The ultimate five-star residence

Owning a residence at the Kempinski San Lawrenz Resort and Spa will take you into a world of luxury. Simonne Pace discovers just how highly finished the Kempinski residences are during a recent visit to the beautiful five-star hotel in Gozo.

Living in luxury by to-day's standards is no longer rare. Many however still dream of living in lavish houses with never-ending driveways and opulent façades or in a stylish apartment with views to die for.

And as we dream on about these luxuries delightfully letting our imagination run wild, living ostentatiously at super chic addresses is quite normal for the privileged few.

Major developments in Malta, like Portomaso, Verdala Mansions and Tigné, which mushroomed over the past years have aroused a huge interest in foreign investors to Malta creating a new niche in the property market.

These developments also seem to entice Maltese businessmen and entrepreneurs who purchase top-notch properties in prime areas for business rather than residential purposes and also a substantial number of foreigners who are purchasing some of the most beautiful properties in Malta and Gozo either to settle in or to rent out.

Located on the grounds of the five-star Kempinski Hotel San Lawrenz is another luxurious development - the Kempinski residences - a cluster of 66 residences and six penthouse suites by Baldacchino Group, which are currently nearing completion.

This major development in Gozo introduces yet another concept - that of living within a five-star resort and enjoying all its facilities - a new kind of living which provides you with certain benefits a house will never give you.

The greatest benefit is that just outside your door is one of the best spas in Europe. The Kempinski spa is rated one of Europe's top ten. Here you can experience a variety of body and soul treatments, including authentic Ayurveda (Indian for science of life - a 5,000-year-old science treating diseases and maintaining and protecting perfect health), marine and herbal remedies, massages, balneo baths, stone therapy and Vichy water showers. A wide variety of beauty treatments are also available at the wellness centre.

Efficient doctors with professionally trained and experienced staff head the Ayurvedic centre. Ayurveda is the most natural way to refresh yourself, eliminate all toxic imbalances from the body and regain resistance and good health. Ayur-vedic treatments include Pancha-karma, oil therapy, rejuvenation therapy, body slimming, aphrodisiac therapy, skin care and many more.

Other hotel facilities include a fully equipped gym, tennis and squash courts, one indoor and three outdoor pools, private gardens, jacuzzi, steam baths, children's club, parking facilities 24-hour security service, porter and concierge service, a selection of fine restaurants, laundry services, meeting facilities and maintenance services. All these are offered to the owners for free and some others at preferential rates.

This exclusive residential complex offers tranquillity, luxury and security with a choice of one-, two- and three-bedroomed suites and three-bedroomed penthouses. All terraces, balconies and verandahs of this plush U-shaped development surrounding the Kempinski San Lawrenz overlook its impressive pool area and huge, lush gardens.

All residences come highly finished with telephone points in every room, including bathrooms, satellite TV points in all rooms except bathrooms, electronic door locks, preparation of frigo bars in all bedrooms, hard wood doors, carpeted corridors, external apertures in cast aluminium, preparation for under-floor heating, colour video hall porter, underlay soundproofing, fully equipped bathrooms with hydro massage baths and walk-in showers, double basin in bathrooms, hair dryer points, bathroom extractor fans, wooden soffits and CCTV cameras in all corridors and entrances.

There is a private entrance to residence building or through the hotel, free outdoor parking space for one car, individually controlled central air conditioner and heating units and preparation for Internet connection.

Over the past year the Kempinski Hotel San Lawrenz has itself also embarked on an extensive project to continuously improve its product. Two floors were recently added to its south wing and an additional floor to the main building, adding more rooms, including suites and presidential suites. The residences form part of the hotel's north wing.

Young and enterprising architect Godwin Sultana, who is helping Ray Demicoli, the architect responsible for the residences, told The Sunday Times that one of the main features of the Kempinski residences was at their layout, which follows the orientation of the sun.

"Another architectural aspect was that in no way did we want to overwhelm the landscaping, terrain and plateaux surrounding the hotel," Mr Sultana said. In fact, the residences fit the resort like a glove. The colour of the new stone blends perfectly with the 'old' hotel building and the surrounding architectural features of the residences complement the existing architectural design of the hotel.

The residences enjoy big, spacious corridors and each suite has an individual façade and terraces. There are also numerous apertures and balconies in corridors to create open spaces and reduce as much as possible the idea of confinement.

Owning a Kempinski residence is not only a superb long-term property investment, but also offers an attractive short-term return on investment. Through a renting arrangement with the hotel, prospective owners can make their residence available for rent while they are not using it.

The hotel would offer the residence to its guests at a rate set by the owner depending on the facilities available. All this is handled by the hotel - maid service, linen, breakfast and even insurance is taken care of for complete peace of mind.

For more information and private on-site viewing, call the Kempinski San Lawrenz on 2211-6990 or 2168-0010 and ask for Dorothy Baldacchino or e-mail residences@sanlawrenz.com or visit www.kempinski-gozo.com/residences.