Delicious food, crisp wine, and great company: Robyn Pratt’s ingredients for the perfect summer

Hailing from Queensland, Australia, where sun, warmth, and daylight are aplenty, Robyn Pratt is still very much enamoured with Maltese summer – and things don’t seem to be changing anytime soon.

Not only do Malta’s hot months fill her with energy, but they also leave her with ample time to learn more about and experience the varied offerings of hospitality industries overseas. Robyn might be around luxury hotels and fine restaurants throughout most of her days, but that doesn’t mean she’s ever getting sick of them. After all, who would?

For the newest instalment of the MaltaCEOs.mt summer interview series, we’re catching up with The Phoenicia Malta General Manager Robyn Pratt to find out what she’s getting up to in the coming months.

Are you a summer or winter person? Why?

A summer person.  I was born in Queensland, Australia, and I think having the warm sunshine on my skin is something I have been used to from birth.  The sun gives me energy – I am not such a fan of the crazily hot days, but we can always go inside.

What’s your favourite summer activity? Why?

A wonderful lunch with friends or family outside – delicious food and crisp refreshing wine with great company.  A great way to spend a Mediterranean afternoon.

What’s your dream summer getaway? Why?

Well, we are very lucky here in Malta to have such an amazing summer location right here on our doorstep however, I do love getting away with my husband to somewhere special and new each year where we spend a week exploring new places and learning new ideas, seeing I am in the hospitality business.

Will you be going abroad this summer? If yes, where to and why?

Yes, and actually exploring at the moment.  Will be avoiding the airports that are not coping though and think it may even be closer to home, so we don’t have to fly at all.  Somewhere lovely in Sicily perhaps.

What’s your best holiday experience?

Hmm, well I say I am more of a summer person but my absolute favourite holiday experience has to be when we rented a beautiful Chateau in the French Alps with our family – including our newly born grandson – and had the most amazing week together, spoiled with our own chef in a wonderful winter wonderland. 

What’s your worst holiday experience?

To be honest I don’t have too many horror stories from holidays as I have been extremely fortunate due to my career to have been able to travel to and stay in some amazing destinations and hotels around the world. I think these past years when we were so looking forward to a long-awaited special vacation and we kept postponing hoping Covid would go away. After two years of postponing we decided it was best to cancel as it just wasn’t working out.