Skip to main content

2021 has been a different kind of year, (not just for us, but for every living human on earth). Both in preparation in the months ahead of the start of this year, as well as in January of this year we did not know what to expect for the twelve business months that were ahead of us here at Domus Zamittello.

This was an unusual scenario for all us hoteliers, as we tend to know our business, and rely on forecasting for the next twelve months (as a minimum) to know where we stand financially. We owe this to our owners and investors, and on almost every occasion we can let them know our financial position for the coming year.

But after almost nine months of lost or depleted business, in the beginning of 2021 we were still in a position where we could only guess what our revenue generation would be in the coming months. 

Fast forward almost one year, now at the end of December 2021, with almost all the local population vaccinated and most of us wither completed or with appointments for our third jab, and we once again do not know what to expect in the coming months. 

So today, with the start of the holiday period, I decided to focus a bit on the past and analyse one area of what has been happening at Domus Zamittello in the past months. Business was a roller coaster ride, with occupancy variations (sounds like variant – am I allowed to use this word?) moving from a 10% to a 90% occupancy within the same month. We did all that was possible to prepare for this superb ‘shock’ influx, and I can humbly say that we managed it very well, actually even exceeding our own expectations. The amazing part is that, like most of our other colleagues worldwide, we were initially running a hotel with less team members than we did before the pandemic. However, surprisingly enough, the high demand and additional work was actually stimulating and motivating. The busier we were, the harder we worked as a team, the more satisfied we all were, and the more we delivered with pride and excellence to our guests. 

Mentioning our guests, hats off to them as they seem to have really appreciate the difficulties of all hoteliers and catering establishments, not just here, but worldwide. And the results confirmed that we were on the right track, with my focus today not even being financial. 

In 2021, the most challenging year (after 2020 that is) of my twenty-five-year career in hospitably, Domus Zamittello proudly managed to increase guest satisfaction levels. Up to 2020 our Valletta hotel was ranked third by travellers for hotels in Malta, moving up to a staggering number one on tripadvisor.com in 2021. We also maintained our 9.8 rating on hotels.com and 9.6 rating on booking.com    

We owe these achievements to our guests, who chose to book with us, who enjoyed our property, our service, our hospitality and our culture. We owe this result to our owners who chose to increase investment in our property. But more than any other time, we owe this achievement to our team members, who are the heart and soul of this hotel. Each and every individual working here gave their all and placed our guest in the centre of all decisions, be it service, advice or safety. Whilst thanking our guests for choosing to stay with us, for being so respectful towards our team and our property and for taking the time to share their experience on these platforms, I would like to publicly take this opportunity to thank all our team members, both present and even past, who have helped position Domus Zamittello to where it is today. 

Once again, we will face challenges, be it Omicron or any new variant. But one factor will still be there – the one where as humans we will all have the urge to travel, to explore, to experience new cultures, learn new languages, to try new food experiences, or even a renewed sense of re-exploring these in the same country for a second or third time. And if your choice is Malta, please look us up on domuszamittello.com . Our team will be here ready to welcome you, to serve you and make sure to be there when you create your memorable experiences. 

Here’s to a better 2022, to our guests, to our team at Domus Zamittello Valletta and to everyone’s well-being!