Works on The Imperial to convert it from a hotel to a home for the elderly have transported the iconic Sliema building further back in time to its original state as a hilltop hunting lodge about 150 years ago.
Research and old postcards, brochures and newspaper cuttings painted a picture of the property from the past that has been recreated as far as possible by the current owners of the retirement and assisted living facility that has just welcomed its first guest.
Recovered photos revealed architectural features that have been exposed, reinstated and even removed if found not to have formed part of the original building from the mid-19th century, when it stood alone on the town’s highest point, commanding views of Marsamxett Harbour, Exiles and beyond.