Articles and Stories

July 6, 2016

On June 27th, 2016, the Starwood Hotels & Resorts opened the Four Points Havana, the first American hotel in Cuba since 1959. The Four Points is part of a historic, three-hotel deal between Starwood Hotel & Resorts and the Cuban government. Officially, the state still owns the hotel, originally called Quinta Avenida, but Starwood manages its renovation and daily operation.
The 186-room hotel, originally built in 2010, is set in the scenic Miramar district, just 15 minutes from the business areas of downtown Havana and caters primarily to business travelers.
The second hotel, the Gran Caribe Inglaterra Hotel, is in the midst of a major renovation, and is scheduled to re-open on August 31. This hotel opened in 1875 and is a national landmark near the historic district of Old Havana. Once renovations are complete, this hotel will have 83 luxury rooms.
The third property is Hotel Santa Isabel, but does not have an opening date yet. This will become a Four Points by Sheraton hotel with 27 luxury rooms and 11 suites. It is a 19th century, colonial style hotel, which overlooks the Havana harbor.
Relationships between Cuba and the US began to relax in December 2014, when president Obama ordered the restoration of full diplomatic relations with Cuba. Both countries opened embassies less than a year later. Officially, travelers to Cuba cannot just go for a vacation, but must declare one of twelve reasons for travel, such as visiting family or business trips.