Residents at the Park Hotel in Sliema have started to be relocated to other hotels as a court decision to close down the premises is implemented, the Malta Tourism Authority said.

On Monday, the Court of Appeal ruled in favour of an enforcement notice issued by the MTA to close down the hotel after a series of complaints about the services offered.

The court ruled that the hotel can no longer accept residents and that tourists currently staying at the hotel, in Graham Street, are to be given alternative accommodation.

In a statement, the MTA said that the hotel residents are being relocated to other four-star hotels. If they do not want to move and prefer to conclude their holiday at Park Hotel, the hotel will be completely closed down after the departure of the last remaining tourist, MTA said.

Tourists who had booked their holiday at Park Hotel as from 9 July are already being provided with alternative accommodation.

Officials of the MTA have taken over the hotel operations until it closes down. MTA said it is trying to limit inconvenience to tourists as much as possible.

In a statement, Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi said such action against Maltese hotels are moments of great sadness. He hoped that in the future the owners would invest in the property for the hotel to offer a good quality service to its clients.