Robyn Pratt’s Plans for the Phoenicia Malta
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October 3, 2025The Phoenicia Malta has evolved from the grande dame of the hotel industry to a venue of timeless elegance, earning a firm place among leading brands on the international luxury niche. General Manager Robyn Pratt shares her vision with Ramona Depares.
If you feel that The Phoenicia Malta has been kind of hogging the news lately, well you wouldn’t be wrong. It’s been something of a halcyon year for the Floriana luxury destination, with a slew of honours and awards.
Last July it was mentioned in the Luxury Travel Guide Global Awards, with judges highlighting the hotel’s culinary excellence. The hotel now forms part of TravellerMade, the exclusive global network of luxury travel designers and hospitality partners. It has hosted the likes of Italian superstar Damiano David, and the wedding party for Australian celebrity Delta Goodrem (featured on Vogue, if you please).
The list goes on. It has been named one of the best 10 hotels in Malta by The Independent (UK). And earlier this year it secured the GSTC seal, one of the highest levels of certification for sustainability.
At the heart of it all is General Manager Robyn Pratt, the indefatigable woman who has given new meaning to hotel luxury, spiking the glorious legacy The Phoenicia stands for with a touch of contemporary fizz. And I’m here to find out how she does it.
“Well, we really are proud of being part of Malta’s story, and we take its re-telling very seriously. The hotel is after a very distinctive positioning. If I go back to where we started five years ago, the goal continues to be the same - to be recognised as one of the top urban luxury hotels of the Mediterranean. What does it take to get us there? A clear vision, branding, and everything that goes with that,” she starts off.
This may all sound simple enough in theory. What interests me is how Robyn sets about achieving it in practice. With Malta still on the journey to developing a distinctive identity within the luxury tourism niche, surely it takes more than a gorgeous hotel to attract the market?
Phoenicia Hotel General Manager Robyn Pratt
“Everyone must be pulling the same rope, particularly within our team. We made a conscious decision to go after a certain type of traveller, which meant we needed to invest in the experience. All this costs more money, and for a time everyone needs to be aware that it will affect the bottom line. More staff, more costs, and even sacrificing some occupancy to reach the standard we’re aiming for. It also meant that some guests who used to stay with us before, now couldn’t do so any more,” Robyn asserts.
Tough decisions, undoubtedly. But helped along by the fact that everyone was clear on what needed to be done to achieve their vision.
“You can’t be all things to all people, or you end up being nothing to no one. This is also something Malta, as a destination, needs to think about. What does being recognised as a quality destination look and feel like for guests, for stakeholders… While everyone wants to maximise business, it might be that for a time it’s not about the numbers but about regeneration.”
This, she adds, can mean reporting different KPIs, maximising the revenue per guest, and taking different roads that will lead to achieving the desired traveller segment. Ultimately, hotels on their own can’t secure the ‘quality tourism’ badge for the islands - luxury accommodation needs to be complemented by luxury events and external locations.
“To bring one example, there is a shortage of exceptional tour guides. A bad tour can ruin the entire experience, and we have actually received complaints about this. It would be good to have a concerted strategy to develop this profession; sadly, many still look at it as a part-time gig,” Robyn explains. “Guides are critical to our future success, they’re the ones telling the story. We get guests coming back glowing when they go on a knowledgeable tour. It needs to be turned into a worthwhile career.”
In alignment with this, the hotel now follows a strategy to help guests curate the whole experience, working with guides and tours that are aligned with The Phoenicia’s values.
Tough decisions, undoubtedly. But helped along by the fact that everyone was clear on what needed to be done to achieve their vision.
“You can’t be all things to all people, or you end up being nothing to no one. This is also something Malta, as a destination, needs to think about. What does being recognised as a quality destination look and feel like for guests, for stakeholders… While everyone wants to maximise business, it might be that for a time it’s not about the numbers but about regeneration.”
This, she adds, can mean reporting different KPIs, maximising the revenue per guest, and taking different roads that will lead to achieving the desired traveller segment. Ultimately, hotels on their own can’t secure the ‘quality tourism’ badge for the islands - luxury accommodation needs to be complemented by luxury events and external locations.
“To bring one example, there is a shortage of exceptional tour guides. A bad tour can ruin the entire experience, and we have actually received complaints about this. It would be good to have a concerted strategy to develop this profession; sadly, many still look at it as a part-time gig,” Robyn explains. “Guides are critical to our future success, they’re the ones telling the story. We get guests coming back glowing when they go on a knowledgeable tour. It needs to be turned into a worthwhile career.”
In alignment with this, the hotel now follows a strategy to help guests curate the whole experience, working with guides and tours that are aligned with The Phoenicia’s values.
“The island has so much going for it. At The Phoenicia we are spoilt, being in an area that, to a certain extent, is protected. When our guests are blown away by one of our curated experiences, and they come back again and again, that is what success looks like. And that’s what we should all be looking at, as a destination. Malta has many rich stories to share, and if you listen to someone like Liam Gauci recount these stories, it’s just wonderful to look at the island with those eyes.”
Robyn is referring to Malta’s popular maritime historian, who is also the brains behind the Taste History concept, which revives historical recipes and ingredients through immersive dining experiences.
“This is exactly the kind of experience I’m talking about. If we manage to find a way of making this more accessible, that would be wonderful. I believe that Malta has the right vision, but we need everyone to come together, and to be committed to where we want to go,” she continues.
Meanwhile, the hotel is set to continue bringing Malta’s culture and history to life in a way that feels real. Next up is the restoration of St John’s Gardens, which Robyn assures me will be developed in a way that’s “mindful about UNESCO being our next door neighbour, so we’re working alongside Heritage Malta on that.” There’s also the addition of larger and interconnecting rooms.
“The vision is to take this hotel to the world of luxury. And we intend to make sure we keep the promise we made to the guests. It’s easy to promise, but the way you deliver on a promise is what defines the brand and the person. No matter what, we stay true to who we are.”
And with Robyn at the helm, the course looks clear.
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