AX Hotels opens Malta’s first integrated wellness retreat

AX Hotels has opened Verdala Wellness Hotel, described as Malta’s first integrated wellness retreat.

The adults-only venue forms part of the group’s AX Privilege Collection and has been built into the ridge above Rabat’s valleys. It is based around five themes – nutrition, movement, rest and recovery, emotional wellbeing, and connection – overseen by head of wellness Amber Gauci Ward.

The 46-room hotel includes a 1,500 sq m spa hub with seven treatment rooms, a hammam, saunas, hydrotherapy pool, meditation areas and a salt cave. The spa offers holistic therapies alongside technology-based treatments such as pulsed electromagnetic field therapy and LED light therapy.

Rooms and suites feature wellness minibars, yoga mats, vegan amenities and natural materials intended to encourage rest. The largest option, the Observatory Suite, includes a terrace with hot tub, hammock and valley views.

Dining is led by chef Victor Borg, known for Michelin-starred Under Grain, and head chef Brady Dalli. Menus focus on seasonal produce and anti-inflammatory principles, served across three venues: The Griffin Brasserie, The Ridge Pool Bar and The Living Room Lounge.

Josef Sant, commercial director at AX Hotels, said: “Verdala Wellness Hotel gives the UK trade something genuinely new to sell in Malta – the island’s first fully integrated wellness retreat. Wellness tourism is one of the fastest-growing travel sectors, and Verdala has been designed from the ground up to meet this demand.”