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brooklynite

(93,873 posts)
Tue Jun 28, 2016, 11:26 AM Jun 2016

The First US-Branded Hotel In Cuba Is Now Open

Source: Boarding Area

The First US-Branded Hotel In Cuba Is Now Open

I’ve been really impressed by the speed at which things have been progressing between the US and Cuba on the travel front, ever since sanctions between the two countries started to be lifted early last year. A couple of weeks ago, commercial flights between the US and Cuba became bookable, as they launch in September.

For those who are points obsessed, there’s also progress being made on the hotel front. In March we learned that Starwood had signed a management contract for two Cuban hotels, making them the first US hotel chain to operate a property in Cuba in over half a century.

Hotel Inglaterra is being renovated and will begin operating as a Starwood Luxury Collection hotel as of August 31, 2016.

Meanwhile the Four Points by Sheraton Havana (formerly the Hotel Quinta Avenida) is now officially operating under Starwood management, meaning it’s bookable on spg.com effective immediately.

Read more: http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2016/06/28/sheraton-havana-hotel/

36 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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The First US-Branded Hotel In Cuba Is Now Open (Original Post) brooklynite Jun 2016 OP
When John Kerry is Secretary of State... Herman4747 Jun 2016 #1
I hope some of that tourist $ stays in Cuba bigworld Jun 2016 #2
These are not "owned and operated" brooklynite Jun 2016 #4
Good to know. Thanks. Native Jun 2016 #11
I need to get to Cuba NOW before the US ruins it LynneSin Jun 2016 #3
I traveled to Eastern Europe just after the Wall came down for the same reason. brooklynite Jun 2016 #5
Same! And it was a smart move NWCorona Jun 2016 #18
And before it become just another tourist playground for the rich. alarimer Jun 2016 #6
all of Eastern Europe is just another tourist playground for the rich? uhnope Jun 2016 #16
I don't know, but they aren't tropical paradises either, are they? alarimer Jun 2016 #23
sorry but I have to correct you on that one there. uhnope Jun 2016 #31
That's exactly why I went last year! Lisa0825 Jun 2016 #12
We're booked on a cruise for next April Greybnk48 Jun 2016 #19
I'm planning on going to check out the car culture before NWCorona Jun 2016 #20
Yeah I really don't have much desire to go to the Caribbean either 47of74 Jun 2016 #22
The "disneyfication" of Cuba inanna Jun 2016 #32
There are a lot of great spots in the Caribbean. Ace Rothstein Jun 2016 #35
The irony of ending the Cuba embargo FrodosPet Jun 2016 #7
A Cuban friend of mine - staunch Republican - told me the very same thing 15 years ago. forest444 Jun 2016 #26
I just returned from Cuba, and the picture is not so rosy. Coventina Jun 2016 #8
My hubby said same thing. He stayed at an Air B&B -- no water. mainer Jun 2016 #9
Yes, the Cuban people are amongst the friendliest I have ever encountered. Coventina Jun 2016 #10
Wow - My experience last year was very different. Lisa0825 Jun 2016 #14
I didn't stay at either of those hotels you mention. I was at the "Panorama" in Havana Coventina Jun 2016 #29
Hm....not going to switch from trips to Thailand to trips to Havana any time soon, then! Just reading posts Jun 2016 #15
Message auto-removed Name removed Jun 2016 #13
I hope its a Motel 6 so I can affort to go. Hoppy Jun 2016 #17
It looks like rooms start at around $200 a night. Just reading posts Jun 2016 #24
Mistaken main point on sanctions in article... Mika Jun 2016 #21
Things have changed Juurd Jun 2016 #25
Great news! harun Jun 2016 #27
I'd be happier if they were local owned and operated JonathanRackham Jun 2016 #28
They are...this is a branded affiliate brooklynite Jun 2016 #30
Are they subject to franchise fees? JonathanRackham Jun 2016 #33
Usually, Cuba has a 51% tax rate for foreign corporations operating in Cuba, plus ... Mika Jun 2016 #34
So, when are they building an Olive Garden? hunter Jun 2016 #36

LynneSin

(95,337 posts)
3. I need to get to Cuba NOW before the US ruins it
Tue Jun 28, 2016, 11:41 AM
Jun 2016

There's a mystical old-world culture & charm to Cuba mainly due to the Embargo not allowing for new technology to overrun the country.

