Grand Hotel Excelsior

I came for a week with my husband and grown up children. Firstly on walking through the doors and into the lobby you can definitely see where the grand come from it is amazing. Check in was smooth some rooms not available till 3 but was able to use the facilities. The rooms are spacious and well equipped. It was our anniversary and they decorated the room with petals and we had complementary wine and chocolates. The bed and linen are good quality and I slept great. Housekeeping serviced is good and they came twice a day. The breakfast was excellent plenty of choice. The pool is brilliant and the best that I have experienced. Free towels Plenty of sun beds at any time of day. Private area to Swim In the sea. Food and drink Serve to your sunbed. What more can you ask for. I would definitely visit again, my daughters also Use the spa which I would recommend Some reviews had said it is dated but I would say traditional. Probably could do with more plug sockets in the room. The only criticism is that the stairs were out of use so the only way up and down is the lift which could be busy. Also the staff in the bar and restaurant areas didn’t always know what they were doing I think some are maybe new for the summer season so not got to use to things yet. I would definitely stay here again

I am currently staying at the Grand Excelsior Hotel & I am more than happy. The location is perfect. Beautiful views. The pool area is excellent & very clean. My room (deluxe side sea view) is lovely. The room is very spacious with a secluded balcony. The food is of a high standard & plentiful. The staff cannot do enough for you. Very friendly & helpful. The lobby area is fantastic. It definitely deserves a ‘wow’. The hotel has an opulent charm & I would not hesitate to visit this hotel again. I am rather frustrated by the negative reviews, as I could so easily have been put off booking & that would have been a great shame. Yes, there are some areas which need updating (new carpets, plug sockets in more convenient locations, bathroom upgrade) but the atmosphere, staff & cleanliness more than makes up for the small niggles.

Stayed here for 5 nights at the end of June 2026, I understand it’s closing in February 2027 for a 2 year refurbishment, so if you want to go, book now. I would happily go again & recommend. Large swimming pool, small kids pool & indoor pool. Large breakfast choices. 15/20 minute uphill walk to Valletta central town, but does have a first come first served 8 seater minibus every 20 minutes that takes you up the hill. All staff I found friendly & helpful. No square USB charging sockets, but uses the Uk style 3 pin plugs, so bring a 3 pin plug charger for your phone. Has a tour desk for booking island trips if you’d like to do that. Main Valletta bus station in walking distance TD4 bus will get you from & back to the airport, 20 minutes away & run every half hour. Bus 51 will get you to the old capital Mdina for a day trip. Buses take debit cards or cash (right amount).

Hotel impressive. On arrival the reception staff were helpful, welcome drinks and luggage carried. Room large and comfortable. The breakfast menu was excellent and food plentiful.however the restaurant staff were very slow clearing the tables. They would walk past empty handed and a large item of food on the floor just kicked to one side by the staff. The pool area was not as clean as you might expect of a five star hotel. The water quality was crystal clear, the tiles at the pool edge however had black mould in the joints. The poolside staff were very slow in clearing uneaten food which resulted in birds eating from tables and the inevitable bird droppings. The pool areas would benefit being pressure washed. The drinks service was also slow, drinks often left on the bar counter so not as cold as expected.

A great location to all local attractions, bars and restaurants, just a 10 minute walk. The staff are brilliant, very welcoming and helpful. It was our Anniversary and we arrived to a lovely bottle of fizz and rose petals over the bed, which was very much appreciated. The room was large and very clean. The shower was not very powerful and was over the bath, so climbing in might be quite difficult for some. Also spotless. The pool area is good, plenty of umbrellas and shaded areas if required although the sunbeds are extremely uncomfortable, luckily I had a lumber cushion with me which I used on the plane, but I ended up taking it onto the sunbed every day! The ‘ beach’ does not have sand, it’s more like builders crushed yellow stone, we had no idea why they didn’t just cover it with sand. It was very messy and we only did it once.. The umbrellas were very unstable, and as soon as it was windy staff went round putting all the umbrellas down as they were being blown over. I also had one land on me and they’re pretty heavy. Consequently, a lot of them are in terrible condition. We only had breakfast in the hotel. The variety was extensive and very well organised. The quality in our opinion was lacking. Pastries seemed very soggy and processed. Orange juice was quite clearly squash. Sadly, not quite a five star buffet. Overall, we were treated exceptionally well, but they were quite a few issues that we felt didn’t quite reach the ratings of a five star hotel.