Habaguanex to turn Old Havana landmark into new luxury hotel

The Habaguanex Group has announced that it will be turning an early 20th-century landmark building in Havana, Cuba into a luxury 246-room hotel. The Manzana de Gomez hotel is located in western Old Havana, close to Parque Central, and it is scheduled to open to guests in 2016 complete with an indoor gallery with shops, two restaurants, a swimming pool, and a rooftop terrace.

The Habaguanex Group has announced a joint partnership with Gaviota S.A to transform an old landmark building in Havana into a new luxury hotel.

The hotel will be taking over the former early 20th-century Manzana de Gomez shopping mall which is located at the heart of Old Havana and it will have 246 guest rooms and upscale facilities.

The new Manzana de Gomez hotel is scheduled to open in Cuba's capital city by 2016 and it will offer an indoor gallery with shops, two restaurants, a swimming pool, a rooftop terrace, a modern gym, and glass lifts.

The Swiss luxury hotel brand Kempinski has signed a letter of intent to operate the five-star hotel in Havana, and if successful, this will be the Geneva-based hotel group's first property in the western hemisphere.

Located close to the Parque Central and the landmark Floridita Bar which was a local haunt for Ernest Hemingway, the new luxury hotel will be hold a prime position for tourist looking to explore Havana's Old Town.

Old Havana boasts baroque and neo-classical architecture and buildings and it is currently undergoing restoration by the Cuban government in a bid to encourage more visitors to explore the historical piazzas and streets.

The Habaguanex group was established in 1994 by the Office of the Historian of Havana and it is in charge of tourism in Old Havana. The company is working closely with Gaviota on two other projects - the Packard Hotel and a hotel on Prado and the Malecon oceanfront boulevard.

The five-storey Manzana de Gomez was built in 1910 and was the first indoor shopping mall in Havana. Over the years, the building has hosted upscale retail stores, offices, embassies, consulates and schools.

Habaguanex operates several hotels in Havana and more than 40 restaurants and cafes in the historic centre of the city.

Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean Sea that boasts stunning natural landscapes such as miles of white sand pristine beaches, the second largest coral reef in the world, 14 thriving national parks, six world biosphere reserves, 236 protected areas, historic towns and cities, and many ancient ruins and preserved sites.