Boutique hotels are becoming an attraction among the growing number of tourists who travel to Malta wanting to experience a unique side of their holiday destination.

Rather than going for quantity, these small hotels tried to offer a different and unique experience through their limited number of rooms and personalised service, the Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism, Mario de Marco said.

"This new way of thinking is translating in the opening of small unique hotels that are distinguished by their level of personalised service and individual style," he said.

Boutique hotels were designed differently from regular hotels. While some clients observed that chain hotels might feel impersonal and businesslike, boutique hotels' interior designers took great care to coordinate furniture, wallpaper, artwork and all the elements of the room to ensure that the patrons of each room felt at home, he explained.

Dr de Marco visited the ongoing restoration works at Palazzo Vittoriosa, a six-room boutique hotel set to open in spring 2011, on Wednesday.

Jessica and Remco Slik took over the palazzo, in Vittoriosa, in 2008 and decided to restore it to its former glory and transform it into a five-star accommodation and with space available for artists.

On a much larger scale, Dr de Marco yesterday visited the ongoing works at the 112-roomed The George - that defines itself as an urban boutique hotel - due to open in Paceville in June.

While pointing out the contrast in the two hotels - one in a quiet town and the other in the heart of Malta's entertainment hub - he said both shared the concept of sustainable tourism.

The George, a €15 million joint investment between ESE language school and Vassallo Builders, will employ about 60 people. Co-owner Nazzareno Vassallo explained it would be fully green, using alternative energy and recycled water.

General manager Malcolm Azzopardi pointed out that the hotel classified as boutique due to its small number of rooms where a lot of emphasis had been placed on design. "We also plan to help guests feel as though they entered a calm place despite the busy location that is, however, very central," he said.

Dr de Marco noted that it was encouraging to see that recent figures showed an increase in 13,000 tourists in the first three months of 2010 compared to last year. There had also been an increase in spending power with tourists cashing out €20 million more during that period.

Coupled with that, he said, it was encouraging to see that, despite the uncertain financial climate, the Malta Tourism Authority had received 30 applications for new hotels or hostels over the past months.

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