MALTA, Feb. 20, 2001 -  Located in Malta�s fortified capital citadel, Mdina, the Xara Palace has announced its membership in the internationally acclaimed Relais & Chateaux�s hotel group. Formerly owned by Maltese nobles in the 17th Century, the Xara Palace was restored in 1995 to recreate the opulence and charm of that period.       Open since May 1999, this luxury hotel features corporate meeting facilities, a fitness center and 17-individually designed suites which maximize guest privacy.  Rooms are filled with antique furniture and original paintings by Maltese masters, several featuring a jacuzzi on their balcony or terrace.   Xara Palace includes two restaurants serving the finest in northern Italian and Mediterranean cuisine: the  �de Mondion� offers rooftop al fresco dining with panoramic island views, and �Trattoria A.D. 1530� features light salads and homemade pasta dishes.    The Maltese Islands of Malta, Gozo, and Comino have a rich cultural heritage spanning more than 7,000 years.   About Relais & Chateaux

A Brief History of The Xara Palace The Xara Palace is a small family-run hotel situated in the Baroque fortified city of Mdina, on the small Mediterranean Island of Malta. The History of the Xara Palace is inextricably linked to that of Mdina, its walls forming part of the city walls that make up its impressive bastions. In l530, Citta Notabile (as Mdina was then known) was inherited by the Knights upon their arrival in Malta. During their 268 years reign in Malta, they embellished, fortified and rebuilt Mdina so that today we have a remarkable city, full of history and culture, one that has changed little in the last one hundred years. The Xara Palace was built during the late 17th Century, and served as a residence for the noble family of Moscati Parisio. It was used by the British during the war and in 1949 The Xara Palace was converted in to a Hotel, and run for many years until it fell into decline. ln 1995 the property was bought by the Zammit Tabona family with a vision to restore the building to its former glory, and to create a unique hotel experience to discerning visitors, which until now has been unavailable on the Maltese Islands. The painstaking process of renovating the Palace began in -late 1995, with the commissioning of local architectural and restoration specialists Architecture Project. Using original drawings and plans from the Government archives, they were able to carry out a sympathetic and historically - correct restoration. The renovation was overseen by officials from the Department of Museums to ensure compliance with the laws for historic buildings. Such features as the Piano Nobile, the Atrium, and the Facade were reconstructed to be as close to the original designs as possible. The guest rooms were taken back to their original height, some of which are over 6 metres high. This allowed the architects to include an innovative mezzanine floor in some of the suites. This has created an authentic 17th Century ambience unrivaled in Maltese hotels. The project was completed in May 1999, when The Xara Palace was officially re-opened by the Minister of Tourism, Dr. Michael Refalo.

Mission statement of the Association
The mission of the Association is to further the cultural and economic stature of its unique hotels and restaurants throughout the world by collectively promoting its members while recognising their heritage and the soul and spirit of Relais & Châteaux.

The Relais & Châteaux philosophy is summed up in the rule of the 5 �Cs�, which are a true quality charter:

The pursuit of quality
The Relais & Châteaux Association has given itself the means to validate both the quality of its overall �network� and the services of each of the candidate properties.

As far as admissions are concerned, the Association does not solicit new members.

In order to become a Relais & Châteaux, a property must meet the quality standards defined in the 5 �Cs� and present a voluntary candidacy. Its dossier is then submitted for extensive study including several anonymous visits. Selected dossiers are then presented to the Board of Directors for a vote.

The central reservation system
The central information and reservation system set up in 1995 is equipped
today with a high performance server: Pegasus, the global leader in hotel
reservations. In perfect interaction with the GDS, the Relais & Châteaux
central reservation system guarantees the offerings of a truly global
network

Organisation
The head office, based in Paris, is supported by 4 offices in the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States and Japan. It cooperates with several general sales agents in the major capitals.

The Association is backed by 12 international delegations and 9 regional French delegations.

The Board of Directors is made up of 23 directors (all members) representing 14 countries, and one President: Régis Bulot.

In short:
The International Relais & Châteaux Association represents :

• 452 properties in 47 countries with a total of more than 10,500 rooms
• 142 Relais Gourmands and 283 Michelin stars
• 17,000 employees around the world
• 7 billion in turnover in the world in 1999
• 1.8 millions rooms sold in 1999 at an average rate of FRF 1,475
• more than 7 millions meals served around the world