Grand Hotel Excelsior

Iseult

So in need of an overhaul, decor is so 1970s early 80s and not in a good retro or classic way. Everything is dark brown and magnolia. No sockets near bed which would be a benefit.Interior dining areas although facing the sea are dark and oppressive. Breakfast is ok, nothing special.Day time pool area is lovely and tiki bar food is very good, pool is fab although steps into it are a little slippy, a hand rail would help. Come evening the place is dead though and devoid of atmosphere even with live entertainment. The a la carte restaurant food is below average, well food I had was anyway, fish dish 30euro excluding accompaniments. Had fresh fish in the very luxurious Phonecia up the road and it was 32 euro but included all side dishes and set in the most amazing surroundings. Service staff are very pleasant but can be a bit all over the place and sometimes a bit overbearingly helpful (ie its ok i can order my own drink at outside bar and carry it back to lounger myself thank you, but no was told this had to be done for me by a few over zealous staff members). Bedrooms are large as is balcony but no privacy, no partition between balconies,which makes it hard to relax when neighbours are on their balconies too. Shower is very good though, toiletries are good quality, plenty of water replenishment and housekeeping staff are excellent. Most reception staff are great, especially the Russian lady whose name I unfortunately dont know. Location is great, fab views and less than 10 mins walk to ferry and 10 mins walk to main area. Anyway sorry judgement is harsh but at almost 300 euros a night, it is over priced for what's offered right now. But if they do some improvements as planned the place will be top class.

Martyn Z

Position -8 mins to valhetta main strip (three flights of steps or a free shuttle bus). Breakfast and the view from the restaurant. Our room , 503 had a great view, kept spotlessly clean. All the staff were friendly and professional. It was all a great experience and stay. Not really a 5* more a really really sound 3+++ as it is frayed around the edges in places. Would be really easy to spruce those bits up with effort, but we liked it, characterful and a home from home. Recommended highly.

Marko Babic

Good hotel however too expensive for its condition. Seems its has not been renovated for the last 20 years and I think 4* are more appropriate categorization. Staff is kind, lobby and restaurants look really good however rooms are worn out and should be renovated (they are not bad but not justifying the price of 250 EUR/night in summer period). Location is great and only couple of minutes from the center of Valletta. Pool is great, hotel has improvised beach which is wonderfull and unique for Valletta if you want a mixure between beach relaxation and city sightseeing. All in all a good hotel for the summer months but its current condition does not justify the high prices for overnight.

Shaun L

This is our go to hotel in Valletta with its fantastic outside pool, private beach area with harbour access for a swim, friendly helpful staff, comfy rooms and a very good breakfast selection even if it does get busy at times. Its location a short walk away from the Valletta city gate makes it ideal although if you can’t manage the steep steps up to the main road the hotel does provide a shuttle bus on a regular basis. That said hotels need to move with the times and some people will find the rooms a little dated and that’s a fair comment. Also technology is not something that the Excelsior has yet to really keep up with. For example there are no usb ports in the rooms, in fact our room with a sea side view has no bedside table plugs which is frustrating. The WiFi also drops out and slows are times. These are basics in this day and age which I hope the hotel can invest in. For all the great service that the staff provide, and everyone is friendly, the most bewildering aspect for many is the lifts. Reception is on floor 6 and that just throws all newcomers with people riding the lifts up and down for a while to find their bearings. Perhaps a few more signs would help. The lift programming probably doesn’t help as they are slow. All in all though this is a very good hotel for a Valletta stay. Nowhere else will you get harbour access for a sea swim. Just some tech things to improve.

Sheila T

The hotel is very luxurious. The staff are very helpful and generally lovely. The situation of the hotel is only 10 minutes from the town. There is a free shuttle bus every 20 minutes if you don't want to walk up the many steps. The breakfast, is fantastic. So much choice of food & very fresh, with stunning views. Lovely pool area which leads to a private beach.