Personally I've not had any desire to travel to the Caribbean because so much of it has been ruined by the States 'americanizing' it - at least the touristy areas. I'm fearful Cuba will soon fall to that too!


alarimer

(16,245 posts)
6. And before it become just another tourist playground for the rich.
Tue Jun 28, 2016, 11:45 AM
Jun 2016

And I want to dive before the cruise ship industry ruins some of the last, best marine habitat in the Caribbean.

alarimer

(16,245 posts)
23. I don't know, but they aren't tropical paradises either, are they?
Tue Jun 28, 2016, 02:42 PM
Jun 2016

By and large, it's not the locals in the Caribbean, South and Central America that have benefited from tourism. I can guess that's probably true just about everywhere.

My other major concern is the environment. I hate, hate, hate cruise ships, not only for their hordes of tourists, but also for the incredibly environmentally destructive practices in this industry, from dumping garbage at sea (newer ones are better, I admit) to the infrastructure needed to handle them. Most cruise terminals are built in highly sensitive areas. And Cuba, because of its long isolation, has much better reefs and habitat that would be destroyed by tourism, especially of the cruise ship variety.

 

uhnope

(6,419 posts)
31. sorry but I have to correct you on that one there.
Tue Jun 28, 2016, 03:37 PM
Jun 2016

Life in Eastern Europe has improved exponentially for a huge percentage of the local citizens since the collapse of the Soviet dictatorship. From food to medicine to infrastructure to standard of living, not to mention basic freedoms to speak, worship, travel, choose their political leaders and congregate. Yes there are a lot of tourists but it's not a "playground for the rich" situation, there are tourists from all over and not just rich ones. The life and opportunities for the average 20 year old in Prague or Bratislava or even Bucharest are almost incomparably better now than in 1989. The Baltics have flourished, relatively, Of course, the further away you get from Western Europe, or towards the influence of Russia--especially the countries that once made up the USSR--this is less so. Moldova, for example, is in a pretty sad state. Ukraine is really suffering for being on the border of Russia, of course, but at least they have the freedom to travel and worship and read whatever they want.

Lisa0825

(14,487 posts)
12. That's exactly why I went last year!
Tue Jun 28, 2016, 12:16 PM
Jun 2016

Had a wonderful time! It is a beautiful country with lovely people.

Greybnk48

(10,148 posts)
19. We're booked on a cruise for next April
Tue Jun 28, 2016, 01:01 PM
Jun 2016

and I can't wait! A "Pearl of the Seas" educational cruise with 5 or 6 stops. We recently changed our itinerary and I don't remember the new one exactly, but we are soooo excited. My husband was stationed as a corpsman at Gitmo 1972-73, and lamented that he never was permitted to "see" Cuba, so this is a bucket lister for him.

 

47of74

(18,470 posts)
22. Yeah I really don't have much desire to go to the Caribbean either
Tue Jun 28, 2016, 01:53 PM
Jun 2016

Or Mexico either.

The idea of going on tours of Europe and other parts of the world is much more appealing to me than going on cruises.

Ace Rothstein

(3,109 posts)
35. There are a lot of great spots in the Caribbean.
Tue Jun 28, 2016, 09:54 PM
Jun 2016

The French half of St. Martin is beautiful, the Dutch side not so much. Saba is tiny and very undeveloped. The BVI's don't have the mega resorts or crime of the USVI's. And those are only the islands I've been to, there are a bunch more that aren't overdeveloped.

FrodosPet

(5,169 posts)
7. The irony of ending the Cuba embargo
Tue Jun 28, 2016, 11:50 AM
Jun 2016

For over 50 years, the U.S. maintained a useless embargo that cost us A LOT of goodwill and respect throughout Latin America and the world in general. Rather than get rid of the Castros, it made them stronger, as Cuba could deflect all of its problems towards the U.S.

Now, the embargo is finally starting to come down. And people (specifically, the hard line communists) are facing the reality that American people, American companies, American brands, are going to start flooding the island.

It is going to be good for some, bad for others. Cuba is definitely going to get pulled closer to free speech, with all of its threat to order and control. The irony is the very thing that the right wing loons (supposedly) wanted the punitive embargo to do is accomplished through normalized economic and political relations.

forest444

(5,902 posts)
26. A Cuban friend of mine - staunch Republican - told me the very same thing 15 years ago.
Tue Jun 28, 2016, 02:49 PM
Jun 2016

The difference between him and many other old-line Cuban exiles: his father had left during Fulgencio Batista's drug-financed dictatorship, rather than after the revolution. He detested Castro; but knew that in Cuba, there was actually something worse.

