The Jerma Palace Hotel, opened in 1982 by a Libyan corporation, once even featured a presidential suite reserved for the then Libyan dictator, Muammar al-Gaddafi. For its era, it offered unparalleled luxury and comfort on the island of Malta, yet it also brought mass tourism to the previously pastoral south, recklessly obstructing views of the coastline and historical edifices. While it provided every modern convenience, the hotel, perched upon the rocks, could never offer a sandy beach and gradually lost favor with guests who found nicer accommodations for their island retreats. In 2007, the hotel was temporarily closed for a comprehensive renovation - yet it never reopened.
Rising costs, fluctuating ownership, and years of disputes between state and owners over the permissible uses of the land thwarted any meaningful development. The hotel was systematically stripped of its furnishings; even carpets and marble tiles were removed. Illegally dumped waste led to recurrent fires.
Like an oriental-inspired sandcastle, the complex stretches across the cliffs, its windows affording magnificent views of the sea. The structure appears so alien in its surroundings that it was used as a setting for the science fiction series Foundation. Since then, however, it has once again fallen into a quiet slumber, ensnared by the slow march of decay.
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