Grand Hospitality
M a y 2 0 1 2 e d ition
EDITORIAL
Ou
From moment to moment, the Grand Hotel Excelsior, a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts makes your corporate event memorable one. A reunion with old friends or a new business connection. Intuitive service, unmatched attention to detail, and sophisticated style provide moments that create long- lasting memories. The Grand Hotel Excelsior is situated two minutes away from Valletta, Malta’s capital and a UNESCO World Heritage site. This is a unique opportunity to re-live Malta’s rich history whilst unwinding during your Mediterranean Luxury Escape. We are blessed with magnificent views of Marsamxett Harbour & Fort Manoel. Marsamxett Harbour is the northern of Valletta’s two natural harbours on the island of Malta and is dedicated to yachting and sailing and also hosts the Msida Yacht Marina. Fort Manoel was built by the Knights of St. John between 1723 and 1755, under the patronage of Portuguese Grand Master Manoel de Vilhena. In 2010, the fort underwent major restoration work to repair the ravages of time and damage sustained during the Second World War. It served as a location for the shooting of the TV series Game of Thrones. Our prime location allows for easy access to all tourist locations around the Maltese Islands. The main bus terminus provides services to all towns and villages and is only a few minutes away from the hotel. For the more discerning traveller the hotel offers its own private tours with our executive cars. Seating between 110 and 1000 people, the Grand Hotel Excelsior provides 4000 square metres of conference facilities, a Business Centre and lots of natural daylight. Free Wi-Fi internet is also available in the hotel lobby and other public areas. Le Grand Spa compliments our luxurious accommodation, with excellent spa and wellness facilities. Its relaxing atmosphere is the perfect starting point for the journey toward equilibrium between your body, mind and spirit. We look forward to host your clients at the Grand Hotel Excelsior.
Norbert Grixti General Manager
ur throne rooms & their guests US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
King Juan Carlos I of Spain
German Chancellor Angela Merkel
Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi
Former Italian Prime Minister Giuliano Amato
S
tay at the Grand Hotel Excelsior, two minutes away from Valletta, and relive the Knight’s of St. John legacy.Visit the medieval city of Mdina, one of Europe’s finest examples of an ancient walled city and extraordinary in its mix of medieval and baroque architecture. Head north to enjoy Mediterranean sun, sand and sea. Experience Gozo where tranquillity is still a way of life. Enjoy Malta’s religious ‘festas’, adorned churches and glittering firework displays. Discover megalithic temples, rugged countryside and dramatic cliffs or submerge into a diver’s paradise. Wine and dine in stylish surroundings and party in lively evening venues. If you have only three days in Malta, do not attempt to see it all. Although the area covered by the Maltese Islands is just 316 km², there is plenty to see and do so we recommend you experience just a few of Malta’s highlights to get a feeling of the island’s character
300 days of sunshine, crystal clear Mediterranean waters, 7,000 years of history, thriving local traditions and laidback rural villages, delicious cuisine and a vibrant nightlife – Welcome to Malta!
Photos courtesy of the Malta Tourism Authority
Day 1 – Valletta & Sliema With the Grand Hotel Excelsior as your home the Capital,Valletta, is probably the most obvious place to start. With the entire city declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, walking through its streets is nothing short of walking through an open-air museum. Walk along Republic Street to St John’s Co-Cathedral, the jewel of Valletta, with its gilded interior enough to make one’s jaw drop. Look out for the Caravaggio’s only signed painting, The Beheading of St John. Exit the Catheral and dive into the open-air market in Merchants’ Street. All in all,Valletta is also a great place for shopping. Do take the time to wander through the alleyways, up and down the slopes and stairways, and to sit under the sun with a coffee watching the pigeons. In whichever order you choose to do these, try to be at the Upper Barrakka Gardens at noon for the re-enactment and shooting of the cannon, and enjoy one of the most spectacular views in Malta, that of the Grand Harbour.