Coventina

(26,874 posts)
8. I just returned from Cuba, and the picture is not so rosy.
Tue Jun 28, 2016, 11:53 AM
Jun 2016

Don't get me wrong, I LOVED my time in Cuba, and I would encourage anyone to go!!!

HOWEVER!

The infrastructure for massive tourism simply does not exist.

The terminal for US flights has exactly 3 gates. Flight delays of 6 hours are common.
The day of my departure back to Miami, not a single flight left on time. The shortest flight delay was around 90 minutes or so.

The water in Cuba is not drinkable. Not a problem if you are careful, but how many clueless US tourists are going to remember to not put their toothbrush under the tap in their hotel?

In most places, you cannot flush your toilet paper, this makes going to restrooms a very messy and smelly affair. Also, toilet seats are rather uncommon luxuries. Plus, if you want TP, you must tip the bathroom attendant. Maybe I should have more faith in my fellow Americans, but I foresee a lot of grumpy tourists.

Maybe the top-end hotels will be well-maintained and clean, but I stayed at several "top-end" hotels during my week and not a single one was free of very basic issues: non-functional A/C, doors that won't lock, a broken door had me locked INSIDE my hotel room for about an hour before staff broke the door to set me free, hot water that doesn't work, bugs, bugs, bugs, and more bugs, broken fixtures, dirty "clean" towels, stained bed linens, I could go on and on.

None of this ruined my trip for me, because I have traveled in 3rd world countries and experienced the same and worse at times. I consider myself a bit of an "adventure" traveler.

However, I rather doubt that the average US traveler is going to be happy with such conditions.

mainer

(12,013 posts)
9. My hubby said same thing. He stayed at an Air B&B -- no water.
Tue Jun 28, 2016, 12:06 PM
Jun 2016

First the hot water ran out. Then the water itself ran out. You have to bring your own soap, shampoo, etc.

On the plus side, everyone was very friendly.

Coventina

(26,874 posts)
10. Yes, the Cuban people are amongst the friendliest I have ever encountered.
Tue Jun 28, 2016, 12:09 PM
Jun 2016

I would go again in a heartbeat, but it is not a "luxury" Caribbean vacation, which is what I think most people are expecting.

Lisa0825

(14,487 posts)
14. Wow - My experience last year was very different.
Tue Jun 28, 2016, 12:23 PM
Jun 2016

Yes, the airport situation is terrible. Expect to wait 3 hours to get through customs.

The 2 hotels I stayed in had safe water, fully functional AC, locking doors, no bugs, and clean linens. We stayed at the Hotel Parque Central in Havana and The Iberostar Trinidad in Trinidad.

Tipping bathroom attendants is common in Mexico as well, so that didn't faze me at all. I was advised to bring purse-sized packages of tissues wherever I went, but I always tipped them anyway.

Coventina

(26,874 posts)
29. I didn't stay at either of those hotels you mention. I was at the "Panorama" in Havana
Tue Jun 28, 2016, 03:11 PM
Jun 2016

In the Trinidad area we stayed at the beach resort called Costa Sur.

I also tipped the restroom attendants while using my own tissues.
What they gave out really wasn't worth using.

 

Just reading posts

(688 posts)
15. Hm....not going to switch from trips to Thailand to trips to Havana any time soon, then!
Tue Jun 28, 2016, 12:24 PM
Jun 2016


However, I rather doubt that the average US traveler is going to be happy with such conditions.

I know I wouldn't be! To each their own, though.

Interesting info, thanks for posting.

Response to brooklynite (Original post)

 

Mika

(17,751 posts)
21. Mistaken main point on sanctions in article...
Tue Jun 28, 2016, 01:10 PM
Jun 2016
... ever since sanctions between the two countries started to be lifted early last year.


Cuba had no sanctions. The extraterritorial sanctions were the doing of the USA solely.


JonathanRackham

(1,604 posts)
33. Are they subject to franchise fees?
Tue Jun 28, 2016, 04:24 PM
Jun 2016

If the train nationals to manage and operate then I'm in. Hopefully local vendors and suppliers as well.

 

Mika

(17,751 posts)
34. Usually, Cuba has a 51% tax rate for foreign corporations operating in Cuba, plus ...
Tue Jun 28, 2016, 08:24 PM
Jun 2016

... Cuba maintains at least 51+% ownership of any "improvements" and construction.

Cuba's national labor union (comprised of elected reps of all of the unions in Cuba) is the supplier/contractor of labor.

There's requirements for domestic vendors and suppliers - depending on the products that are available, of course.

Cubans still run Cuba ... on their terms.





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