CubaPLUS Magazine

Entering the lobby of the Habana Libre Tryp Hotel, after its wide glass doors open as if by magic, is an act of great beauty, with modern furniture sharing the space with numerous ornamental plants that give the impression of being in a garden of Eden.

The first floor is a very pleasant space, occupied by several stores, including one specializing in tobacco, rum and coffee, travel agencies' offices, bars and restaurants, among them the famous "El Barracón".

Accessing the second floor, the first thing that jumps to the eye is the well-known bar "Las Cañitas", with its swimming pool and the numerous event and meeting rooms. Among them is the emblematic Ambassadors' Hall, witness to countless international conferences and even the chess tournament "Capablanca In Memoriam", whose 1965 event saw the world’s best chess player at the time, American Robert Fischer, participate from a distance, as the State Department would not allow him to travel to Cuba. However, he managed to play via teletype and, although he was not crowned champion, he obtained fourth place and made history.

Taking the elevator, which goes from the first floor to the top of the building in under a minute, you reach the 25th floor, where one finds the "Sierra Maestra" restaurant and the very famous "Turquino". The latter is full of splendor, especially at night, when its roof is opened and you can admire the starry sky like a beautiful shawl, typical of the tropics.

On the 22nd floor is the famous Presidential suite "La Castellana", a great setting in history because, for three months, the general command of the nascent Cuban Revolution in 1959 was located there. The historic leader Fidel Castro Ruz and his main collaborators made the first decisions of the new government and even signed several laws there, including the Agrarian Reform, which abolished the large estates and gave the land to the peasants who worked it.

The hotel has many other spaces, including 572 rooms, including suites, doubles and singles, but we cannot fail to mention the famous "Polynesian" restaurant, where the Tiki culture reigns, based on the tradition of the Polynesian islands. This very special, darkly lit, place is decorated with South Pacific fishermen's pots and idols carved in fine woods that allow guests to travel back in time to earlier times and to another world. The exotic food offered by the restaurant, along with a cocktail bar based on rum and natural fruit juice, complete the special offerings of the Polynesian.

Apart from the hotel's magnificent facilities, it also plays an important role as a promoter of national culture.

In this regard, Juan Carlos Colina Ordaz, assistant manager of the hotel, told this magazine that "this hotel has a special charm related to the heritage works it treasures, hence the need to further promote everything related to culture. We have unique pieces, such as the murals by Amelia Peláez, Portocarrero, pieces by Fabelo and Sosa Bravo, which sets us apart from other lodgings and, therefore, we have to preserve it".

The hotel, operated for 20 years by the Spanish chain Meliá, is undergoing a major investment process. It is working to have the most advanced technologies and all the facilities in accordance with its 4-star category, he said.
 
 
A bit of history
 
This emblematic facility has a great history. At the time, it was the largest and most modern hotel in the country with multiple rooms for different purposes, including the casino of the then Havana Hilton Hotel, which was leased by sugar magnate Roberto Mendoza (Chirri). It only had a short life, because on January 1, 1959, the Revolution triumphed and, among other measures, gambling was eliminated on the island.

Shortly thereafter, it changed its name to Hotel Habana Libre and began to host countless congresses, conferences, contests and national and international events, the list of which would be endless.

Many national and foreign personalities have stayed or visited the Habana Libre, including the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz.

Top political leaders from countries such as Peru, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Chile, among many others, have visited the hotel, as well as world-famous artists and athletes such as Elizabeth Taylor, Sara Montiel, Arturo de Cordova, Maro Moreno, Teofilo Stevenson and Alberto Juantorena.

In essence, the Habana Libre Tryp Hotel has a lot of history to tell and will surely continue to accumulate much more for the pleasure and pride of future generations of Cubans.