A new boutique hotel has opened in the heart of Vittoriosa, something a bit different, a bit novel; a bit of style.

The hotel is right in the city core, and has been done up very tastefully, keeping the character of the building and complementing its surroundings. It is central, and allows tourists the unique opportunity of having a base right in the city centre, where the Knights used to live. For history and architecture lovers, the allure is tantalising. For those who might want a nice setting which is a little bit quieter and nicer, it is also a very attractive option.

For far too long, Malta concentrated on the traditional luxury five-star hotels, four-star hotels, three-star hotels and budget self-catering. There is a far wider market out there and it is beyond belief to think that it has taken till 2012 for someone to come up with the idea, and quite frankly, it’s even more absurd to think that it had to be a foreign couple who decided to do so.

It’s a winning formula, and Maltese tourists abroad often stay in such places in the cities of Europe. Perhaps one of the reasons why there is a lack of such hotels is that these places are expensive to convert and pricey to maintain and the profit margin is not as wide as when one builds a high capacity modern building.

The idea is good, the location is good and it can only serve to improve our tourism product. More such accommodation is needed and the government and the MTA should offer as many incentives as they can. It could be a partial solution to the vacant property problem.

In previous leading articles, we had picked up on what Tourism Minister Mario de Marco had said during the opening of a refurbished historical palazzo in a village core. This same issue was raised… and we developed the argument further.

Every person who has travelled in Europe, has at some point stayed in a Bed & Breakfast. Most are reasonable, central and offer a pretty good accommodation. One wonders how Maltese families, quite a hospitable bunch, never picked up on this tremendous business opportunity. Nowadays, one can advertise their business online and a great deal of business would be generated. Just imagine B&Bs in Siġġiewi, Mdina, Rabat, Mtarfa, or any other historical or rural village, town or city in Malta. Although such investments obviously have to be made by people themselves, the government really should try and set up schemes to make it possible for people to set them up.

Another point we will touch on, is that of hostels. Many people still use hostels as accommodation in many parts of the world. They are ideal for budget tourists as well as people who move from place to place on a grand tour. When one thinks of the traditional hostel, we think of bed bugs, crowded dorms and shared toilets. But it is changing. Many hostels, not only in Europe, are actually pretty nice places. The service is good and the prices charged are cheap. One such place is in Sliema and is expected to open for business in the next few months. We talk about innovation and staying ahead – these are all opportunities which people should invest in, if they have the capital.