Introduction

The Phoenicia is the grande dame of hotels in Malta. Construction of the building started in 1930, making it the oldest hotel on the island still in operation. As you may have noticed, I have a bit of a weakness for these grand old hotels that have a rich tradition to draw on – places like the Majapahit in Surabaya or the Raffles Hotel in Singapore. And I would certainly put The Phoenicia in that category.

Location

The Phoenicia sits near the Triton Fountain, opposite Valletta City Gate, which is the main pedestrian entrance into the capital via a footbridge across the ditch that connects St. John’s Cavalier to St. James’. In as much, the hotel is technically in Floriana, and not in Valletta.

The hotel is surrounded by an extensive, lush garden that runs along St. John’s ditch. At the far end of the garden is the pool area, which is available only to hotel guests. From the pool area there are some good views of Marsamxett harbour in the distance.

Reception

The Phoenicia was built in the colonial style, and fortunately, the hotel’s owners over the years have attempted to retain the hotel’s old world charm. This is noticeable, for example, in the fact that reception is not immediately facing the main entrance, as it usually is in modern hotels, but off to the left, behind the concierge’s desk, which is where it has been ever since the hotel opened.

Upon arrival, there are quite a few people checking out. The concierge asks me to take a seat in the lounge while I wait, and assures me he’ll take care of the luggage. While I wait, he brings me a welcome icy cold towel scented with Acqua di Parma’s Blu Mediterrano Arancia di Capri.

As it isn’t even lunchtime yet, my room is not ready. So the lady at reception invites me to follow her into the Palm Court Lounge for a complimentary drink while I wait. Of course I have a Diet Kinnie.

Service & Staff

The staff at the hotel are all very friendly. What is noticeable this time, though, is that there’s a lot of new staff from the Indian subcontinent and Asia. Sometimes it still catches me off guard to think that people would be willing to come to Malta for work. In the old days, that was quite different – everyone who had the chance left.

Superior Double Room with City View

I’ve booked a superior room with city view on the top floor of the hotel. The fourth floor was only added a few years ago, when the hotel was closed for two years for renovation.

The new owners made sure to retain the Maltese character of the hotel. For example, instead of lush carpets in the rooms, they kept the original tiled floors, which are typical of Maltese houses.

My room is kept in shades of cool blue and dark brown, a combination which, surprisingly, works better than you’d expect. The bed is rather high. Sitting on the edge of the mattress, my feet don’t reach the ground. The mattress itself is excellent and rather firm!

Opposite the bed is a small desk and the television mounted on the wall. There’s also a small coffee table with magazines and a chair beside it.

The bathroom is modern. It actually has a full size bath. Walk-in showers are only available in the suites. In terms of the tried and tested Knight of Malta shower test, the water volume and pressure are good. However, there is some spillage.

The room has a small balcony that is large enough for a small table and two chairs. The view is stupendous, looking out towards the war memorial, the Grand Harbour and the Three Cities – Birgu, Bormla, and Isla.

Amenities

When I arrive in the room, there’s a bottle of prosecco in an ice bucket with a note from reception welcoming me back to the hotel and a voucher I can spend at the spa, which is a nice gesture.

Other than the welcome gift, the room has slippers and bathrobes. There’s also a kettle for tea and coffee and the minibar is complimentary and replenished daily. It contains still water, soft drinks and the Maltese Cisk Lager.

In the bathroom, cosmetics are by Acqua di Parma – shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, body lotion and hand soap.

There’s an evening turn down service for this room category, which is quite impressive because as part of the turn down service, they clean the bathroom again and make the bed, in addition to placing a small chocolate and still water by the bed.

Dining

There are several dining options at The Phoenicia:

• The Bastion pool side restaurant
• The Club bar
• La Contessa restaurant
• The Palm Court lounge
• The Beef Bar bistro

The main restaurant is La Contessa, on the ground floor, which is also where breakfast is served. La Contessa has a gorgeous balcony overlooking the bastions and the garden below. Having breakfast out here on the balcony is always a highlight of any stay at The Phoenicia.

The breakfast is rather good. There is a large buffet with local produce. Then there’s a separate buffet for the hot dishes. Additional items can be ordered from the à la carte menu.

Then there’s the previously mentioned Palm Court Lounge, which serves snacks throughout the day and also does a good, very traditional afternoon tea – in case you’re wondering…

Originally, the Palm Court was open to the sky and there actually were palm trees that provided protection from the sun with their large fanning leaves. However, in the mid 1960s the court yard was covered by a permanent roof.

Conclusion

I always enjoy staying at The Phoenicia. Its location near Valletta City Gate makes it the perfect base from which to explore the island. I also like the hotel’s colonial style. One thing that always amazes me about Malta, is how quickly it changes – which is good and bad. But whatever happens, The Phoenicia remains this immutable presence. It’s been there ever since I can remember, and it has gracefully moved with the times, but without losing its identity. I really shouldn’t have stayed away for so long!