Sliema garden earmarked for 16-storey hotel

Two three-star hotels are being earmarked for a disused Sliema garden area on the Zimmermann Barbaro alleyway just off Bisazza Street.

The 16-storey hotel project will comprise 178 rooms on the corner site of Bisazza and the Markizi Zimmermann Barbaro streets, inside a narrow alleyway.

One of the two hotels will consist of self-catering units while the other one will include traditional guest rooms.

The project involves the demolition of a number of existing old dwellings fronting Zimmermann Barbaro street, described as “dilapidated”, but which include a townhouse with a traditional balcony and is over 100 years old.

The project will gobble up an adjacent 375sq.m undeveloped green area behind the existing buildings, which forms part of a more extensive garden.

Dale Spiteri, the proponent of the project, had already applied to build an office block instead of Zimmermann Barbaro townhouses.

The Superintendence for Cultural Heritage objected to the proposal due to the architectural value of the town house in question. The application was later withdrawn.

The building will be the highest one along Bisazza Street which already includes a number of 10-floor buildings, but will dwarf an adjacent townhouse on Zimmermann Barbaro street. A “piazza” occupied by chairs and tables for the hotels’ restaurants is being proposed along part of the frontage on Triq Markizi Zimmermann Barbaro.

The hotels will have an indoor pool, gymnasium, spa at an underground level, two restaurants at ground level, an outside catering area, and an outdoor pool at roof level.