Page 254 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Cuba

252  TR A VELLERS ’ NEEDS

WHERE TO STAY

Since 1980, when Cuba dramatically expanded ranging from modern luxury hotels with
its tourism industry, there has been steady swimming pools and good sports facilities,
state and foreign investment in the hotel to colonial, city centre hotels and all-inclusive
industry. Many old historic hotels have been holiday villages on uninhabited islands.
restored and equipped with international Cubans are allowed to let out rooms, or
standards of comfort, and new infrastructure even entire apartments, in their own homes;
has been created, often through joint ventures this arrangement has proved to be popular
involving the Cuban Ministry of Tourism and with tourists. The hotel listings (see pp256–63)
foreign companies. Today, visitors can choose are arranged by area, and cater to a variety of
from a variety of accommodation, with choices different budgets.

Gaviota, the tourism arm of
the military, offers comfortable
accommodation in the main
coastal resorts, on the cayos
and in mountain areas.
The hotels forming the Islazul
chain are of a lower standard,
but are still on an international
level, offering basic levels of
comfort at lower prices.
Another quite different style is
offered by Habaguanex, a Cuban
company founded under the
auspices of the Oficina del
Historiador de la Ciudad in
Havana, which restores old
buildings in Old Havana,
converting them into shops, cafés
Sumptuous lobby in the Iberostar Grand Hotel Trinidad (see p262) and hotels. Habaguanex hotels
include historic buildings such as
Hotel Chains such as the Club Amigo Atlántico 18th-century Palacio del Marqués
Most visitors to Cuba come on in Guardalavaca (see p263). The de San Felipe y Santiago Bejucal
package holidays, and many Meliá chain manages the Meliá with a Baroque façade, and the
hotel chains cater for this type of Cohiba in Havana (see p258), and Hotel Santa Isabel in a splendid
tourism. All hotels are partially a string of beach resorts including colonial building facing the
or wholly state-owned, although the elegant Meliá Buenavista in Plaza de Armas (see p256).
many are managed by joint Cayo Santa María (see p259).
ventures with foreign companies. Grading
One chain is the Cuban Gran
Caribe, whose hotels include Cuban hotels are
the historic Hotel Nacional in classified according to the
Havana (see p102), and the Hotel international star system,
Plaza (see p85) in Havana’s Parque from one star rising to
Central. Gran Caribe also manages five stars. However,
several more modern hotels, such visitors are likely to find
as the Hotel Riviera in Havana that standards within a
(see p257) and the Hotel Jagua particular star rating can
in Cienfuegos (see p259). vary considerably. Some
Generally, high standards are mid-range hotels may
also guaranteed by the Cuban have been good quality
chain Cubanacán and the Spanish in the 1950s, but have
Meliá and Iberostar chains; all since become rundown
of these companies have hotels and not brought into
throughout Cuba. Cubanacán line with modern needs.
manages good hotels of its own, One-star hotels are
and others affiliated to interna- generally to be avoided;
tional chains, including several A fountain in the elegant foyer of the a better choice would
good-value three-star hotels, Meliá Varadero be a private house.
Restaurant tables under the arcades of Plaza Vieja, Havana

252-253_EW_Cuba.indd 252 14/02/17 11:37 am