Dining in Malta - Valentine's Day Specials

For St Valentine’s Day the Grand Hotel Excelsior has prepared some dining options for Your Special Romantic Evening.

You may wish to opt for Our Valentine's Day Buffet Menu....

Alternatively you may wish to try Our Tempting Gourmet Experience for couples...

And if you prefer a lighter option you can opt for the Lover’s Platter package available at the Harbour View Bar which consists of a bottle of white or red wine, a mouth-watering meze platter and the exquisite chef’s sweet temptations at €60 per couple.

For more details Check Out the Valentine's Day Specials at the Excelsior Hotel Malta.

Malta Events - Chinese New Year 2013

Grand Hotel Excelsior to welcome the Year of the Snake!

On the occasion of the Chinese New Year the Grand Hotel Excelsior, in collaboration with the China Cultural Centre, is organising an Asian Themed Buffet Dinner on Saturday 9th February 2013 at 8pm.

The Spring Festival, also known as Chinese New Year, is the most important celebration of the year in China. Chinese people may celebrate this feast in slightly different ways but their wishes are almost always the same, they wish their family members and friends health and luck during the New Year.

This year marks the year of the Snake. People born in the year of the Snake are the most intuitive, as well as the most private and reticent. ‘Snake people’ represent the symbol of wisdom. They are intelligent and wise and are regarded as great thinkers.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW MENU

Members of the public are welcome to join in the celebratory dinner priced at 35 Euro for adults. Children aged between six and 11 pay half the price and children under 6 years dine for free. A fireworks display is scheduled to start at 10pm.

Contact the Food and Beverage Team at the Excelsior Hotel Malta on tel: 21250520 or on email:

food.beverage@excelsior.com.mt for more information and to secure your table for this special event.

Malta Events - Christmas Pantos in Malta

A Christmas highlight in Malta, which is popular for children and adults alike is the annual pantomime held at the Manoel Theatre and a different one held at the MFCC. A happy mix of good slapstick humour for children and satire for adults. Pantomime story lines and scripts usually make no direct reference to Christmas, and are almost always based on traditional children’s stories.

Classic pantomime stories include Cinderella, Aladdin - sometimes combined with Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves or other Arabian Nights tales, Dick Whittington and His Cat, and Jack and the Beanstalk. These four, with the occasional addition of Peter Pan and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, tend to constitute the majority of “big” productions staged by major theatres.

Smaller theatres and amateur companies sometimes perform a wider range of stories, but still within a relatively narrow range—mostly based on the fairy tales of Charles Perrault, Joseph Jacobs, Hans Christian Andersen, and the Grimm Brothers; stories from the Arabian Nights; and well-known modern children’s fantasy stories like The Wizard of Oz.

While the familiarity of the audience with the original story is generally assumed, plot lines are almost always ‘adapted’ for comic or satirical effect, it being common for characters and situations from other stories to be interpolated into the plot. Certain familiar scenes tend to recur, regardless of plot relevance, and highly unlikely resolution of the plot is common whilst straight re-tellings of the original stories are rare.

The Malta Amateur Dramatic Club, or MADC, is Malta’s oldest theatre company having spanned ten generations. This year MADC and a cast of talented actors, singers and dancers are embarking on a journey to meet the wonderful Wizard of Oz- a spectacular pantomime by Alan Montonaro. This Christmas be sure to click your heels and join Dorothy, Toto, Scarecrow, Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion on an exciting journey down the Yellow Brick Road and onto the spectacular MFCC stage for a night of magic, thigh-slapping laughter and toetapping music. This show will run from the 22nd December to 6th January 2013.

Another great drama school is Masquerade, which will be staging the pantomime this Christmas at Teatru Manoel, Malta’s National Theatre. This year’s choice has fallen on THE CURSE OF SNOW WHITE and shows will run from 26th December to 6th January 2013.

For more information about Malta Events and What to do in Malta during your holidays kindly contact the Concierge at the Excelsior Hotel Malta who will give you great tips of things going on in and around Malta.

