Only three elderly people live on the Maltese island of Comino. In the summer months, however, the small island is overrun by tourists, most of whom are brought to the Blue Lagoon by excursion boats. There used to be a hotel, but it is getting on in years and was therefore closed before the Corona pandemic.
The Six Senses hotel group wants to transform the former Comino Hotel and the attached bungalows into a luxury complex. The project is hugely controversial in Malta, with environmentalists fearing it will go well beyond what already exists. By law, one can only live in Comino permanently if the residence existed before the law came into force. Administratively, the island is assigned to the neighboring island of Gozo.
The planned new hotel, which is scheduled to open in 2027, will offer 71 suites and 19 residences, among other things. There is massive anger about the latter in particular, because critics fear that homes for the rich could be created through the back door. The very last word has not yet been spoken, so it remains to be seen whether the Six Senses Comino will actually open in 2027.
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