Grand Hotel Excelsior

We are currently staying at the hotel, occupying two rooms for a three-night stay (arrived Wednesday, August 12). Our stay has been a story of contrasts, where the property and amenities are excellent, but the service unfortunately falls short on multiple fronts. The Positives: Check-in was smooth and professional. Thanks to our IPrefer membership, we received a room upgrade for one of our rooms, which we greatly appreciated. On our first evening, we also attended the enjoyable Manager's drink, where we had a very pleasant and engaging conversation with the General Manager. The pool area is beautiful, and the opportunity to swim directly in the sea is a massive plus. Rooms and Maintenance: We experienced a few technical issues upon arrival. The room safe was locked, preventing us from securing our passports, and the bathroom door squeaked and creaked very loudly. While staff resolved both issues during our second day, I feel housekeeping should have noticed and reported the squeaking door to maintenance long before we checked in. The Major Downside – Staff and Service: What causes this hotel to drop in rating is the staff's attitude and lack of service-mindedness. Concierge: We asked for assistance booking a restaurant for the evening and were told it was completely fully booked. When I called the restaurant myself immediately afterward, they easily accommodated us with a table. Very disappointing. Breakfast: This was unacceptable for a hotel of this tier. No "good morning" at greeting, and no one cleared dirty dishes from the tables until I explicitly had to ask. It seemed like every employee only focused on their specific designated area rather than looking at the bigger picture. Furthermore, when going to the restroom, I witnessed a member of the staff (kitchen/dishwashing) hiding away while browsing on their mobile phone. Pool Area: The pool staff spent most of their time chatting with each other. Dirty dishes from previous guests were left on beach tables for several hours. When I notified the staff, they did not seem to understand English. I requested to speak to a manager, who simply excused himself by saying he didn´t know where the staff was. I had to show and take the dirty dishes from the tables myself. Smoking: Allowing smoking within the pool area further reduced our enjoyment of the facilities. Conclusion:This hotel has immense potential, but the service standards do not match its rating. Following these experiences, we will strictly avoid dining at the hotel's restaurants for the remainder of our stay, as we feel certain the service would disappoint us.

Very friendly,helpful,discreet,all facilities,normal prices for such a hotel,clean

We were lucky enough to stay in the presidential suite on the 10th floor which had fantastic accommodation, an amazing terrace and superb views. Staff were consistently friendly, helpful and delightful. We were on a b and b rate and didn't try the other restaurants. The Breakfast experience was a bit variable depending on timing/ how busy it was but plenty of choice and great freshly cooked omelettes. The pool was great - and the mini beach was fun for snorkelling - and we were always able to get poolside loungers without a problem. The hotel is 10 minutes walk (uphill) to old Valletta - which has dozens of great restaurants and shops as well as sights. A bigger shuttle bus would be helpful.

Lovely hotel - close to city center - good, varied breakfast buffet - great pools

The best holiday we have had - we will definitely be back when the hotel reopens after refurbishing. Aircon was bliss, facilities fabulous and convenience amazing. Just a short walk into Valletta but there is a shuttle from the hotel if you don’t want the 5 minute walk. All staff friendly and welcoming.