complements the antique furnishings, including the central four-poster bed and vintage Casa Pupo table lamps.
Implications and Market Context
The debut of Casa Bonavita’s Folly Suite carries broader implications for Malta’s tourism strategy, architectural conservation models, and trends in design-led hospitality.
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| STRATEGIC IMPACT OF CASA BONAVITA ON REGIONAL TOURISM |
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| 1. DIVERSIFICATION | Shifts luxury travel away from high-density coastal zones. |
| 2. CONSERVATION | Demonstrates sustainable adaptive reuse for historic palazzos.|
| 3. HIGH-YIELD TRAVEL| Attracts ultra-high-net-worth travelers (€2,000/night tier). |
| 4. CULTURAL DIPLOMACY| Elevates local craftsmanship (e.g., Maltese furniture houses).|
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1. Elevation of Malta’s High-Yield Tourism Sector
Historically recognized as a Mediterranean destination for cruise ships and sun-and-sea package tourism, Malta has actively sought to redefine its tourism portfolio toward high-yield, culturally immersive travel. Properties like Casa Bonavita—charging rates starting at €2,000 per night for top-tier accommodations—position the island to compete directly with boutique luxury strongholds in Tuscany, Provence, and the Balearic Islands.
2. Preservation through Adaptive Reuse
The successful conversion of an 1890 garden folly into a modern luxury suite demonstrates a viable economic model for heritage preservation in Malta. The island’s historic inland towns contain numerous 17th- to 19th-century structures that face structural decay or demolition pressure. Private, design-led conversions provide the necessary capital to preserve delicate Globigerina limestone structures while maintaining the architectural character of the "Three Villages" (Attard, Balzan, and Lija).
3. The Trend of Designer-Led Hospitality
Casa Bonavita highlights an ongoing global trend where prominent interior and textile designers transition into hoteliers. Following the success of design-led hotels in Europe and North America, Christopher and Suzanne Sharp’s application of textile expertise, custom flooring, and antique curation elevates the property from a standard commercial hotel to a living showroom of high design.
4. Supporting Local Artisanal Ecosystems
By commissioning custom furniture from historic local operations like Camilleri Paris Mode in Rabat alongside international fine artists, the project sets a precedent for modern hotel development in Malta: integrating local suppliers directly into top-tier luxury supply chains, thereby preserving regional craftsmanship for future generations.
With reservations now officially open, Casa Bonavita’s Folly Suite establishes a new benchmark for private, design-centric luxury in the central Mediterranean.
