Fairytale Christmas at Le Meridien St Julians

PRESS RELEASE

 Once upon a time…

St Julians, Malta – December 2011

The creative team of Le Méridien St Julians Hotel & Spa reinvents the spirit of Christmas with a magical theme that will lead adults and children alike on a dream journey, leading us up in style to the end-of-year traditional festivities.

Browsing through Le Méridien St Julians’ Christmas brochure feels like opening up the forgotten world of ancient story books. The leaflet is tainted in fairy tales’ colours and each page is a sweet discovery, that combines necessary informative content with enchanting touches. An innovative concept that certainly distinguishes itself and strikes curiosity, on a market inundated with Christmas and New Year promotions.

“This year at Le Méridien, storytelling is key.”, explains Mr. Franco Vella, General Manager. “Our theme was carefully selected and was welcomed with great enthusiasm by all our departments. It is a success on several levels. Not only do we believe that it will present our customers with an unusual yet magical dining experience that will exceed their expectations, but it also triggered the creative minds of our entire team. Everyone is willing to go the extra mile to entertain our guests like one writes a perfect fairy tale: with imagination, passion and an impeccable attention to details.”

Photoshoot at Le Meridien

Photography by Britta Kasholm-Tengve

Photography by Britta Kasholm-Tengve

Christmas at Le Meridien Malta

Once Upon a Time... Your Fairytale Christmas in Malta. Book your staff party or any end-of-year festivities with us.
Please send your enquiry to christmas.malta@lemeridien.com or call on (356) 2311 0000

Visit our website for more information

Behind the scenes - Wedding Fair

Note to english speakers: Most of the suppliers' interviews are in Maltese.

Discover tips and advice directly from our professional suppliers and the preparation leading to Le Meridien Wedding Fair 2011, held in Malta

Great insights for grooms and brides-to-be

More info on www.facebook.com/maltaweddings

Or contact sales.malta@lemeridien.com


Visit our website for more information

Health & Safety Week

As in previous years, Le Méridien St Julians Hotel & Spa in Balluta Bay has organised a very successful Health & Safety week, with an array of interesting related activities spread out between the 10th and the 15th of October 2011.
The Health & Safety committee of the hotel, led by Health & Safety Manager Joseph Zammit, has once again come up with great initiatives primarily aimed at offering a safer workplace to the hotel’s employees. This series of events is strongly encouraged by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, the mother company of Le Méridien St Julians Hotel & Spa. During the week, talks on various themes were organised: manual food handling, health & safety at the workplace, the importance of recycling waste, etc. Workshops for Le Méridien associates were also put together to present subjects such as food handler’s training and HACCP training.

Mr. Joseph Zammit, Health & Safety Manager at Le Méridien (second from the left)
during blood donation campaign with Le Méridien associates.

“It was a very rewarding and eventful week” states Joseph Zammit who instigated the full organisation of the week. “We had a great turn-out to most of the events and an even better feed-back! After a couple of years of hard work to get everyone involved, mentalities have changed and we can now witness a true interest from both our staff and our local community”.

A breakfast suited to the corporate needs

St Julians, Malta – October 7th, 2011

Abundant Corporate Breakfast options

Throughout the past 5 years, Le Méridien St Julians Hotel & Spa has established itself as the No 1 address for hosting corporate entities and their individual clientele. The hotel also strives to adapt itself to the ever-changing market needs. With corporate travelling budgets still very much under scrutiny due to stuttering economies in mainland Europe, Le Méridien St Julians Hotel & Spa acknowledges the fact that clients have become more conscious and savvy on how to allocate and spend their travelling funds. In line with mainland European trends, corporate clients largely book their accommodation on a Room Only basis and opt for smaller and lighter breakfasts outside hotel premises.

