Cubasi
May 31st, 2004

The elegance, history and an excellent service that distinguish the National Hotel of Cuba, declared Humanity Heritage by UNESCO and become symbol of Cuban hotel business which has made it worth of the qualifying of the Best Hotel of the World, granted by the participants in the IV Survey The Nicest of elmundoviajes.com.

The “enchanted castle” of which spoke the famous Cuban writer Alejo Carpentier, ran off with the triumph among a total of 194 hotel facilities which received at least a vote on behalf of the participants in the poll, winning over famous hotels like the Ritz in Paris and The Waldorf Astoria, of New York.

More than half a century since its foundation, the beautiful Havanian installation under the care of Gran Caribe hotel group is located in a privileged position, from which a large part of the bay is observable, as well as the Sea Wall, and Vedado neighbourhood, the most animated zone of the city and cultural center by excellence.

Far beyond the beauty of the National Hotel of Cuba and its surroundings there’s the imprint of history put together in each of the art, sciences and politics celebrities who in all those years couldn’t resist the temptation of visiting the place.

In this wonderful hotel are the memories of artists like Frank Sinatra, Ava Gardner, Johnny Weismuller, María Félix, Jorge Negrete, Agustín Lara, Errol Flynn and Marlon Brando; and writers like Rómulo Gallegos and Ernest Hemingway; scientist Alexander Flemming, and of personalities of the politics like Winston Churchill and the dukes of Windsor, besides a large number of Ibero American heads of state and European monarchs.

In a time where not just a few the historic memory is lost or obliterated, the preservation of each moment of its rich path, next to other charms, it’s what probably makes of this a special place, said Antonio Martínez, general manager of the hotel.

“I’d like to say that we are the most-wanted hotel, not the best of the world. We don’t have the luxury of the Ritz, for instance, although we do count on a great richness that is the professional style and feeling of belonging of all the employees”. Here you breathe a caring environment for the visitor and a collective and permanent effort to satisfy all the expectative, commented Martínez about the recognition.

Among the outcomes of this international survey it is also worth mentioning the first place granted to Cuba in the Best Island category; and the third place to Varadero, in the Best Beach.

Source: Trabajadores.