Grand Hotel Excelsior

We planned a short getaway for a special birthday and I could not have been more pleased. This hotel successfully balances being large and modern with being very close to the historical centre of Valletta. The complimentary shuttle service up the hill makes exploring the charming old city easy at any time. The rooms are spacious and scrupulously clean with large comfortable beds. We had a full view of the harbour this time from our spacious balcony but even the partial views we’ve had in the past from other rooms are terrific. On January 20th, Malta was battered by Storm Harry so we decided to stay in the hotel that day. There was plenty to do between the indoor pool, the spa, the bar with its panoramic view of the harbour and finally rounding off with the buffet dinner. By the way, this is good value at €42 pp and has a different theme each night, so you get a chance to sample all sorts of interesting cuisines. The al la carte menu in the Admiral’s Landing restaurant is very good and a more sophisticated experience but the buffet style breakfast is by far the best I have ever come across. The variety of food on offer is staggering, and you really need more than 6 mornings to sample everything.... I recommend the sausages and mushrooms as my particular favourites. As it was mid-January, I wasn’t surprised to encounter some remedial works going on around the hotel but I have to say they had a minimal effect on our stay. Finally, I must mention that the staff in this hotel are so friendly and accommodating. Everyone from the front desk to the bar and waiting staff, to the cleaning and maintenance staff were so pleasant and efficient. Nothing was too much trouble, and everything was responded to promptly with grace. This is our third trip to Malta and we just wouldn’t stay anywhere else. Already planning our return!

We booked through Thomas Cook website just for a 3 night /4 day break. As we’ve never been to Malta before we just took it as read. Firstly this hotel is on another level. The ambience, decor , cleanliness , dining and the professional staff at every level is flawless. We had a fantastic stay in Malta and this hotel exceeded everything beyond our expectations. Thank you Dave and Elaine Lawrence United Kingdom

Relive the joy of staying with an elderly great-aunt. The GHE is not 5* but a good 3* or even 4* by UK standards. 5* features abound but usually fail to hit the mark. Our Superior Partial Sea View room was spacious, comfortable and clean. The view was not the best in Malta and the small balcony only separated from its neighbour by a low wall. The bathroom was well appointed and the housekeeping excellent, the turndown service with fresh towels for the morning if required was appreciated. The air-conditioning and heating were effective and on the one occasion there was a fault, quickly rectified. The breakfast buffet was what one might expect from any continental 3* hotel and more than adequate to fuel you for the day. The shuttle was efficient and on demand as opposed to a schedule. BOLT was economical and more convenient for journeys within Valletta and the buses excellent for getting about the island. Overall very good value for money.

Excellent Hotel with fantastic staff and very luxurious experience. We were very happy with our stay in this hotel. The environment was very relaxing, the staff were very pleasant and location is very convenient to the centre of Valetta.

We stayed at the hotel during the New Year holidays. The location of the hotel is the main advantage, given the walking distance from the center of Valletta. As for the rest of the experience, there is nothing particularly negative, although the hotel does not justify the five stars and the name 'grand'. The rooms are quite dated, the noise between the rooms is too great, especially through the doors that connect the rooms. The restaurant is a bit chaotic during breakfast and the offer is average, and there is also a problem with the air conditioning, so our clothes often smelled of food. The staff is mostly quite "cold"...