About

Mr Saviour Borg was a gentleman born into humble beginnings in the town of Hamrun – and very proud of his background.

After the Second World War, he left Malta to join the British Merchant Navy, and travelled around the world in search of his fortune. He was an avid explorer, who visited as many places as he could. He was enthused by his journey and, on his return to Malta in the early 60s, decided to go into business tailoring clothes from a small garage close to his hometown. His pieces became popular and he began to then sell in larger quantities, both locally and overseas.

It was in 1964 that Mr Borg established Bortex – a manufacturing company and joint venture with the Dutch Van Gils Group. Bortex – an anagram of his surname ‘Borg’ and the word ‘textiles’ – quickly went from strength to strength. Within a short space of time it became known as a leading manufacturer of men’s suits, jackets and trousers, and the company began to supply some of the finest retail brands in the European market. This went on to inspire Gagliardi – a brand based on Mr Borg’s nickname and story.

Mr Borg wasn’t easily convinced by the world of hospitality and tourism; on the contrary he really didn’t seem very keen on it to begin with! However he soon came around when he saw how Malta’s tourism market was developing in the 70s, and he took over the lease of the Sliema Hotel with a plan to open a chain of establishments.

It quickly became clear that tourism would become another passion project for Mr Borg, combining a number of things he loved, including travelling, good food and beautiful hotels. He was motivated by brands he experienced overseas – including in Paris, Monaco, Lake Como and parts of Switzerland. Even his company’s new logo became a reflection of his passion for travel – with a five-petalled rose representing two things: the ‘Rose of Venus – a symbol of the Goddess of love which embodied his interest in Greek and Roman mythology, and his ambitious drive to create a chain of five hotels one by one (or petal by petal).

Despite many challenges, Mr Borg’s vision was successful. Once his first hotel was up and running, he took over the lease of another property – this time on the Sliema seafront – followed by another two in the north of Malta. Soon he decided it would be better to buy them rather than lease them, which he did as this part of the business grew. He even named one of the properties Liliana, in homage to the love of his life.

Today Mr Saviour Borg’s incredible spirit, vision and approach is a huge part of life in the brands we represent. Today the Group, led by his children, Karen and Peter, represents legacy and tradition combined with advances in technology and sustainability, enabling it to keep on evolving and growing.