Youthful spirit
17-Jan-08
Malta has managed, in recent years, to promote with success its diving, its lively festivals and its history. Now, it is focusing on the luxury market.
"It is one of the areas in which we have had to do the most work," admits Chris Fenech, director, UK & Ireland, Malta Tourism Authority (MTA). "We can't compete with places such as Monte Carlo, but we are attracting, for example, Italians who don't want to pay for Sardinia's Costa Smeralda and are choosing Malta over places such as Sicily. We call it affordable luxury."
The problem is that while Italians and Germans perceive Malta for what it is - a place with great food and wine, superb accommodation and a rich history - many British still see it as a bucket-and-spade destination. "We don't want to be seen as an over-60s place," says Fenech. "So to attract luxury visitors, we are focusing on several areas: spa and wellness; cruising - because people who come for a day are likely to come back; yachting and casinos; and promoting our five-star hotels."
This approach is beginning to pay off. High-end tour operators are starting to notice the island. Cox & Kings has just included Malta for the first time, while Classic Collection added the destination to its winter 2007 brochure. "We have identified it as a destination that has a selection of luxury properties," says Gary Boyer, head of commercial & purchasing at Classic Collection. "Malta is absolutely steeped in history. There's now a very wide choice of luxury properties in Malta and neighbouring Gozo. Classic Collection featuring it for the first time is a clear sign that Malta has lots to offer in the luxury market."
Access, once dominated by British Airways and Air Malta, is also improving. An abundance of low-cost flights is bringing younger visitors; and Ryanair, EasyJet (using the former GB Airways route), Globespan from Glasgow and Flyforbeans - which is planning to start a new service from Cardiff in 2008 - are now opening up the island to the weekend break market.
Meanwhile, Malta's spa product continues to grow, which by nature attracts luxury visitors, and the MTA has just launched its Malta Healthcare initiative, which aims to attract 50,000 'medical' tourists from the UK annually, for anything from botox and facial peels to full cosmetic and orthopaedic surgery.
The cultural side of life on the island has always been lively but is now attracting more attention. The annual Arts Festival from late July to mid August brings touring orchestras, opera, art exhibitions and recitals (www.maltaculture.com), while outdoor opera is held on a floating stage at the glamorous Portomaso development in St Julians.
Malta already has a club scene, at the neon-lit Paceville area, but is developing a more upmarket appeal with venues such as Club 22 at the top of the Portomaso tower, an exclusive, over-25s lounge, and Mocha at the Radisson SAS Golden Sands.
The island has its fair share of celebrity fans - Enrique Iglesias, Maroon 5 and Bob Geldof have stayed at the Radisson SAS Golden Sands, while Bryan Adams and Jose Carerras have apent time at Le Meridien at St Julians. Sean Connery and Jacques Chirac, meanwhile, opted for the quieter surroundings of Ta' Cenc hotel in Gozo. WHAT'S NEW TO DO
Malta has a thriving equestrian scene, with regular trotting races and a busy dressage, show jumping and polo community. A lot of local horses are used as extras in films. There are good riding stables but for an inside contact, speak to Dunstan Vella, guide, film extra and dressage instructor, who can match riders up with the owners of some of the island's top horses. +356 79 336 436.
Harbour Air Seaplanes started operation in July 2007, running a scheduled service between Malta and Gozo and scenic tours around the Maltese Islands, including private charters. The company is a partner of Harbour Air Inc. in Canada, the largest all-seaplanes operator in the world. The aircraft seats 14. www.harbour airmalta.com
Malta has a serious opera-loving community, expanding daily thanks to the growing fame of Maltese tenor Joseph Calleja, tipped to be the next Pavarotti. There are also visiting ballet companies including the Bolshoi and the Kirov, plus the oldest baroque theatre in Europe, the Manoel Theatre. www.aboutmalta.com.
Maltese wine has definitely improved immeasurably over the years. The best is Grand Maitre, produced by Marsovin (www.marsovin.com) and named each year after a different Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, and only 10,000 bottles are produced annually.
Like Rome and Paris, Malta has a Notte Bianca (white night) in October, where everything stays open all night and there are up to 80 artistic and cultural events in Valletta www.nottebiancamalta.com.
A hip thing to do is to take the ferry or the float plane to Gozo, have dinner at the harbour and then go to Grotta, a classy bar/nightclub deep in the countryside, reminiscent of Ibiza's top clubs, and attracting top international DJs.
Gozo is dotted with beautiful stone farmhouses, many of which are available to rent. "We can provide a cook and babysitting facilities," says Carmen Dajada, office manager of Gozo Prestige Farmhouses. Gozo is so discreet that even one of the British royals is rumoured to come here for farmhouse parties, arriving by yacht. www.gozoprestigeholidays.com
HOTELS
The brand new, 426-room Excelsior Grand Hotel (www.excelsior.com.mt) in Floriana is a good option for the business market as well as the yachting community (it has its own marina). In fashionable Sliema, The Palace (www.thepalacemalta.com) is a boutique hotel that's bound to attract a celebrity following, thanks to its lavish themed suites. The property opened in August 2007 and has all the ingredients of a 'designer' hotel: an infinity pool on the roof next to a new Asian restaurant, TemptAsian. The hotel is currently building a replica of the beautiful Palazzo Capua in its grounds, which will contain a further eight suites.
The Hilton (www.hilton.com) at the lively Portomaso development is adding 100 rooms and expanding its spa. Residential property in this upmarket mix of hotel, marina and apartments is selling like hot cakes, with potential buyers allegedly including David and Victoria Beckham, Madonna, Joan Collins and Sean Connery.
