Do you remember when the now-abandoned and derelict Jerma Palace Hotel in Marsaskala was the most elegant hotel in the south of Malta?

While many have come to associate the name with the crumbling graffiti jungle it has become since closing its doors in 2007, these stunning images from the hotel’s heyday offer an incredible glimpse into its glittering past.

Constructed on a headland named il-Ħamrija, the Jerma Palace Hotel first opened its doors in 1982, transforming the formerly sleepy, seaside village of Marsaskala into a popular tourist destination.

Stretching across a considerable footprint, the site of the hotel is said to be the size of five-and-a-half football pitches, and has been valued at €20.8 million.

Once boasting the fine interiors one would expect of a hotel of its calibre, nowadays nothing remains of the beauties seen in these images, its interior long having been stripped of everything of value.

And while the carpets, marble floors, doors and tiles have long since disappeared, the memories of those who worked and stayed in the hotel remain, with many looking back at happy times spent there with more than a little nostalgia!

Here’s hoping a decision is soon reached about what will become of the old hotel – one we hope will be a fitting tribute to its elegant past.