A boutique hotel in a heritage city and its potential

Abstract

Purpose The objective of this study is to determine the feasibility of restoring and converting a heritage building into a boutique hotel in Malta's historical capital city, Valletta. For this purpose, this study assesses the importance of engaging in the adaptive re-use of heritage buildings, establishes the nature of a boutique hotel in a historical city and estimates and appraises the potential demand for such a hotel in Valletta. Design Interviews were conducted with 13 persons, being owners or operators of boutique accommodation or relevant persons of authority. In addition, a questionnaire was carried out with a random sample of 400 incoming tourists and cruise passengers to establish the potential demand for accommodation in Valletta. Findings Results indicated that the adaptive re-use and consequent regeneration of historical buildings are influenced by compliance requirements and the availability of incentives. While opinions on the specific nature of a boutique hotel may vary, there is agreement on its major characteristics being its size, location, type and experience being offered. Although, the Maltese tourism sector is stronger and more diversified, the demand is highly seasonal. This can be alleviated by setting-up boutique hotels. Conclusions The restoration and conversion of a heritage building into a boutique hotel in Valletta is financially feasible. However, such a hotel has optimally to be small, for example having 10 to 20 rooms, with a historical fabric, located in the centre and offering a holistic experience. Such four elements will serve to attract mainly the senior cultural tourist. Furthermore, the process of adaptive re-use in itself is highly important as it helps to preserve the environment whilst creating a stronger sense of place and connection. Value It is hoped that the study will provide helpful insight into the feasibility of restoring and converting heritage buildings into boutique hotels in the historical city of Valletta, the ECoC for 2018.