In the first of a regular series of hotel profiles for Executive Venturer, we look at the growing success of the Malta-based group, Corinthia Hotels What started as a small Maltese family business has blossomed into the international hotel group, Corinthia – witness the major developments going on in its five-star St Petersburg property.

Corinthia Nevskij Palace
The group is spending around h60 million on the Corinthia Nevskij Palace, which is set to become the biggest congress centre in St Petersburg. The project will produce a five-star complex including an additional 150 executive guestrooms, a new conference centre, a grand ballroom with seating capacity for 1000 guests and an adjacent upmarket retail centre.

A Growth-Oriented Organisation
The Corinthia Group was founded in 1962 when the elegant Villa Corinthia, close to the Presidential Palace in Malta, was taken over by the Pisani family, the Group’s founder members. They converted the turn-of-the-century building into the upmarket Corinthia Restaurant, which soon established itself in Malta’s glittering social scene. In 1968, the Corinthia Palace Hotel with 160 bedrooms was opened on the grounds of the Villa Corinthia. With the addition of a conference and convention centre, the Corinthia Palace was the first hotel in Malta to offer the sophisticated facilities demanded by international companies and has become a favourite and successful venue.

From the outset, the Group formulated a strategic plan for expansion in the hotels and catering sector and, six years later, was awarded the catering contract for both the national airline, Air Malta, and for Malta’s international airport. Since then, the Corinthia Group has been a growth-oriented organisation, taking an active role in the development of new businesses, besides establishing new hotels and inducting them to Corinthia Hotels International.  The Group’s Chairman and Chief Executive, Mr Alfred Pisani, has been personally involved in the Group’s expansion: identifying new locations, new concepts, new designs, new facilities and new marketing strategies for each venture. The Group also employs a nucleus of key executives specialising in these sectors.

What makes Corinthia special?
According to many who have stayed there, Corinthia stands out for its winning combination of Mediterranean flair and hospitality with its North European attention to service standards and quality. It looks like another 40 years of success for the Maltese group.