Prime Minister visits Phoenicia
Video: Alan Adami
The expansion and restoration of the Phoenicia Hotel in Floriana will be run in parallel with the City Gate projects and the utmost effort will be made for the work to be ready by 2013.
The hotel, which recently received a full development permit for two new wings and for the restoration of the facade, was this afternoon visited by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Tourism Parliamentary Secretary Mario de Marco.
The hotel will also see the construction of 41 bedrooms, it will get a landscaped roof and its stable house in St John’s Ditch, which was built by the British, would be restored.
The Phoenicia Hotel was built partly on the place-of-arms – a place outside a fortified town where troops could assemble for defence – just outside Valletta’s main gate.
Plans to build the hotel started in 1935 and British architect William Bryce Binnie was commissioned to oversee the project one year later. The site was hit during World War II, leaving the east side badly damaged. The hotel was opened in 1947 and several alterations were made in the 1960s. Another floor was added in the 1990s.
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Steve Evans
Nov 12th 2010, 22:37
The Phoenicia? An island institution.
V.Brown
Nov 12th 2010, 22:09
Next time Dr. Gozni will visit Hal Ferh Tourist Village and The Airport Hotel !
monica muscat
Nov 12th 2010, 21:39
Thank God - and Dr. Gonżi's hard work - that the OLD LADY( as I and a friend of mine who used to work at Phoencia refered to this hotel) will not end up re-sold, pulled down or left derelict. To me the Phoenicia evokes memories of Carnival Balls, Luxurious dinners, Concerts, etc., It is the most beautiful, elegant and majestic Hotel in Malta - a cut above all the mega-hotels built since 1947. Pity the entrance will be changed. I find it unique and charming. But why say no to change. Hope only for the better.
As for those who keep commenting on a political bias! Please leave off. We have enough political topics to squander time and energy on petty squibles! If you want a change, work for it now. No need to wait for elections time. Just absord comments - and in bad English or Maltese - to add insult to injury, will only achieve one thing. REDICULE.
Esther Abela
Nov 12th 2010, 20:22
Well Done.
Another Investiment.
Gonzi gets things going.
manuel lia
Nov 12th 2010, 20:02
sur mario azzoppardi,tista jekk joghgbok tghidli xghandu xjaqsam linvestiment tal phoenicia ma li qed tghid int?int ghidt li nazzjonalist...bmin trid titmejjel sur azzoppardi?in nazzjonalisti ma jirragunawx bhalek.....tibqax tipprova iddahhaq......
K Tabone
Nov 12th 2010, 19:18
If Labour will win the election it will not be on his own merits but to explore something new.
Labour has no policies, no vision just rhetoric and make beleive.
My concern is that Labour aim is on election and not on the country's economy and governance.
Nizar Hingari
Nov 12th 2010, 19:54
Who told you so ?? Can you predict the future?? For me both want the same: to win elections !
Paul Borg
Nov 12th 2010, 19:10
Will the Hotel close down for the refurbishment ? I sincerely hope not.
Tracy Caruana
Nov 12th 2010, 18:35
Sur Philip Hili. X'ghandu x'jaqsam it-terrur tal-antik mal-lum. Allura bl-istess raguni lill San Pawl qatt ma stajna fdajnih ghax xeba jitterorizza insara qabel ma ra -dawl!
Pat Hobson
Nov 12th 2010, 18:59
Imma ra d-dawl ghax kien Damasku, kieku kien hawn Malta ma kienx jarah id-dawl ghax gholi hafna!!!!!
Philip Hili
Nov 12th 2010, 20:08
X'ghandu xjaqsa?
Mhux ser nistaqsik kemm ghandek eta' ghax mhux prudenza.
Imma jekk taf lil xi hadd li tafdah u jirrakkontalek b'genwinita' il-hajja kif kienet taht il-Gvern Labourista, staqsieh. Pero' sew min ismek "Tracy" kif ukoll mill-kummnet tieghek tidher li ghadek ta' eta' tenera u allura zgur ma kontx tghix dak iz-zmien.
