The former Verdala hotel that currently sits in Rabat is set to be demolished and receive one heck of a facelift, as a new development proposal to create a hotel and apartment complex is in the works.

The development proposal

The new development, proposed by AX Holdings, will be a five-star hotel with 40 guestrooms, 17 serviced apartments, as well as a private residential complex spread over two blocks, which includes 85 apartments and four retail units.

According to an Environment Impact Assessment issued for public consultation, the development “will have a smaller footprint, smaller floor area and lower height profile than the former Grand Hotel Verdala.”

The EIA states that major negative impacts of the project consist of geological impacts that may result in changes to the geomorphological features of the area. However, the EIA does conclude that the project will represent a minor or moderate visual improvement over the present development.

The former Grand Hotel Verdala

When the hotel first opened its doors in 1971, it was perched on the Tal-Virtu Heights in Rabat, and was one of the island’s premium hotels. It was later sold by the government in 1994 to developer Angelo Xuereb, who planned to redevelop it into a five-star resort with a golf course on the slopes below.

The Planning Authority, however, turned down attempts to build the luxury golf course amid strong environmental opposition. Applications to redevelop the hotel have been pending since 2004.

Hopefully, the Verdala saga will come to a conclusion soon!