Le Méridien boasts Maltese Culture for World Tourism Day

St Julians, Malta – September, 30th 2011

Since 1980, the United Nations World Tourism Organization has been celebrating World Tourism Day every year, on September 27. It is on that specific date, in 1970, that the Statutes of the UNWTO were adopted. The adoption of these Statutes is considered a milestone in global tourism. The purpose of World Tourism Day is to raise awareness on the role of tourism within the international community and to demonstrate how it affects social, cultural, political and economic values worldwide.

The participants to World Tourism Day excurison organised by Le Meridien

Le Méridien Malta paints it purple for SPG

The launch of the SPG awareness week started with a bang this Monday at Le Méridien Malta, with a Guest Cocktail Party proudly representing the colours of SPG and involving our dedicated Management Team, available to present customers with all the advantages the program has to offer. All throughout the week, our hotel guests checking in at the front desk will be greeted by enthusiastic receptionists wearing SPG T-shirts purposely printed for the occasion. All arriving customers are being offered a delicious home-made SPG cupcake as a welcome treat, prepared with passion by Le Méridien kitchen brigade. Our maintenance and housekeeping departments worked hand in hand to bring the SPG theme alive throughout our premises: countless purple balloons filled up with helium are nicely covering up the ceiling of our lobby, whilst the façade was decorated with a huge Starwood Preferred Guest banner hanging down from the top of the building. Last but not least, guests and associates alike can’t stop talking about the impressive highlight of the week… As soon as the sun goes down, passers-by on Balluta Bay Promenade can indeed enjoy an unusual sight: the entire facade of the hotel prettily lighting up with a distinctive purple halo...

Interview with our Executive Head Chef Reuben Grixti

How and why did you choose to become a chef?

I could always envisage myself to be an expertise of the culinary arts. My uncle and granddad were both chefs and always gave me a fair amount of encouragement in order to pursue my dream. Helping my mother with the dinner preparations was an activity I always looked forward to, so it didn’t come as a surprise when I decided to follow my passion and act on my dream.

Is the Maltese culture reflected in your cooking?

Whilst establishing a menu, I always incorporate dishes which are time consuming and not very convenient to cook at home, such as local fish. I utilize seasonal and traditional ingredients in order to accent the dish according to the on-going trend. At Le Méridien St Julians Hotel & Spa we strive in producing traditional intellectual nourishment adding a contemporary twist.

The adventures of Tintin - Campaign Launch

Did You Know?...

Ghar Hassan

The legend about Għar Ħassan (Hassan-cave) takes us back to the Great Siege of Malta of 1565 when a Turkish runaway named Saracen Ħassan, who found his way to Malta and hid in a cave. The legend states that He fell in love with a Maltese farm girl who's family wouldn't allow them to be together. The girl, who also loved him ran away with him to live in this cave and in order to get by they would abduct local girls and trade them for supplies to the ships that would pass by lowering the girls down to the ships below. Finally one of brave abducted girls knocked Hassan out with a rock and escaped, ending the abductions.

Another similar legend states that Ħassan kidnapped a Maltese girl and took her with him to this cave as a captive. When the Maltese people found him, instead of being held captive he preferred killing the girl and committing suicide, so he jumped into the sea taking the Maltese girl with him.

The cave setting is most spectacular. From the car park, a foot path over a "karst garden", leads to a flight of 25 precarious steps, heading down the limestone cliff high over the sea. A walk along a narrow path, carved out of the cliff, protected by a very rusty guard rail leads to the entrance. Ħassan, apparently, entered the cave from below via a rope tethered at the entrance. The main entrance to the cave is 5m high and 6m wide and the entrance is of similar dimensions for the first 20m. In the top of this passage is a roof tube, sometimes separated from the main passage by a thin layer of rock and sometimes just a half tube in the roof. Partially enlarged master joints can be seen crossing the main passage.

Most of them come to a dead end but a large one extends for 48m and 73m respectively to two further entrances along the cliff face. At the eastern entrance there is a man made circular chamber, with obvious pick marks on the walls, and a stone bench around the edge, it has been speculated that this was, in fact, where Ħassan lived.

