Following the brand’s openings in Ibiza and Tenerife, Hard Rock International is planning to open its third resort in Europe.
Projected to open in 2020, the seafront Hard Rock Hotel Malta will be part of a new mix-used development called db City Centre, which includes a shopping mall, residences and office spaces in St. George's Bay, St. Julian's. The 370-guestroom Hard Rock Hotel Malta is being developed in collaboration with the Malta-based Seabank Group, a partner of Hard Rock for more than 15 years.
“Seabank is recognized as one of the most established hospitality companies on the island with more than 30 years of experience, which includes the ongoing management of Malta's existing Hard Rock Cafes,” Marco Roca, EVP of global hotel development at Hard Rock International, said in a statement.
"In the past few years we've seen Malta's tourism sector on a steady rise, with the destination reporting nearly two million visitors in 2016," Arthur Gauci, CEO of Seabank Group, said. "As the world takes notice and Maltese tourism booms, we're thrilled to work with Hard Rock to bring an upscale and never-before-seen experience to the island."
The design of the Hard Rock Hotel Malta will pay homage to the 19th-century British military accommodation quarters building which will be a key feature of the project's layout. Prior to opening, the historic site will undergo a renovation that, the company claims, will restore it to “its former glory.” When it opens, the hotel will have a rooftop lounge complete with a Skybar, “numerous” pools and a full-service Rock Spa, as well as the Body Rock fitness center. The hotel will also have more than 37,000-square-feet of planned function space, including the largest convention center on the island.