Work is progressing on Stivala Group’s hotel collaboration with Accor, which will bring the four-star Novotel franchise to Malta for the first time, according to the group’s Chairman and CEO Michael Stivala.

Speaking to WhosWho.mt to provide an update on the €30 million project, Mr Stivala explained that, having received Planning Authority approval for the hotel, the group is now embarking on the detailed planning stage, involving interior design, interior planning and project management.

This process is going well, and Mr Stivala predicts that construction will kick off in November.

Asked about the outlook of the new hotel, he said: “It’s looking very good.”

“Novotel is a very well-known franchise, with 60 million loyalty programme clients,” he expanded, adding that the multi-orientated franchise is expected to be a “real plus” for Malta.

The CEO expects the loyalty programme to be a major advantage, as the hotel’s position on Accor’s website, and its availability to the massive bank of generally Europe-based loyalty scheme members is expected to bring to the island large numbers of first-time tourists.

“Today,” Mr Stivala said, “tourists expect to make bookings online, meaning that a presence on the website of the hotel group will inevitably attract visitors.”

Novotel, Sliema, will feature 292 rooms in a full-service hotel and will expand Novotel’s footprint in Europe. Novotel is a midscale hotel brand focused on modern, natural and intuitive design, and is owned by Accor.

The hotel is not Stivala’s only major project currently in the works, and the CEO also provided an update on the development.

Stivala Group’s purchase of the residential tower under development was first revealed by WhosWho.mt in November, and sits on 12,000 sqm of private land, around 159 residential apartments, open-air shopping, food and dining, as well as underground public and residents’ parking, comprising one of the most significant projects to be launched in Sliema in recent years.

Mr Stivala updated that the company is still working on producing and reviewing plans for the development.

He added that Stivala Group’s vision is to see Townsquare become one of the topmost residential properties in Malta and that the company is striving to realise this.

“The process is progressing, and hopefully in the coming months works will continue,” he concluded.