Christmas in Malta - The Maltese Crib

Christmas Traditions in Malta

The Maltese tradition of crib making (“presepju”) was influenced from Sicilian cribs. The earliest Maltese crib known was built at the Dominican Friars Church in Rabat in 1617. Another crib dated on the framework 1826 is found at the Benedictine Nuns in Mdina Malta; and another from the same period is found in Birgu, which has been over restored and not much left from the original. As cribs became more popular they also became more ‘Maltese’ with people replacing the Italian looking buildings and workers with local ones. Flour windmills were and are still popular features in a crib scene.

In Malta, two types of cribs are made-either in the shape of a grotto, or as the traditional large crib. The popular family crib (“presepju tal-familja”), is made with simple materials such as a thin wood base and chicken wire to hold the structure, this is covered with ‘paper mache’, made with home made flour glue. When finished, the crib is left to dry for days, before being painted with bright powder colour. Cardboard, burnt coal or pieces of rustic stone, easily found in Maltese countryside are used to structure larger cribs. Most cribs feature Jerusalem city as the back scenery. Some large cribs are worked mechanically creating the figures and other features moving around the countryside of Jerusalem with various caves, valley, hills with one word and streams.

The first Nativity scenes were decorated with expensive clay figures from Sicily. People could not afford to buy them, so several local crib dilettante, started moulding small clay figures and hand painted the face, hands and clothes. They were very rough and easily broken, so plaster moulds with local earth clay were used, and pressed to produce figurines called “pasturi”, derived from the Italian word “pastore”, which means shepherd, they were sold in many shops for a penny- “pasturi tas-sold”.

The most popular “pasturi”, were dressed in Maltese costumes, representing traditional crafts such as farmers, shepherds, the baker, climber, and the simple man full of wonder with both hands lifted up. Other popular “pasturi” include the musicians, the bagpipe player, the hand drummer, the friction drum player, and the two partners of Maltese folk singers.

The crib has become part of our country's traditions. With great pride the whole family shows the decorated crib to every one who visits their home during the Christmas festive season.

If you are planning a visit to Malta enjoy your stay in a Luxury Malta hotel. The Excelsior Hotel Malta Team will make sure that you experience the unique Maltese Traditions.

Hatha Yoga Session at Excelsior Hotel Malta

These days, Hatha is most often used to describe gentle, basic classes with no flow between poses. A Hatha class will likely be a slow- paced stretching class with some simple breathing exercises and perhaps seated meditation. This is a good place to learn beginner’s poses, relaxation techniques, and become comfortable with yoga.

Join the Le Grand Spa Malta Team every Wednesday at 17.30 hrs for a session of Hatha Yoga in Malta.

Sessions are complimentary for Our Grand Hotel Excelsior Guests. Towels and mats will be provided by Le Grand Spa.

Should you wish to experience any of the services at this leading Spa Hotel in Malta kindly contact us on 00356 21250520 or on spa@excelsior.com.mt.

Living a Royal Christmas at the Excelsior Hotel Malta!

This Year Let Your Star Accompany You to the Grand Hotel Excelsior

&

Celebrate the Christmas Spirit with Your Family and Friends.

Check Out what this top 5 star Malta Hotel has to offer for this Festive Season!

Learning Malta Holidays - English Courses in Malta

Would you like to enjoy a quick break in Malta whilst learning English at the same time?

Improve your English skills during your holidays in Malta. Add some English lessons to your accommodation package.

Private and semi-private courses in General and Business English are offered in-house at the Excelsior Hotel Malta by Britannia College Tutors, a Ministry of Education accredited English Language School.

Packages starting from € 700.00… choose from a variety of options.

 Should you require further information about English Courses in Malta kindly contact us on sascha.sammut@excelsior.com.mt or on 00356 21250520.

Terms and Conditions Apply.

Photo Courtesy of the Britannia College.

Excelsior Hotel Malta on Hampshire Society Magazine

Check Out the Grand Hotel Excelsior's feature on the last page of the October Hampshire Society Magazine.

Olive Picking by the Grand Hotel Excelsior Malta

An Olive picking event took place on Saturday 29th September 2012 at the Grand Hotel Excelsior Malta.

The Grand Hotel Excelsior Team members in the presence of the Minister for Resources and Rural Events, Hon. Minister George Pullicino participated in an Olive Picking session.

Excelsior Hotel Malta - Olives

Since 2007, Grand Hotel Excelsior has been cultivating hundreds of Olive Trees within its grounds. The trees where purchased through the Tree 4 U campaign and for the second year running this environment initiative beared fruit.