The cave is almost bereft of formations, although there are some small stalactites and some splash deposits. A broken iron gate bars the inner recess to the cave. Here, according to Savona-Ventura are some cave paintings, but, as they were only discovered in the last 10 years, their antiquary is in some dispute. The cave is heavily trashed and there are syringes and guano in evidence. Watch where you walk and wear gloves. The lady who sits in a hut in the car park will lend you a torch if you give her a tip. Otherwise take your own as little of the cave can be seen from the daylight which filters in from the entrances.

One can go on a self-guided tour of this Cave free of charge. It is located in Hal Far, Malta. 2km south-west of Kalafrana, well signposted from the Kalafrana/Zurrieq road

See more by visiting: Did you know?...

Le Meridien rewards creative talents

St Julians, Malta – August, 26th 2011

Le Méridien St Julians Hotel & Spa strives to support creative talents with an increasing commitment towards the arts and culture of our beautiful island. The hotel’s calendar of events for the following months is getting busy and 2012 holds a lot of surprises in terms of creative initiatives at the 5 star property.



Painting my Michael Wright

In order to enhance the fruitful creative partnerships that Le Méridien St Julians has already established with local artists through various exhibitions, Management organized an Art Cocktail Party, last Tuesday 23rd of August. A total of 10 artists gathered their styles and passion in one special evening. The painters selected one work of art amongst their personal collection to exhibit on the night and shared their insight on their technique and inspiration.

For this event, the Hotel Management invited its top VIP guests. “It was the perfect opportunity for our international travelers to get in touch with the artistic abundance of our archipelago.”, explained Mr. Franco Vella, General Manager. “We are proud of our Brand message and its aspiration to support Art in all its forms.”

Le Méridien Malta once again receives Gold Award by Travelife

St Julians, Malta – July 14th, 2011

Travelife is an independent auditor working on behalf of the International Federation of Tour Operators, which represents 13 national associations in Europe. Travelife audits various aspects of the hospitality industry, including hotels. The audits focus on waste management, energy saving practices, emissions and environment sustainability principles.
 

Le Méridien St Julians Hotel & Spa forms part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts; a worldwide hospitality company that continuously stresses on the importance of being a leader in terms of environmental sustainability. Starwood emphasizes on various topics such as conserving natural resources, minimizing waste and pollution, enhancing indoor environment quality, establishing key environment performance indicators and raising awareness. The global company has committed to a 30% reduction in energy usage and a 20% reduction in water usage across its properties by 2020. Le Méridien St Julians Hotel & Spa is certainly working towards an active contribution to these green goals.

Pamper your Dad with Debenhams and Le Méridien!

Get great advantages this year for Father’s Day...

Shop at Debenhams, dine at Le Méridien!

On the occasion of Father’s Day, Debenhams Malta and Le Méridien St Julians Hotel & Spa partner up to help you impress your dad.

On Sunday 19th June, we are celebrating all the wonderful dads at Le Meridien St Julians, with a great Sunday Lunch at Scirocco Restaurant, concocted by our creative head chef Reuben Grixti. In the meantime, and throughout the week, Debenhams Malta (Tigne Point) is also launching a great promotional campaign on Men’s Clothing. Everything you need to spoil the patriarch of the family!

The joined promotion works as follow:

• For every €80 spent on men’s clothing at Debenhams this week, clients will receive a €10 dining credit at KuDéTa, the Lounge & Bar of Le Méridien St Julians (Balluta Bay). A great gift idea for your dad and an extra treat for the family!
• For every Father’s Day lunch table booked at Scirocco Restaurant (the main restaurant of Le Méridien St Julians), clients will receive one free €10 Debenhams voucher redeemable on Men’s clothing.

Additionally, Debenhams is offering a 20% discount on all men’s wear this week!

Father’s Day lunch at Le Méridien St Julians Hotel & Spa is at €32 per person. Children up to 7 years old eat free, whilst youngsters between 8 and 14 years old eat for €10 per person only.