Mario Azzopardi
Nov 12th 2010, 20:20
@ Philip Hili You seem to have suffered a lot under the old Lejber Mr Hili, imma issa dawn qed jaghmlu l-istess. Forsi hobzok mahbuz habib. Hemm bzonn li bhal San Pawl tiftahom u tara li il-pajjiz qed jitmermer ftit ftit. Il-bidla il-gid iggib!!
Philip Hili
Nov 13th 2010, 11:01
@ Mario Azzopoardi
Dear Friend, not only I suffer a lot under the Labour Government. ALL the population of the Maltese Islands did, with the exception of a few staunch Labour supporters. If you did not experienced the rule of a labour governemt, you cannot talk.
By the way, during Labour administrations there is no OLD or NEW. That is only branding inorder to cheat with the new voters. For your information I experienced both the OLD and the so called NEW Labour Government.. Therefore I can judge for myself. And after my judgement, I prefer to live under a Natiionalist administration peacefully but yes, sometimes hard rather than under a Labour administartion.
You are trying to cheat the new electorate again by branding Labour a NEW LABOUR!!!! A new Labour when most of the persons in this NEW!!!! party, if not ALL the persons forming this party are the SAME people who gave the Maltese people a VERY HARD TIME WHEN THEY WERE IN OFFICE? Hallina Xbin nghixu. Fl-ahhar u mhux l-inqas jien ma ghandix hobzi mahbuz bhal ma ipprevedejt. Jien naqlahha u nikoha bhal kull haddiem iehor.
GIOVANNI RIZZO
Nov 12th 2010, 17:43
GLAD TO HEAR ABOUT SUCH EXPANSION,AS THE HOTEL ALWAYS REMINDS ME OF THE GOOD OLD SIXTIE'S WITH JIMMY DOWLING'S BAND AND THE LOVELY WOODEN BALLROOM FLOOR.
PROSIT PHOENICIA.
Mary Vella
Nov 12th 2010, 17:58
X'ghandu x'jaqsam?!!!
Mario Azzopardi
Nov 12th 2010, 16:59
Me thinks that we are seen uncle Laurence face too often on the news. Tghid iddejjaq u dalwaqt isejjah elezzjoni. Id darba l-ohra fdajtek din id-darba le!!! Hemm wisq mistoqsijiet mhux imwiegba: ARMS u BWSC. Lesti li inhalsu ghad-dawl u ilma bil-gholi imma le ghad dell ta tahwied u forsi korruzzjoni ukoll.
J. Formosa
Nov 12th 2010, 17:42
The more Lejber and their supporters try to give the impression that they changed.....the more they remain the same...
Mario Azzopardi
Nov 12th 2010, 17:49
@J Formosa
What makes you think I am Lejber. For your information I have always voted PN but now enough is enough. And for your information my vote for MLP counts as two.
Philip Hili
Nov 12th 2010, 18:03
Imma b'min tahseb li qieghed tidhaq meta ktibt hekk:- "Id darba l-ohra fdajtek din id-darba le!!!
Ma tridtx tilghaba ta' xi wiehed illetterat jew ma tafx kif tikkomponi sentenza billi tibda "Me thinks hux "? Taf tuza' komputer u ma tafx l-iktar haga basika, li sentenza tibda' "I think" u mhux "Me thinks"? Tahseb li billi toqghod tilghaba ta' xi Nazzjonalist ferventi min jaqra kitbietek ser jemmnek? Haga wahda hemm tajba, li Nazzjonalisti - il-veru Nazzjonalisti li ghixu fit-terrur ta' zmien il-Gvern Laburista jippreferu jghixu kif ahna issa milli bil-qtieh ta' qalb u terrur ta' zmien il-Labour.
Suppost il-kumment tieghek kellu jkun fuq il-Hotel Phoenicia u mhux fuq il-BWSC u l-ARMS. Kemm taf tieghu l-okkazjoni u tirrigetta l-ghodju. Qiskom Janfranco Fini u Bersani ta' l-Italja, imlebbilbin ghall-poter!!!!!!!!