For the afternoon we recommend a Harbour Cruise which takes you to see the the Three Cities from a unique perspective and which offers an insight to the essence of Maltese History. Day 2 – Gozo You cannot really understand Maltese culture without a visit to Gozo, Malta’s more traditional and peaceful little sister. Be at Cirkewwa early to take the ferry across, so as to make the most of your day. The crossing takes only half an hour and passes by Comino island and you can catch a glimpse of the Blue Lagoon. Victoria’s main square is home to a daily market selling all sorts of things. Check out the tiny shops around the area which sell handicrafts, and make sure you get lost in the back streets! Head up the hill to the Cittadel, the Medieval walled city, and visit the Old Prisons and some of the other interesting museums it houses. Finally walk to the bastions to get a 360 degrees bird’s eye view of the whole island! Have lunch in one of the several restaurants or cafes that offer traditional food and then head off to the village of Xaghra . Xaghra has plenty to offer, starting with Ggantija Temples, the oldest free-standing structures in the world. Not far off is Ta’ Kola Windmill which has been lovingly restored and turned into a museum, and in the heart of the village you will find Ninu’s Cave and Xerri’s Grotto with a marvel of stalactites and stalagmites. Weather-permitting, now would be the ideal time to head to Ramla Bay for a swim. Ramla Bay is remarkable for its dark orange sand. But the real must-see is Dwejra with its Azure Window being the most photographed view in the Maltese Islands. This is the location of the Fungus Rock and the Inland Sea, as well as the Blue Hole, a worldfamous diving spot. It is really striking to watch the sunset from this point, and offers a myriad of photo opportunities! At the end of the day you can dine in one of many restaurants in pretty
Xlendi Bay nearby, and don’t worry about catching the ferry back... it runs regularly till late and occasionally through the night! Day 3 – Marsaxlokk & Mdina On your third day we also recommend an early start to enjoy the most of Marsaxlokk fishing village and market. Here you can obtain fresh local produce and hand-crafted artisanship, and is therefore ideal for purchasing souvenirs. All this to a backdrop of colourful local Luzzu’s (traditional fishing boats) bobbing up and down in the sheltered Marsaxlokk harbour. Enjoy the fresh catch of the day for lunch at one of the restaurants lining the promenade. In the afternoon head to the Blue Grotto for a boat trip to the caves. Also in the area are the megaliths of Mnajdra and Hagar Qim, and further down the road still is Ghar Lapsi, a cave with two rocky beaches which offer fantastic snorkelling opportunities. Spend your last evening in Malta wandering the streets of one of its favourites with visitors and locals alike: experience the enchantment of Mdina by night. Dine in one of its fine restaurants, wine bars or cafes to conclude an evening to remember.
At the Grand Hotel Excelsior we offer tailor-made excursions with our private chauffer service. If you would like to plan your excursions in advance kindly email us on transport@excelsior.com.mt and Josette and her team will take care of your requirements. You can also book your excursions during your stay at the Grand Hotel Excelsior.
VALLETTA
Malta - Valletta Fireworks Festival 2009 04 by Clive Vella
a tale of
four Cities V alletta can be described as a living experience of Baroque architecture, dotted with quaint cafes, and over 25 churches, testament to the centuries-old grained Catholic faith of the Maltese nation. With its fortifications and history-filled streets, is probably the best known place in Malta and gems such as St. John’s CoCathedral justify its reputation.
Malta’s majestic Grand Harbour is one of the most spectacular ports in the world separating the capital city of Valletta from the historic cities of Vittoriosa, Senglea and Cospicua. The harbour has been a hive of activity for over two thousand years. With its imposing fortifications and vast panorama, Grand Harbour is Malta’s principal maritime gateway and a popular port-of-call for ships that are cruising the Mediterranean.
The Three Cities of Cospicua,Vittoriosa and Senglea are three of the oldest towns on the island of Malta. The town of Vittoriosa played an important role in the 1565 Great Siege of Malta. Vittoriosa was the town in which the Knights of Malta settled in on their arrival from Rhodes in 1530.Vittoriosa together with Cospicua and Senglea form three important walled cities along one side of the Grand Harbour. The town of Kalkara is located close to the Three cities. The town gets its name from the latin word calce (lime) since a lime kiln was located here during the Roman times. In Kalkara one finds the quaint hamlet of Santu Rokku and Fort Ricasoli which over the years has been used for the construction of film sets for important blockbusters like Gladiator and Troy and the recent Agora.
1O
Kinnie
things to
taste?
Best described as one of Malta’s most distinct soft drinks, Kinnie is formed from an aromatic blend of bitter oranges, sweet spices and pungent herbs. While sounding like something a child might cook-up in their mother’s kitchen, Kinnie’s curious composites mysteriously align to form a devilishly tasty dark-amber nectar.
