Carisma Spa

Carisma Spa & Wellness at the Grand Hotel Excelsior is where Floriana's waterfront meets the edge of Valletta. The hotel sits beside the sea on Great Siege Road, a short distance from the capital's gates, and its spa is open to visitors and locals who are not staying there. If you want a proper massage or facial between a morning in the capital and an evening meal, it is one of the most convenient spa stops on the island.

The spa belongs to the Carisma group, which runs eight spas in hotels across Malta, and it is listed with the other spas in Malta in our directory. This page covers the Excelsior branch and describes the wider Carisma menu where it applies to every location.

The branch at Grand Hotel Excelsior

Choosing a treatment is easier if you start with how you feel. If you are tense after a long flight, a Thai or deep tissue session is a sensible pick, while hot stone and anti-stress sessions suit anyone who simply wants to switch off. The therapists listen to what you ask for and tailor the pressure and the focus to you, so say what you like and what to avoid. Of the group's eight locations, the Excelsior spa is the one nearest to Valletta. The hotel is an elegant seaside property, and the spa is a place to slow down. Facilities here are an indoor pool, a sauna, a steam room, a relaxing room and a couple's massage room. It is open from 9am to 7pm every day, including public holidays.

Carisma also lists Turkish baths, outdoor jacuzzis and salt rooms at some of its other hotels, so check with the Excelsior team which facilities come with your booking. Carisma was founded in 1990 and opened in Malta in 2010, drawing on Turkish bathing traditions, which explains the emphasis on warmth, water and unhurried care. Full sessions across the group include complimentary use of the spa facilities, and the group provides robes, towels, slippers and lockers, so you only need to bring yourself. Arriving ten to fifteen minutes early gives you time to settle in.

Massages, from quick fixes to a 110 minute ritual

The massage menu draws on traditions from around the world. Hot stone massage uses heated basalt stones along the lines of tension. Indian Ayurvedic massage uses warm herbal oils, Hawaiian Lomi Lomi uses long flowing forearm strokes, Balinese massage blends acupressure, reflexology and stretching, Thai massage is a clothed, oil-free session of guided stretching, and Japanese Shiatsu applies finger pressure along the body's meridian points. Full sessions run from 55 to 110 minutes.

If you want something simpler, the anti-stress massage is a slow, gentle session with a specially blended oil, and the therapists recommend it for first-time spa guests. A therapeutic massage is built around wherever you carry tension, and deep tissue works the deeper muscle layers with firm pressure that the therapist adjusts to your tolerance. The Carisma Signature is a 110 minute ritual that combines Indian head work, Japanese neck and shoulder therapy, Lomi Lomi for the arms and legs, and Balinese foot reflexology, finished with detox tea.

Prices start from €99 for a full 55 to 110 minute booking, from €109 for deep tissue and from €149 for the Signature. Express 30 minute sessions start from €59 and cover face and décolleté, a Japanese neck and shoulder session, a focused therapeutic massage, Indian head massage or foot reflexology, each with three hours of access to the facilities.

Facials and skincare

Every facial at the group's Maltese spas uses Phytomer, a French marine skincare brand, and the Carisma therapists are trained by the brand. Each facial begins with the therapist's assessment of what your skin needs, instead of a fixed menu. Facials last about an hour and are matched to your skin: an anti-acne facial from 89 euros, a soothing facial for sensitive skin from 89 euros, a hydrating facial from 79 euros, an anti-pollution facial from 79 euros and a brightening treatment from €109. Men have their own facials, from 89 euros for a moisturising version to 119 euros for an anti-ageing one.

The 110 minute Carisma Signature facial is the most indulgent option, and the Hydrafacial, which starts from €99, is a serum-based treatment with cleansing, exfoliation and hydration steps. Facial packages combine a treatment with spa access: Quick Refresh starts from €55, Deep Hydration (55 minutes) from 95 euros and Bright Glow (85 minutes) from 135 euros, each with a spa kit, detox tea or Prosecco and a parking allowance.

Spa days, after-work visits and couples

Spa day packages are listed for the group, including Deep Relaxation with full use of the facilities and a Stress Relief package. A spa day suits visitors who would like to spend an afternoon moving between the pool, sauna and steam room, with a treatment in the middle. Most guests end up staying through the afternoon, so allow a few hours. Packages for couples use the couple's massage room, which this branch has. If you are planning a day with a partner, ask about the couple's package when you enquire.

The after-work packages are designed for people who want to unwind after a day at the office: 25 minute treatments from 45 euros and 50 minute treatments from 79 euros, available between 5pm and 7pm, with tea, a spa kit and facility access included. As the Excelsior spa closes at 7pm, check availability before you plan to use one here.

Group spa parties and corporate bookings are also listed, so a team outing or a celebration can be arranged; mention numbers when you enquire. Gift vouchers can be bought online and arrive by email within minutes. They can be a set amount or a specific treatment, and work at all eight Carisma locations. A membership scheme gives unlimited access to spa facilities across the group, with monthly massages and guest passes.

Booking and what to expect

The group recommends booking 24 to 48 hours ahead, especially for weekends and couples' packages, and walk-ins are welcome when there is space. You can reserve by phone, WhatsApp or online, and the enquiry form on this page is another route. On arrival you are given a robe, towels and slippers, so you can change and head straight for the pool or the steam room before your appointment.

Tell the therapist about any injuries, allergies or health conditions before the treatment starts so that the session can be adapted, and speak to your own doctor if you are unsure whether a treatment is right for you. This page describes the services offered and is not medical advice.

Around Floriana and Valletta

Floriana is minutes on foot from Valletta, so a treatment fits neatly around sightseeing. Our guides to the Upper Barrakka Gardens, St John's Co-Cathedral and the Knights of Malta explain the highlights, and the wider Valletta guide covers walks, food and museums. The Three Cities guide is a good second day, across the Grand Harbour.

Nearby, AMIS City Spa, Beauty and Hair Salon is less than a kilometre away, and Adventure Cruises Malta runs boat trips about a kilometre and a half away. For more ideas, see things to do in Malta and the Malta weather guide; flights to Malta covers routes from the UK.

To ask about a treatment or a package, use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to the spa.