Stay updated with events taking place at the Grand Hotel Excelsior by visit this Luxury Malta Hotel's website.

Recipe of the Month - Capuccino Monalisa

If you would like to try out one of our delicious Capuccinos join us at the Harbour View Bar of the Excelsior Hotel Malta.

The Dragon checks in for the Chinese New Year

The Grand Hotel Excelsior welcomed the Year of the Dragon in style with a lavish Chinese Buffet under the auspices of the Chinese Ambassador to Malta H.E. Zhang Keyuan. The Hotel Lobby was decorated with authentic Chinese decorations which are a symbol of growth and prosperity.

On Monday 16th January the Dragon made a stunning entrance into the Grand Hotel Excelsior and checked-in on time for the Chinese New Year. For a whole week it proudly sat in the Hotel Lobby wishing the Hotel guests and staff a year full of prosperity. The 8 metre Dragon travelled all the way from China for its first Chinese New Year celebration in Malta.

VIP Guest for the month of January Chinese Foreign Minister Hon. Yang Jiechi welcomed by Mr. Grixti, Hotel General Manager, upon his arrival to the Grand Hotel Excelsior.

Chinese New Year, better known in China as the Spring Festival, is a time to welcome longevity, wealth and prosperity and to eliminate any negative events from the past. In Chinese tradition, each year is dedicated to a specific animal. The Dragon, Horse, Monkey, Rat, Boar, Rabbit, Dog, Rooster, Ox, Tiger, Snake, and Ram are the twelve animals that are part of this tradition. Each of these animals are thought to bestow their characteristics to the people born in their year. In 2012, the Dragon is welcomed back after the 2011 year of the Rabbit.

People born in the Year of the Dragon have a natural charisma and are certainly gifted with power and luck. Some famous personalities who were born in the Year of the Dragon are Michael Douglas, John Lennon, Al Pacino, Cliff Richard, Shirley Temple, Placido Domingo and Ringo Starr.

Chinese people may celebrate this feast in slightly different ways but their wishes are almost the same; they want their family members and friends to be healthy and lucky during the New Year.

To find out about Events at the Excelsior Hotel Malta and Things to do in Malta during your holidays stay updated with our Hotel website.

Chinese New Year 2012 - Understanding the Dragon Personality

The Dragon is magnificent. He is flamboyant, attractive and full of vitality and strength. In China the Dragon is the imperial symbol, the sign of the emperor, or the male element Yang. It is also the symbol of power and wealth.

People born in the Year of the Dragon have a natural charisma and are gifted with power and luck. It is unlikely for them to leave a party unnoticed or to take a second place in a competition. The Dragon person has an active mind and shows an unfeigned interest in the world around him/her. This person is also self-confident enough to know how to create a necessary impression and like to do everything on a grand scale.

They are egoistical and ambitious, and will stop at nothing to get what they want. A person born in this year wears the crown of destiny, and is capable of great achievements. While these people enjoy being the centre of attention, they also have a brave and charitable side. If a Dragon’s friend faces a problem or dilemma he/she will be there to offer help, and when others leave the field of battle the Dragon person makes a step forward to solve the problem with authority and dignity. These people have high standards for themselves as well as for other people and are surprised when others cannot cope with a task.

The Chinese believe that there is a balance between heaven and earth in the life of people born in the year of the dragon, and successful follows them everywhere. Along with a good fortune, these people are also good organizers, who can step in at the right moment with an exciting or creative scheme. They can be quick-tempered and obstinate, and sometimes too outspoken, but there is usually good advice in their criticisms or suggestions. No one can find a more devoted, open-hearted friend than this personality type. His/her vibrant, positive attitude is irreplaceable to have around and one can always count on him/her to support his/her friends unequivocally in times of need.

Ideal Job for the Dragon Include:

Managing director, Salesperson, Advertising executive, Barrister, Film producer, Prime minister or President, Photojournalist, Architect, Astronaut, Artist, Film star, War correspondent.

Some Celebrity Dragons:

Some Famous Dragons: Jeffrey Archer, Michael Barrymore, Count Basie, Julie Christie, James Coburn, Bing Crosby, Neil Diamond, Matt Dillon, Placido Domingo, Kirk Douglas, Michael Douglas, Marlene Dietrich, Tom Jones, John Lennon, Nick Nolte, Al Pacino, Elaine Paige, Gregory Peck, Cliff Richard, Martin Sheen, Ringo Starr, Shirley Temple.