Please contact sales.malta@lemeridien.com  to obtain the full menu and/or for additional information about this joined promotion. To avoid disappointment, please reserve your table by calling 2311 0000 now.

Shop at Debenhams, dine at Le Méridien!

Ambassador’s Award for Environmental Excellence

St Julians, Malta – June 6th, 2011


Le Méridien St Julians Hotel & Spa in Malta has recently been awarded the “2011 Ambassador’s Award for Environmental Excellence” by the Embassy of the United States of America in Valletta. This prestigious award recognizes firms that epitomize environmental excellence by adopting best practices protecting our environment and promoting sustainability.

Le Méridien St Julians Hotel & Spa forms part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, a Global hospitality company that continuously stresses on the importance of being a leader in terms of environmental sustainability in all of its hotels worldwide. With its Environment Sustainability Policy statement, Starwood emphasizes on various topics such as conserving natural resources, minimizing waste and pollution, enhancing indoor environment quality, establishing and reporting on key environment performance indicators, raising environment awareness amongst hotel associates, hotel guests and local communities. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has committed to a 30% reduction in energy usage and a 20% reduction in water usage by 2020. Specific deliverables are required from each hotel and this international company expects nothing less than 100% commitment from its properties in adopting key sustainability initiatives.

Il-Pjazza - or the Maltese way of living

On Friday 10th of June, il-Pjazza – Le Méridien’s new outdoor restaurant will officially open and unlock the colourful ways of wining and dining in Malta with its very first "FESTA FRIDAY". With this new venue, Le Méridien St Julians invites his summer clientele to lay back in a pleasant set-up inspired by the Festa atmosphere that sprinkles the island throughout summer.

"We wanted to widen our dining options", explains Andre Scerri, F&B Director at Le Méridien St Julians. "It had become obvious that we needed to present an original summer venue and the idea of re-creating the concept of our island’s popular Festa in a 5 star environment imposed itself to us".

The name "il-Pjazza" was also born quite naturally when the hotel’s team brainstormed about the Maltese way of living. What better term could describe a typical meeting point, at the heart of the village feasts in Malta?

"In Living Color" by Bruce Bingham

Artist Bruce Bingham will be exhibiting her oil paintings at Le Méridien St Julians Hotel & Spa at the beginning of June.

In the past, artist Bruce Bingham has lived in Latvia, France and Spain and now resides on our beautiful island of Malta. She has travelled extensively and visited over 15 countries. While enjoying travel, she also finds great pleasure in picking oranges and lemons from her garden to compose a still life.

Page Turner, oil on canvas, 8 x 10''

Scuba diving, cultural excursions and more!

Why not dive into culture with Le Méridien St Julians Hotel & Spa in Malta?

With this brand new vacation package, Le Méridien aims at transforming your hotel experience into more than just a place to stay at. We strive to highlight the beauties of our destination. We want to make it easy for our guests to unlock the natural and cultural jewels of Malta. That is why we came up with a package that offers much more than just a hotel room. We teamed up with reliable and reputed partners to enhance your vacation feel. This summer, you can embrace Le Méridien's perspective on travel. Or take a refreshing dip in our Mediterranean blue waters. And uncover the cultural heritage our stunning island.

Here is what your "Dive into Culture" package includes:

• Accommodation for up to 2 people in the room type of your choice (on room only basis*)
• Free access to our luxurious Spa & Fitness facilities
• Unlock Art: your room key also gives you free access to St James Cavallier, Center for Creativity
• 1 free ticket to Valletta Living History per person (high definition audiovisual show)
• Scuba Diving elements with Neptunes Diving Center, including all equipment rental, qualified instructor and transport: 1/2 day PADI Discover Scuba Diving per person OR 1/2 day scuba diving excursion incl. 2 dives per person (second option is for qualified divers)

Without Art, we have no voice

An unusual "father and daughter" art exhibition is currently being held at Le Méridien St Julians Hotel & Spa, Level 1. Indeed, Noel and Claire Azzopardi teamed up for their very first official exhibition depicting a combination of styles and techniques, with a focus on oil and acrylic portraiture.

