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By Julian Manduca
Malta’s better holiday premises now have to be equipped with hair dryers, internet access ports, full-length mirrors and safety deposit boxes according to new regulations that came into force 29 March.
Picking up where regulations for bars restaurants and kiosks left off, a culture of standard raising is slowly being introduced in these islands with strict rules for what can qualify as a holiday home and of what standard.
All holiday premises are to be classified as either standard, comfort or superior and all will have to equipped according to the regulations included in the legal notice of 29 March. When new licences are issued each holiday premises will fall into one of the three categories depending on their standard.
Only superior holiday homes have to be equipped with hair dryers, internet access ports and full-length mirrors safety deposit boxes, and these will also have to have a telephone; a colour TV ‘with adequate reception’ in both the and bedroom living room (what exactly adequate stretches to remains unclear); duvet in bedroom; all bedrooms with en suite bathroom; air conditioning; sheers for curtains; three towels per person; a vanity unit with double wash hand basin; shampoo; shower cap; one bathrobe per person; heating in bath rooms. Kitchens in superior homes will have to have ventilation or forced extraction; a microwave oven and a dishwasher; and air conditioning.
Superior holiday homes must be fully detached premises.
Standard and comfort holiday premises are not subject to such stringent rules but all three categories will be expected to be properly cleaned and equipped. All must have an iron or ironing system and information on services at least in English. All must have smoke detectors and at least one fireproof ashtray, ‘adequate’ emergency lighting, a wardrobe with five similar clothes hangers per person, individually controlled bedside reading light, cots on request; fire blankets, first aid boxes and extinguishers. In all corridors and public areas in holiday premises there should be emergency lights and emergency exit luminous signs in corridors and passages, stairs and exit routes.
The standards for comfort premises fall between standard and superior and such homes will also have to be equipped with: a colour TV with adequate reception; telephone directory, additional pillows per person; adequate drawer space; wrapped soap and bath soap to be provided on arrival; bread toaster, coffee table and coffee and tea pot – all of which apply to superior premises too.
Farmhouse accommodation is only be classified either comfort or superior with the superior ones being semi detached premises with a hair dryer; safety deposit box; duvet; sheers for curtains; vanity unit with wash hand basin; an open or closed fire place; stove or similar; a bath tub of 1.40 metres in length; colour TV in both bedroom and living room and a full-length mirror. |