Le Meridien at St Julians (www.lemeridien.com/stjulians) has established itself as an arty, stylish property and has gone out of its way to host local art exhibitions and aims for a younger, trendy crowd with selling points such as its glamorous Ku De Ta lounge, the rooftop pool and its Indonesian-themed Lotus Spa, with artefacts brought over from Asia.
The Fortina Spa Resort (www.hotelfortina.com), meanwhile, continues to invest in its facilities, with state-of-the-art equipment, designed for rehabilitation as well as beauty treatments.Gozo hotels have a much shorter season, but the 122-room Kempinski San Lawrenz (www.kempinski-gozo.com) uses its spa to attract winter visitors, offering packages from three to 21 days as well as pre- and post-natal care.
Gozo also has a huge choice of old, stone buildings, which have been revamped, with pools, outdoor barbecues and spacious living areas. Gozo Prestige Holidays (www.gozoprestigeholidays.com), which works with Simply Travel, among others, has properties with two to six bedrooms, while MaltaChoice (www.maltachoice.com) has the island's first stone farmhouses with indoor pools as a way of tackling the short season.
BEST ROOM IN THE HOUSE
HEAVENLY SUITE 2102, RADISSON SAS GOLDEN SANDS
Why: Features wraparound views, a wooden hot tub on the vast terrace and a private chef.
Client fit: Honeymooners, chief executives for conference business, recluses.
Price: EUR410 (£293) per night in winter to EUR675 (£482) in summer.
Contact: www.islandhotels.com
TRULLO SUITE, TA CENC
Why: One of eight domed suites, featuring a circular living area with stone floors and a corbelled ceiling. The suites have views of the countryside.
Client fit: Older couples looking for privacy.
Price: EUR105-EUR140 (£75-£100) per person B&B.
Contact: www.vjborg.com
THE MUSIC SUITE, THE PALACE, SLIEMA
Why: The suite is all black and white, stark but opulent, with a full drum kit in the corner and black and white framed prints of great musicians.
Client fit: Celebrities, city types on short breaks, music-lovers.
Price: EUR669 (£478) per room per night.
Contact: www.thepalacesliemahotel.com
THERAPEUTIC SPA BEDROOMS, HOTEL FORTINA RESORT AND SPA
Why: The suites have a jacuzzi by the bed, a spa bath and steam room.
Client fit: Honeymooners, spa fanatics.
Price: Approx EUR293 (£210) per person per night.
Contact: www.hotelfortina.com
ROOM 15, XARA PALACE, MDINA
Why: There is a teak deck on the rooftop of this 17th century palace, with spa bath and views across the whole island.
Client fit: Honeymooners, historians.
Price: Approx EUR360 (£257) per room.
Contact: www.xarapalace.com.mt
WHERE TO EAT & DRINK
TASTE, HOTEL FORTINA RESORT & SPA
Setting: By the pool, amid palm trees.
Best dish: Any of the Vietnamese dishes - crab and prawn cakes with pineapple salsa.
Best table: Outside, by the pool.
Contact: www.hotelfortina.com
PALAZZO SANTA ROSA, GOZO
Setting: Deep in the countryside near the Gozo ferry. Arrive by private yacht. Indoors is rustic but sophisticated; outdoors is quiet and romantic.
Best dish: A detailed and slightly eccentric menu features dishes such as sea urchins, or risotto with porcini and cognac.
Best table: Any table closest to the beach.
Contact: +356 2158 2736
IL MITHNA, MELLIEHA
Setting: In a 17th century windmill.
Best dish: Duck breast with honey, five spice, ginger, fig and an apricot and orange marmalade.
Best table: On the quieter upper terrace, in the private room, or by the wine cellar.
Contact: +356 2152 0404
THE ARCHES, MELLIEHA
Setting: Indoors, with a smart, red interior showcasing its wine collection
Best dish: Pumpkin tart with Amaretto, or local fish in a champagne sauce on a bed of spinach.
Best table: At the back, by the wine cellar.
Contact: www.thearchesmalta.com
TA' FRENC, IN THE GOZO COUNTRYSIDE
Setting: Formal restaurant in 17th century farmhouse with its own herb garden.
Best dish: Corn-fed chicken with the breast in a herb sauce and the leg on a leaf and herb salad.
Best table: The private dining room in the cellar has a vaulted ceiling.
Contact: www.tafrencrestaurant.com
BUYER'S COMMENT
PAUL O'BERG, OWNER, MALTACHOICE.COM
Ten or 15 years ago, I wouldn't have said Malta was a luxury destination, but it is now. There has been massive investment and the infrastructure is coming into place. I have a leaning towards Gozo, where we take our own family holidays. Everywhere is generally very child-friendly. Both Gozo and Malta have good beaches.Gozo is much more geared to self-catering than Malta. As a result, there are a lot of good restaurants catering to the villa customers.
We have helped develop The Hamlet Farmhouses, which have outdoor and indoor pools. They'll open in February.
BUYER'S COMMENT
John Dixon, Chairman and managing director, Prestige Holidays
I think that going upmarket has been an avowed intention of the Maltese for a long time and that it's finally being achieved, mostly through the hotels. I have been visiting Malta since the 1970s, but we've only ever sold the better hotels - we feature the Corinthia San Gorg, the Corinthia Palace, Westin Dragonara, Phoenicia, Hilton, and on Gozo, the Kempinski and Ta' Cenc.
The other thing that's seen a vast improvement in recent years is the choice of places to eat out, and the quality of spas. For example, I love the spa at the Kempinski in Gozo, particularly the Ayurvedic treatments. I also like the Westin Dragonara for the way they look after families. One thing that hasn't changed is that you can walk up to any Maltese person and end up having a nice conversation. www.prestigeholidays.co.uk