Kemm tixtiequ li Dr. Lawrence Gonzi isejjah elezzjoni bikrija. Fadallek sentejn u nofs ohra ssorfri ghall-izball li ghamil !!!!!! "Id darba l-ohra fdajtek din id-darba le!!!"
Philip Hili
Nov 12th 2010, 18:06
He!! bil-haqq sur Azzopardi ma naghmlux moghod li forsi inti xi wiehed mil-vittmi tal-GWU hux!!!!
Mario Azzopardi
Nov 12th 2010, 18:22
Grazzi tal appogg. You have convinced me that next time I will vote Lejber. Yes I did inhale "gass tad-dmugh" fuq il fosos but now enough is enough. GonziPn has to go. The sooner the better. You can ask Jean Pierre Farrugia and Jesmond Mugliette for their opinion too.
Philip Hili
Nov 12th 2010, 18:28
Of course,whoever reads your comments thinks that you are a Labour Supporter.
Philip Hili
Nov 12th 2010, 18:55
What support you need from me? Do you want me to agree with you for such an idiot comment? Poor!!! Mario. I convinced him to vote Labout next time!!!!! "You have convinced me that next time I will vote Lejber". With due respect, if and again IF Dr. Jean Pierre Farrugia and Mr. Jesmond Mugliette who you quoted have a good opinion of you, no wander the Nationalist Party is in this situation with its beck benchers!!!!!
Philip Hili
Nov 12th 2010, 19:00
And by the way Mario, who told you that who inhaled tear gas at that time was a Nationalist?? Ask the few Labour members of the police force who were on duty at that time. They will tell you.
Mario Azzopardi
Nov 12th 2010, 19:54
@Philip Hili
Tnxx my friend. I have voted PN 6 times 7 if one considers the referendum. I have no regrets for having done so. But now the PN needs a period of time in opposition. Time to clean up the party and time to clean the country from corruption and wastage of resources. The time has come to move on my friend. And by the way my vote does count for 2: i less for PN and one extra for MLP.
Philip Hili
Nov 12th 2010, 20:35
Mario,
Could you please make up your mind and decided? Three (3) hours 20 minutes ago you expressed your disappointment for "voting PN!!!!!!!!!!" {Id darba l-ohra fdajtek din id-darba le!!!}
Now in your last comment you said, I quote "I have voted PN 6 times 7 if one considers the referendum. I have no regrets for having done so."
Nies bhalek taf x'jissejhu - skuzani ta' imma din hi l-kelma li toghod ghall min hu bhalek - PNnur.
monica muscat
Nov 12th 2010, 21:52
Għazież Sur Azzopardi,
Nixtieq nistaqsiek mistoqsija waħda. Taħseb illi hawn xi partit fil-gvern mad-dinja kollha, li jista' jgħid li ma għandux xi "domandi" li jinħtieġu risposta? Fin-natura tagħħa, il-politika toħloq sitwazzjonijiet fejn certi veritajiet ikun jinħtieġ li ma joħorgux fil-beraħ għax il-ħsara tkun ikbar mill-vanita' tas-sewwa! Fuq kollox, jekk trid tagħmel xi domandi, għax ma tibdiex fuq affarijiet li saru fi żmien il-Labour? Niggarantilek illi mistoqsijiet issieb kemm trid! U xorta tibqa' mingħajr risposta, anke hekk inti u xi hudt bħalek jgħatu t-tmun ta' Malta b'idejn il-Labour.
Jeremy J Camilleri
Nov 13th 2010, 09:19
Philip Hili..for someone taking someone else to task about their spelling...citing methinks instead of I think as a mistake, you should note that you have typed 'idiotIC' comment, rather than 'idiot comment'....
SOrry to point that out..Just couldn't resist you see!!
Whats that saying about the speck in ones eye? lol
Nicholas Coppini
Nov 12th 2010, 16:51
So good to see this unique hotel that is part of our history being taken care of with such passion and consistency. It's a very special place where I spent a good number of years of hard work. I wish the dedicated management and the long serving staff many more years of success and growth at The Phoenicia.
Ad multos annos! Keep it up folks.