Grand Hotel Excelsior

Lovely staff with fantastic choices for breakfast. The hotel is in a handy location but the 80 steps up to the main road could be difficult for some guests. There is a hotel shuttle which can take you up the hill to the centre of Valetta. The only thing I would say is that some of the furniture looks a little tired but surprisingly this adds to the old world charm. All in all we had a great stay

Overall we enjoyed 7 nights in this hotel but we wouldn’t call it a 5 star hotel. You cannot fault the staff, they were without exception, polite, helpful & friendly throughout our stay. We booked a Deluxe double with side sea view room on a bed & breakfast basis. However, it was set up as a twin & when we asked for it to be configured to a double, they basically pushed the beds together & put a mattress topper on that wasn’t wide enough & the single bed too covers remained on the floor the whole week where they’d been left. The furniture was dated & not in the best condition. Lots of sockets in good places to use a mirror. TV worked well. Fridge in the room was great. Tea/coffee station was basic but did include much-appreciated bottled water. There was a hairdryer but no ironing facility in the room. The balcony & view were as described & very pleasant. Breakfast was excellent- vast array of choice from cooked to continental with a cook-to-order egg station. Fruit juice tasted more like squash. Lots of fruit, yogurt, pastries, cake, bread & cereal options. Porridge was poor & like liquid with oats in it unfortunately. We didn’t eat in the hotel restaurants as feedback from other guests we met said they were not great for the price. Pool area was pleasant with towels provided & robes from your room but the pool was ‘fresh’, however the private ‘beach’/stony gravel area gave access to a lovely & warmer sea swim area. That said we enjoyed our swims. Pool side furniture wasn’t great, lots of broken pieces but we didn’t come to spend hours at the pool so it was fine for us. The pool bar & cafe were okay & bathroom facilities there were very good. The indoor pool had lots of tiles missing & the whirlpool was cold but the pool was a bit warmer, just not as deep. We didn’t use the gym or spa facilities. Location was excellent for walking into Valetta once you climbed the 6 flights of steep steps from the hotel to the road but the hotel offers a free shuttle service if you can’t manage the 10 minute walk to the bus station & entrance to Valetta. There is so much history to see & explore in Valetta with reasonable admission prices. Seniors over 60 have a reduction. The hotel arrange excursions or you can travel independently via the buses, ferries or local taxis. The bus to M’dina was €2.50 pp each way, running frequently until late evening. The whistle stop tour of Gozo on a jeep with a guide, including mini bus pick up from the hotel at 8 am & dropped back off at 6 pm, including ferry & a lovely lunch was €80 pp. The hotel has some quality gift shops inside the entrance area. Overall, a lovely stay & we were told the hotel is going to be closing next year for some major refurbishments.

Absolute delight staying at this impressive hotel. The cleanliness is of a very high standard. The breakfast and the staff working in the dining area was first class.

A beautiful hotel in a good location in Valetta. The staff were friendly and helpful. The hotel was clean with very nice swimming pools and evdning entertainment. I would be happy to return for another holiday.

Excellent hotel and location!