Noel is attending his final third year at the School of Art in Valletta, pursuing a diploma in painting. He is presenting to us his inspiring thesis call "Caricature". His favourite works of art are seascape and still-life depictions, which he executes with vibrant intensity using strong hues for emotion.

Claire pursued Graphic Design studies and distinguished herself by coming first of her promotion. She uses her acquired skills and her natural talent to depict the human face in an imaginary way with delicate satin-like finishes. Their subtle expressions will not fail to seduce the viewer with their beauty and serenity. They underline a beautiful artistic contrast with the strong emotions depicted in her father’s creations. Claire also interestingly combines her digital competence with Art – which definitely defines this exhibition as one of a kind.

Noel and Claire state: "Without Art, we have no voice".

The exhibition is opened for viewing at Le Méridien St Julians Hotel & Spa, from the 22nd of May till the 1st of June.

Le Méridien Kids Can Cook

Remy, the cute cartoon keen on French Gastronomy in the famous children’s movie "Ratatouille", better watches out for Le Méridien Kids! Indeed, whilst the animated character was displaying his fictitious culinary talents on a giant screen placed in the kitchen of Le Méridien St Julians this Saturday morning, an enthusiastic (and very lively) junior kitchen brigade was actively working with real ingredients, under the amused yet professional supervision of Executive Head Chef Reuben Grixti.

Children's Art for the Planet

This year, Le Méridien St Julians Hotel & Spa went "Beyond the Hour*" on the occasion of Earth Hour 2011, a global awareness movement for the environment that started off in 2007.

Indeed, on Saturday 26th March, instead of simply switching off the lights from 8.30pm till 9.30pm as indicated by this energy-saving project, the Hotel’s management went one step further. Guests and patrons were formally invited to join the Team in the hotel lobby at 8.15pm to share a welcome drink. Shortly before the lights went off, the official video of Earth Hour 2011 was projected on a giant screen to raise awareness of the initiative amongst all present. This introduction video was followed by a choreographed Le Méridien moment called “evening ritual”, whereas members of the staff – dressed in the appropriate branded costumes - solemnly entered the lobby and lit up the candles placed on the center piece of the room. The scene was rolled out on a powerful music by the artist Enya playing in the background. The evening then transformed into a candle-lit moment whilst a talented guitarist pleasantly entertained the guests for a couple of hours.

Earth Hour at Le Méridien: children’s pledge for Mother Earth

At 8.30pm on Saturday 26 March 2011, lights will switch off around the globe for the Earth Hour. So will all Starwood Hotels worldwide. Fully supported by its mother company, Le Méridien St Julians Hotel & Spa will adopt the initiative for the 3rd consecutive year. But with an interactive and creative twist this time.

"The project has been impressively evolving on a global scale", states Mark Muscat de Celis, Director of Sales & Marketing at Le Méridien St Julians. "And we don’t want to fall behind. We want to involve our community, encourage Maltese people to take action and motivate our youth to adopt a new perspective."

With this philosophy in mind, Le Méridien St Julians is launching an interactive competition based on children’s creativity and aimed at populating what promises to be a unique art exhibition. Indeed, the management is enthusiastically inviting all children between 7 and 14years old to come up with an A4 creation on the theme of "Mother EARTH"*. The technique (water colours, pencils, collage, etc.) is left to the preference of the child, however all artworks must be laid on A4 sized paper. The drawings will all be exhibited on the 26th March at the KuDéTa Bar & Lounge. On that day, hotel guests and local customers will be able to enjoy this "Mother EARTH" art exhibition and vote for their favorite piece of art. The winner of the competition will get a free afternoon of horse riding for him/herself and his/her close family, together with a picnic basket full of delicious Le Méridien treats.

