Cavalieri Hotel may be leased

A consortium of local businessmen is discussing the possibility of leasing the four-star Cavalieri Hotel in St Julian's for a few years, with a view to refurbishing it and reopening it soon, sources said.

The hotel has lain closed for some years - three years ago the hotel's owners had obtained a permit to add two extra floors to the existing four, extending it at the rear, refurbishing the pool area and remodelling the main façades.

However, the previous year, before the permit was obtained, hotel chairman Norman Mifsud had been forced to close the hotel down indefinitely because of development works at the nearby Hilton, which was inconveniencing guests. Sixty workers had been laid off.

The hotel was built in 1968 and has been extended twice, in 1972 and 1987. A Lm250,000 refurbishment was carried out in 1996.

In April this year, a planning application was filed by Derek Mifsud, on behalf of the hotel owners, for alterations to the existing hotel and the building of additional facilities.