د . إAEDSRر . س

Inside The New Luxury Hotel Carved Into A Senglea Bastion

Article Featured Image

Photo: Cugo Gran Macina 

Malta’s newest luxury hotel officially launched last night, and it is unlike anything the country has yet to offer – with all the opulence of a snazzy hotel but carved inside a 16th century bastion in Senglea. 

The building now housing the Cugo Gran Macina hotel was built in 1554 during the reign of Grand Master Claude de la Sengle, after whom Senglea is named. It was originally used to hoist masts and other heavy cargo onto ships docked in the Grand Harbour, and was later used as the headquarters of the Labour Party between the 1970s and the 1990s.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat gave a light-hearted nod to this part of the building’s history when launching the hotel yesterday. 

31562319 2062559020733556 6897034453021884416 O

Photo: Cugo Gran Macina 

“I remember I was on one of my first dates with Michelle but needed to pop down to the Macina for a brief ten-minute meeting. Michelle agreed to come down with me, probably because she didn’t have a lift, but the ten-minute meeting ended up lasting an hour if not longer,” he said. “When I told my daughters this anecdote as we passed by the Macina, they asked me why I left mummy waiting inside a stuffy old room. Well, now I can tell them that I left her waiting inside a five-star hotel.”

Jm

IBB chairman Sven von der Heyden (right) gives Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and his wife Michelle a tour of the hotel 

20180503 210959

The hotel is the work of the IBB Hotel Collection, owned by the von der Heyden business group.

“We are honoured to be part of the Macina story, which historically contributed to Senglea’s title ‘Citta Invicta’ (Unconquered City),” IBB Hotels chairman Sven von der Heyden said. “After 40,000 man hours and a multimillion euro investment on restoration and rehabilitation, it is a great feeling to see such an iconic 16th century building come to life again for people to experience and be another step closer to being a UNESCO world heritage site.”

20180503 210727
20180503 210959
20180503 211156

Room service 

There are only 21 rooms in the hotel, but each one has its own unique design and is moulded according to the design of the bastion. The furniture itself is mostly modern, but there are some quirky additions – such as a basin with spectacular views overlooking the Grand Harbour. Prices range from €250 to €400 a night. 

Cugo Gran Macina is also the first Maltese member of Design Hotels – a select group of boutique and design-luxury driven hotels around the world.

Tag a friend who would love to spend a night at this hotel! 

READ NEXT: A Real Taste Of Maltese Pride In The Heart Of Budapest

Tim is interested in the rapid evolution of human society and is passionate about justice, human rights and cutting-edge political debates. You can follow him on Instagram or Twitter/X at @timdiacono or reach out to him at [email protected]

You may also love

View All