Art competition for children on the theme of "Mother EARTH"

On top of this original exhibition, Le Méridien St Julians will of course respect the electricity curfew that will put the entire hotel in the dark from 8.30pm till 9.30pm. "But switching off the lights is a simple gesture that must come across as a celebration", emphasizes Angela Saliba, Hotel Manager. "We want to go beyond a mechanical energy saving moment and we are inviting all our patrons to take a stand with us by sharing the magic of a candle-lit evening". Indeed, for an hour and decorated by the children’s creations, Le Méridien’s public areas will solely be lit with candles. To encourage both hotel guests and local customers to visit the premises for this special evening, the Management is also organizing a "Happy Hour" at the KuDéTa Bar & Lounge from 8.30pm and 9.30pm: for every drink purchased at the bar, clients will receive a second one for free.

AMBIguous: a creative versatility!

This upcoming art exhibition, named "AMBIguous", is gathering the creative forces of two very versatile Maltese artists: Mr. Mark Mallia and Ms. Claire Attard-Vella. It will be on display from the 12th till the 27th of March 2011, on the second floor of Le Méridien St Julians in Balluta Bay. Access to the exhibition area is free of charge.

Claire Attard-Vella working on one of her creations

Maltese hospitality all the way to Sweden

Stockholm, the most populated area in Scandinavia and home to around 22% of Sweden’s entire population, embraced the arrival of a Maltese delegation on Tuesday 25th of January 2011. Representatives of MTA Scandinavia, InterTravel (Destination Management Company), Starwood Global Sales Offices and Le Méridien St Julians Hotel & Spa, gathered at the Sheraton Stockholm Hotel to proudly host their main contacts and potential customers amongst Sweden’s Professional Conference Organizers.

The project had been in the pipeline of Le Méridien St Julian’s business plan for the last couple of weeks. James Drury, Group Sales Manager, and Reuben Grixti, Executive Head Chef, actively worked at organizing the event prior to flying out to Sweden a couple of days before this much awaited evening. “This wouldn’t have been possible without the precious help of InterTravel and MTA, and without the professional commitment of Britt-Marie Skog, the Account Director of Starwood Global Sales Offices in Scandinavia.”, explains James Drury. “We were on a shared mission, not only to present our property, but also – and mainly – to promote Malta as a preferred and ideal travel destination for the Meeting & Incentive market.”

The organizers of the event with some of the participants

Autumn Incentive Offer

For groups of minimum 10 rooms, staying for a minimum of 3 nights, any time between the 1st of September and the 31st of December 2011 (subject to availability).

Only valid for bookings placed before the 31st of May 2011.

Standard SINGLE
September: €120 per person per night
October: €100 per person per night
November/December: €65 per person per night

Standard DOUBLE
September: €70 per person per night
October: €55 per person per night
November/December: €40 per person per night

Daily Delegate Rate at €52 per person, including:

• Free internet in guest room (wired)
• Access to main meeting room
• Free water in main meeting room
• Conference packs
• 2 standard coffee breaks
• Buffet lunch OR buffer dinner
• Non alcoholic beverage package
• Non alcoholic welcome drink upon arrival

One free delegate package for every 5 delegate packages booked (Max. 6 free delegate packages in all) + up to 4 VIP upgrades (subject to availability) !!

Send your query to sales.malta@lemeridien.com now and mention "FALL OFFER" to get a quote based on the above offer.

Please note that management reserves the right to amend or terminate this offer at any time.

Are you in love?

Romance package

DON'T JUST SAY IT. SHOW IT.

What better way to celebrate love than to indulge in a getaway on the romantic island of Malta?

In February, Le Méridien St Julians Hotel & Spa presents a time-limited offer that will impress your loved one and give you the possibility to escape to luxury at an affordable price.

This offer is valid for any stay of minimum 3 nights, any time in February.

... your island wedding