Hobz biz-zejt Mqaret
Twistees Famously found in lunch-boxes around the island (adults included!), this popular snack helps to keep the wolves at bay between meals. Found in cheesy, chicken and bacon flavours, Twistees are the local version of naughty-but-nice nibbles.
Gbejniet Traditionally made from goats cheese you can find them pickled an plain or pickled and coated in black pepper. For a milder taste try them fresh. Enjoy them with Malta’s popular crackers known as Galletti. Nowadays these are available seasoned with sea salt and black pepper, herbs and even sun dried tomatoes in ready prepared packets.
Sweet and tasty, these deep-fried pastries are truly divine (so long as you don’t count all their calories!) Stuffed with dates and served as a warm dessert, often accompanied with ice cream, these fragrant and softly spiced treats are worth ditching the diet for.
Fenek Often typified as the national dish, stewed rabbit has become synonymous with Malta’s cultural identity. Almost as important as the soft and succulent meat, however, is the act of going for the meal itself. Known traditionally as a ‘fenkata’, this festive feast is not only an excuse to gather all the friends and family but has become a seasonal occasion for most Maltese.
The literal translation, being bread with oil, just doesn’t do this dish justice. A better description would be ‘ a rustic Mediterranean loaf ’. For this specialty, fresh crusty bread is fervently lavished with olive oil and stuffed with a combination of ingredients that include capers, olives, garlic, tuna, anchovies and sweet tomato paste. However, Gbejna –peppery cubes of succulent goat’s cheese, in my opinion, really takes the Hobz-Biz biscuit as the best addition to this delicious bread!
Timpana Amalgamating two beloved dishes, Timpana gives you the ultimate pasta-pie. Made from macaroni pasta and bolognese meat, this traditional platter is baked in a puff pastry layer until lightly golden brown. A word of warning, however, this dish is best served with a subsequent nap.
Cisk A premium lager, Cisk is one of Malta’s most significant exports. Locally brewed with a light and refreshing taste, Cisk can be enjoyed without fear of any beer-belly retribution. Unless, that is, you decide to down ten in row; then are making no such promise.
Bajtra Liqueur Formed from the flesh of the local prickly pear fruit (Bajtra), and shimmering in a translucent red, this luminous liqueur looks deceptively close to a cough mixture medicine. However, far from a revolting remedy, this sweetened solution slips down very easily as an after dinner treat. Some might even call it salubrious for the soul, (I said might…)
Themed Cuisines from around the World Monday
latin american tuesday
indian wednesday
maltese
thursday
middle eastern friday
asian
Pastizzi With its very own Facebook page (complete with over 36,000 likes) Pastizzi can be easily deemed the nation’s favourite. Cut into diamond shaped pastries, these local delicacies are lovingly oven baked with a warm ricotta or a spicy pea filling. Transforming into an indulgent treat or tasty snack, Pastizzi perfectly epitomizes the sumptuous Maltese palette.
saturday
mediterranean flair
Also serving a vast selection of à la carte dishes
conference venues
networking people G
MEETING EQUIPMENT HiFi Audio Systems Public Address System Standing and Wireless Microphones LCD projectors Flat Screen Presentation TV’s Flipcharts
rand Hotel Excelsior offers a wide range of facilities to service its vast selection of venues. The majority of Conference and Banqueting areas offer natural daylight and breathtaking views overlooking Marsamxett Harbour, the Marina and the hotels Plaza.
Whiteboards
Seating anywhere between 40 and 850 people in theatre style, these purpose built facilities offer state-of-the-art equipment and a first class support system to ensure that events are looked after with the deserved 5-star service.
Computer, TV, Sound System
Screens Separate Amplifier in each Meeting/Conference Room Connection to MIC, DVD/CD, Laptop, Wired and Wireless Internet Connection in every Meeting/Conference Room DVD/CD Players Laptops for rental Video Camera Lectern, Podium
MEETING SUPPORT SERVICES Business Center Secretarial Assistance Business Services (Printings, Scans) Telecommunication Assistance Courier Service Entertainment Arrangement Photographer Flower Arrangement Outside and Inside Catering available Inside parking (180 cars)
A Member of
Grand Hotel Excelsior Malta Great Siege Road, Floriana FRN 1810, Malta. Phone +356 2125 0520 Fax +356 2125 0522 Email info@excelsior.com.mt Web www.excelsior.com.mt