Should you wish to join us for the Chinese New Year Dinner Celebration kindly contact the Excelsior Hotel Malta on 21250520 or email us on food.beverage@excelsior.com.mt.

Make your own Gingerbread Biscuits - Grand Hotel Excelsior Recipe

During your Christmas Holidays at the Grand Hotel Excelsior Malta we suggest you have a look at the Gingerbread Castle especially made by our Chefs for the Festive Season. The Castle is situated on Level 5 upon entering Admiral’s Landing Restaurant. We promise that the attention to detail and the smell of ginger and cinnamon will take your breath away.

Our Chefs would like to share with you the recipe and method for doing your own delicious Gingerbread Biscuits.

Using a food mixer, on a low speed mix sugar, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and ground cloves, mix well till all ingredients are well incorporated add butter, black trickle, milk and orange juice and continue mixing till it reaches the texture of a dough, texture should be good to be used with a rolling pin.

Should you wish to experience the Excelsior Hotel Malta's delicious food this Festive Season kindly contact us on: food.beverage@excelsior.com.mt or on 0035621250520.

Christmas at the Grand Hotel Excelsior 2011

A visit to the Excelsior Hotel Malta at Christmas is a time when treats come in great packages, large and small. Every time you visit us this festive season you can indulge in the Grand Life. We have planned a month full of activities that will make your Christmas and New Year an occasion to look forward to and a place to remember.

For more information about Things to do in Malta during your Christmas holidays visit our hotel website at: http://www.excelsior.com.mt/.

6 Great Reasons to visit the Grand Hotel Excelsior Malta this Christmas.

A Magical Christmas at the Grand Hotel Excelsior.

A visit to the Excelsior Hotel Malta at Christmas is a time when treats come in great packages, large and small. Every time you visit us this festive season you can indulge in the Grand Life. We have planned a month full of activities that will make your Christmas and New Year an occasion to look forward to and a place to remember.

Lighting of the Christmas Tree & Opening of the Charity Forest

On the 1st December the hotel will be celebrating the Lighting of the Christmas Tree and the opening of the Charity Forest. An event that will pave the way to all the events leading to Christmas.

Santas' Swim

On Saturday 3rd December, all the Santas will take a swim in the “crisp” Grand Harbour water or take a splash in the pool, to raise money for Puttinu Cares: http://bit.ly/p1lmyo. Should you wish to participate please contact us soon.

The Christmas Village: http://bit.ly/vCH62w 

Our Christmas Village will come to life on the 3rd December. The Village will be open during weekends and public holidays from the 3rd till 25th December 2011 and will feature:

Santa's Grotto, the Elves, a Christmas Forest, the Yummy Shop, the Post Office, Christmas Carols and Stalls.

Children's parties at the Christmas Village

You can also organise your kids' christmas party at the Christmas Village which will also include a gift from Santa in the Santa's Grotto.

Festive Season Dining Options

Sumptuous food available from our Festive Season Dining options and in our selection of Staff Party Menus: http://bit.ly/na6M67.

After Hour Parties

We have designed an exciting party room intended to be the perfect spot with plenty of excitement to keep everyone occupied into the late night hours. Parties will include a Christmas Bonanza on wine, beer and vodka with red bull pitchers. should you wish to check availability and prices please feel free to contact us.

For more details about what's happening at the Grand Hotel Excelsior please Check Out Our Festive Season Events Programme or contact us on 00356 21250520 or by email on: info@excelsior.com.mt 

Our Christmas Brochure

A Magical Christmas at the Grand Hotel Excelsior Malta!


Christmas Brochure 2011

A MAGICAL CHRISTMAS at the Grand Hotel Excelsior

Christmas Holidays in Malta - A visit to the Excelsior at Christmas is a time when treats come in great packages, large and small. Those packages come in the form of our collective and individual skills and talents that will make your experience with us a very special one indeed...

Click on Image to Enlarge 

For further information please call Our Corporate Sales Team on 21250520 or email on events@excelsior.com.mt.

