FOREWORD
Iconic hotels hold iconic stories. And in Malta, never has there been a more iconic pairing of hotel and story than that of the Grand Hotel Verdala in Rabat.
Opened in 1971, the Verdala – as it was lovingly dubbed by locals – captured the imagination of the island and was soon welcoming high-profile guests from all over the world. International film stars, governmental dignitaries, titans of global industries, and more came from far and wide to experience the Verdala’s hallmark hospitality and glamorous ambience.
I first encountered the Verdala back in its heyday when it was the life and soul of the Rabat community. Not only did the hotel become a favourite meeting place for me, my wife, and our growing family, but it also ignited my own ambition to venture into the hotel industry following my success in construction.
Then, in 1994, I was presented with a unique opportunity to acquire the hotel. I had now become the author of a new chapter in the Grand Hotel Verdala’s story. By this time, the hotel’s once bright star had dimmed considerably, but I was convinced I had the vision to restore the hotel to its former glory.
Over the past two decades, as AX Group has continued to grow, evolve, and steadily become a leading property developer and hotel operator in Malta, the Verdala project has remained at the forefront of my mind.
I’m extremely proud of our final designs, which will see the existing building mass completely redeveloped from the
ground up and transformed into two luxurious residential complexes set on either side of a stunning 5-star boutique hotel. The Verdala project has been carefully planned to harmoniously blend in with Rabat’s rural and town settings. We have introduced a lower overall height to minimise the impact on the skyline and increased open spaces for the public to enjoy the area’s panoramic countryside views.
It seems particularly fitting that my role in the Verdala story is finally coming full circle and I’m glad to have my daughters Claire and Denise working with me on the project. I have fond memories of the two of them enjoying Sunday lunches here with friends and family. Now, all these years later, they are working beside me, spearheading this next exciting phase of the Verdala icon that formed such an integral part of their childhood.
In honour of this momentous occasion, we are commemorating three distinct chapters in The Verdala’s story. This first limited edition delves into the many years where the Grand Hotel Verdala remained frozen in time, a relic of a bygone era and the demolition process, a sign of new beginnings.
It fills me with great joy to finally be able to say that the Verdala is reawakening. Its story is far from over.
Angelo Xuereb Chairman - AX Group1
Basking over Rabat’s rural splendour, a stone’s throw from the Silent City, the Grand Hotel Verdala welcomed the great and the good to experience its famed hospitality and stellar service.
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Abandoned but never forgotten. While the old Verdala’s doors remained closed for over 24 years, ambitious plans have been brewing for its reintroduction to the world.
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The stage is now clear for the Rabat icon to be reborn.
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