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It’s been a busy few weeks for both Starwood and Cuba. First the US began lifting Cuban trade embargoes and US Airlines started to bid for scheduled routes to Caribbean Island, then Marriott’s takeover of Starwood was turned upside down by an unsolicited last-minute counter offer and now, in tandem with President Obama’s historic visit to Cuba, Starwood has announced that it has signed three new hotel deals in Cuba.
This is big news for Starwood as it makes it the first U.S. based hospitality company to enter the Cuban market in almost 60 years and it looks like it won’t take long for Starwood to begin to make its mark.
The hotelier has announced that Hotel Inglaterra (the oldest hotel in Havana), will join The Luxury Collection and Hotel Quinta Avenida will operate under the Four Points by Sheraton branding. Starwood has said that both properties will undergo renovations before reopening under their new brands later in 2016.
In addition to those two signings Starwood has also announced that it has signed a Letter of Intent to bring the Hotel Santa Isabel into its Luxury Collection portfolio.
Like most US bloggers I don’t know too much about Cuba or the hotels in Havana but then we always have TripAdvisor to turn to.
Hotel Inglaterra
According to the official description:
[The Hotel Inglaterra is]the oldest hotel in the city, founded in 1875, declared Nacional Monument in 1981 and located in the center of the city, in front of the Central Park and near to interesting places in Old Havana.
The architecture, history, location, and the presence of the cuban culture are the principal atractions of this charming hotel. It was considered one of the most famous hotels in Cuba and the world, attracting the at[t]ention of many important personalities like: Sara Bernhart, Enrico Carusso, Ana Pavlova, Imperio Argentina, Gabriela Mistral, Jose Marti Perez, Antonio Maceo among others .
Concerts by the Band of the City, launching of books, recital of poems, talkings about history and exhibitions, are the kind of activities offered to guests and cuban population. You can also enjoy the cuban plastic arts since its tables and the menu of the Colonial Restaurant designed by the most famous cuban painters.
Hotel Inglaterra – Google Maps
Hotel Quinta Avenida
According to the official description:
The Quinta Avenida hotel, 5-star, is an urban hotel of 7000m2 located in the business center of Havana . Its elegant construction, mix of colonial and modern style makes it ideal for a comfortable and relaxing stay.
The resort has 6 floors and enviable panoramic views to the city and Montebarreto ecological park, besides many other attractions that will enjoy our most exigents customers.
Located in the exclusive neighborhood of Miramar and next to Havana Litoral. Enjoy the amazing panoramic views of the city. Surrounded by embassies, restaurants, business areas, as well as entertainment venues and its the perfect choice for business and leisure travellers alike visiting the city. The music and the colour of our charming Havana will wrap it demanding.
Quinta Avenida hotel – Google Maps
Hotel Santa Isabel
According to the official description:
The Santa Isabel is the grandest of Old Havana’s hotels, and its location is perfect: it stands on the eastern side of the Plaza de Armas, the city’s earliest and most beautiful colonial square.
Hotel Santa Isabel is located in a privileged city life environment, just in the heart of the historical center of the city of San Cristobal de la Habana, at 9 Baratillo Street Shambles, in the corners de Obispo and Narciso Lopez Streets.
Surrounding Hotel Santa Isabel are Plaza de Armas next to the Palace of the General Captains, the Palacio del Segundo Cabo, the Ruben Martinez Villena Public Library, formerly headquarters of the North American Consulate, the Castle of the Real Force, the first fortified construction built in Latin America and the Templete, where the Village of San Cristobal de la Habana was founded.
The Hotel Santa Isabel is a house of the 18th century, rebuilt at the beginning of the 19th century it became into the splendid mansion of the Counts of Santovenia.
In 1997, after a hundred years of being inaugurated with a careful restoration, the Hotel Santa Isabel opened its doors with the elegance, splendour and comfort that used to characterized it providing a voyage through Cuban history, architecture, art and culture.
Hotel Santa Isabel – Google maps
Bottom Line
I’m torn by this news. I’m annoyed with myself for not having visited Cuba before the island started to see the first signs of US influence but, as a miles and points enthusiast and blogger, I’m excited to have somewhere interesting and new to visit on points.
It would be unfair to look at any of the hotels on Cuba and compare them to what we’re used to in most other countries. Cuba has been under a serious set of trade embargoes for decades and hasn’t even had access to the world banking system (probably not such a bad thing considering recent history!) so expectations should be set accordingly.
I suspect Starwood will have quite a bit of work to do to get these three properties up to brand standards (even a Four Points) but, even after the Starwood brands are proudly displayed in the lobby and on the hotels’ signs later this year, I would expect there to be a period of adjustment during which time the hotels’ management and staff will still be learning the Starwood-way and coming to grips with the reality of the new world that’s about to be unleashed on them.
If you’re visiting Cuba soon make sure you take in all there is to see….it won’t be long before large parts of what makes the country interesting is being subsumed by Taco Bell, Hard Rock Cafe and the near-madatory Margaritaville. Ugh!
If you’re visiting shortly after hotels start to display branding you recognise, try to have a little bit of patience and understanding if things aren’t quite how you like them. It will take time before a Luxury Collection property in Havana can be compared fairly to a Luxury Collection property elsewhere.
Look on the bright side, while you’re waiting for Cuba to catch up you have a fantastic new country to explore with your points – make sure you enjoy it.