World Tourism Day at Excelsior Hotel Malta

Tuesday 27th September 2011 - Hosting guests from around the World and operating with personnel from 23 different countries, the Grand Hotel Excelsior believes in finding unity in diversity. To celebrate this day the Grand Hotel Excelsior’s Lobby will be transformed into a little global community embracing music, food, drinks and art from around the World, from the collection of Dame Francoise Tempra.

The Harbour View Bar will serve typical cocktails from around the globe, whilst Le Grand Spa will be having special packages on treatments originated in different cultures.

In the evening, an International Buffet will be held at the Admiral’s landing featuring cuisines from Latin America, Asia, Middle East and the Mediterranean. Click Here to View Menu.

Activities in the Lobby are free of charge whilst the International Buffet is at 33 Euro per person.

For more information kindly visit Our Hotel Website.

The Maltese Cross

Introduced to Malta by the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem upon taking possession of the islands in 1530, the Maltese Cross has become an intrinsic part of Malta’s culture and heritage, as well as a much-cherished symbol by the Maltese.

The Maltese Cross formally adopted by the Knights Hospitallers of St. John in 1126, stylistically owes its origins to the crosses used in the crusades, when it was identified as the symbol of the “Christian warrior”: Its eight points denote the eight obligations or aspirations of the knights, namely “to live in truth, have faith, repent one’s sins, give proof of humility, love justice, be merciful, be sincere and wholehearted, and to endure persecution”. With time, the eight points also came to represent the eight “langues” (literally “tongues”, but in effect national groupings) of the noblemen who were admitted to the famed order, namely those of Auvergne, Provence, France, Aragon, Castille and Portugal, Italy, Baviere (Germany), and England (with Scotland and Ireland). The Maltese cross remains the symbol of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.

The link between the Maltese Cross and these islands was forged with the Knights’ arrival in Malta in 1530. By then, the Cross had become the established symbol of the Order, and as the Knights set about putting their stamp on these islands through their inspired architectural feats and patronage of the arts, so the Maltese Cross provided the signature to this glorious legacy. The Cross found itself on coats-of-arms, palaces, hospitals, the entrances and gates to various forts and towers, on fortifications as well as on coins, cannon, monuments, churches, paintings and frescoes, furniture, silverware and jewelry.

A selection of souvenirs including thimbles, magnets, baseball caps, lighters and pendants featuring the Maltese Cross are available at the Grand Hotel Excelsior's Gift Shops.

Gozo - Excelsior Malta Excursions

Gozo, meaning “joy” in Castilian, is the second largest Island of the Maltese archipelago, with a population of approximately 30,000.

Though separated from mainland Malta by a 5km stretch of sea, Gozo is distinctly different from Malta. The Island is a third the size of Malta, more rural and simple, its culture and way of life rooted in fishing, as well as in primitive pastoral and agricultural activity.

Exuding a relaxed pace of life, Gozo is the ideal secluded safe haven and at just 25 minutes or so by ferry from Malta, the hop can easily be made for even the shortest stay.

Gozo and its inhabitants have their own distinct character and identity, with noticeably different lifestyles, accents and dialect. Gozitans are known for their friendliness and welcome to visitors, going out of their way to indicate a direction or help a visitor find their destination.

The real beauty of Gozo, apart from its stunning seascape and interior, lies in the villages. Here, it seems as if time really does stand still. The locals treasure their peace and the villages are tranquil, proving to be a wonderful respite from the trials and tribulations of everyday life for visitors.

Village bars open early in order to cater for the early risers who attend the first mass of the morning and close fairly late at night, catering for the socialising needs of locals and visitors. These watering holes have stayed unchanged for decades, the only sign of time passing by being the food and drink displayed for sale on the solid shelves and the Edwardian glass cases.

All roads in Gozo lead to Victoria, also known as Rabat, which is where the fortified citadel sits atop a summit.

Restaurants abound in Rabat, Mgarr and the fishing villages of Marsalforn and Xlendi, as well as in several other places.

Check Out Our Gozo Tour:

Price for 2 to 4 persons: 160 Euro, or

Price for 5 to 6 persons: 180 Euro.

Should you wish to experience one of Our Special Malta Tours kindly contact our chauffeur driven service on: +356 2125 0520 or concierge@excelsior.com.mt.