London-based designer Peter Young was commissioned late 2015 to give a fresh look to the 136-room Phoenicia Malta. Originally opened in 1947 by one of the Mediterranean island nation’s leading dynasties, the Strickland family, it had been operating since 2007 as Le Méridien. But the new owner, a private investor from the U.K., wanted to take it independent and substantially raise the average rate.
“The original designer had wanted people to come in from the main door and look across the Palm Court and its adjacent restaurant and terrace to see through to the old city and the ocean, but this view had been obscured by a central bar counter that dominated the entire Palm Court,” Young explained. He immediately suggested relocating the bar to the side of the spacious area.
Now, you do see right across the Palm Court and beyond. Instead of a dominating bar counter that indicates that this is a drinking area that happens to have seating around, the entire space is flexi-use from before dawn to midnight.
The hotel runs at a steady 85% occupancy and many guests have to leave for early flights, so before the adjacent Phoenix breakfast opens its splendid buffet at 7 a.m., à la carte can be served in the Palm Court. Then, at all hours through to midnight, the space variously attracts not only hotel guests but locals.
As the hotel’s long-time general manager, Charles Azzopardi, says, “Although the main reason for moving the bar was to allow direct vision, in addition changes to layout and the type of seating have led to substantially more lounge activity, with business meetings and afternoon teas, thus adding to return on investment.”