Review: Cugó Gran Macina Grand Harbour, Malta

A blend of a historic fortress and modern interior design, Cugó Gran Macina Grand Harbour on the island of Malta was a beautiful luxury escape.

We were invited for a taste of Malta, and with the promise of great food, classic architecture and beautiful views, we were delighted to spend a few days enjoying all that Malta had to offer.

With 21 suites, most with views out across the Senglea harbour and marina, the Cugó Gran Macina Grand Harbour has a cool, modern décor, blended perfectly with its 16th-century architecture. The Macina was built as part of the Bastion to protect the town from invaders. It now stands as a landmark, having been sympathetically renovated to make the most of the vaulted ceilings and natural light. The design uses raw steel, marble, slate, Maltese hard stone and custom tinted glass to create beautiful effects and the most relaxing surroundings, softened by tufted wool rugs and comfortable yet elegant furniture. The hotel opened its doors in 2018, so it’s still all new and shiny!

Our welcome to this boutique hotel was relaxed and friendly. I was greeted by Sarolta Mike, Hotel Manager and welcomed with a drink before being shown to my room along cool corridors of exposed stone.

Staying at Cugó Gran Macina Grand Harbour

My room was large and airy, with an exposed brick vaulted ceiling, a skylight, which flooded the room with natural light, and fresh canopy over the bed. A wooden partition down the centre separated the living area from the bedroom area, and everything was in cool natural shades of white, grey and brown, which kept the vibe really chilled and so relaxing.

With views out over the harbour to Valletta, I just stood and watched the boats for a while before exploring more of the hotel.

The views from the roof terrace are beautiful, and it has a pool and loungers to relax on whilst taking in that view.

Weddings at Cugó Gran Macina Grand Harbour

Cugó Gran Macina Grand Harbour hosts The Sheer Bastion, a terrace with stunning panoramic views. Sunsets up here are incredible, and I could imagine a gorgeous firework display across the harbour to celebrate your special day. The terrace can accommodate up to 1000 for a drinks reception and 300 for a seated meal. This is a truly special location, with ambient lighting and exquisite catering setting the tone for a luxurious Maltese destination wedding.

Eating at Cugó Gran Macina Grand Harbour

I was lucky enough to sample some of the incredible cuisine and care of Hammett’s Macina Restaurant. Award-winning chef and restauranteur Chris Hammett find new ideas for the menu throughout the luxury menus of England. The multi-award-winning team then put together their own menus fusing this inspiration with classic Mediterranean flavours, giving a modern twist, and using local, seasonal produce.

The atmosphere in the restaurant was fabulous, and I enjoyed fresh seafood, risotto, veal and a gorgeous white chocolate dessert – indeed, a meal to remember. The restaurant boasts a wine cellar of world-class wines, and I sampled a beautiful Maltese Chardonnay, a glass of Austrian wine, a Pinot Noir from Burgundy, and a sweet Maltese dessert wine. The whole meal was lovely, and the staff were brilliant, friendly and attentive. It was an absolute joy to dine there.

The meal was one to remember, and I slept soundly in my beautiful room before a lovely breakfast the next morning, and then a little trip out to see the local area.

The local area

The scenery is beautiful, with small streets of Maltese stone buildings and British red pillar boxes hiding around corners. With the harbour right on your doorstep, you can sit and watch the boats for hours, and then take the ferry to Valletta to shop, relax and eat more delicious local seafood. There are beaches close by and tour buses to make sure you don’t miss anything.

It’s a great location for sightseeing, it’s incredibly photogenic, the people are friendly and the atmosphere is beautifully relaxed. With hot sunny weather in the summer and only a three-hour plane trip to get there, I would definitely recommend Malta and the Cugó Gran Macina Grand Harbour for a Maltese destination wedding.